Thinking of Riding Around Australia?

[Scarlett Thunderbolt]

  Thanks everyone for your tips on doing long trips on our STeeds. Given that we'd never be able to do a lap, short of winning the lottery,  we especially relate to Pete's frugal tips for camping trips, long or short.

  We’re currently in the process of refurbishing our trailer (post to follow) and look forward to getting out there and sharing our own insights.

[West Aussie Glen]

On my lap I used a lot of self contained cabins in caravan parks.
If you join the Big4 Caravan Park group, $40 for 2 years, you get 10% off.
mr2u, BigTed is also planning on doing a lap and we are going to catch up to discuss mine, maybe the 3 of us should get together sometime?

[PC]

When NavGirl and I traveled to Perth we towed a camper trailer we were away for 50 day's
We spent 15 nights with club members  8 nights in cabins (5 were in Perth at Nat rally $108 a night)
The rest were in the camper at caravan parks we had Smoko's and lunch's in parks from the fridge ,cooked in the camp kitchen's or on a small cooker. Stayed in some show grounds ,they are sometimes a cheaper ,option
Costs
Fuel.     $1250  10c per km.    The bike used a third more fuel towing so it was an extra 300 to tow
 accom. $1500.   $$42.85 per night for 35 nights cheapest camp site $11 dearest $52 with ensuite
Food      Wasn't really recording this but somewhere around $1000 - $1200.  $22 approx per day

A new front tyre went all the way  and I took a spare rear that I had fitted Half way $50  the rear was not new when I left
Hope this helps with planning
Peter

[Me_3]

im looking at a trip to Perth in the coming months, and coming from
North QLD it's nearly a full trip around. I will have around 3 weeks for the trip, and will be towing the trailer for my accommodation. Once I get some more planning done I'll post up details and will keep everyone up to date with a ride report.

Looks like it will be an awesome trip!

[Sabie]

Good stuff Ben, just make sure that articulated motorcycles are allowed in each state with the that long trailer of yours..... 

im looking at a trip to Perth in the coming months, and coming from
North QLD it's nearly a full trip around. I will have around 3 weeks for the trip, and will be towing the trailer for my accommodation. Once I get some more planning done I'll post up details and will keep everyone up to date with a ride report.

Looks like it will be an awesome trip!

[Shiney]

im looking at a trip to Perth in the coming months, and coming from
North QLD it's nearly a full trip around. I will have around 3 weeks for the trip, and will be towing the trailer for my accommodation. Once I get some more planning done I'll post up details and will keep everyone up to date with a ride report.

Looks like it will be an awesome trip!

        

[Sabie]

Hungry Dave?

       

[Shiney]

Hungry Dave?

       

[Sabie]

A blindfolded horse????

[Shiney]

A blindfolded horse????

Either that or some  while I wait for more reports on Me_3's awesome trip

im looking at a trip to Perth in the coming months, and coming from
North QLD it's nearly a full trip around. I will have around 3 weeks for the trip, and will be towing the trailer for my accommodation. Once I get some more planning done I'll post up details and will keep everyone up to date with a ride report.

Looks like it will be an awesome trip!

[Gadget]

Hungry Dave?

       

Not after all that , it's filling don't you know.

[StinkyPete]

My own lap in 2019 took me 59 days/19,500km, and of them 44 were traveling days.
Accomodation was either in cheap caravan park cabins, staying with OzSTOC friends using the "Shed, Bed & Fed" offers, or camping in my tent (not as often as I planned)
Final stats and costs are listed below.
Distance Travelled  -   19,500km
Total fuel used  -  958 litres
Total Fuel Cost  -  $1,559
Total Accomodation Cost   -  $2,913
Food and other costs  -  $1,360
Bike Maintenance  (One overpriced service in Darwin and two sets of tyres)  -  $2,028

The only expense that I could have minimised was accomodation by spending more nights in my tent, but some persistent aches led me to sleep in a bed whenever possible.

I trust this information will help others who may be planning or considering riding a lap.  I'd do it again in a heartbeat, but probably not on my own, and certainly not without the blessing of SWMBO.

[Dick B "Yewie"]

Well done Pete,
Makes me want to go again on the Tracer 

[StinkyPete]

Well done Pete,
Makes me want to go again on the Tracer 

Nice to hear from you again, and I stil have a copy of the mag with your article.  The costing that you sent me some time ago were very helpful in my planning stage.

[STroppy]

Along with 3 others, I did a big lap in 2008 at the tender age of 62.

Two of the four bikes towed trailers full of camping gear and food.

We found that we could share the cost of renting a cabin in a caravan park or a room at a pub for a similar cost as camping, so that is what we did over almost 3 months on the road.

We did a number of touristy things in light aircraft, coaches, very large boats etc as much as we could which of course added a fair bit to our costs.

We did in the vicinity of 26,000 ks, 2 sets of tyres and oil n filter changes.

I would do it again tomorrow, just need to find another 3-4 riders to accompany me!

[Nigel]

Not yet , but it sits on the to do list ..................

[johnnyYTED]

 
Well Done Stinky Pete.
I'm STill trying to leave and keep going,. I think I may soon have another option to tow the coffin and hopefully will complete my lap sooner than later. A Spyder RT not a Daytona.. keep eating
it'll happen wonday.   Hallelujah brother 
 

[Scarlett Thunderbolt]

...  ScarlettThunderbolts took a series of photos of how I packed on the bike.
Here's my packing information....

Left Pannier (This was the dirty or wet compartment)
Blackwolf Gobi dome tent, stored in a pannier liner
Tent Poles
Pegs and hammer
Waterproof outer jacket and pants
Jacket liner
Seat cover, waterproof
Spare gloves




L/H Pannier Lid.



Inside L/H Pannier.


Right Pannier (Bed, Bedding and other stuff)
Blue poly tarp to go under my air bed inside the tent
Down sleeping bag
Exped air mattress
Cotton sleeping bag liner
Air Bed Pump
Inflatable Pillow (It was awful to sleep on)
First Aid Kit


 

R/H Pannier Lid.




Inside R/H Pannier.


Top Box (Divided into three compartments to keep stuff accessible and organized)
Food etc  (Canned tuna, Gingernut biscuits, mueslei, dried fruit and nut mix,  tea and coffee, long life milk, several freeze dried meals for emergencies, cutlery, crockery, tea towel, pepper and salt, vegemite)
Two one litre containers of drinking water


 

R/H of Topbox:... Missing item - tasty gingernut bickies last seen near John…


JetBoil stove and gas bottle




R/H Topbox:...   Jetboil Butane Stove


Hema Motorcycle Atlas
Folder with all my necessary documents
I also had a green supermarket bag in which I stored and carry stuff that would come out every night, such as camera, phone, wallet, tablet, notebook & pen, chargers, shopping bag, GPS, Spot Gen3, CB Radio.




L/H Topbox.

Back Seat
Shadecloth groundsheet for under the tent (not used on this trip)
Kermit Chair (not used on this trip)
50 lt waterproof bag for clothing, shoes, thongs, toiletries bag, meds, “electrical” bag, tools and tyre pump, nd whatever I could not fit anywhere else




Strapped to Pillion Seat.   


Glove Boxes (These are tiny on the Beemer)
Spare ear plugs
Cleaning cloth
Puncture repair kit
Sidestand plate




Pete & Kate.