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2020 notes: This was my first ride somewhere longer than overnight. It took place in 2004 and predates the blog. I lost my camera on the trip and only have these few photos from my mate and the text below is from the Australian Buell owners forum where I had posted the ride at the time. (Photos fixed 2020)
What I remember well is this was an ill thought out mega iron butt ride with stupidly long 800km days. You could never do that distance now but this was just before policing of speeding became heavy handed so we rode much of the time at 140kph. I was on a completely unsuitable bike with no wind deflection wearing a very noisy helmet and ill fitting ear plugs. The constant wind roar with long extended days riding actually lead to some hearing damage I suffer to this day.
My mate still has that same MT-01. What brilliant machine, I should have purchased the same as I had wanted to but the price was very high. I ended up wasting far more money on other bikes while he still has this with its push rod engine that you can service at home means the extra money at purchase was recouped many times over.
Original post below:
My first tour, a big ride to the Snowy Mountains. This was a great trip but tiring due to the time limit set of just 5 days which is all my mate could get off work.
Day 1. From Brisbane to Ballina early meeting a mate on his MT01 then to Grafton to Armidale via Ebor and Thunderbolts way Walcha to Gloucester then Bucketts way to Raymond Tce first night Maitland.
The Buell brand tank bag has a small rear clipped on pouch – this detached itself on the Ebor road perhaps on some bumps and bounced off into the bush with my digital camera inside it – at about 150kph – never to be found again.
The Thunderbolts way was a superb ride and was one of my favourites at the end of the trip. Bucketts was bumpy and so-so.
Day 2. Wollombi Rd, Cesnock Valley Sydney, The Old Road then M7 and Hume hwy until Moss Vale and then Kangaroo Valley then down the Princess Hwy to Bega and up Browns Mtn to Cooma.
Another far too long day , Kangaroo valley was great – but the Old Rd was so much shorter than I imagined it would be having read about it so often, about 1/4 of Mt Glorious here in Brisbane but nice while it lasted, hit heavy low cloud at the top of Brown Mt but run out from Bega indeed is a top ride. The run down the Princess h-way was actually pretty fast flowing and very enjoyable too.
Day 3. Alpine way and the roads the other side of Mt Kosciuszko to Tumut. Jugiong to Young via Harden Olympic hwy to Cowra and boring Western Hwy to Bathurst. Laps of Bathurst raceway.
The Alpine way and roads around Mt K were great.
Riding Bathurst was a real buzz – an unexpected extra highlight.
Day 4. Bells line of Roads, Putty Rd, Old road Bulahdelah and on to Wauhope.
Bells line of roads was nice, Putty road was excellent, I was expecting a Mt Glorious type of road but the curves are still good.
Day 5. The Oxley hway , then back to Tenterfield were I bid farewell to my ride partner and home to Brisbane via Warwick etc.
The Oxley was a truly great road far above all the others but I was bit tired having stayed in the Star Hotel at Wauhope overnight which unfortunately had a noisy function that ran all night.
Missed the rain that was threatening most days until nearly back in Brisbane when I had to get the rain gear on.
Learnt a few things about touring, like don’t try day trip type distance and pace on a tour. My mate and I have knocked over some big one day outings 700-800km but that is one off not consecutively. About 500km a day would have been better or even less. The tank bag is just for over night rides, too small. Need much better rider gear. Sheer luck the weather stayed warm and dry. And need ear plugs that fit.
