1400gtr.id.au

October the 9th 2010 finds me up and about in my motel room at West Wyalong. Early AM AESDT, on with the bike gear, including the woollen thermals. Add the wet weather pants as a final lower body half barrier to the cold and the GTR and I are ready for a fuel docket.

Ampol West Wyalong, fill the tank and 5 litre jerry that I have been carrying this trip. Docket time 01:21hrs AESDT. 

Right out of the servo  a k or so and another right onto the Goldfield's Highway and towards Temora. Engage the cruise and high beam. The highway surface whilst sealed, is indifferent and uneven. The GTR handles this well. I enjoy the excellent spread and good depth of the GTR's twin headlights. The Phillip's Xtreme globe's upgrade has made good headlights even better. A couple of areas bring the trees close to the road verge. The headlight spread gives good coverage providing good detail. The cruise allows concentration on the road and verge area's themselves. It certainly assists greatly in a more relaxed animal watch. The linked brakes mean that I can have a big stab at either hand or foot brakes (or both) and the GTR will brake at its best, the ABS preventing lock up.

Outbound of Barmedman the roads is in much better condition. Verges are more open and it's much more relaxing into Temora. I stop under a street light to make some "anti draft" adjustments. The weather forecast is proving accurate, with outside temperature sitting around the 6 mark. 

To Cootamundra via the Burley Griffin Way and Temora Street, a long street. A good run to the Yass Service Centre provides some Premium fuel, coffee and warm area to sit. The fuel docket says 04:01 AESDT and thats before the coffee and a sit. Plenty of time.

I am enjoying the good headlights and excellent brakes. My suspension tuning efforts are making for a good ride and handling. The GTR may be a little over sprung though! No complaints. It's competent in the handling department and responds well to firm inputs, exhibiting no nasty traits. Stability is excellent and the brakes are powerful and stop a big motorcycle very well. The low down grunt is very enjoyable, even in 6th. Open the throttle in 4th or 5th, with 3,000 or more on the tachometer and it's all GO! Lovely :-) No complaints about the fuel economy either.

Depart Yass, along the Barton Highway and quiet cruise through early morning Canberra. Outside temps are around 8 degrees. The Monaro Highway out from Canberra to Cooma provides a couple of early morning pictures. Breakfast at the Golden Arches Cooma, a hello to the Highway Patrol, having breakfast and fellow riders and I am off again. " "Kipper" and owner are having a walk in the car park as I leave.

I fail to turn left at Cooma and head off towards Jindabyne. A little distance down the road I turn left to Dalgety and travel via Maffra, Mt Cooper and towards the Monaro Highway intersection a little past Ando. This turns out to be a nice country drive with good views and basically me, the GTR and a mostly sealed road. A short section of dirt and a lot of freshly sealed road along The Snowy River Way-Ando Road to the Monaro Highway intersection. A very nice, unplanned deviation, with the road having been freshly sealed just for me :-). The "Leo Vince" sounds very nice in the valley's.

Bombala for fuel and then a ride through the Nalbaugh and Bondi State Forests (NSW) to cross into Victoria and the Coopracambra National Park. Dead wombats, make for concern and twisty bits make for enjoyment. Chandlers Creek, Noorinbee and Cann River. A little cruise around Cann River, as I intend to fuel here on the way back and it's Bemm River bound on the Princes Highway. A left off the Princes Highway at Manorina and a long descent with tight bends makes for arrival at Bemm River. A little early, but there is a few there already. Park, get the riding gear off, say hello, go grab a tea, have a look around and check out how others "do it".

Pre order lunch and soon it's check in time. I sell a few caps, badges and stickers (Clint's orders :-)). Have a laugh and joke with others. Eat lunch with a soda water chaser, chat some more. The bikes odometer says I have travelled a little over 670 kilometres to Bemm River from West Wyalong. A very nice location is Bemm River. Weather, food, hospitality and company are good.

Time to go. This is my first time in this and the Snowy area, on a motorcycle. I have a different planned route for the return. I also plan on doing the "interesting bits" in daylight. On with the riding gear, back out the GTR, a wave and I am off.

Cann River for fuel and then a run back the way I came except this time I go to Cooma without any deviations. From Cooma I travel Kosciusko Highway towards Berridale. A little traffic and a truck or two. The GTR flexes it's muscle in an overtaking move or two and Berridale is soon approaching.  A right turn on the approach to Berridale into Middlinbank Road brings some nice riding country. Sealed, in good condition but narrow in places and not a lot of road markings. Zero traffic but, some blind crests and sharp turns keep me  honest and the concentration levels high. Soon its left onto the Snowy Mountains Highway, Dry Plain and a fuel at Adaminaby with premium and squeeze as much in as possible, as I don't plan on fuelling until West Wyalong. The 5 litre jerry is full if needed.

Adaminaby, Providence Portal, Kiandra, Yarrangobilly, Talbingo, along the edge of the Blowering Dam, Wermatong, Jones Bridge into Tumut. There are sections were I just leave the GTR in second and it's throttle work, with only occasional use of the brakes (one big application for the sharp right hander over the crest). Smooth and work on lines, placement and throttle control. The GTR is lively, responsive and quick above 5500 rpm. Very enjoyable and safe. Well within mine and the roads "safe zone". Very little traffic is even better. The "Leo Vince" is not overly intrusive over the Mozart from the iPod Shuffle. It's all together and "just nice".

Tumut and the GPS takes me for a pleasant country wander via back roads, to Gundagai. Its very picturesque via Kilimcat along the Brungle Road to of course, Brungle. The river on the left is flowing well as I ride beside. A sharp left and we have bridged across and it's now the Gundagia Brungle Road. Tarrabandra and the road continues as sealed but narrow, with some crests and lack of sign posting. A typical sealed country road. Good scenery, but care required. Gundagia and then to Cootamundra.

Leaving Cootamundra on Temora Street I proceed a few kilometres out of town and turn left onto Old Temora Road. I am sure I have turned the "Scenic Route" option off on the GPS. Oh well. I wanted a different route back. More kilometres pass and the road is now Old Cootamundra Road  and it travels through the Combaning State Forest. The road is really quite good in most places. All sealed and very wide. Some very long straights. Lots of trees line both side of the road in many area's though. The occasional evidence of road kill, but no animals seen and "bugger all" traffic. The "old" gets dropped and there is a kilometres long straight. It has been dark for awhile now and soon, Temora is on approach. 

Temora back to West Wyalong is a good run with some evening traffic and heavy vehicles. I am looking forward to the Motel room, shower and bed. West Wyalong, a left onto the Highway and a few k's later I have parked the bike under the Motel room awning, the keys in the door and I am inside. Turn on the AC, take off the riding gear, leave the bike pretty much as is, as tomorrow AM, I am off back to Brisbane.

One thousand three hundred and fifty kilometres for the West Wyalong - Bemm River return run. I am well and so is the GTR. A good ride. 

Edited 23 October 2010 to address Trade Mark issues. Comments are disabled for this page. Modified 6/11/10 to include new SPOT generated, SpotWalla mapping links, for the journey.