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Perth to Alice Springs and return

1K views 0 replies 1 participant last post by  DBL4.0 
#1 ·
Well I'ts been a couple of weeks but I thought I'd send in some words and pics concerning a recent trip i took with some mates from Perth to Alice Springs and returning via the Nullabor.
Unfortunately it rained most of time we were on the dirt, making it a very scary daily ride, 4 days and 1400 kilometers of wet dirt and mud on the Great Central Rd. Throw in corrugations, some huge, and sand patches trying to swallow the front wheel, and I was asleep before my head hit the pillow each night.
The Shinko 705s did a fantastic job, I was expecting some chunks taken out of them by the rocks, some bigger than tennis balls, getting spat out by the front wheel km after km, but they look fantastic. Unfortunately the tread pattern couldn't keep up with, what I would call, the worst wet muddy road I have ever been on, and I had the bike come round on me twice and I went down. Luckily they were low speed, 60kmh and 40kmh. But 6110 km on and they look great, thoroughly recommend them.
Ok, problems I had.
The corrugations were devastating on the mirrors but it took a spill to damage one. The chain guard bolt was lost and 2 zip ties just wouldn't compete with pounding so it spent most of the trip occy strapped to the luggage. The complete front fairing came loose a couple of times as the 2 bolts that attaches it to the bike just couldn't keep up with the abuse, I've replaced them with longer bolts that go all the way through and have got nylock nuts on the other side to really secure it.
I am amazed that I got through it all without blown fork seals (one of the other bikes did one (BMW650GS Dakar)), snapped mirrors (BMW650GS) and front handle bars, failed rear shock or even a broken sub frame but I am supremely impressed with the bike.
A mud caked oil cooler gave me some worries, the daily temps were in the high teens Centigrade but I still burned through a bit of oil.
The Givi screen impressed me, with all the corrugations as well as 2 tumbles, its still as good as new (apart from some scratches).
What's broken?
Left hand mirror, replaced $40.
Right hand passenger foot peg bent at right angles, a few jumps on it by yours truly and it's back in shape.
Soft panniers destroyed from the falls, but for $75 delivered to the door, I'll get over it. The bags were fantastic by the way (Third Gear).
Apart from the bar end bolts bent out of shape and some panel scratches , that's pretty much all that was wrong.
I've given the bike another service since I got back so she's good to go.
 

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