trek to phillip island

[vbroom]

me and a few mates are planning to ride over to phillip island this year.

i've read the threads of people who have done the same thing and found some good info re. routes and items to budget for.

anyone have any advice or tips to make the trip more enjoyable? and recommended places to stay along the way or once we get to melbourne? anything a 'must see' or 'must do' along the way?

we are still in the early planning stages so still have lots to sort out so any words from people who have done the trip would be much appreciated.

cheers

[Shadow Keeper]

must......finish......ride......report....... Of Perth to Melbourne

[knighty]

Im also doing the Trip..... Pack warm gear!

[HPM]

Yep - good subject vbroom, I'll be looking to do the same the year after.

[rufus]

i havn't done it on a bike but i drove from newcastle to perth about a year ago, most places on this route are very average but generally you can get a room for under a $100 twin share a night, its at least 2-300klms between servo's so watch your feul, if you do brake down its a good idea to carry some minor tools and water replace ment hoses etc it would be a major drama not to mention cost if something were to go wrong half way across the nullabore. you should be able to do a state a day pending on how hard your going proberly woulnd recomend it though on a bike it would be 3 16-17 hour days. Dont stay at the eucla road house its horrible.
Riding during dusk and dawn can be quite dangerous the roo's tend to out in force at this time ohh and there's hundreds of road kill on the road you might want to be weary off.
hope this helps you out a little its a good drive plenty of nothing to see but when you get to the great australian bite in S.A its a must to stop and walk up to the edge and get some pics it amazing to see.

[=Stevo=]

i havn't done it on a bike but i drove from newcastle to perth about a year ago, most places on this route are very average but generally you can get a room for under a $100 twin share a night,

fuck that, pack your swag!

[Mish]

Not that this compares to Perth to Philip Island, and I can't offer too much advice on most of that journey, but my mates and I did Canberra to Philip Island. Things you must do...rent a house for a week on the island. Do it now as they book out and fast! If you have a group of you it's even cheaper, works out to like $150 for a week (I'm assuming this is for the GP?).

Definitely do the Great Ocean Road. We went down to PI on the Tuesday, and then spent Wednesday and Thursday on the GOR and it was fuking magic! Cops actually pulled over, let us pass and did a u-turn when we were doing our runs! Then we went back along the coast to Philip Island. Slightly longer but such incredible roads and views! It was just stunning!

That was followed by 3 days of GP and 3 nights of partying! Ah what a week!

[valvolux]

^^ all good suggestions.
For the Victorian bit....
I'd ride from the Lorne to Queenscliff and put the bike on the ferry to Sorrento. Its only half an hour and has great views. The views from the Portsea Hotel beer garden (near Sorrento) are awesome as is the beer & the other form of scenery. If you cant get accomodation on the island, try nearby like Kilcunda, san remo or if ya really desperate, Wonthaggi. Probably alot cheaper than the island and still pretty close to the action.

[jjgres]

Do the great ocean road. Very nice ride. If you have time, do Kangaroo Isl and the peninsula leading to it-nice riding.

Try to take your time-don't make it a marathon 3 day march-on- the-record.

[Shadow Keeper]

Be careful of the Great Ocean Rd it's 80km/h, old people towing caravans, Police in camo gear hiding in trees, other Police on sportsbikes with camera equipment just so they can show you the error of your ways. Oh and bikes on the wrong side of the road on blind corners, that's always fun to have coming at you too... Ride safe...

[rc45]

I've ridden across to every GP for the last 7 years, on everything from sportsbikes to a tourer. Big group of bikes to just me and the wife last year.
If you have a group defintely rent a house for the week in Cowes and catch the bus to and from the circuit. I have camped at the track twice, Never again.
How you plan the trip depends on what sort and size of bikes are going and the daily mileage you can put in as a rider. Best I've managed was 1700 km in a day on my MV Agusta. Just as well Mr Plod wasn't on the Nullabour that day. Planning is also dependant of your finances. Caravan parks are cheap if you bunk together.
When a group is going we all put money into a petrol fund and that way every one fills up from the same pump and one person pays, it saves a shit load of time. If it only a small number of bikes we just take turns paying using the same pump. Get in, get fueled up, clean visor and get going. Leave the smokers behind, absoulute pain in the arse needing a fag every Petrol stop. Sitting around in servos between Perth and Port Agusta just stretches the agony of the Nullabour.
If you have a camel back take it, it is 2 hours between servos and at 40 degrees it is a long hot two hours. Carry some Windex wipes to clean your visors. I alway carry a small compressor (Slime brand) and tubeless plugs. I have tried the CO2 bottles, if you get a difficult repair you can quickly use them up. The Slime compressor isn't much bigger than two packets of cigarettes.
If you bike is late model you shouldn't need hoses,the servos on the way will have something to make do with. A couple of spare fuses and ear plugs. Chain lube. Duct tape and minor tools. With a group you should be able to get a reasonable selection from the bikes tool kits and a few added small tools like vice grips.
You want to be off the road before it starts to get dark, I have driven across the Nullabour at night in a truck. You couldn't pay me enough to ride a bike at night across the Nullabour, with all roos, emus, camels and wombats (in SA) trying to committ suicide.

Unless you need to go into Adelaide avoid it, better to turn off out of Port Agusta to Wilmington then head down the Claire and Barossa valleys to Murray Bridge. From there we normally drone down to Kingston SE then cut across to Naracoorte, Edenhope, Harrow, Balmoral then down to Penshurst then onto Warnnaambool to pick up the Great Ocean Road. Beats the drone along the Princess Highway and avoids Mt Gambier. Much nicer to be on the back roads, where Mr Plod doesn't have such a presence.
The Great Ocean road is great if it is fine but if it is raining it is not a pleasant bit of road (avoid in the wet). If you go the GOR catch the ferry from Queenscliff to Sorrento beats the drone through Melbourne.

Might see you on the road. I am heading out of Perth on the Saturday before. If you have any specific querries let me know and I will answer as best I can.

Dave

[Mish]

All very good advice up there! Better yet...get some lackey to follow in a support vehicle so you don't have to carry all your gear!

Dave, Perth of PI on an MV? Were you walking funny for a month after?!

Very good points about the GOR. I completely fogot, in the wet it's a joke and it's worrying when you see the sign for tourists reminding them which side of the road to drive on. I was the 3rd bike in our group and didn't get a single vehicle on my side of the road, although my mates up ahead did get more then a couple! Be wary of the spray as that can sometimes wet parts of the road and you might not be looking for it, and when running back towards Lorne (from Apollo Bay) there can be some runoff from the cliffs and onto the road so don't hug the inside line to much.

And definitely catch the ferry, very nice way to break up the trip! It was a bit nerve racking tho as they don't have anything to hold the bike down! Info here, http://www.searoad.com.au/ but you can't book ahead or anything.

[rc45]

Hi Mish
Nice broken leg.

No I wasn't walking funny for a week. The MV was great for the trip. My mate on his R1 was in worse shape. The importer couldn't believe it
when I rocked up on the MV. I wear padded bicycle shorts, that combined with an Airhawk makes anything bearable.
We have a group that rides across every year and we have the routine down pat.
From Perth we know we have 3 long days of doing big miles with no pissing around to get us to Murray Bridge. There are no exciting roads before that except Horricks Pass, which we normally zoom up and down a few times then head of. After that we go and play on the back roads, we plan to be in Queenscliff to catch the first sailing of the morning on the Thursady of race weekend,arriving in Cowes late morning. Collect the house keys, park and lock the bikes up then head to the supemarket and stock up.

You right about The GOR in the wet especially around Lavers Hill that is greasy even in the dry.The week before the GP there will be unmarked cop cars every where, tourists on the wrong side of the road.

[gus96]

Dont stay at the eucla road house its horrible.

we was planning to stop there, any other suggestions close by?
we are doing Perth - adelaide in two days

[EFFelant pilot]

Border Village..............

[vbroom]

thanks for all the great info

unfortunately, the trip got canned as quickly as it was thought up.

but feel free to add more info for people who are thinking of makign the trek!

[Pk]

thanks for all the great info

unfortunately, the trip got canned as quickly as it was thought up.

but feel free to add more info for people who are thinking of makign the trek!

NOOOO!!!! NOT CANNED ..... noooooooooooo

[midway]

I'm 80 kms south of Adelaide and can put 4 up for a night if people dont mind sharing a couple of rooms with a king and queen bed.... No, not my bed.
If your going over for the GP, expect to get booked. Vic and SA police seem to know theres a lot of bikes coming through, even on some of those back roads.
I used to include that as part of the show and now happy to watch it on TV instead.
Send a Pm if I can help you out.

[Lefty]

^That's an awesome first post!

[gus96]

are the rooms at the Border village any better?
which is what i was refering too, at around 1400k's from perth this is as far as we would be going in one day due to running of daylight out by then.
not my first trip across but never stayed around there, just Balladonia and Port Augusta