Type of Bike: 2019 Harley-Davidson Ultra Limited 114CI in Scorched Orange aka Daphne Blake
Previous Bike: 2017 Harley-Davidson Road King Special
The first bike: When I was 16, and still at high school in Poland, I rode a German Simson scooter (SR 50) from early 1990s.
Later in my life, studying full-time, and working full time too, successfully kept me away from riding up until we moved to Australia. A while ago there was no option to transfer my licence from Poland automatically across to Australian one so I had to start over on L’s with a Honda CB 250 in 2009.
Accidents: Just one, in January 2018, I was clipped filtering lanes and the bike (2012 Harley-Davidson Iron 883) was badly damaged. I sustained multiple metatarsal fractures to my left foot. It was a scare for my wife, Liza, who initially wanted me to stop riding, which I politely did … A few months later, me & The Wife, came to an agreement that I need another bike, so along came my 2017 Harley-Davidson Road King Special. I kept the bike for roughly 18 months and did almost 55,000 kms (a bit over 34,000 miles) on it.
The first long-distance ride: Sydney NSW to Broken Hill NSW in 2018 on my 2017 Road King Special. This is when I got hooked on long distance riding.
The last long-distance ride: A ride across the Outback and Southern NSW, Australia in June 2020. I started at Gosford, then rode through Newcastle, Dubbo, Cobar, Broken Hill, Buronga, Deniliquin, Albury, Yass. The ride concluded at Sydney. 2717 kms (1688 miles) in under 30 hours.
A few tips when you ride in Australia:
- Always wear your long riding boots. In April 2020, while riding through Gibraltar Ranges in NSW, I rode over a snake. Despite me going over 50 mph, the fella still tried to bite me. My boots saved the day and allowed me to continue the ride.
- Think twice before riding after sunset. As exciting as it sounds, Australia is full of creatures that randomly would attempt to cross your path instead of having a good night sleep. In rural NSW you can find kangaroos, wombats, mice, rats, snakes, some low flying bats, owls. Then going further into Outback, you will spot goats, literally, everywhere.
- Have your satellite communicator with you. Most of the Australian landmass does not have mobile reception, just saying, so it is a must-have in case you need any sort of help.
- Always carry a few litres of extra fuel when riding to more remote areas. Australian, more remote, gas stations are usually not open 24hrs a day, 7 days a week, so it is a wise idea to include it in your plan. During my last long-distance ride, my 2 x 5 litres jerry cans saved the day, twice.
- Enjoy, relax, take some photos, talk to locals. Australia is full of truly amazing, unforgettable, places, friendly people who are super keen to share a story or three.
The ride I would love to do one day: 30,000 miles over 30 days across Australia
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bggr_k/