[SimonT]

Hi All,
Its been a while since i posted here, but i have been talking with a few mates about doing a road trip from Brisbane to Ayers Rock (in Australia for those that don't know). This trip will be over 3000km each way.

Anyway, just wondering what mods I should do in preparation for this trip to make it more comfortable for me and my C5.

Also, what spares should i take. I am assuming a tube is a good idea, but other than that im not sure what would be smart as space will be at a premium.

Anyway i would appreciate all thoughts

Thanks
Simon

[tenacres650]

AIRHAWK!

[crock]

You will need everything related to changing a tire. The tubes, a tube repair kit (in case you flat more than once), tire irons, tire lube, a pump or other inflating device, and be sure you REALLY know how to change a flat. How do you change that front tire? The bike won't stay upriight when you remove it unless you find something tho block it up. How do you get the rear wheel out? YOu ned some practice with this stuff. I heartily recommend filling your tubes with Slime or other tire goop before you take off.
You need spare bulbs, for brake, and headlight. All the other bulbs are optional.
Some sort of 12 V electrical tester and some spare wire, connector, bits, & tape to jury rig a repair.
A good set of pliers.
A 12 mm wrench. My bike's tool set did not come with one.
Extra spark plug.
Check that everything with the battery is 100%.

Every morning, spend 20 minutes polishing or cleaning the bike and check the fasteners as you do. Frequent inspection gets things tightened up before they fall off. This was the Harley ritual in the old days, and that is how they got across the country without problems.

[Rustygears]

Read this....

https://forum.classicmotorworks.com/index.php/topic,21792.msg246328.html#msg246328

[wildbill]

simon
just came back from this trip a few weeks ago so know it very well. all good advice from above. now it depends on what month you go and I went a couple months back in july but add the following
1. extra water bottles - all these places will be 30 plus daily and its a hot dry windy run
2. don't ride early dawn or late at night as in qld I saw 1000's of dead roos along the edge and in the centre of the road - you only have to hit one and it could be over.
3. once in nt roos are not the problem and nearer to alice springs/ayres rock
it's either stock/cattle or wild horses which come out from no-where and can cross in front of you. these can range from 20 to  50 plus and scare the shits out of you.
the road to ayres rock is classed as the most dangerous road to drive in the northern territory and more people get killed on it than any other road. main reason tourists/night driving/right hand drive cars/camel/stock/roos -better stay off this road at night.
be prepared to be ripped off heavily on the way too - plus your arrival at ayres rock. they are there only to take as much money as they can get out of you. just one gas station $2.20 litre.  the cheapest room was a glorified toilet @ $189 night. next room up $450 night and after that ..sky is the limit now I couldn't even get into the caravan park for even a tent site. it is geared around one thing only money!
back to your trip. coming from qld the road is pretty good to the nt border but as you enter nt the first place is a hole called ranken. unless they improve the road either side of the entry point to the dump be very careful here.
there were huge pothole in the road. not one or two....bloody lots of them. I'd hate to hit one in a car -on a bike a new wheel for sure and maybe on your ass. without doubt the worst bit of road you will encounter on the whole trip. best of all it will only go for a couple of 100 metres either side of the town. with luck they may have them repaired by them. either way keep it in mind.
you will be handicapped though. once the boys see the 130 zone that will excite them and 300 klm out and as they near the alice and hit the open speed limit well ..............bye! I know I flogged the shit out of my car, you have about 70klm first to have a hit. this part is not quite as good but alright and after that  a 20 or 30 klm break at legal zoned speed and then a 190 odd klm open run.
best tell them too in between that open speed limit is the restricted speed zones and the radar cops and if you come out of the zone and over the posted speed limit by just a couple of kph -these coppers will book you.
I was told this several times by locals in alice. they wait for you with the radar gun once you exit the unlimited section as its hard to drop from say 200 to 80 or 100. its like you stopped! well maybe not on an enfield...lol
but the trip is worthwhile....especially one section  even i think I might do it again. if I do this time I plan to have my car road transported to and from alice and fly over and just get in it - stuff the 7 day drive as it wears you out...lol


 

[SimonT]

Thanks heaps for all the input... Keep them coming.

How should i carry gear?
should i look into getting the 19t front sprocket as its all highway....

Wildbill, should i use my mesh dryrider jacket, or leather one?

Thanks guys

Simon

[wildbill]

what month are you going. as for a 19t sprocket I'd check ahead and see what weather conditions are like. I put up with windy conditions day after day - that was in july and the conditions ran from port augusta all the way to darwin so was pretty annoying.
if it wasn't head  it was cross wind so either way it wasn't good plus also strong enough to move the car about on the road too.
it may be just seasonal. ive been to the red centre three times now but always in the cooler june/july period. tourist info in alice would help you there climate wise.
now if they said the wind was a winter seasonal affair then go for the 19t sprocket as there's lots of flat running once you cross into the northern territory although if you turn right at three ways to Darwin its not too flat around pine creek - actually surprise me how hilly that place really is.
don't get me wrong there are hills there but if I was riding my C5 to the centre and I knew I wasn't gonna run into that bloody wind day after day - I'd go 19t for sure. I think it would be a big bonus....or you could fit the 19t and if you strike a problem switch back to the factory 18T unit.
I have my 19T sprocket sitting in the end room and expect to fit it in a couple of weeks just to see what its really like to ride with

[mattsz]

Discussions like this leave me wondering why they didn't design a side-cover casting that has a removable cover-plate - easy to change the drive sprocket without opening the engine and dumping your oil everywhere... 

[SimonT]

thanks mate...
havent discussed a time of year yet... but i feel at least one of the guys is itching to go... but we are heading into summer which wont be fun...

the more i think about it, i might suggest an alternate journey... something with some hills and bends... maybe a ride up the qld coastline or something.

Day after day of straight flat road might lose its appeal pretty quickly.

[tenacres650]

you might want to look at wildbill's flyscreen too that will help keep some wind off you.

[wildbill]

now if you want to buy something worthwhile - buy that flyscreen  - money well spent. plus the bike is a bit quicker
back to the red centre.well I wouldn't say straight flat road but what the real problem was for me  'grey nomads' and in july there were hundred of them. not a care in the world and just pulling their caravans along.
sometimes in packs of four and sitting on 80kph in the 130 speed zone. you can imagine once behind how fast you have to go from 80kph to get past them. they bunch together and sometimes leave very little room to get in between them so its all or nothing.
road train triple decker guys were very good. they actually slowed down when they saw you come up from behind and let you pass but as I said the 'grey nomads' when I crested a hill and saw one of those ahead - even I was pissed off....lol
if you were doing this trip to genuinely see parts of interest in the red centre its worth the trip but if your doing it for a long bike trip run to sum up -its a long boring day after day drive. the only fun was when I hit the legal 130 kph and after and hour or two that feels like 100kph so the thrill is gone so to with the unrestricted.
in 73 on a long weekend I rode my 750 Suzuki with 5 others from orange nsw - mildura - broken hill -nyngan - orange that was a good long run.
funny event too. local copper in cobar booked one rider for not wearing a crash helmet at 8am in the morning so he paid him the money on the spot.
never got the ticket and lost the cash too........that was the '70's and the rider in question he was 18....lol
nah it wasn't ne. I didn't get out of it too well either. leaving broken hill early and cruising at 80 odd mph a flock of friggin galagh's flew up off the side of the road and into the on coming bikes several were hit by the bikes and I copped one galagh smack in the centre of the chest which totally winded me and send me to the side of the road - side stand down-on the ground in a kneeling position......felt like I'd been hit with a shovel...lol

[mattsz]

I copped one galagh smack in the centre of the chest which totally winded me and send me to the side of the road - side stand down-on the ground in a kneeling position......felt like I'd been hit with a shovel...lol

Sounds like black-fly season here in Maine... 

[gizzo]

should i use my mesh dryrider jacket, or leather one?

Thanks guys

Simon

I'd wear the Dririder: If it gets hot you can take out the windproof and /or thermal liner and go with just the mesh. It's more convenient than leather (and more comfortable if it's really hot or wet). The liners can go in the back protector pocket on the back of the jacket if you don't mind looking like a hump back 

[heloego]

And if anyone asks about it, you get to say "What hump?" 

[Ducati Scotty]

Liquid flat repair is good stuff, slimy liquid that goes into the tube.  It will seal a nail hole but not a large slash.  You need to remove the valve core to squirt it it.  It can be a mess to clean up in a tubeless tire or if it does not seal the tube and gets out between the tire and the tube, but it's great for sealing small punctures and is way easier than changing a tube on the side of the road.

Also, get some decent, large tire irons.  The little 4" irons in the stock kit are worthless.

Scott