Camping & riding di Central Victoria

Perjalanan ke tengah propinsi Victoria. Daerah yang kalau summer sangat tandus/desert. Sekitar 200km dari rumah saya di south-east

Setelah drop istri ke Airport pagi2 buta menyusuri back roads

Menginap di tepi danau Burrumbeet dekat Ballarat

Lantas riding ke daerah Grampians yang sebelah kiri peta itu.

450km round trip lumayan pegel

Maem steak, drink wine, bobok. Paginya terbangun matahari terbit

Lantas riding lagi kali ini cukup santai 80km ke kota kecil Creswick melalui track2 kecil di hutan

Meski daerah tandus ternyata banyak sekali waterholes. Sayang waktu tidak cukup untuk ciblon

Australia best travel times

 

20 years of riding - a retrospect

 Thought I write this down as it might benefit to someone.

So as of this year I would have ridden for 20 years in Australia. As a new sportsbike rider at that time I did what most riders do. Trying to ride fast, went wide, and crashing. This happened within 2 months of owning the bike. My recollection of how I ride would be something like:

- Opening up the throttle on the straights, fast. 

- Entering corners fast

- Braking as cornering ("trail brake" ?)

- Excessive, unnatural body positioning 

- Running wide and blame the decreasing corners, seeing sand etc.

These days my riding is a very different and quite the opposite

- Limit throttle on straight roads

- Throttle while turning a corner "like a dirtbike"

- This is done by taking a wide entry (late apex)
All braking and slowing down (if necessary at all) done before the corner
Once late apex is identified, open up throttle as much as possible!

- Slow down again when exiting the corner, hence maintaining a "constant pace"

- There is no need for specific body position. Just ride naturally.

- Repeat

What I have observed is this kind of riding actually makes a great pace. I do not feel riding "fast" in fact just very relaxed and hence safe. I could see incoming danger such as cars or gravel on the road and act accordingly.  As I am cornering with throttle the bike is stable and gravel simply powered on.

Thanks for reading and hope this is useful.

Summer ride to Mirboo Nth

 A quick ride report.

Started late and meeting up at Tooradin at 11pm saw 3 of us taking the back roads to Mirboo North.

An ecletic mix of bikes - vintage gpz900r, DR650, and Harley Davidson Bobber taking detour to the Gurdies - St Hellier road.

This is the gateway to South Gippsland which I love most. As the past few years the Spurs were getting really busy.

Up to Kernot at leisurely pace with our Mrs on the back then quick stop at the Glen Alvie road intersection for a yarn.

Enjoying the blue skies and twisties of Glen Alvie road, then turning left to Kongwak up to Bena.

My usual route usually take us to Arawata with 2km of dirt to Hallston, but alas we have a 4 months old shiny Harley in the mix! So off to Leongatha for brief freeway section.

Back to Hallston and cruising through fast twisties section up to that 10m of dirt which never been surfaced since I rode here in 2005. What's up with that!

In any case we arrived at Mirboo North unscathed. Few pies later we make our way back. It was now 5pm and the sun is still up on our heads. Did I say I love Victorian summer?!

To make the return route interesting we turn right after Hallston towards SeaView. Quite a bit of technical sections up to Hallora. The old GPZ just barely idling by powering on corners at 4000rpm.

 Who needs a screamer.

As you can see I am alive and kicking.

Have fun.

The Melbürgring on motorbike

https://www.google.com.au/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1XfQFgc8HlhirPIYeDsZ8iyHaw7Sr1QU&usp=sharing 

The Melburgring pays homage to the infamous public track in Germany called the Nürburgring.

It is a 500km loop stringing the best motorcycling roads to the East of Melbourne, Victoria. Starting and ending in Emerald, a quaint small village, you can either do it in clockwise or counter clockwise directions.

The route can be divided into a few sections:

Emerald to Gembrook

Gembrook to Healesville

Healesville to Marysville (The Black Spur)

Marysville to Warburton (The Reefton Spur)

Warburton to Noojee

Noojee to Trafalgar

Trafalgar to Mirboo North

Mirboo North to Korrumbura (The Grand Ridge Road)

Korrumbura to Glen Forbes (South Gippsland)

Glen Forbes to Tooradin

Tooradin to Emerald

ChatGPT Motorcycle Planning

 If I was travelling the Indonesian island of sumatra for 15 days by Motorcycle starting from lampung and ending in sabang, what would be the best time of the year to visit and what key locations and route would, should I take to see the most the island has to offer

ChatGPT answers:

Traveling from Lampung in the southern part of Sumatra to Sabang in the northernmost tip of the island by motorcycle is an ambitious and rewarding journey. Similar to the previous suggestions, the best time to embark on this adventure depends on your weather preferences and road conditions. Generally, the dry season is the most suitable time for motorcycle travel. However, since you'll be covering a long distance from south to north, you may experience some variations in climate along the way. Here's a suggested route and key locations for your 15-day motorcycle journey:

Best Time to Visit:

• The dry season in Sumatra typically runs from May to September and is generally the best time for motorcycle travel. During this period, you can expect less rainfall, making the roads safer and more accessible.

Route and Key Locations:

Day 1: Lampung

• Begin your journey in Lampung, explore the city, and ensure your motorcycle is in good condition.

Day 2-3: Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park

• Head northwest towards Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park.
• Explore the park, known for its diverse wildlife and lush rainforests.

Day 4-5: Bengkulu

• Continue north to Bengkulu, a coastal city with historical and cultural attractions.
• Visit Fort Marlborough and enjoy the beach.

Day 6-7: Padang

• Ride north to Padang, the capital of West Sumatra.
• Explore the city and sample delicious Padang cuisine.
• Consider a side trip to the Mentawai Islands if you're interested in surfing.

Day 8-9: Bukittinggi and Lake Maninjau

• Travel to Bukittinggi, known for its Minangkabau culture.
• Explore the city and visit the scenic Lake Maninjau.

Day 10-11: Harau Valley

• Explore the picturesque Harau Valley, famous for its stunning rock formations and waterfalls.

Day 12-13: Lake Toba

• Head to Lake Toba, one of Sumatra's most famous attractions.
• Explore Samosir Island, visit traditional Batak villages, and enjoy the lake's beauty.

Day 14-15: Banda Aceh and Sabang

• Continue north to Banda Aceh, the capital of Aceh Province.
• Visit the Tsunami Museum and explore the city.
• Take a ferry to Sabang, where you can explore the beautiful beaches and natural attractions on Sabang Island.

Before your trip, make sure you check for any travel advisories, road conditions, and necessary permits. Ensure your motorcycle is well-maintained, and you have appropriate safety gear. This journey will offer you a diverse range of experiences, from lush rainforests to cultural encounters, and a chance to explore the natural beauty of Sumatra. Enjoy your adventure!

Prado 90 series Billy Goats Bluff

 

Seasonal Road Closures in Victoria GPX File Download

 

In Victoria, some offroad/4wd tracks are closed between June and November. And while the information is publicly available in DWELP website, it is not very useful to do real navigating on the tracks.

I've painstakingly entered those information as GPX file which you can import to your GPS device of choice (I personally use OSMAND). The GPX file can be downloaded here:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1qL8JJkHAsOVEzInNNZubW0cXnch5ZJsK?usp=drive_link

I've also upload it to Google Maps:

https://www.google.com.au/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1hsNt2q9_s5Wb_V-vqVEF-0mJICFel5A&usp=sharing

Happy trails!

Logs:

3/10/23 Completed all of Victoria
22/9/23 Completed all of Eastern Victoria
21/9/23 Uploaded initial version, covering eastern part of the High Countries

Completed sections:

4x4

 

Bromo 2022

 

Big Eastern Loop

 

Big Eastern Loop

Hi guys Friday's weather looks to be a cracker ☀️ Meet at Gembrook bakery for @9am departure. If these doesn't send shivers up your spines I don't know what will!

Medium pace and respect of speed limits. Technical roads.

Gembrook

Black Spur

Reefton Spur

Noojee (coffee)

Icy Creek

Thorpdale

Mirboo Nth (coffee)

Hallston

Tetoora

Glen Alvie

Almurta

Glen Forbes

St Hellier

Tooraddin (coffee and home)

 

Circa 1974 on the first Vespa

Weather climate La Nina / IOD

https://www.news.com.au/technology/environment/bureau-of-meteorology-predicts-the-end-of-la-nina/news-story/b0261966987e42f7079a809f39380b7c

The Bureau of Meteorology has revealed when Australia’s third consecutive La Nina season will likely come to an end.

La Nina is continuing in the tropical Pacific and will likely persist into early 2023, increasing the chance of above average rainfall for northern and eastern Australia.

The negative Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) event is also continuing, which means it’s more likely there will be above average spring rainfall for most of the eastern two thirds of the country.

When La Nina and negative IOD conditions combine, this also raises the likelihood of above average rainfall.

While the rain is set to continue for the time being, the BOM has predicted it will decline over spring before transitioning into neutral El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) conditions as summer comes to a close.

Based on current modelling, the BOM believes the phenomenon will be “a relatively short-lived event”.

Dr Agus Santoso of the UNSW Science’s Climate Change Research Centre said current modelling shows La Nina will likely peak sometime in November.

“In general, La Nina or, and also El Nino, tends to peak in summer itself and then starts to decay in autumn,” Dr Santoso told 7News.

“But this particular La Nina event (will) peak next month, in November, and then, it starts decaying from there on.

-ADVERTISEMENT-

“We should expect wetter than normal conditions.

“If we have extreme weather systems coming in, like what we had in March earlier this year, then that would lead to flooding because ... dams are already full and the catchments are already saturated.”

In its most recent Climate Driver Update on Tuesday, the Bureau of Meteorology said La Nina, a negative Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), Southern Annular Mode (SAM) and approaching Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) were all contributing to the country’s torrential conditions this month.

“The Southern Annular Mode (SAM) is currently in a positive phase and is likely to remain generally positive throughout spring into early summer,” the BOM said in a statement.

“During the spring and summer months, a positive SAM increases the chance of above average rainfall for parts of eastern NSW, eastern Victoria and southeastern Queensland, and increases the chance of below average rainfall for western Tasmania.

“The MJO is moving into the western Pacific Ocean and is forecast to strengthen further in the coming fortnight as it tracks further east.

“Its influence at this time of the year may lead to above-average rainfall for parts of eastern Australia, and briefly reduce the strength of equatorial trade winds west of the Date Line.”

It comes as residents in Australia’s southeast are being warned to prepare for a massive rain band and flash flooding risk, which could isolate some Victorians for up to 72 hours and be “life-threatening” for Tasmanians.

Rainfall totals of up to 50mm are likely in southern NSW, north of the Victoria ranges, and northern Tasmania through Wednesday.

The weather is expected to worsen throughout Thursday in Victoria as the state braces for flooding, with up to 100mm of rain expected to fall in some areas.

Emergency services will be deployed to multiple regions including Wimmera in Victoria’s west, as well as residents along the Avoca, Loddon and Campaspe rivers.

In NSW, there are currently more than 80 flood warnings active across the state as of Wednesday, including three evacuation orders.

A severe weather warning for heaving rainfall and possible flash flooding has been issued for southwestern parts of NSW from Wednesday night through to Thursday.

Six-hourly rainfall totals between 30 to 50mm are likely, with isolated heavier falls up to 65mm.

Damaging wind gusts of around 110 km/h are possible over Alpine areas above 1500m from Thursday afternoon.

Spring cleaning

 

Spring cleaning

 

Sydney Touring Visit to Victoria

 

Wicky, Enggal, Albert, William,  Ivan, Timoer, Wawan, Richard, Billy

6 ways to get to Canberra from Melbourne

 Route 1 (Hume)

Melbourne - Albury - Canberra

https://goo.gl/maps/eNeWeJeDCpi2zi4k7

Route 2 (East Coast)

Melbourne - Narooma - Canberra

https://goo.gl/maps/U2mrHDrowPTTdSjY8

Route 3 (Great Alpine Rd)

Melbourne - Yea - Whitfield - Bright - Cooryong - Canberra

https://goo.gl/maps/YHo5fQd3kgorcSE26

Route 4 (Snowy Mountains, some gravel)

Melbourne - Ensay - Adaminaby - Bolaro

https://goo.gl/maps/191tjH9Bgwn944tp6

Route 5 (Barry Way)

(Melbourne - Buchan - Suggan Bugga - Barry way, heaps of gravel)

https://goo.gl/maps/xNwDf1oyuXE2WRJv9

Route 6 (McKillops Bridge) - variation of route 5

(Melbourne - Orbost- McKillops Bridge- Barry way, heaps of gravel)

https://goo.gl/maps/nBzHxppoSpvpUgqRA

Substitusi Part Viar Vortex 250cc

 Update: 28/7/2022

SUBTITUSI PART VIVOR

1. Canvas rem depan :

-bajaj pulsar P 220 cc (pnp)  Rp 20.000-40.000

-cbr 250 old

-honda supra (dgn sedikit penyesuaian)

-suzuki inazuma

-(bendix MD 28) *terlalu tebal

- megapro new (part # FP-06455-KPP-2700, perlu potong/gerinda)

Canvas rem blkg

-cbr 250 old

-Bendix MD29

-Mega Pro (diseauaikan) 

-suzuki inazuma (pnp)

2. Rantai :

type 520 bisa ninja 250 atau yg lainnya

3. -Gear depan? = viar cross 250x

    -Gear belakang?

4. Silinder :

WR250 / Viar CROSS X 250

5. seal usd viar vortex

-thunder 250

-ninja 250

-Yamaha Byson (Rp. 40 ribuan)

6. Kiprok :

-kiprok ninja 250

-thunder 250 (tidak pnp tapi sistim sama)

7. Accu :

accu ninja 250

Atau aki lainnya tipe AGM 12V kap 9-11 amp atau  aki ITOBATT YTX9A

8. Kopling set :

viar cross x 250

9. Kanvas kopling :

-viar cross x 250

-kawak ninja 250 (dipapas sedikit llingkaran luar nya) harga -/+ 500rb

10. Master kunci kontak :

 rx king

11. One way starter :

-honda tiger

-kawasaki harga -/+ 350 ribu

12. Tensioner rantai keteng :

a. yamaha R25 harga -/+ 160 ribu ori

b. Yamaha MX, Mio dll kode : E2210-10

13. Bendix starter :

viar cross x 200/ viar karya

14. Anker/gear dinamo starter :

honda tiger

15. Busi :

BRISK Cooper Racing AR12C ( +-Rp.50rb) KAWASAKI W175

16. Bearing/laher roda :

2 Pcs - Kode 6302 - RS/KZ 

Belakang

4 pc (2 set) Ukuran 6302 dan 6202

17. Kabel kopling :

kabel rem belakang motor matic

18. Master rem belakang :

-supra x 125

-satria FU ( isi nya saja) 

19. Karet rumah kopling :

yamaha scorpio baru (di papas sedikit) harga Rp 30.000

20. Speed sensor/gear speedo :

yamaha byson (modif sedikit ngecilin nok, menyesuaikan dgn nok vivor)

21. Seal waterpump : vario 110

KLR250 Desert / Long Range Setup

 

11L tank + 20L rear and 5L side to provide a total of 36L fuel capacity

Towbar hitch mount motorcycle carrier

$199 Ebay Link

 

Bike group photos

 

GPZ750 in lockdown

 

Mt Useful last year

 

Lockdown gpz900r

 

Put back fairing and new Pilot Road 5 front tyre

Prado hitch mounted winch

Domin8r Xtreme 12,000 lbs winch

175A Anderson Plugs

2 Gauge wire

Camping and trip to Mt Terrible via Paps Lookout

 

KLR250 Full Restoration and Mods

Restorations and modifications I've done on my 1990 KLR250D :

Thermo-Bob 2 for KLR250

Stabilize engine temperature swings and eliminates cylinder hotspots. It is originally a popular mod for KLR650 brother

https://shop.watt-man.com/Thermo-Bob-2-for-KLR250-ALL-MODEL-YEARS-TB2-R.htm

Kawasaki cut corners in the KLR cooling system, and the Thermo-Bob modifies KLR's cooling system to operate like automotive systems have for decades.  In stock form, the KLR runs too cool in colder climate. 

Ebay Aluminum Skid Plate for a Kawasaki KLR250 1985-2005

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/303259183756

Mojave intake camshaft 12044-1181

As my original intake cam (would have been part number 12044-1119) was worn I replaced it with easily available Mojave cam. It looks to have more aggresive and higher profile. Works very well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZFW9Gz4Wdk

An important note when changing camshart is to 

- Change the follower at the same time

- Use specialised cam assembly lube liberally (not just oil)

- Running in process of fluctuating around 3000RPM for 30 minutes to seat the cam and follower

I did not do those and was worn again soon

Immix Racing cargo carrier

From Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0147OUDLU/ref=pe_2361882_282382012_TE_item

Barrett products pannier hoops

I bought these plain hoops and mount it easily using steel plates

https://www.barrettproducts.com.au/store/c58/Bare_Hoops.html

Mounting it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtP2BAbPFj0

 

Ebay 5L motorcycle jerry can

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/163283029972

Very robust and strong mounting. I've crashed on to it with no problems

Ebay Heater Grip

"7/8 inch 22mm Motorcycle Universal Heated Molded Handlebar Hand Grips Warmer"

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/1-Pair-22mm-Motorcycle-ATV-Electric-Hot-Heated-Warm-Hand-Grips-Handlebar/223917412159?hash=item3422848f3f:g:CtgAAOSw7speS6DG

It's got 4 temperature settings which can be operated using left hand. I connect it using a relay patched to the day running light cable

T-Mod

To prevent carburettor to starve from fuel when doing water crossing, add a plastic T-connector on the breather hose

Ebay Generic X-Grip motorcycle mount

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Universal-X-Grip-RAM-Motorcycle-Bike-Car-Mount-USB-Charger-GPS-Holder-For-Phone/153612188215?hash=item23c3fffa37:m:m741Edw0Xfvzz-BNTsCnkqw

Very strong and has already got a USB charger to make a neat installation

Ebay Cigarette-lighter and USB charger

Cigarette lighter socket to power up tyre pump etc and 2 USB charger. 

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Motorbike-Motorcycle-USB-Charger-Power-Adapter-Socket-Phone-GPS-Waterproof-12V/283168684752?hash=item41ee2b3ad0:g:ceUAAOSwUVBboiDF

Some versions have voltage indicator also. I wired it directly to the battery as it's got a switch. Useful when the motorbike is not running

Oxford OL200 Topbox 24ltr

From Ebay: https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/153508124910

Tubeless tyre mod

Using generic tube to convert the spoked rim to Tubeless tyre

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60bi1r2Xvbo

Front gear 13T

The stock 15T is great for all-round road and dirt. I've tried 16T and it's great if you do 110kph+ trips 

13T is great for dirt and climbs enduro tracks

Supercheap ToolPRO  300mm

https://www.supercheapauto.com.au/p/toolpro-toolpro-tool-bag-handy-300mm/224267.html?cgid=SCA01051002#prefn1=srgBrand&prefv1=ToolPRO&sz=60&start=2

Great to organise toolbox, tyre lever etc. and can move between bikes quickly

Tyres

My main criteria is 50/50 handling and ease of installation, in case I need to fix punctures on the road. The compromise of softer compound is tyre life

Rear: Dunlop D605 4.6-17

Front: Continental TKC80

KTI Personal Locator Beacon (PLB)

Emergency locator, hope I never have to use it but necessary when heading into remote areas

KLR250 Service Manual

I always carry a .pdf copy of the service manual on my phone... just in case. You need the base manual as well which is actually a KLR600 one.

Download link: 

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1FOyVXwa-MKYZUs1dkgA6vBcxhP5KvOh2?usp=sharing

Others

Archive of old KLR reference page:

https://web.archive.org/web/20161203204613/http://home.earthlink.net/~klr250informationexchange/