Melbourne to Adelaide

Hi Guys/Gals,

I'm thinking of riding to Adelaide (from Melbourne) next week, and was
wondering whether anyone has any pointers/tips/things to look out for.

For the trip there, I'm after the quickest, most direct route as I'm going
to be on a bit of a tight schedule - I'm hoping to leave early morning and
arrive by mid afternoon, is this realistic? On the return, I'll have a bit
more time so I might make a couple of overnight stops and go via the coastal
route, GOR etc.

I'm going to be taking my zzr250 which I've had for a few years. This will
be my first interstate trip so any pointers on bike setup, packing etc would
be greatly appreciated.

Kind Regards,
Jaycee

 

Don't leave your preparation till the last minute. Pack your bags to make
sure everything fits and load them on your bike and go for a trial run say out
to Ballan and back a few days prior to leaving.

If the bike setup is going to be a problem you want to be able to sort that
out prior to the trip, not find out on the morning you leave, only to find you
have to average 140kph to make it there on time. You'll also want to know
what the bike feels like and handles like when it's loaded up. Find out how
to adjust the suspension if you don't already know so you can stiffen up the
preload on the rear shock.

I suggest riding out to Ballan because the Western Hwy between Melbourne and
there will usually throw up a few good wind gusts. A bike like the ZZ-R250 is
going to be blown around quite a bit by the wind, especially when it's
loaded. You're likely to have head or cross winds for pretty much the whole
trip to Adelaide. You'll find riding much more tiring and fatiguing than you
would normally.

The bike should be comfortable enough to do the trip in one day, but you
should stop every hour or every 100km and have a drink and take some fruit or
other snacks along so you can have a bite to eat every couple of hundred km
too.

If you plan to ride all day and you're alone you'll probably be able to
average 80-90 kph depending how often and how long you stop along the way.
725km to Adelaide will probably take you the best part of 9 hours, so don't
plan to leave at 7am and arrive at 2pm... that is possible in a car when you
can do the whole trip non-stop with one fuel stop but on the bike you'll
probably be more realistic expecting to get there by 4pm.

Nev..
'03 ZX12R
'02 CBR1100XX

 

Thanks Nev. Some great advice there.

I'm about to go buy some saddle bags for the trip. Does anyone have any
recommendations?

Thanks,
Jaycee

 

Yeah ... tie everything on with at least two things. Eg: if it's
clipped on, add a bungee and if it's bungeed on, add another bungee.

If by 'first interstate trip' you mean 'first time you've done more
than a couple of hundred in a day', probably not. You might be best
rotating your schedule back, getting say 300 done the day before
and the last 500 the next day. It's the last couple of hundred
with are the killer, and trying to push yourself to a deadline is
a bad idea.

If you're staying in a pub or hotel, get your bags ready to throw
on the bike the night before. That way, you can be awake, quick
shower, cup of coffee and gone in 20 minutes, rather than spending
an hour trying to work out how to fit your gear back in.

Take as much as necessary but as little as possible. And a couple
of hundred bucks and a credit card.

Get a hundred kilometers under your belt before breakfast. I like
to stop every 100k for a snack and a piss, and this means I get
every second break not in a service station.

Beware twilight, for therein lurks the kangaroo.



-----sharks

 

Others have given you good advice on packing, timing etc.

Remember that you'll be tired when you get there. You will realise very
quickly that Adelaide drivers are brainless mongrels who will speed up to
close a gap when you want to change lanes and will generally make life
miserable. If you don't have your wits about you .....

Most intersections in Adelaide have the street and/or destination signs on
the far side (when they exist at all).

All intersections have liberal oil-patches on the incoming side, due to the
ancient and decrepit cars they drive. More than usual, stay in the
wheel-tracks.

 

James Mayfield is of the opinion:

Yeah, just don't eat too much dried fruit - especially if you're not used to
it. The green apple splatters are no fun on a bike.

- Matt

 

bah..

I say don't do 100km before breakfast. I find that the low blood sugar of
having not eaten for 12 hours is not good for concentration, and that those
100km will cause far more fatigue that if you had eaten first.

Take a spare key!

Enjoy it, don't worry about all the bad possibilities as they are very
unlikely to happen ;-)

Oh, and don't crash.

Jules

 

Thanks James. I've just looked these up on the 'net, and they look great.
I'll see if I can find some tomorrow.

jaycee

 

Everyone's been extremely helpful...... thanks very much, it's all the
little pointers that will make my trip so much more enjoyable.

Does anyone have any suggestions on the route I should take?

Thanks,
jaycee

 

If you want to get there fast, there's not much alternative to the Western
Hwy. Coming back, if you have a few days you can follow the Princes Hwy to
Warrnambool (with some detours off the highway through Robe and Nelson) and
then the Great Ocean Road to Melbourne.

Nev..
'03 ZX12R
'02 CBR1100XX

 

Hiya Jaysee
Alot of good info & advice you've been given.
I sorta agree with jules about the breakfast bit, But agree with the
others too. Before you leave, Have something light, A couple of pieces of
toast or 2 muselie bars, I don't know which way your going, but if your
going through Ballarat, Stop there for some breaky, O don't mind Maccas
sausage & egg Mcmuffin.
Take regular breaks, Snack everytime you stop, something small, A
chocolate bar or such & a drink, nothing big or you'll be having more pee
stops than you'd like.
Another thing to watch for is the Transport, Mainly Semis, Everytime one
comes along, tuck behind the fairing as best you can, This will help reduce
the windblast, especially if it's raining, I nearly got ripped of my Hornet
once when I didn't try to reduce my exposure to this wet wind blast.
Another thing, I found when I went this type of distance on my GPX250,
that I got an attack of the Buzzes from the constant riding at 100-120kmh,
When this starts to set in, Stop at the next available stop for a snack,
drink & rest. These buzzes can lead very quickly to fatigue.
All in all, Take extremem care, enjoy your trip, And most of all, enjoy
the scenery along the way, It'll help reduce the mental tiredness that
concertrating to hard on the highway can induce.
Last off all, scan as far ahead as possable for any possable dangers.
--

Aido >
2000 Honda Hornet S
www.hondahornet.co.uk

PS: If it's possable, let us know when you get there how you went, If not,
It is aus.motorcycle law to tell us how your trip was when you get back. >

 

I went a differant way again, My Dad lives at Heywood, So I left
straight after work on Friday night, about 6:45pm, arrived there at about
9:30pm. Dad wasn't happy when I told him what speeds I did to do the trip in
such short time.
I went via Ballerat, Colac, Hamilton, Heywood, The next day I then
followed the Princess the rest of the way. The Melb/Heywood leg took about
3hrs (it's ussually a 3.5-4hr trip, But I wasn't hanging around > ), The
Princess Hwy part from there took about 8hrs, (I'd left my mobile behind at
Dads & had to turn around after traveling about 1.5hrs, I needed it to
contact the friend I was staying with.) The return leg was the Western Hwy
all the way, Rained much of it, but still only took about 8-9hrs. Good wet
weather gear is a must.
Take care.

 

Yes, i do this trip around 10 times a year (next trip late Dec.), but by car, a
easy drive but long and boring with many changes
on the way from green forests to desert like in the Wimmera region (around
Horsham area ex-home of Kevin Magee!) also gets super hot in the Wimmera/Mallee
region during summer, you don't have A/C so take precautions for that

The quickest and easiest way is Western Hwy, the trip once you get on the dual
lanes at Sunshine is pretty much a easy one till you bypass Ballarat where the
speed then drops down from 110km/h to 100km/h and back to single lane each way.

A easy enough run through Ararat,Horsham (last BIG town),Kaniva then over the
boarder into S/Aust and back up to 110km/h again.Also this section from Vic.
boarder into Boardertown is the WORST bit of road on the whole trip

Plenty of speed cameras and Hwy Patrol action, inc .05 and RWC testing, esp.
during this xmas period

Once you get to Taliem Bend the road becomes dual lane again and that is also
the last fuel stop before entering Adelaide so top-up,also you are entering the
Adelaide hills in the last section you will give your donk a good work out in
this region

Heaps of crosses/memory markers on the side of the road where people have fallen
asleep and crashed/killed and the trees unfortunately catch them, so be real
careful rest if tired plenty of rest areas, also the wind blast from the big
semis could cause you some concern

My record is 6Hr.40Mins, no stops, maximum attack mode from the top of the
Westgate Brg. till Port Rush Road, normal is 7Hrs but you will have to stop for
fuel, don't try to beat me )

You will love the last 6km from the top of Crafers to the beginning on Adelaide,
all steep down hill, angel-gear if you have the balls, before the road was like
a billy goat track, still seen on your left as you enter Adelaide

Driving and parking (for a car) is a breeze in S/Aust they have 1/3rd the people
also the traffic is pretty much none, oh and the GIRLS are much prettier and
plentiful, but you will be watching the road and won't notice )

Have a safe trip, for the record i found Sat. afternoon the quietest time to
travel

CDIHL

 

This is very good advice.
Breakfast makes you sleepy.
Apart from that; if you just set yourself little 100km milestones the
journey will melt away before you.
I'll eat when I've done 100, I'll piss when I hit 200 etc etc.
~

~
I wish I'd listened to THAT last PI trip!
Clem

 

Some good tips here, so only thing i can add is:

Take some chain lube and a small bottle of oil.
Servos may come in handy for these items but you
may prefer to use a brand you trust.

Enjoy the trip.

 

Dott.Ing.HatzOlah® wrote:

So the guy asks about riding there by BIKE
and you give this crud for a reply?

 

He asked :
"was wondering whether anyone has any pointers/tips/things to look out for."

To which details of my many trips across may be of some use to him.

So, what is the problem?Bike and car use the same road

Let him decide if it is "crud"

God bless u

CDIHL

 

Read Nev's post first
read the other RIDER'S posts first THEN think about whther anything you
add is of relevance
don't like cold hard reality ?
**** off back to aus.cars and STAY there.

 

And best you be riding in front of him at the time...

Doug Cox.
Work to ride, Ride to work...

 

no, no, hang out till Arrarat (another 90k's) if you want your Maccas or
KFC, they made that beautiful time-saving Ballarat bypass so you dont
have to go through the town and get stuck on the two-lane and dangerous
'Avenue of Honour'.

Joe M.