Across the Nullabor on the Tiger 800 (Stage 1)

Well after our practice runs in April to Adelaide and Brisbane, we finally headed off on the big trip to Dunsborough (south of Perth) in Western Australia - about 10000km return. Did an oil change the night before we left - Castrol Power 1 Racing 4T. I put together a toolkit with to replace the Triumph standard one for the trip given what happened to the axle ring spanner the first time I tried to use it. The kit replaced each supplied tool with a high quality one from my own collection and also added sockets (8, 10, 12, 14, 27mm), Vise Grips, 6" shifter, 3/8" and 1/2" socket handles, tubeless tyre repair kit, handpump, selection of different lengths of cable ties - most of this I carried under the seat in place of the original toolkit. I also took a chamois (this was invaluable for insect cleaning off the screen and helmet visor at each petrol stop), a few rags, towel (for lying on if required at a roadside) and Chux throwaway wipes.

I'll split the description into 3 parts and here's the first stage to Coffin Bay in South Australia.

Stage 1 - Winmalee to Coffin Bay

Thursday 3rd October

Home to Beechworth

Odo start: 25535

Odo finish: 26139

Total: 604km

Depart: 8.07am

Arrive: 4.30pm

Petrol

Marulan 10.50am

25707km

174km

9.5 l @ 164.9c/l = $15.67

Km/l = 18.3

Hit rain just near Marulan and got to test our rain gear - all good. I've got the BMW Adventure Trousers with Goretex inner and very warm.

Lunch at Jugiong at a homemade food place inside a sort of warehouse - it was very nice.

Overlooking Jugiong - beautiful green countryside

Gundagai 1.55pm

25917km

210km

11.6l @ 168.9c/l = $19.60

Km/l = 18.1

Arrive Beechworth 4.30pm.

Carriage Motor Inn $125 room - its right in town and very comfy. Everywhere is so green and beautiful.

Friday 4th October

Beechworth to Port Fairy

Odo start: 26139

Odo finish: 26707

Total: 568km

Depart: 8am

Arrive: 4.30pm

Breakfast at Beechworth Bakery - good coffee.

Petrol

Wangaratta 8.30am

26176km

259km

13.80 l @ 160.9c/l = $22.20

Km/l = 18.8

Bendigo 11.15am

26385km

208km

9.76l @ 144.9c/l = $14.14

Km/l = 21.3

Lunch Daylesford at Cliffy's - very good selection of local food and wine.

Mortlake 3.27pm

26626km

242km

11.63l @ 151.9c/l = $17.67

Km/l = 20.8

Arrive Port Fairy 4.30pm. YHA hostel private room no facilities or towels. $70.

Dinner at The Hub Cafe. Excellent seafood platter and a Grampians Cabernet Sauvignon.

Saturday 5th October

Port Fairy to One Tree Hill

Odo start: 26707

Odo finish: 27366

Total: 659km

Depart: 7.50am

Arrive: 5.30pm

Petrol

Mt Gambier 10am

26879km

255km

12.7 l @ 168.9c/l = $21.45

Km/l = 20.1km/l

Along the south Victorian coast

A lookout at the Coorongs National Park

Kingston SE 1.27pm

27059km

180km

8.98l @ 179.9c/l = $15.35

Km/l = 20km/l

Lunch Kingston SE - good coffee in a hole-in-the-wall place in centre of town

Tailem Bend 3.27pm

27257km

198km

9.87l @ 153.9c/l = $15.19

Km/l = 20.1km/l

Arrive One Tree Hill 5.30pm.

Such green countryside and twisty riding over from Murray Bridge to One Tree Hill. Like the Peaks District in England. I have never seen the countryside this green - it is always usually so brown and dry.

Sunday 6th October

One Tree Hill to Coffin Bay

Odo start: 27366km

Odo finish: 27753km

Total: 387km

Depart: 8.00am

Arrive: 4.50pm

Petrol

Port Wakefield 9.12am

27470km

213km

10.77l @ 167.7c/l = $18.06

Km/l = 19.8km/l

Wallaroo SeaSA ferry terminal 10.00am

60.9km from Port Wakefield.

Ferry departed Wallaroo at 12.00pm

Ferry arrived Lucky Bay at 2.20pm. Very relaxing way to cut off 300km of riding. I booked this a couple of months back over the internet on the SeaSA website as this is a long weekend in South Australia.

Waiting for ferry departure.

Port Lincoln 4.05pm

27706km

236km

12.64l @ 164.9c/l = $20.84

Km/l = 18.7

At Port Lincoln

Arrive Coffin Bay 4.50pm.

Executive Villa at Coffin Bay caravan park for 2 nights @ $145/night. Great place/atmosphere in the town. Yacht club for dinner. Boston Bay Riesling was just the ticket.

Daylight saving started today as well as its a long weekend in SA so paying peak season prices for Villa. Turned clocks forward an hour for daylight saving change and then back half an hour as we had hit SA time which is 30 mins behing Sydney time. Bloody confusing. We took to caring less about 'time' as such and more about just daylight hours for riding. No one rides at night - so much roadkill along the way to here already and we have heard it is much worse on the Nullabor.

"Executive Villa" at Coffin Bay Caravan Park - was great - all ensuite etc.

Coffin Bay from the lookout just outside of town.

Monday 7th October

Rest day

Low oil level - first time I have ever noticed it use oil, so went back to Port Lincoln Supercheap Auto for a 1 litre Castrol Power 1 GPS for $15.50. They didn't have 1l of Power 1 Racing oil. Topped up 300ml and will carry the rest just in case.

Petrol

Port Lincoln 

27798km

Odo - 92.1km

4.72l@164.9c/l = $7.78

Odo - 44.9km

Rang Nullabor Roadhouse to book tomorrow night 0886256271. Double room $155.

Rang Balladonia Roadhouse to book Wednesday night 0890393453

Double room $135

Rang DownSouth Motorcycles in Busselton to order/book a new rear tyre and oil change for Saturday morning at 8.30.

54 Busselton Highway 0897543335.

Watched Fred Smith on Australian Story - look for his songs about Afghanistan.

Sunrise start on the Tuesday from Coffin Bay - see Stage 2.

The shop next to caravan park - good brekky here.