Anyone want to ride to Adelaide.....or further?

[Hewzie]

I have some spare time and thought I might head off towards the east. Plan is to ride to Adelaide, prob leave Monday 25th Nov. No land speed records and I intend to go via Port Lincoln and then ferry across from Cowell to north of Adelaide. I want to cruise around the Barossa, but not sure of my plans after that. Might come back or continue to Melb.
So, if you have rellies that need visiting in Adel. join me for a ride over there. I will be swagging it most nights (trying to justify buying a swag a few months ago!)
My plans are so vague, I haven't even decided which bike to take.

[O-J]

I'd be up for a January trip

[Hewzie]

Jan too far away. I'm happy doing solo rides....in fact, they are prob the best. No looking in mirrors, no stopping when others want to and you don't. Mind you, there are also plenty of benefits to travelling in a small group.
I'm going to head off Mon morning, through to Balladonia for the night. (Plan is to ride and stay comfortable all of the time, no mega kms or hi speed.) Then across just into SA on Tues, followed by an easy Wed ride to both Smoky Bay and Streaky Bay. Thurs to Port Pirie, then Fri into Adel. My wife is flying in to Adel Fri night, so we can do a wine ride through Barossa in the weekend and she flies home on Mon. Fugd if. I know where I'm headed after that. If I'm over it, I might park the bike up and fly home! Or if I'm loving it, hello Brissy, g'day Darwin. But not likely to do that much this time.
I'm going to ride my KTM 990SMT. Funnily enough, it was originally an Adel bike, that I freighted over here a couple of years ago.
Anyway, I hope you get out and about in Jan. Cheers.

[Huggy]

Nothing quite like camping out on the nullarbor, all alone, and under a bazzilion stars in the sky.

Take it easy, and enjoy yourself!

[Wahoo]

Have a great trip. My bike is getting freighted over to Melbourne at the moment and will be riding around Tassie then touring perhaps NSW and Vic before I get to Adelaide. Like you, I have no idea where or when I will be around Adelaide though.

[Dirty32]

Nothing quite like camping out on the nullarbor, all alone, and under a bazzilion stars in the sky.

Yeah... Until you wake up with some Mick Taylor looking fella, standing over you!

[Huggy]

Looks like a helpful fella!

Taking the ferry across from Cowell will mean he'll probably miss going through this blokes town...

[Hewzie]

I changed my mind about the ferry. I have to prebook and prepay it and I don't want to be that 'locked in'. I thought I'd go to Port Lincoln but doing Streaky and Smoky Bays will do me. I want to go now!
I bought a top box for the KTM so now I can take a few luxuries, like food!

[pottz]

Anyone want to ride to Adelaide.....or further?

If your going for a ride that way with no real destination I would highly recommend checking out the great alpine highway and the roads around Mt Hotham at this time of year (no snow)
I've done it and would do it again any day over the (not so) great ocean road. It's almost worth the trip just to do those best roads in Aus.

Edit: you sure about pre booking the ferry? We just ride up and jumped on it unless I'm thinking of a different bloody ferry.

[Graelin]

Best wishes Hewzie for your trip. Look forward to the story and some pics.

[Huggy]

If your going for a ride that way with no real destination I would highly recommend checking out the great alpine highway and the roads around Mt Hotham at this time of year (no snow)
I've done it and would do it again any day over the (not so) great ocean road. It's almost worth the trip just to do those best roads in Aus.

Edit: you sure about pre booking the ferry? We just ride up and jumped on it unless I'm thinking of a different bloody ferry.

Yeah I'll second this!

The GOR has some nice bends, awesome views, but the road surface is pretty crappy in a lot of places, and some of the tourists driving is just downright scary.
Worth doing for sure, but the roads up around Falls Creek, Mt Beauty and Omeo are on a whole other level.

[Hewzie]

Cheers for the tips. The ferry would prob be a ride on deal, but from the net they encourage booking it. I will be happy cutting back from Streaky Bay to Eyre Hway. Still, ya never know, the weather might change things, too.
I have pencilled in the Grampians, if I venture into Vic. But yeah, there are so many good roads there. I have driven up into the hills near Thompsons Reservoir, loved it.

[Hewzie]

I just wrote an update an hour ago and it never made it here. Don't ya hate that?
Don't ever attempt the Nullarbor crossing with less than 75% tyre tread! I learnt the hard way with the harsh road material chewing out the rear by Madura Pass. I was only 600 kms past Norseman and the thread was visible on my rear tyre. Apparently it was a soft city compound and not a touring tyre. I spent two and a half days there whilst wheel went to Kalg and back for a new Pirelli.
It meant I had two days resting and only left one day to cover 1460 kms to Adel. Well, I could've taken two days but it became a mind game. I departed Madura at 6 am and I finally arrived in Adel at 11 pm.
I didn't really speed either. I had a headwind or sidewind all the way and a top box with side bags to fugg up any economy I thought my thirsty KTM might deliver. Usually get to 240kms before reserve light on, but one stretch, after averaging 135ish into a headwind it came on at 180 km.
anyway, it was a great trip. Learnt a lot and the KTM SMT is a great bike. It does everything I expect and has proved to be a good tourer. The little fly screen works really well.
I'll do the ferry and Streaky Bay bit on the way home, but first we going to Barossa tomorrow and then I'm heading to the Grampians in Victoria. I'll post some photos later. Cheers

[devolved]

Streaky Bay is one of my favourite spots in the world.

Not sure why, but everytime I pass through there I feel like I should stay.

Enjoy your ride - even if going solo, I'm sure you'll meet plenty of people along the way that aren't Mick or John.

[Hewzie]

Two and a half days waiting in Madura meant I met a lot of unusual travelers. All good people though.