Suzuki-AUS...2019 Licola ADV-Overnighter

glitch

Mapping the next ride...
Staff member
Can't even remember exactly where I saw that note on the net....but Suzuki-AUS seemed to have cottoned onto the BMW/KTM ADV-ride idea to promote their products among the punters and buying public.

Not the tired, old lap around the local neighbourhood estates, but riding their bikes on real roads "out there".
Then chuck in a day-ride to get to the test-ride, a good night of beer+bullshit, some tucker and a bucket of laughs before another organized day-ride going home again...

No glitzy Bollywood productions like the Euro-mobs, carting in the silverware, dancing girls and hired celebs...but a rather more down-to-earth affair at an extremely reasonable cost.

To see the smiling faces of those who came along at the end of the weekend, simply said everything. The Zook-crew did a FANTASTIC job to provide awesome rides, look after everyone with tools and materials and backup-vehicles stocked with basic parts and spare fuel, shot video and photos, sorted a pile of test-rides, provided an ample dinner and hot-breakfast...and endless other stuff in the background.

What they put together was a real ADV get-together in a real "bush" location with some real rides to get there and get home, all on a basic and fun level.

Kudos to them and "Mission Accomplished, Houston!"


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According to the model-lineup there were V-Strom and a DR/DRZ groups, each with their own routes and rides, but joining at the start + end of each day.

The dirt content of the Strom-routes looked a bit weak to me (South Face Rd.+ Cowwarr-Walhalla Rd., rest sealed) so I turned out the only "Fat Barge" among a good couple of dozen DR/DRZ's with a 250TTR and a Honda CRF250 Rallye for some added flavour....with everyone on at least some 50/50 knobbies.

Only the "Dishrack" sprouted its customary 3/4 worn Shinko 705 :eek:


Up Mt. Donna Buang in the drizzly muck for some early squishy and greasy stuff splattering all over the place on the Acheron Way before the climb up and across Mt. Strickland.


One of the factory guys...


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Pace was quite "engaged" until things sorted into some natural order.


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Colours aplenty ...."parrots" in the bush...


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DR650-Aussie Post Edition


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ME?? 't wasn't me! :oops:


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...and they kept coming, roaring and farting into the increasingly thick fog across the top...


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Keppels Lookout, above Marysville.
The support-cage turned out a brandnew Suzuki Jimny (not released in Oz yet as they apparently can't fill the European orders...the cute, little moity-boi turning into a runaway-success before it even hit the shores).
Being a typical Zook-product, it also proved damn capable to more often than not run with the DR/DRZ bunch over some pretty rough and rugged tracks and "roads" (i.e. Mt. Selma) upholding the proper-4WD cred of the old LJ's, Sierra and Jimnys.


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That's a bit bloody rich!! :D
The KLR-mob will be out for a lynching in a minute: milk-crates are THEIR turf!! :upyrs:


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glitch

Mapping the next ride...
Staff member
Re: Suzuki-Aus...2019 Licola Overnighter

As there's currently no fuel (or pub, or shop) operating in Woods Point, a fuel-top-up was needed at Marysville for those DR/DRZ's with stock tanks and limited range before it was up Lake Mountain.

Still wet + drizzling....a 150m zoom shot across some Lake Mountain Rd. twisties.


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...and here they come!



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Dropped the milk-crate, picked up a swag? ..:bs



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Cumberland Junction -> Woods Point has recently been graded and while most of the potholes and corrugations through corners are gone, they've been replaced with plenty of 3-5" deep powdery-bulldusty stuff trying to lock the front hoop into tram-lining at 80+kmh :eek:
The 19" front of the Strom insists on playing the "Titanic" game at that sort of stuff...sorry to the dusted-in DR-punters, the only way to stay upright was on the pegs and hammering it. :oops:

And the pretty mud-plastered coating now gets a solid coat of dust....

Waiting for the DR-troops at a maiden Goulburn River picnic area.



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glitch

Mapping the next ride...
Staff member
Re: Suzuki-Aus...2019 Licola Overnighter

Lewis, the backbrace of the whole weekend:
"Oh shyte, was that the company-drone or my own? Where'd it go?"


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Come back to Papa, ya bastard! :bs


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While we're here...anyone? :)


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Testing, testing....the new Airhawk Pucker-Max on a secret development-mission



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Johnson Hill Track out of Woods Point serves up 2 crossings of the Goulburn River....Prime Time :clap:



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The TTR in trouble but punching through


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ohoh...


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nearly!!!




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Bugger!!



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Might as well get an anal flush out of that...


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Shouldn't be too smug here myself....while nailing the crossing no sweat, that old Shinko rear hoop baulked on the wet and slippery exit/ embankment, requiring some major help!
 

KingStrom

Long Timer
Re: Suzuki-Aus...2019 Licola Overnighter

Pete, Suzuki recently announced the axing of the funding for their on road racing program which has existed for over 25 years to concentrate their efforts on the adventure market. The latest copy of Adventure Rider I just got in the mail has a full page ad for the entire Strom range with prices and bonus top cases currently so as per usual they are jumping on the biggest sector of the new bike market well after other manufacturers and giving it a red hot go, so kudos to Suzuki.
 

glitch

Mapping the next ride...
Staff member
Re: Suzuki-Aus...2019 Licola Overnighter

Pete, Suzuki recently announced the axing of the funding for their on road racing program which has existed for over 25 years to concentrate their efforts on the adventure market. The latest copy of Adventure Rider I just got in the mail has a full page ad for the entire Strom range with prices and bonus top cases currently so as per usual they are jumping on the biggest sector of the new bike market well after other manufacturers and giving it a red hot go, so kudos to Suzuki.



Mate...not really surprised, but thanks for the heads-up.

They sure are pushing the Stroms and DR/DRZ's with some urgency, offering a constant stream of "specials" and blinged-up versions.

Yes, they are behind the 8-ball by quite a margin but what they've got is rock-solid and/ or has a long-standing track record of reliability and proven builds.

I reckon next years' 1050 Strom is a step in the wrong direction, there are already more than enough electronically-overloaded barges out there, but they'll sell a good number based on the reputation of the previous Stroms alone.
What they really need is a 700 Tenere!! That bike will kick Yammie back onto the ADV-dancefloor, big time.
They also have to "futurize" the DR/DRZ's with EFI+ABS....or let 'em die.
If Royal Enfield can do it, what's holding Suzuki back?


Back to the Licola-Bash and a lonely Strom among all those knobbied dirt-thumpers on the Johnson Hill Track.
Damn thing made my arms knot into tearful bricks, but was actually quite easy to ride, technically (compared to most of the NZ-stuff, for instance)
 

glitch

Mapping the next ride...
Staff member
Re: Suzuki-Aus...2019 Licola Overnighter

A couple of quick maps:


Woods Point area.
Johnson Hill Track includes 2 crossings of the Goulburn River. Coming from Woods Point, the first one is the longer and deeper one with a steep-ish ~10m clay/ loam exit. https://isn.page.link/DNK2


Bruntons Bridge track comes off the Walhalla-Cowwarr Rd. and is a backway into Walhalla.
https://isn.page.link/r5gG
Nearly lost one of the DR-guys going over the edge here.
The partially restored (for pedestrians) girder-bridge across the Thomson River can be used (discreetly) by motorbikes which fit through the opening. The Strom just made it (no panniers).

Or ford the river. The crossing itself is ok, the exit on the northern bank short and steep which makes for some deep troughs dug up by 4WDs... only 6ft from "dry land".
Bruntons Bridge picnic area/ swimming holes etc can be reached from Walhalla via a carefully driven 2WD.
 

glitch

Mapping the next ride...
Staff member
Re: Suzuki-Aus...2019 Licola Overnighter

Goulburn crossing #2 on the Johnson Hill Track


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Mt. Selma wasn't the must fun, the views blanketed out by the grey skies and much of it rocky and rutted, the bush bone-dry.

Dipping down South Rd. towards Jamieson-Licola Rd.

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Where's the bloody road in all this dust...?

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See ya in Licola..

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Dancing-the-twisties towards a cold beer


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Arghh!! Mr. Whoopee-Cushion lost some air!



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Great place, this Licola Wilderness Village :thumbs:
http://licola.org.au/


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Awesome job, Chief!! :clap::clap:


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glitch

Mapping the next ride...
Staff member
Re: Suzuki-Aus...2019 Licola Overnighter

Some of the Suzuki Australia crew stewing over the Sunday ahead.


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Fording the Thomson at Bruntons Bridge (see map/ info above).
So far, so good....


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A split-second away from the dive...



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More caution here...


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Bruntons Bridge....what a cracker of a spot!


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Little Jimny going for a dip...


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...and the Boss going for a splash.
Not just selling bikes, but can damn well ride 'em, too. :so



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With one DRZ waterlogged and doggedly refusing-to-play, a DR to fix and straighten out after an over-the-edge tumble on the descent to the crossing and lunch waiting in Walhalla before a long way home ahead for most, the rest decided to take the bridge instead.

Maybe time for all to sprout their new jackets :D



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glitch

Mapping the next ride...
Staff member
Bruntons Bridge Rd. into Walhalla


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The single most positive aspect of the entire weekend simply HAD to be the near total lack of mobile phone-coverage, REGARDLESS of carrier !!
Just imagine...!!!
:wot:

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....and on the ball to the last minute, the Suzuki crew dug into their emergency fuel reserves to make sure no one runs dry on the way home.



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To wrap it up short and sweet it's back to the start and the best 100bux I've spent in a long time:


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That was 100%, Suzuki Australia....and then some :thumbs::chug:
 
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