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Location Date Queensland 1495580400 New South Wales 
1486598400 Australian Capital Territory 1479600000 Victoria 1479427200 South Australia 1479340800 New Zealand 1398380400 -
Location Date Armidale 1486598400 Manly 1486339200 Oberon 1486080000 Newcastle 1485734400 Urunga 1479945600 Dorrigo 1479945600 Ebor 1479945600 Casino 1479945600 Lismore 1479945600 Nimbin 1479945600 Murwillumbah 1479945600 Kingscliff
1479945600 Raymond Terrace 1479859200 Gloucester 1479859200 Taree 1479859200 Wauchope 1479859200 Kempsey 1479859200 Nambucca Heads 1479859200 Wisemans Ferry 1479772800 Nelson Bay 1479772800 Jenolan Caves 1479686400 Katoomba 1479686400 Lithgow 1479686400 South Windsor 1479686400 Goulburn 1479600000 Khancoban 1479513600 Alpine Way 1479513600 Thredbo Village 1479513600 Jindabyne 1479513600 Cooma 1479513600 Tumbarumba 1479427200 Adelong 1479427200 Batemans Bay 1478908800 Tathra 1478908800 Bombala 1478908800 Walcha 1478736000 Tamworth 1478736000 Muswellbrook 1478736000 Cessnock 1478736000 The Entrance 1478736000 Kyogle 1478649600 Grafton 1478649600 Coffs Harbour 1478649600 Singleton 1458345600 Wollombi 1458259200 Kulnura 1458259200 Kurrajong Heights 1458259200 Crescent Head 1458086400 Scotts Head 1458086400 Taylors Arm 1458086400 Gladstone New South Wales 1458086400 Telegraph Point 1458086400 Uralla 1458000000 Yarrowitch 1458000000 Mooball 1457913600 Woodenbong 1457913600 Coramb 1457913600 Pottsville 1457827200 Dundurrabin 1447113600 Lennox Head 1447113600 Bellingen 1424995200 Ballina 1424995200 Byron Bay 1424995200 Tweed Heads 1424995200 Gosford 1424908800 Moss Vale 1424736000 Port Kembla 1424736000 West Woolongong 1424736000 Austinmer 1424736000 Campbelltown 1424736000 Thredbo 1424304000 Queanbeyan 1424304000 Albury 1424217600 Bowral 1423785600 Nowra 1423785600 Bega 1423785600 Eden 1423785600 Kurrajong 1423612800 Rooty Hill 1423353600 Cottonvale 1382828400 Port Macquarie 1381964400 Sydney 1381878000 Kiama 1381878000 Wollongong 1381878000 -
Location Date Thu, 24 November 2016 1479980400 Sun, 13 March 2016
1457902500
This blog covers 6 days of entries- just click on "next entry" at the bottom of the page to continue, enjoy!
The 2016 BMW Safari.
In 1994, BMW Australia organised its first ever BMW "Safari" for BMW Motorcycle owners. The “Safari” would cover an area of Australia of about 2000-2500 km in length and took about a week to complete. My first entry was in 1996 from the Goldcoast to Cairns in North Queensland. Most of the roads were alternative routes leading in the general direction and would where possible, avoid the busy main roads. The second time I participated was in 1998 and had the starting line over 2000 km away as it was held in Tasmania. This year I decided to take part for the third time and wondered what would have changed.
The start was to be in Kingscliff just south of the Qld-NSW border. There was a lot of rain around but as the journey could be done in about 75 minutes I was able the check the rain radar and plan my ride in between the showers. Although I had planned my arrival time,I still arrived a bit late, as I had forgotten about the one hour time difference between the States. I parked my bike somewhere amongst the 100 other BMWs present and checked into the excellent Peppers Resort.
During the dinner, we were briefed and introduced to a few rules and regulations relating to safety issues. Also discussed was the way in which the route would be marked by means of yellow arrows and other markers placed along the route in strategic locations. On the ride, there would be a Tech person from BMW and a Medic. Later in the morning, at the end, the last vehicle would be a van with a trailer in case there were any breakdowns. Also, there would be a Photographer (Rob Blackburn) amongst us, riding a BMW scooter. The advice was given that if Rob passed us, not to give chase but let him do his work - to which someone said: “Pass us, on a scooter?”. This created a few laughs of course. In the end, it was the Rob who had the last laugh because not many riders were able to pass him as these scooters have a top speed of over 160 kph and are powered by a twin cylinder 60 HP engine.
Ok - the BMW “SAFARI”. I would like to note that I have a problem with the word “Safari”. When I see the word, I see images of lions and elephants in the African jungle and not a group of BMW motorcycle riders enjoying 5 days on the road in remote areas. I researched the meaning of the word:
Safari - noun
“An expedition to observe or hunt animals in their natural habitat, especially in East Africa”.
Yes, that's what I thought it was.
Let try the word “Rally”.
Rally - noun- one of the choices was,
“A long-distance race for motor vehicles over public roads or rough terrain, typically in several stages”.
"A rally driver"
It is more like a rally with the exception that it not is a race. From Kingscliff in Northern New South Wales to the destination of the Jenolan Caves in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney has a distance of 965 km. The BMW Safari however, takes in the best possible alternative routes and will total about 2250 km.
Instead of my usual daily blog I have combined the whole week of riding and will try to keep this short and let the pictures tell the story.
The 2016 BMW Safari.
In 1994, BMW Australia organised its first ever BMW "Safari" for BMW Motorcycle owners. The “Safari” would cover an area of Australia of about 2000-2500 km in length and took about a week to complete. My first entry was in 1996 from the Goldcoast to Cairns in North Queensland. Most of the roads were alternative routes leading in the general direction and would where possible, avoid the busy main roads. The second time I participated was in 1998 and had the starting line over 2000 km away as it was held in Tasmania. This year I decided to take part for the third time and wondered what would have changed.
The start was to be in Kingscliff just south of the Qld-NSW border. There was a lot of rain around but as the journey could be done in about 75 minutes I was able the check the rain radar and plan my ride in between the showers. Although I had planned my arrival time,I still arrived a bit late, as I had forgotten about the one hour time difference between the States. I parked my bike somewhere amongst the 100 other BMWs present and checked into the excellent Peppers Resort.
During the dinner, we were briefed and introduced to a few rules and regulations relating to safety issues. Also discussed was the way in which the route would be marked by means of yellow arrows and other markers placed along the route in strategic locations. On the ride, there would be a Tech person from BMW and a Medic. Later in the morning, at the end, the last vehicle would be a van with a trailer in case there were any breakdowns. Also, there would be a Photographer (Rob Blackburn) amongst us, riding a BMW scooter. The advice was given that if Rob passed us, not to give chase but let him do his work - to which someone said: “Pass us, on a scooter?”. This created a few laughs of course. In the end, it was the Rob who had the last laugh because not many riders were able to pass him as these scooters have a top speed of over 160 kph and are powered by a twin cylinder 60 HP engine.
Ok - the BMW “SAFARI”. I would like to note that I have a problem with the word “Safari”. When I see the word, I see images of lions and elephants in the African jungle and not a group of BMW motorcycle riders enjoying 5 days on the road in remote areas. I researched the meaning of the word:
Safari - noun
“An expedition to observe or hunt animals in their natural habitat, especially in East Africa”.
Yes, that's what I thought it was.
Let try the word “Rally”.
Rally - noun- one of the choices was,
“A long-distance race for motor vehicles over public roads or rough terrain, typically in several stages”.
"A rally driver"
It is more like a rally with the exception that it not is a race. From Kingscliff in Northern New South Wales to the destination of the Jenolan Caves in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney has a distance of 965 km. The BMW Safari however, takes in the best possible alternative routes and will total about 2250 km.
Instead of my usual daily blog I have combined the whole week of riding and will try to keep this short and let the pictures tell the story.
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