Great Ocean Rd & Great Alpine Way

[jamesallan]

I have just returned from the following 6 day route: Sydney, Melbourne, Warnambool, Great Ocean Road, Queenscliff, Portsea, Warrugul, Bairnsdale, Great Alpine Way, Beechworth (fishing for two days), Jugiong then return to Sydney.

Please feel free to gain any information about the ride and see attached the link for a few shots that I stopped to take along the way.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=20...653eb207cb

The Gen II Busa 09 model certainly did the trick.

[BikerBoy]

That's a good ride you've just done, and the pics are pretty cool.

Would you recommend the Alpine Way to take an overseas rider through?

I have a friend coming over from Brazil in a few months (1st time in Oz) and we are doing a weeks ride around Victoria. That area was originaly in our plans but I am currently considering ditching it to spend more time in areas that I know are good for riding, great scenery and some local attractions.

Would you rate it as a 'great place to ride for a day' or 'not a bad place to just pass through'?

Cheers, Paul

[bazman]

hey james,

nice pics m8.....looks like u had a lot of fun !!!

thanks for sharing,
bazman.

[jamesallan]

That's a good ride you've just done, and the pics are pretty cool.

Would you recommend the Alpine Way to take an overseas rider through?

I have a friend coming over from Brazil in a few months (1st time in Oz) and we are doing a weeks ride around Victoria. That area was originaly in our plans but I am currently considering ditching it to spend more time in areas that I know are good for riding, great scenery and some local attractions.

Would you rate it as a 'great place to ride for a day' or 'not a bad place to just pass through'?

Cheers, Paul

Hi Paul,

Thanks for your questions, to be honest if you do tackle the Great Alpine Way I would do it from the Northern end down into Vic - as the Hotham to Harrietville leg was tough on a big busa and on me, you could attack it better going up the mountain.
Parts of the road are fantastic but once you are on it you are pretty much in for the long haul and the weather can get a little extreme. I rode it through the middle of a sunny summers day and could see the lingering indications of ice on the roadways.
Be careful too as their is a 10-15 Klm area North of Omeo that has cattle wandering as it is a fenceless region of farming. It was an exeprience that I will treasure and very scarey at Hotham with no guard rails and the odd nutty car driver.
I personally would stick to the old favourites sometimes long and new territory can be disappointing at times.
It is truely a great adventure but also great for a pass through day trip with a car, some iced donuts and a coffee flask.

PS hope this helps, please let me know where you ride too, how it is and stay safe.

---

hey james,

nice pics m8.....looks like u had a lot of fun !!!

thanks for sharing,
bazman.

Thanks Bazman,

I had a ball and my lower back certainly knows about it, perhaps as I get older I should consider the kidney belt or less Jack Daniels at the pub stays. I appreciate your reply - cheers and I will post my pre xmas trip through NSW shortly, it too was an adventure.
We certainly live in a great country and "bloody oath" its big.

Have a great Aussie day mate!

[BikerBoy]

[CeeJay07]

Well done James....nice pics.....looks like you had the bloody place to yourself in most of the photos. Glad you made it home unscathed.

[jamesallan]

Thanks CeeJay07,

I certainly had my heart rate up with some of the Crosswind action along the Great Ocean road. I remember one time when I came around a lefthander alongside the waters edge, that the wind gust literally moved the bike across the double yellows. Hmmm deeper gulp than normal.

Gotta love the signs all along that road stating that drivers are to be on the left of the double yellows in Australia. Oh yep it has claimed a few.

Thanks again have a top Aussie DAY 2010.

[CeeJay07]

"Gotta love the signs all along that road stating that drivers are to be on the left of the double yellows in Australia."

The wench and I were down there a few years ago (we stayed at a B&B in Apollo Bay - the local pub has the nicest roo fillet I've ever had) and we had a good giggle about the signs as well. We hired a car straight from the airport and when we were driving around the wind would whip up from nowhere...kinda made me glad I wasn't on the bike to be honest.

[Vellaterra]

Great photos, I am planning to do The Ocean Rd after MotoGp this year.

I am concerned though that on the Sea Crossing that your ride was not secured. What is the go there?

[Ward P]

Great photos, I am planning to do The Ocean Rd after MotoGp this year.

I am concerned though that on the Sea Crossing that your ride was not secured. What is the go there?

The Queenscliff to Sorrento Ferry stays inside Port Phillip Bay, so is generally dead flat. As long as you're back and holding the bike when it "berths" (reads- bumps into the other end) I've never had a problem.
Just do the usuals - leave it in gear so it wont move. I suppose if was a really rough day I would stay with it, It's only 40 minutes, but that sort of spoils the trip.

Mt Hotham and the Great Alpine way - beautiful piece of road both ways.

[jamesallan]