Long Ride

[Bazza]

Hey guys! Easters comin and so i've drawn on the bank of annual leave.

Thinkin about goin for a 3 hour ride down to Batemans Bay from Camden; gonna get some fishing and sleeping done while the doings good.

Dont know if a 3 hour ride is advisable for a new rider (and i will consider any opinions given on this), but my thinking is, well, there is one sure fire way to get better at shit, and that's getting out there and doing it. Like with anything else, i wanna be an excellent rider eventually, not just a good one; so i reckon the more practice the better. If i end up in hospital, i'll try and deplete their stock of YoGo.

Any advice for a newbie setting out on a long ride? Necessities i should take with me / things to remember / cautionary tales. Advice and opinions appreciated guys

[09sydrd]

Dont know if a 3 hour ride is advisable for a new rider

If you go down the HWY there are plenty of stops on the way so you'll be right ! south of BB there are plenty of good riding roads i.e. Mt darrah , bombaba , cooma , bermagui , cann river road , brown mountain ect.

Like with anything else, i wanna be an excellent rider eventually, not just a good one; so i reckon the more practice the better

Be patient it will come with time and riding experience. I would consider someone an excellent rider not because they are fast but because they ride within their own limits and ability. Maybe consider a track day or two they are lots of fun even if you ride slow you'll have a ball !

[Mad RS]

Best advise is just take your time. If you feel tired or start to cramp just take a break. I find a good hot shower and stretching before I get on the bike makes long rides a lot easier. Keep your fluids up, it's amazing how much you can lose over 2-3 hours. Also I would try to get a buddy to come along, always better to ride with someone else.

In the end a 3 hour ride can be just 3x1 hour rides back to back.

[smithy5]

Easter is Double demerits, so there will be more than usual plod about. Definately try and get someone else to join you incase things don't go to plan. The highways and coastal areas will be choked up with caravans and boat trailers being dragged around by day to day desk jockeys who have little or no idea. I'd stay away from the highways as much as possible, you don't need trucks and trailers blowing past you at 110 k's on a 2fiddy. I'd take your back road to Mittagong then through Kangaroo Valley to Batemans Bay or slab it a bit from Mittagong to Goulburn and then through Braidwood to Batemans Bay.

Here is a link of a round trip. should be about 4 hours ride time each way, but take it easy and have plenty of breaks.

http://maps.google.com.au/maps?f=d&sour ... e=UTF8&z=8

[Dafuzz31]

get out there....gotta learn sumhow

[Stuzrx]

My advice is don't go via the Hwy,there are plenty more interesting roads about the joint,and you won't learn much about riding other than Hwy's are sooooo freakin' boooorrrring.
Don't be in too much of a rush if you don't know the lay of the land.
Make sure you know roughly how far you can go on the main tank of fuel.Don't include reserve ,because thats exactly what it is....reserve.
The most important thing,no matter how far/how long/how high/how low you go,is enjoy yourself!!

[Bazza]

Thanks for the advice guys. I know the route you're referring to smithy, driven it before; and in light of your reasoning i think i will go that way. If my mates gonna tag he can drive in front of / behind me for extra security against shit happening. Lookin forward to it

[LachlanMann]

Hi mate,

3 hours sound like a perfect trip to me Not too long, not too short My advise is to listen to what your body is telling you. If you feel like you just need to get off the bike, then just hop off the bike, have a stretch, a bit of a break, then hop back on.

If i were you, i would be aiming to fill up for fuel at around the halfway mark. That way you can have a toilet break, fill up on fuel (i always worry about running out of fuel when traveling somewhere new) and have a drink if you need.

Also, be careful of how much stuff you take, and how you transport it. If you are taking alot of stuff, i would recommend trying to strap it onto the bike, rather than stuffing it into a backpack. The backpack option often leaves you with a sore neck, wishing you sent your stuff via mail :S

Also, don't rush. If you hit some nice twisties, don't feel like you have to be Casey Stoner. If you feel like you are safe and in control at the speed limit / (or whatever speed you normally do ) stay there. If you don't, and you need to slow down, just slow down. After all, at the end of the day, it's your skin.

Have a safe trip