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Kiwi touring Oz

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I'm looking to do a 2 to 3 week tour with my wife around parts of Australia latercthis year. Probably starting in Brisbane and finishing in Melbourne or vice versa. Would like to keep off the main roads if possible. I have a V Strom 650 in NZ and think it'd be a great bike for touring in Oz. However it looks like it might be expensive and not worth to buy one for only a few weeks. Does anybody know where a good place to hire one would be or other suggestions. What is best...2 smaller bikes or one larger one ? I am Ulysses member so that should help with your profiling! Thanks . Peter . Nelson. N.Z
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I found these 3 in Brisbane.
I would think that not returning to the point of hire would be problematic. They are not like an Australia wide car rental company. Perhaps a good idea might be to purchase on the understanding of a pre arranged deal basis - providing no damage is inflicted.
If you asked around other bike dealers may very well be able to help - the issue would be returning, but then again there are a couple of specialist motorcycle transporters available.
The last advertiser of the three below might be the best for a deal like that.

It may be more practical to consider a couple of holidays 12 months apart, based in different cities.

The most direct Brisbane-Melbourne route is 1,800 km, and there are lots of possible diversions, zig-zags, and destinations. There are plenty of smaller towns and destinations on sealed roads without venturing into the "outback" which is a couple of days ride from the coast. All this assumes that you have little wish to spend time in the highly populated coastal areas like the Gold Coast, Byron Bay, Coffs Harbour etc.
The best riding is off the M1, the main north-south motorway. Best to have a look at google maps etc. There are many sealed - and unsealed back roads, but they will inevitably lead you back to a main road (not necessarily the M1). The coastal road is the M1, but the coast is very rarely in sight.
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I'm looking to do a 2 to 3 week tour with my wife around parts of Australia later this year. Probably starting in Brisbane and finishing in Melbourne or vice versa.
I just had another look at your post. Did you mean the "round the block" tour? That would be around 6,500 km.
What would it cost to bring your bike over?
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What would it cost to bring your bike over?
Got a quote. $2500 one way!
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I just had another look at your post. Did you mean the "round the block" tour? That would be around 6,500 km.
No just one way but not sure if north-south or vice versa.
I found these 3 in Brisbane.
I would think that not returning to the point of hire would be problematic. They are not like an Australia wide car rental company. Perhaps a good idea might be to purchase on the understanding of a pre arranged deal basis - providing no damage is inflicted.
If you asked around other bike dealers may very well be able to help - the issue would be returning, but then again there are a couple of specialist motorcycle transporters available.
The last advertiser of the three below might be the best for a deal like that.

It may be more practical to consider a couple of holidays 12 months apart, based in different cities.

The most direct Brisbane-Melbourne route is 1,800 km, and there are lots of possible diversions, zig-zags, and destinations. There are plenty of smaller towns and destinations on sealed roads without venturing into the "outback" which is a couple of days ride from the coast. All this assumes that you have little wish to spend time in the highly populated coastal areas like the Gold Coast, Byron Bay, Coffs Harbour etc.
The best riding is off the M1, the main north-south motorway. Best to have a look at google maps etc. There are many sealed - and unsealed back roads, but they will inevitably lead you back to a main road (not necessarily the M1). The coastal road is the M1, but the coast is very rarely in sight.
Thanks for that info. Yes would love to dip a toe into some of the outback.
The outback? I did this just for fun - but it would be a challenge. Around 25% dirt roads, mostly firm but with some soft patches and challenging sections along the way. Unridable should it rain. Dozens of variations and detours are available.

You would need to be experienced and two up would be very challenging in places. Probably not appropriate for a first adventure here. :cool:


Something like this may be more appropriate. Partly along the edge of the outback, and back in to go through the winding roads of the Kosciuszko National Park. Others will suggest hundreds of destinations along these lines.
You still have the return to pickup issue though - unless perhaps you go HD. They may have a pickup and drop-off arrangement.
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Got a quote. $2500 one way!
I guess I won't be taking my bike to the South Island for a tour. :cry:
Do you know a Aussie that could buy you a bike and sell it again at the other end.

If you got the right bike it could be a low cost or even a free way of doing things.
Sorry, one of my images did not appear in my post # 8
This is an outback tour posted again, and a challenge two up for the inexperienced.
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Do you know a Aussie that could buy you a bike and sell it again at the other end.

If you got the right bike it could be a low cost or even a free way of doing things.
One of our late members, Saturn5, did that for an American forumite some years back.
Every trip to Rolex I think of Saturn5, on one of his trips to Rolex he made his feelings clear about some of the roads, that comes back to me while using them.

I never did see what his problem was.
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