Kawasaki Sportsbike Riders Club - Australia - Online Forum

Hello all - I currently live in the Uk - but am more than probably going to be moving to the Melbourne area in about 18 months or so. I ride a 2005 ZX10r C2H over here - so tell me ..

1. What are the roads like ? - tell me some to look at on Google Earth
2. What are to cops like ? I know they're cops, but do they ignore, fine, jail or shoot ?
3. What's the speed limit out of towns ?
4. Will I have to ride huge distances to get to reasonable hard surfaced roads - i.e. like over 100 miles to get to anything worth riding ?
5. How many days under 10degs C and wet do you get annually ?

Not that any of this will effect my decision to move - it's just nice to know

Me at the moment

Fat Tony wrote:Hello all - I currently live in the Uk - but am more than probably going to be moving to the Melbourne area in about 18 months or so. I ride a 2005 ZX10r C2H over here - so tell me ..

1. What are the roads like ? - tell me some to look at on Google Earth
great ocean road, good if you dont mind the slowasses in hirecars parking on apexes. Other areas to look at are up towards the alpine regions such as bright or Mansfield. Others who have been in Victoria longer/more than i have will have a better idea of better/worse places.
2. What are to cops like ? I know they're cops, but do they ignore, fine, jail or shoot ?
In Victoria, shoot then fine, particularly if you pretend your mobile is a gun. Seriously though, they're rather more enthusiastic about fining people for even the smallest speeding infringement. Showing some sense of discretion towards the general population or presuming something is going on between their collective ears is not something that generally goes on with a lot of politicians (and ergo highway patrol clowns).
3. What's the speed limit out of towns ?
80 -> 100km/h depending on the road.
4. Will I have to ride huge distances to get to reasonable hard surfaced roads - i.e. like over 100 miles to get to anything worth riding ?
Depends on the specific road your after, anywhere from 20 >150km to get to the riding roads, (or more).
5. How many days under 10degs C and wet do you get annually ?
10'C and wet. Well i guess it depends whereabouts you end up. But i can safely say it'll be a lot warmer and dryer than a lot of places in the UK you know of.

Not that any of this will effect my decision to move - it's just nice to know
Not that i'm any help, but i gave it a go.

Oh and welcome to the forum, if not yet the continent.

welcome

1. What are the roads like ? - tell me some to look at on Google Earth
Brilliant. But most are closed now because of the fires.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdYcMW84hjk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ege9sIisdWU
http://ariel.unimelb.edu.au/~ben/mtcv/mcroads/
2. What are to cops like ? I know they're cops, but do they ignore, fine, jail or shoot ?
Savage. They fine and take points.
3. What's the speed limit out of towns ?
Usually 100k but 110 on some highways.
4. Will I have to ride huge distances to get to reasonable hard surfaced roads - i.e. like over 100 miles to get to anything worth riding ?
No. I'm 20 minutes from twisties.
5. How many days under 10degs C and wet do you get annually ?
If you mean the max temp during the day not a lot. Can be under 10 overnight.

the speed limit in "towns" is 50km/hr

40 in school zones... and double demrit points all year round ins chool Zones (is NSW)

<offtopic>It's now permanent double points for any school zone? wtf? when did that happen?</offtopic>

To be fair, speeding around schools is a bit daft

The cops in the UK have a habit of setting speed traps on twisty country roads where you couldn't possibly in a million years hurt anyone other than yourself - and even then, you''d have to be riding with your eyes closed.

Built up areas - stick to the speed limit - out of town on the other hand, when the road is empty of traffic - well, speed should be discretionary.

Nevertheless, when you have a target number of "convictions" you need to meet, the tempation to book everyone doing 10% over the limit on an empty road (most people) is too much.

Anyhow - thanks all - and I'll see you out there - I'll be the fat man with a nobby accent on the ZX10r

Welcome mate!

Fat Tony wrote: The cops in the UK have a habit of setting speed traps on twisty country roads where you couldn't possibly in a million years hurt anyone other than yourself - and even then, you''d have to be riding with your eyes closed.

down here they hide in the bush in camouflage gear and their radar guns

Hi Possible new Member,
Good to hear your coming Down under to enjoy our roads

It's a good place to ride however on some of the more well known great rides our cops have started to use decoy vehicles with cameras you over take at the wronog place and shortly after your pulled over by an unmarked car then a 4wd pulls up and next thing your given a CD of your ride and the ticket Black spur however I ride daily and find it less hassel through the week days
Have fun

If yer not scratching or scraping it your not riding it hard enough! keep it shiney side up

Welcome Fellow Pom.
You can browse the Weather History here http://www.geelongweather.com/
Pretty much the same as Melbourne.
I'm told a fixed speed cam cant get a readable plate at 300 kph but I don't know anyone willing to test the theory!

6maniac wrote:http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/rulesregulations/downloads/0908_demerits_schools.pdf

The way I read that is that double Demerits are active on Double Demerits weekends - which is a bit daft as school zones aren't active then.
But that seems to be the only way to read the 'double demerits' column going by all the others that have a 'yes'.
EDIT: re-reading it I'm probably wrong, it's not clear.

Oh, and welcome to the club Fat Tony (sounds like I'm saying hello to myself). You've joined so your a member, no possible about it

Are you going to try to ship the bike over with you? or buy something else when you get here?
ty