[GregMember]

Nah, not a cracker ride, but a ride all the same. I have “procured” a GS650 for the weekend just need to re shod it with tyres and I am all good. Will be strange on such a little bike…

[GregMember]

Meant ride of course, but depending on where we end up, you never know…

[GregMember]

What do you Go Pro open back users think of putting a little bit of fabric over the back, inside, to stop the dust?

I used mine for the first time on the weekend but due to dust used the waterproof housing which really restricts the sound. Was thinking of using some micro fiber or something stuck to the inside of the back door.

Workable?

[GregMember]

We had a real thick fog on Saturday morning so I gave the lights a test out. It was in the morning do not really needed for illumination rather to be seen.

I have the euro beam lights and what I can say is that they had a nice spread of light and did not seem to have a single focal point which I feel is a little distracting when riding at night, as you tend to look only at the bright spot and miss out on the peripherals.

In summary, not a great test but I would have been very visible to oncoming traffic and with no fog at night, they are a massive improvement.

Greg

[GregMember]

Just got home from the farm after last weekends false start due to the weather… I took a run up the Bluff, heading toward Hill End only as far as where the Bridle Track leaves the Macquarie just past the Root Hog crossing (which was way underwater still).

The road condition is not great, but easy on a bike. Saw four adventurers watching the flowing river at Bruinbun on Saturday morning, would have loved to join them as they headed to Hill End.

So, in short the Bluff is easily passable on a bike, some nice large rock slides to the east of the bluff and some snotty low sections to the west, which my brother and nephew on little light weight KTM’s though would have the big girl Tenere turning around, but she handled her self too well and let me keep my feet on her pegs while my nephew (and don’t you love teenagers) poured the water out of his boots. The track has just been graded too, right up to the closure just before the Bluff so makes for some nice riding along the fast flowing swollen river.

Wish the Turon crossing was not so deep, Hill End was getting closer very quickly. Next time – and next time I will follow the 990 Adventure and DRZ and friends, the weather was a cracker.

Greg

Edit:

The Macquarie is back down but still flowing too fast to cross and the crossings are still un-passable, including the Turon.

Couple of screen grabs from my helmet cam – sorry about the dust on the lens…

The whole track to the road closure has just been graded (grader is still onsite) and makes for a nice ride along the Macquarie (and with the road closure presents little oncoming traffic!)
[attachment=3246]gradedtrack.jpg[/attachment]

Just past the Bruinbun river monitoring station, the road is washed out. There is a vehicle access crossing to the right but is boggy.
[attachment=3253]Bruinbunwashout.jpg[/attachment]

One of the new rockslides, make a car passing difficult
[attachment=3247]Untitled.jpg[/attachment]

Second rockslide is not as significant.
[attachment=3248]Rockslide2.jpg[/attachment]

Downed tree puts you a little close to the edge
[attachment=3249]Downedtree.jpg[/attachment]

Approaching the bluff obstacle
[attachment=3250]Untitled_2012-03-12.jpg[/attachment]

Plenty of room for a bike though, just don’t look down, there are a few cars at the bottom…
[attachment=3251]Untitled2.jpg[/attachment]

The road past the bluff is rocky but the view is worth it.
[attachment=3252]pastthebluff.jpg[/attachment]

[GregMember]

Thanks fellas.

I had a catastrophic computer failure but have retrieved all information now and can update the endoftheroad.net.au website… I have added a couple more photos and some brief videos… Please be kind, am very much the amateur.

Cheers,

Greg

[GregMember]

So a penguin is riding across the desert (yeah, I know… just follow me…). All of sudden his bike breaks down. Luckily, he’s pretty close to a servo. So he waddles beside his bike and pushes it to the servo. He asks the mechanic to take a look and find the problem. Mechanic tells him to come back in 10 minutes. So the penguin is getting hot, being in the desert and all, and goes in the shop and buys an ice cream. He slobbers the ice cream all over himself and goes back to the mechanic to find out the problem. Mechanic says,” Looks like you blew a seal.” The penguin says “Nah mate, just a bit of ice cream, whats up with me bike?”

[GregMember]

I wish you could do that with the Zumo 660 and Garmin Topo maps… I guess that when we hit the back of Bourke, there won’t be many contour lines to get in the way…

[GregMember]

Not on the 660 with Garmin maps. I believe you can change if you use other topo maps on it… I just can’t remember the brand.

I love the Zumo but this is one of only a couple of criticisms of it – and I know I am being picky.

[GregMember]

I have the Garmin Topo maps and have mixed thoughts…

I really like the terrain features, using the topography to see whats coming up, but and it is a BIG BUT… the topo lines are the same size and colour as the trails, so its hard sometime to distinguish.

Most places I have been, including back of the Blue Mountains, Victorian high country, Snowys, Tasmania and Border Ranges have been on the street maps.

So, I keep them loaded but only turn them on when the terrain is getting a bit lumpy or on private land as the tracks are on the topo’s.

If you get right out and amongst it, get the topos but if you are on fire trails or non single track trails, the street maps are fine and pocket the $200.

[GregMember]

Agreed, happy to replace them, just more $ than I expected.

On the flip side, every time I fill up with petrol, I wasn’t thinking “add $2 for cush drive wear”… I know the same can be said for servicing , tyres, rego, insurance etc… just one of those unexpected costs…

[GregMember]

Thanks TB… Yamaha needed payment to order… nice ploy that, so $96 for the set for me (this time)… At lease they will be in tomorrow.

GS

[GregMember]

After reading some posts and TB’s videos, I figured I should replace my cush drive rubbers. All tyre changes have been done by the local bike shop so I have never had reason to inspect them, assuming that they would tell me if they were worn (last tyres TKC80’s only lasted 2,500k) so in preparation for a big ride, I did the E09 change in the shed.

Anyway, long story short, the little rubber connectors on the rubbers were worn off and there was evidence of some rubbers cocking in the drive, wearing irregularly – not bad really after nearly 17,000km (yeah I know – I should be strung up…). So, called local Yamaha dealer today, the rubbers are $24 each. That the right price or should I look elsewhere for the next set?

Cheers,

GS

[GregMember]

Trailboss wrote:

GaleyKTM300 wrote:

Hi TB ,were you able to get past the roadblock on the Bridle Track or did you have to detour around it? Sounds like a great ride.

Cheers
Galey :blink:

Hi Galey

They have placed big rocks etc as a way and means of blocking / closing the track but you can get through pretty easy (I did on the Tenere with bags on) but as I said to Gaz etc at Hillend if you want to ever ride the Bridle trail again do it sooner rather than later. I reckon they will get serious and block it off.

It was a good days ride Galey

TB

I am heading up to the farm this weekend, is on the Bridle Track at Bruinbun not far south of the Bluff… I will scoot up and check out its pass-ability.

Greg

[GregMember]

Thanks fellas,

Just hit 17,000k’s and she is only just starting to hit her stride. I put a set of Barretts on it last week and it has made such an improvement to the usability of the bike – I had a TK single on it before but it was just too loud, no one wanted to ride behind me.

I was actually reading posts re the cush drives last night and after I put an E09 on yesterday, I can now see I really need to replace the rubbers, so I can say with sincerity that your forum has really helped me out.

We will do our best to update the site and put some of the videos up – we edit them down to around 1 or 2 minutes as most friends want to get a glimpse of what we do when riding but really are not interested in watching minute after minute of helmet camera footage. Short seems to keep it entertaining.

I will also confess that one video has me, not a small lad, showing off which resulted in a standing start, flat ground, back flip that Travis Pastrana would be proud of… Who would have thought that Tourances would grip the gravel like that… more fool me…. especially for letting it be caught on camera.

Anyway, I look forward to participating and if I can be of any assistance to the community who is so ready to share experiences and helpful advice, then my debt may be repaid and someone else may not be so quick to do a burnout in the Strahan lookout carpark – I am way too old to be a hoon.

Greg

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