Just sent you a PM smithy. Yep, I'll call in mate.
Cheers

Dai.... its almost embarrassing isn't it    I don't think anything here can actually be classified as a mountain but we Ozzies like to kid ourselves. Mt Kosciuszko is just a mere 2200 metres.

and Carrauntoohil, the highest hill mountain on the Irish landmass is a massive 1,038 metres.

Smithy's farm is around 1,300 metres altitude I believe.

Next time I'm over your side of the equator Dai I'll try to make sure I get up your way to gaze at that impressive lump of granite out your back door.

Cheers 

I am originally from Holland....what is a mountain?...or a hill for that matter....

klompy the grey brick wrote:I am originally from Holland....what is a mountain?...or a hill for that matter....

The mountain Dai speaks of is a lovely part of Ireland  http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=don+mcclean+mountains+of+mourne&qpvt=don+mcclean+mountains+of+mourne&view=detail&mid=7253F7AF769D9B2CE5E87253F7AF769D9B2CE5E8&FORM=VRDGAR

Definitely should be on your list. You could spend forever up there in them hills.

Might need some Dutch courage for some of the hills [they make a very good one around in Bushmills] but in sunny weather its awesome. I was lucky enough to have the K up there for the meet up in 2014 and on the Sunday morning met Comberjohn in Newcastle for scones then I spent the day wandering the nice roads in September sunshine before tackling the 250 miles home at 6pm.

Carrauntohill at 1038 metres doesn't sound much but is a nice climb. However it is well known as a danger point and has taken plenty over the years. I lost a good friend off it January 2005, very experience climber too, had all the European peaks under his belt and Kilimanjaro and more.

What you jabering about Ben Nevis is the highest in UK at 1345mtrs
Kosciuszko is Australias higest at 2228 mtrs
And where I live is 994mtrs and Smithy is close to 1400mtrs So double

MadRider wrote:

Holister wrote:Pics and videos to come

It will be interesting to see australian sights and travel occasions

MadRider... My pictorial offering won't be any where as good as your travel pics. We just don't have the centuries old heritage and culture here that you have in Russia.... or anywhere else for that matter. Most of my pics are of flaaaaat landscapes and Ozzie bush.


Day 19 (Thursday)
This morning I walked into Sydney CBD via Hyde Park and had breakfast in a cafe near Martin Place.  Its such a beautiful city and the weather today is fine and sunny and im enjoying wandering around in short sleeves after being wrapped up in thermals and wet weather gear and other bike clobber for the best part of the last three weeks. It's a welcome change.

My old girl K100 Sweet Maree has been parked in my Son's apartment building basment carpark for the past four weeks. After reconnecting the battery she fires up into a nice idle straight away. I took her for a spin around the city and found my favourite hole-in-the-wall dumpling restaurant in Chinatown where I share my passion for cheap Chinese dumplings with my daughter for lunch. 

Old girl Sweet Maree feels very different to the 1100. The difference in power is very noticeable but she's more nimble in city traffic even tho her bars are narrower. Her naked front end feels exposed but she's a joy to ride.

Holister wrote:Dai.... its almost embarrassing isn't it    I don't think anything here can actually be classified as a mountain but we Ozzies like to kid ourselves. Mt Kosciuszko is just a mere 2200 metres.

Embarrassing - I think not! 

Here in the UK our highest mountain is Ben Nevis at 1344m (Scotland), with Snowdon (Wales) second at 1085m and Scafell Pike (England) a lowly third at 978m. I have seen/climbed all three and can assure you they are definitely mountains. 

Great ride report, also looking forward to the pictures. Quite a trek, pity that the weather has been less than perfect for you, but you're nearly there now and certainly back on familiar turf. Rosskko's nekkid RT didn't like the Sydney traffic either - although it was probably a bit warmer then than it is now.

Enjoy the final run to home.

Good to hear you have made it back Nigel , I'm sure that a drop in at Smithy's will get you reconnected with the east . 
Hopefully you didn't encounter too much of the wild weather as you hit the coastline on your return . 
As you say there is a marked difference in the 1100 to the 100, and agility in the confined spaces can be significant . 
Both very much a pleasure to ride. 
Enjoy the rest of your trip .

klompy the grey brick wrote:I am originally from Holland....what is a mountain?...or a hill for that matter....

There's a little bump at the tri-border between Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. Barely gets into 3 digits in height, from memory. (Last there in '03)

Bill

Born Again Eccentric wrote:

Holister wrote:Dai.... its almost embarrassing isn't it    I don't think anything here can actually be classified as a mountain but we Ozzies like to kid ourselves. Mt Kosciuszko is just a mere 2200 metres.

Embarrassing - I think not! 

Here in the UK our highest mountain is Ben Nevis at 1344m (Scotland), with Snowdon (Wales) second at 1085m and Scafell Pike (England) a lowly third at 978m. I have seen/climbed all three and can assure you they are definitely mountains. 

Kozzy, as it is affectionately known to us Aussies, is a slightly higher bump on an area of generally high ground (for us). Certainly not a big stand-out from the surrounding terrain.

An over-enthusiastic tourist officer once wanted to bulldoze the top for a large car park so you could drive to the 'top of Australia'.
He was apparently very persistent until someone did the calculations and found out that when that was done, you'd have driven to the second highest peak in Australia!

Love to show any visitors, especially Eccentrics, the actual ground next February or March. 

Bill

Quite right there Bill. Kozzy is a mere stroll to the top.
When I made my comments above I was thinking more of a comparison with the French Alps or the Rockies.

Holister wrote:Quite right there Bill. Kozzy is a mere stroll to the top.
When I made my comments above I was thinking more of a comparison with the French Alps or the Rockies.

I've spent some very enjoyable time in the Swiss Alps (Jungfrau, Eiger, Monch?) and French Alps (Mont Blanc). By comparison, Kozzy is a mere pimple!

Checking out a different part of the French Alps next week. 

Bill

Day 20 (164 km) Sydney to Newcastle
Although it's only a two hour ride up the freeway I try to leave early to avoid afternoon traffic but my daughter wants me to call in for lunch on my way out. I can't say no. As I'm on my way over with a fully loaded bike, I'm sitting at traffic lights when a motorcycle policeman checks me out as he fangs around the corner in front of me. He gives me the nod. I have to say that the sight of a K1100RS in Marrakesh Red, fully laidened in the middle of the city must be an unusual sight. It must've caught his eye. That understandable.
So it's now 2 o'clock and the afternoon rush is well and truly under way. Bumper to bumper practically all the way north to the start of the M1 freeway. Stop start, lane changing, lane splitting, and although Sweet Thing copes well as I weave thru the traffic up the Pacific Hway, I can hear her protesting as the fan attempts to keep the temperature down.
At last. The on-ramp to the M1and an express ride to Newy.... Nah.  At this time of day its like the start to the wacky races as nearly everyone jostles for position in the fast lane. Its Friday and the start to a long weekend here so the freeway is almost chockers right up to the Newcastle interchange. All in all a crappy ride today compared to the open roads I've been cruising over the past few weeks.

So I'm back where I started from four weeks and two days ago when I left on my old girl Sweet Maree for Sydney to catch a flight to Perth WA. But my journey is not over yet. My quest is to get to Brisbane QLD to complete my trip half way round Australia. A day at home and I head North again on Sunday morning and a stop-over in Guyra for a few ales with Smithy. I'd better wash my thermals... It's probably going to be cold up there.


Day 21 Saturday
Had a sleep-in this morning. Unpacked all my gear. Consolidated what I need for the next 10 days up North. Did some washing. Gave Sweet Thing a check over. Checked fluids, topped up the tyres. Nothing much needed doing really. I noticed some oil at the weep hole in front of the GB so I guess I'll need to do the main seal. There was also a little oil seeping from the oil pan gasket and a small amount from the valve cover. These are all easy fixes. When I get back from up North, the lowers will come off so I can do oils, coolant flush, filters, seals and gaskets, another Spline lube and I'll also replace the timing chain and guides. I don't think it will need it but I'll also check the valve clearances.
While I have the drive train out I'll replace the swing arm and pivot bearings.

In the short term tho I need to organise tyres. She has a T30 on the front which is still in good condition and a Pilot Road 2 on the rear that is just about shagged. This tyre had an unusual wear pattern when I picked the bike up in Perth. Badly scolloped, a flat centre and chamfered sides. Both tyres were grossly under-inflated which would explain the scolloping. The flat centre from all the straight roads they have over in WA. I didn't think it would last as far as this but I reckon I'll get up to Brisbane at least.
At the moment I'm considering a T30 for the rear but I'm keen to try a set of Pirelli Angel GT.

It's late afternoon and I get to give Sweet Thing her first bath. After accumulating three weeks of road grime she looks good all suds up and even better after a hose off.
I'm looking forward to hitting the road again in the morning

Total so far 5,168 km

travel well mate ...enjoy !!

And I count myself lucky if I can get as much as a 600 mile round trip in a weekend...

next time we catch up , Nigel , you can try Smurfette as a comparison on tyres . Rosskko has had PR3 and 4's fitted. Be good to hear how different they are .

Ed, the PR2 on the rear is now totally and utterly worn out. I had a hard run up to Brissy/GC area up thru Burringbah Range/Numinbar Valley and back down to Beechmont via Canungra over the weekend and the sides are now totally bald. When I picked this bike up in Perth WA I didn't think the rear would last the trip let alone perform, but I have to say as I hit the Eastern states and found some curves, the tyre did not let me down, even while riding back to Lismore on Sunday in the most foul wet weather. However, the last couple of days I've found she tips in awkwardly which is more noticeable at lower speeds, she gets a little wobbly cornering at higher speeds and yesterday the tyre lost traction on a couple of corners as I came into Newcastle suburban roads. The smoother tarmac and the low-down torque of the 1100 is just too much for the old worn out tyre.
I ordered a set of T30 Evo last week while I was on the road and fully expected them to be here when I got back but they've not shown up yet.


I'll finish off the ride report for the last week hopefully this evening but posting pics may still be difficult. I've had a lot of problems with my new Toshiba laptop over the last 6 months and I finally returned it to the retailer last week for a refund. Might take me a few days to find another and get set up.

thankfully the tyres made the final distance for you . Klompy and I were talking last weekend of the characteristics of the K rear suspension . Where constant downward pressure appears to be lacking or slides sideways on cornering . could be something that was factoring in on your last bit coming home .
Where were you getting your new tyres from , shame to have to wait for them . Good luck .

Ed, I've not had either K slide out on me while just cornering and I think that would be cause for concern.
The loss of traction I experienced yesterday was a little too much throttle in second gear coming off the lights at Sandgate turning right onto the Newcastle Inner City Bypass. You know the corner. It was more wheel spin and a slight tweek sideways in the rear. 

Bald tyre + smooth road surface + too much stick = no traction (a fair indication new tyres are needed  )

I think if it was a lesser tyre, the result may have been a little different. I'm very impressed with the PR2. The tyre sides appear to be a very sticky compound, however once I was able to get it into some decent bends, the sides wore out very quickly. The price you pay for grip. I estimated that the PR2 had about 30-40% tread left as I left Perth WA. I've done nearly 8k km since but about 2k of that has been while past its legal limit.

I ordered the new T30s from the States Ed. Thankfully they arrived this morning. Delivery time was just 6 days.
Cheers