Adelaide to the Red Centre/Mt Isa/Broken Hill

[semaja2]

Alright alright so I have my big BMW R1200GSA 2008, got her back in early December 2011 and been preparing her and taming the beast ever since. However the time has come to stop with the little trips and go for a epic ride! (Note: Epic for me that is) currently I am looking at the last 2 weeks of July 2012 or around that period

I figure the best way to determine if I can make the bigger trips is to plan a trip around the Central Australia however I have NO idea what I'm getting my self in besides plotting a course through roads/tracks Garmin Basecamp wont even show until zoomed in 100%!!!

So with that I would love to get some input from everyone on the route I've plotted so far (I've plotted upto Mount Isa) I have 14 days to complete the trip and hopefully fit in some rest and sight seeing in that ;) if anyone is willing to have a looksies attached is a link to the GPX file which should be able to open in most GPS software

http://files.semaja2.net/Central%20Australia.GPX.zip

My experience off road is still tame and I don't want to risk going down too many 4WD tracks when I am so far away from support! I will be carrying a Spot 2 and possibly a rented/borrowed sat phone/uhf radio just incase something happens... My parents will be following me on the Spot 2 and if I dont check in 3 times a day will try to contact me and failing so contact the local authorities if no check in for 24 hours or is this simply over kill?

If there is any other inmates on the intended route or located near the route wanting to join, up for a visit or simply just happy to offer assistance incase something happens, please let me know as I am planning this trip on my own but secretly hoping I will get some company on the trip :)

Now onto the equipment... I currently have;

• BMW R1200 GSA 2008 - Fog Lights / Onboard Computer / ESA / ABS / ASC
• BMW Navigator III
• BMW Side Panniers
• Micro Tyre Repair Kit
• Potentiometer Guard
• Oil Guard
• Master Cylinder Guard
• AdvDesign Engine Guard Extensions (Cant be too careful!)
• Basic First Aid Kit (What should be in this!!!)
• Survival Knife
• Arai XD-3
• HEMA Central Australia Map
• Head Light Guard (Lexon Glass)
• Rox Handle Bar Risers
• GS911
• RST Pro Series Adventure Jacket 1222
• RST Pro Series Adventure Jean 1232
• Alpine Stars Tech 3
• BMW GS Small Tank Bag
• Complete Toolkit for the R1200GSA
• Heidenau K60 Scouts Rear Tyre
• TKC80's Front Tyre

I plan on purchasing the following before I leave;

• ContourRoam (Got to film the ride!)
• Tyre Change Kit
• AltRider Skid Guard
• AltRider Side Stand Foot
• Need some sort of water bag to carry 10L or so of water?
• 2x 5L Fuel Cells (Strapped to front of panniers)

Is there anything I have missed or is simply overkill in my equipment list?

Now I am sure I have a million more questions, but really got to start somewhere and well here it is! I will defiantly be updating this thread with progress and eventually write up the ride report once ive done the damn thing and hopefully not killed my self doing it!!

[gonescratchin]

G'day Andrew,

Haven't looked at the route yet, but I have done a fair bit of 4WD touring through the outback so will check it out and see what I can suggest.

As for the bike/clothes kit - my responses are coloured below:

I'll start with the GPS - I use the TwoNav Delta - bloody brilliant. Runs both as a street-level navigator (Navman style) and has an off-road, topo ability, where you can upload tracks and so on with the desktop software (yes they have a mac version). Available from OctaPC (Perth). Not cheap, but there's nothing out there that really compares, for motorcyclists (topo AND street map, water proof, comes with all bike mounting gear).

If you're running and iPad or iPhone, MudMaps is a great piece of nav/mapping software, with downloadable topo files for most of the Hema Desert Map series available.

I would go here to look at fog-light protectors. Some of his other stuff is brilliant.

I plan on purchasing the following before I leave;

• Head Light Guard (Lexon Glass)
• Rox Handle Bar Risers
• GS911
• Complete Toolkit for the R1200GSA
• ContourRoam (Got to film the ride!)
• Tankbag (Still to decide what!)
  Not too big! Don't want something jabbing at your thighs when you are up on the pegs. I just keep mine for covering my electrical connectors (so I can charge stuff on the fly, like cameras, phone etc.
• Repace my Tourance Tyres with some nice Knoblys! (Suggestions?)
  I use the Heidenau K60 Scouts on the rear, and TKC80's on the front. They work well for me, though the Heidi has some peculiar characteristics, but all manageable.
• Tyre Change Kit
  Heavy duty tyre tubes for front and rear. If you slash a sidewall on tubeless, slime or plugs won't be much good.(And be careful removing the tyre pressure sensors - they form the other half of the valve stem on the inside of the tyre. Bike runs fine without them in, just keep getting the yellow idiot light on the dash because it recognises there's no incoming signal. A bit of black tape over the gauge sorts that out
• AltRider Skid Guard
• AltRider Side Stand Foot
• RST Pro Series Adventure Jacket 1222
• RST Pro Series Adventure Jean 1232
• Suggestions for some boots?
• Need some sort of water bag to carry 10L or so of water?
• 2x 5L Fuel Cells (Strapped to front of panniers)
  You'll need a fork stand, for when you're doing a front tyre repair -I think Touratech has them.

Is there anything I have missed or is simply overkill in my equipment list?

My stock screen is not tall enough for me, so I got one of the Wunderlich screen extenders which makes a world of difference. I keep an allen key in my tank bag, so when I'm off-road, I loosen a screw and tilt it back down to give me more vision down in front of the bike, and tilt it back up for bitumen. Takes seconds to adjust.

If you subscribe to the GS Safari newsletter they put out a good list of things to consider for their ride, right down to condoms! I'll see if I can dig up my copy of last year's list. You'll want to modify the list depending on the nature of your ride, but it's a pretty good start. Also, go to the Oilhead Boxers forum, and ask the more experienced travellers there.

You may want to consider the VIO POV camera instead of the Contour - I have the ContourHD and it's great, but not well set up for using repeatedly over several days or more. There's no clear way t check the current battery status, nor memory card level. The VIO (which I don't have.....yet) has it's own mini screen allowing for some basic editing on the fly. Uses AA batteries. Downside is a $600 price tag - about double the Contour Roam

Anyway, good luck with the planning. We'll catch up when you're ready to fit those risers.

[TPER Chief]

Semeja - sounds good nice easy round trip, on the GPS front have you checked out the new hema navigator 6 inch version that just came out this month, comes loads with all hema maps, all topos for australia and street navigator also includes the best camps 6 book sites and points already loaded, For outback travel and getting about you cant really go past the hema range of stuff. they also update the maps all the time, plus you get the ozi explorer software to help you out and prepare the ride on your pc.

[gonescratchin]

Originally Posted by TPER Chief

Semeja - sounds good nice easy round trip, on the GPS front have you checked out the new hema navigator 6 inch version that just came out this month, comes loads with all hema maps, all topos for australia and street navigator also includes the best camps 6 book sites and points already loaded, For outback travel and getting about you cant really go past the hema range of stuff. they also update the maps all the time, plus you get the ozi explorer software to help you out and prepare the ride on your pc.

Is the Hema navigator waterproof? I got the impression it was really only set up for in-car use (not water/dust proof).

[semaja2]

Thanks for your advice guys, I did like your GPS gonescratchin however for the time being I will be stuck with my BMW Navigator III... It seems to do the job fairly well but nothing compared to yours :(

I have been using the HEMA maps to plot my course and have loaded a huge collection onto my iPad/iPhone and will be carrying plotted maps of my course as backup

My biggest concern is what the roads/trails/wtfs will be like, does anyone have pictures of what the oonadata track looks like? And I have no idea for my course from mount Isa to broken hill still but I'm thinking Cameron's corner in there?

I have also arranged for some rope and pulleys to be put together to allow me to recover my motorbike in almost any case and even simply pull it back upright!

And once again would love if anyone's interested and wants to join to let me know, it scares me in some sections that I'll be alone :(

[semaja2]

Update:

I have completed the draft route through Queensland and currently trying to settle on the distances each day and where to camp (don't want to arrive too early and be bored, and don't want to take 12 hours of riding a day...) below is a list of roads/tracks/hwys I will be on so any advice or reports will be appreciated (would love to hear/see what the road conditions are like)

• Oodnadata Track
• Stuart Hwy
• Lasster Hwy
• Luritja Road
• Ernest Giles
• Red Centre Way
• Larapinta Dve
• Plenty Hwy
• "Unpaved Rd" from Plenty Hwy to Urandagi?
• Diamantina Dev Rd
• Birdsville Dev Rd
• "Unsealed Rd" from Birdsville Dev Rd to Haddon Stone to Planet Arrabury Rd
• Cordillo Downs Rd
• Old Strezelcki Track
• Strezelcki Track
• Unpaved Roads in Innamincka??
• Camerons Corner Track

I am planning on leaving around 21/28 July taking about 14 days to complete the treck

Does anyone know where I can rent/borrow a UHF/Sat phone?

[OzJuJu]

If it rains aournd Innaminka the time your there on your own, be prepared to lose a week or two... It is hard to walk let alone ride around there in the wet.
We sat out the front of the Hotel there 22 years ago with score cards for people attempting to walk from their cars to the pub. Well this schwanky Rangie rocks up and the driver steps out, some normal dude like you and me and makes it ok with a low score but when his missus steps out all doled up and wearing Jodpurs for god sake takes one step and falls flat on her arse, well she got the perfect score and a standing ovation.

[semaja2]

From what I'm gathering I will just have to call the local areas and find out conditions a week before I leave, however would still like to know if any roads are not doable on a good day :p

I have told my boss I could be a week late back so hopefully I have my job at the end, but the score care game seems it may be worth it haha

[gonescratchin]

If you're planning in any coms gear, a UHF system (either just s hand held, or an Autocom style system) would be extremely useful.

That way you'll find the nearest bakery easily! (As Gateshutter says, it's all about the bakeries! )

Seriously tho, the best road reports are from those coming from where you're going, and the local pub. If you had an in-helmet UHF system, you could chat to drivers coming the other way, and keep updated.

Also handy for getting past road trains.

[OzJuJu]

Originally Posted by gonescratchin

That way you'll find the nearest bakery easily! (As Gateshutter says, it's all about the bakeries.

Does that mean the he shouldn't travel more than 100k's from Birdsville?

Birdsville Bakery

[gonescratchin]

[semaja2]

I like the idea of the UHF radio with autocoms but I think that will be for next years trip, this time round i think I'll go with a rented sat phone since I will be in some areas more then 100km from a town :p

5000km for a sausage roll at birdsville is worth it right?

[marlboroughlad]

Thanks for the link to your route. Mine looks v similar although I think I'll be back by the time you depart. I'v got a sat phone coming (just waiting on the subsidy man) and already own a 406 PLB. Considering a Spot2 and a UHF.

I built my own z rig recovery kit. Rated rope from Bunnings with proper climbing carabiners and pulleys from KellysBaseCamp online store. Plenty on youtube/google if you're not sure about it.

Let me know where you get a collapsable water container if you find one.

[semaja2]

Originally Posted by marlboroughlad

Thanks for the link to your route. Mine looks v similar although I think I'll be back by the time you depart. I'v got a sat phone coming (just waiting on the subsidy man) and already own a 406 PLB. Considering a Spot2 and a UHF.

I built my own z rig recovery kit. Rated rope from Bunnings with proper climbing carabiners and pulleys from KellysBaseCamp online store. Plenty on youtube/google if you're not sure about it.

Let me know where you get a collapsable water container if you find one.

I will upload a updated gpx file later today with the new route, however I look forward to hearing bout your trip and if you can get a heap of pictures of the roads so I can get a idea of what im in for :p

I think a SPOT is a must as it will send the GPS coordinates and when coupled with a UHF/SAT it is a great over all solution, I got my spot for $92 shipped from the US let me know if you need one and I'll pm you the details

My 2/3 pulley system was done by my dad, cost $200+ but it's all marine grade so won't rust etc and it's rated for almost a ton of weight (might need to lift it up a cliff...)

The scout store in Adelaide has the standard goon type bags but they go inside a fabric case to protect them, they cost about 20-50$ and sizes about 3-6-10 litres

[gonescratchin]

Originally Posted by semaja2

I will upload a updated gpx file later today with the new route,

let me guess - no washouts or big logs on this track