How's this for a late-Winter ride, a bit early for full-on Spring but well before 'the wet' arrives up North and out West? The bike is ready and I feel like just following the urge. If anyone's got a good idea about which way I really should go and what's a must-see in the hidden places out there please let me know. Time and distance may vary.

http://maps.google.com.au/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Tweed+Heads,+New+South+Wales&daddr=Katherine,+Northern+Territory+to:Monkey+Mia,+Western+Australia+to:Fremantle,+Western+Australia+to:Albany,+Western+Australia+to:Adelaide,+South+Australia+to:Bicheno,+Tasmania+to:Tweed+Heads,+New+South+Wales&hl=en&geocode=&mra=ls&sll=-25.335448,135.745076&sspn=36.21989,79.013672&ie=UTF8&ll=-25.720735,137.285156&spn=36.108158,79.013672&z=4

Since you are going to circumnavigate the big island you may as well do the small island as well which will probably add a mere 1000+ k's to your long weekend jaunt.
Devonport to Bicheno via Scottsdale, down the East Coast to Hobart, across to Queenstown, and back to Devonport. Essentially an extra 4 days.

Phil,
I did that bit of Tassie over three weeks in late '07 and STILL didn't see all that I wanted to! OK, nothing like trying something you like twice!

I'm off on the 3rd of September! I expect to be gone for five or six weeks. I won't be carrying my laptop this time so 'reports from the front' will be fewer. I can see the Phillip Island MotoGP and/or that Bicheno meeting, if it's held in October rather than September, could be in the cards as well, but don't shift the date for me. If the ride progresses faster than I've planned for then perhaps I will be able to make it. I wonder what East bound on the Nullarbor is like, weather-wise, in Springtime? The plotting and planning has begun.

Generally the wind is a westerly on the Nullarbor, one trip to the Black Duck Rally in the late 70's was 120kph flat out going west 2 up on the R100S then 2 days later heading home 160kph on part (half?) throttle! What a buzz! That was winter, June from memory, short days but did we make some K's. Dangerous? Yes, but she still married me!
I have only just registered to the forum after ghosting for a couple of months, I'll get round to the New member intro etc. soon. Just thought I had to support the Bicheno meet proposal. The contributions of Dennis, Phil and others here in Tassie make me want to meet these nice guys.
My feeling is that anytime you land in this backwater TWB i'll be there to welcome and ride with you. Rangas' rule OK!
Crazy frog, if you bite the $2500 bullet my K75C is yours gratis to explore this little piece of biker paradise, I'll just have to slum it on the classic airhead!
cheers all G

Hey Biker7one,

I really appreciate you offer but I think that I will have to pass on this one (at least for this year). I am so busy at home that I have no time to ride.

Cheers

Bert

Hi Two Wheels Better,

Something that may suit your itinerary is the BMW Owners Club SA Das Höhlentreffen” rally which is at the Naracoorte Caves SA 2,3,4 of October.
Google bmwocsa.
I'm currently negotiating a leave pass for this one.

Cheers

Dee Why

That might work out well for me...and how cool that a BMW höhlen rally is held near caves! Someone had fun working that one out, eh?!

Crazy frog,
I understand your position and just want you to know that my offer was a personal expression of the esteem with which you are held in this forum. You would say, and I agree, that many others make this site the ideal place to enable riders to do just that, RIDE!
I therefore extend my offer to any of the regular forum contributors who may take advantage of cheap airfares and want to tour Tasmania. (especially any kiwi cousins.... yes i have an ulterior motive! ha ha!) Gotta be prepared to rough it on a sweet high mileage triple which may be contrary to the whole K100 love affair thing, your call, cheers G

Well, today was the last day at work for a long-ish while. I rather enjoy last days. I depart Friday week anti-clockwise round the world's largest island and the smallest continent - apologies to Greenland residents. The bike's getting a new Metzeler Marathon ME880 on the back next week to handle the long, hot road of the Northern Territory and Western Australia, and the added weight of about six week's camping/riding gear strapped aboard. The familiar and much-loved Pirelli Sport Demon will adorn the front wheel for lighter steering, and time has proven to me these tyres to work well on the front over some distance. A good combo, I reckon, for this ride. I'm not gunna drag my laptop along on this one, but my camera will get a work out as there's sure to be a plethora of scenic vistas and sandy beaches/blue water/crocs/emus/roos/camels/roadkill and possibly bikini-clad beauties to grace this website upon my return. I am still anticipating visiting Tassie and would also like to end the circum ride at Victoria's Phillip Island for the MotoGP mid-October. Cheers to all you fellow K-motorbike riders whose encouragement and interest have me chomping at the bit to get the motor running and to hit the road once again.

Yeah TWB
Not many would appreciate the sheer arrogance you exhibit in your proposed itinerary other than us aussies and a few others who know the size of that island you propose to circum"K"ate in that time frame. Yet as a recent covert to the K brigade I'm confident that none of the forum members doubts that the '86RS will do it easy, and you too, 'cos we are all behind you and the road itself keeps you focused and honed.
Please consider a voice activated digital note taker,(memory jogger) with so much going on i for one don't want to miss an inch of the journey when you hit an internet cafe to report your progress. Photos would be great too but your words inspire me enough to visualize the journey such is your talent/gift.
Offer stands for triple, $60, 1 hour fly, meet at airport i'll even put the Z bars back on! Cheers G

I have been known to bite off more than I can chew in one go...that's why I like to take it easy time-wise and stretch things out a bit. If it takes me longer than the six weeks I've allotted because I've been distracted by something interesting then I'll stay out longer. I like to have a good squiz at new places. If something's worth trying then trying it twice must be better! It helps to be independently poor when making these travel decisions, too; no one is expecting me to come back to a desk job soon, my house and gardens are relatively maintenance-free, the bike's rock solid, I've a few critical spares along and access to an easily posted spares stash if need be, and most importantly, I've got the best woman in the world. Thanks for your kind words of encouragement.

Who's giving you kinds words of encouragement?

We're jealous!

Enjoy your trip; there are a few of us who will be waiting for the trip reports!

All the best and take it easy and are you sure you can't sneak an iPhone or similar in just to keep us posted.

Good on you and have a great time, travel safely and come back to us armchair travellers with one of your excellent trip reports. Whilst you are away, think seriously about writing a book about your travels, you have a great talent with language.
Regards,
K-BIKE

I'm off today, mates! The weather's good, the bike ready and so am I - as ready as I can be for six-plus weeks of riding! I'll try to post an update now and again with a few pictures, internet connection dependent. See you at the other end.

Here's the address of my long-dormant, but hopefully soon to be active, blog, which I'll add to as time permits. Dunno if you can RSS from there, but:

http://www.blognow.com.au/darrenthackeray

I just started to read your blog but wanted to wish you a wonderful trip.
Keep us up to date. We will be missing your postings.

Cheers

Bert

Two wheels better, you know you are living the life we all dream of, right?
When next sitting infront of your fire with the milky way above you, raise your glass to us who aren't there.
Thanks

And like so many others, wish you wings for that journey but let's not get carried away, TWB can do it on a "postie" bike (CT110) I'm sure! Not as fast or comfortable, just my humble opinion. G

I did spot a fully-loaded Postie bike going the other way on a particularly straight and barren stretch of the Barkly Highway in the Northern Territory the other day - the wind was hard against him. I wished him well with a wave and a smile.