Perth: motorcycling heaven or hell?

[slowpoke]

I'm stuck in Perth for a couple of weeks on a training course, so what's a bloke to do on a couple of days off? Check out the bike sops of course!

Having lived here for 12 years I knew to stroll straight down to the Causeway Motorcycle centre and a smorgasbord of the latest and greatest was indeed waiting to be drooled over: '08 ZX10R, 'blade, R1, RC8, Benelli TNT, SuperdukeR, 'Busa etc etc not to mention 1098 (any colour you like), 1098S (in black, cor!) 1098R all within 100m.

But the heaven on a stick moment for me was a Honda RC45 and Bimota SB8R cuddled up together, visions of old school SBK loveliness.

So what's the problem?

As I mentioned, I know the joint fairly well and I know that having purchased one of the aforementioned beauties that there isn't a decent bit road worthy of any of them in the close environs other than Wanneroo race track.

It's inhuman I tells ya!

[Forest]

Yep. That's WA for you in a nutshell.

Great bikes, no corners.

[marty]

and all those rich mine workers....

[Big Dave]

I lasted a year - couldn't wait to get out of the place.

The run down to Margaret river is OK.

[Conquiztador]

I lasted a year - couldn't wait to get out of the place.

The run down to Margaret river is OK.

My first day there I got put in jail and fingerprinted. All for the unforgivable crime of drinking a can of Bourbon with coke on a parkbench. (I had only bought one from the bottlestore across the road to quench my thirst as it was a hot day). 4 days later I had to be in court to defend my crime. They had the empty can as proof of my lawlessness. Needless to say my stay in the town was shortlived and I travelled north breaking the dullness of the long straights by chasing wildlife with my dirtbike. (Did you know that roos can get up to over 70K/h...)

[Big Dave]

Man - you NEVER used to stop in Norseman on the ride over.
Every motorcycle and Surf wagon/Kombi was fully unpacked and searched.

[tri boy]

The road out to Toodyay is a good run. Fast n flowing.
Dwellingup-Williams ditto.
Donnybrook - Collie. Many Duc 748's hammer that rd.
Nannup _Bridgetown. Great pubs out that way, but stay away on Blues weekend.
It's true, 99% of WA bike roads are sth of Mandurah. Thats why I moved sth from Perth in 97, checked out the roads till 99, then took the big bird home to NZ.

[Lord Zod]

What about the "dam run" at Mundaring Weir? Awesome twisties there (well awesome by Perth standards anyway).

[Big Dave]

I lived in Como and worked for an industrial supplier in Welshpool - Freeo to Kwinana was my territory.

The only decent corner in the whole run was the Canning Hwy exit. :-)

[Big Dave]

What about the "dam run" at Mundaring Weir? Awesome twisties there (well awesome by Perth standards anyway).

Yeah - I forgot about that one - and the Bull ants on the picnic blanket. Mint day though.

[munterk6]

I was there from 83 to 86, sand, sand, and more sand! Oh and gumtrees and dry heat up to 45deg C. And heaps of Aussies with that annoying twang.
It was a buzz to go to a place that was a "real city with real tall buildings" after having only known ChCh all my life, but the novelty wore thin real quick!
I would NEVER move back there, the roads in the S.I. are just wonderful, I never seem to get bored with them.
One thing I liked about WA was the lack of wind, no howling nor'westers or shitty easterlies or southerlies...but the heat was pretty savage. Then the ol' Fremantle doctor would soothe the soul in the arvo!
I lived in Maylands, Floreat Park, Subiaco, Maida Vale, Bickley Valley..yip, I got around a bit lol!

[Boob Johnson]

Yeah ive been back n forth to Perth heaps of times for work in the past, lovely place, lovely people but shit house roads for bikes & only one decent innercity beach, which is shit for surfing.

[tri boy]

I'm bemused by the many people who judge WA by the city of Perth. (like comparing the nth isld by only living in Wellington. (no offence Welly people)

Boob, if surf is what you want, go to Margaret river, Cowaramup Bay, or Yallingup.
Great bike roads, sth west corner.
Great fishing, Geraldton -to the top of the state.
Wine, sth west.
Out back adv, nth east,
etc etc

(is my affection for the place showing?):cool:

[mstriumph]

and of course the O'Briens loop near Mundaring ......... that's twisted [and claims victims almost every weekend ...........]

I like the dam roads further south - swooping and exhilarating rather than tight twisting .....

and the back road to Toodyay, thru Chittering, is not to be sneezed at either

[zadok]

As already mentioned, the Hills behind Kelmscott and Kalamunda are great and the Chittering Valley. Then just South from Byford up to Jarrahdale on further South again to Dwellingup.

Drop me a line if you want to go for a blat.:ride:

[Boob Johnson]

I'm bemused by the many people who judge WA by the city of Perth. (like comparing the nth isld by only living in Wellington. (no offence Welly people)

Boob, if surf is what you want, go to Margaret river, Cowaramup Bay, or Yallingup.
Great bike roads, sth west corner.
Great fishing, Geraldton -to the top of the state.
Wine, sth west.
Out back adv, nth east,
etc etc

(is my affection for the place showing?):cool:Unfortunately surfing & a lil site seeing was all I could do as every time ive been to Perth its been for business. The closest I got to Margaret River was Freemantle lol. Would love to have gone down, love the wine from that region, especially the Shiraz.

[Lord Zod]

I'm bemused by the many people who judge WA by the city of Perth. (like comparing the nth isld by only living in Wellington. (no offence Welly people)

Boob, if surf is what you want, go to Margaret river, Cowaramup Bay, or Yallingup.
Great bike roads, sth west corner.
Great fishing, Geraldton -to the top of the state.
Wine, sth west.
Out back adv, nth east,
etc etc

(is my affection for the place showing?):cool:

Agreed, Perth is pretty crap (as much as I love it) but the whole of WA has so much more to offer IF you have the time, money, resources and know where to look. Tourist companies are making the good areas more & more accessible which is good. I'm leaving Perth later this year after spending my entire life because it's getting worse for cops (especially for bikers) and more boring and no-one will do anything about it....NZ here I come! :cold:

[Lord Zod]

As already mentioned, the Hills behind Kelmscott and Kalamunda are great and the Chittering Valley. Then just South from Byford up to Jarrahdale on further South again to Dwellingup.

Drop me a line if you want to go for a blat.:ride:

We'll have to go for a ride before I sell my bike and move to NZ.

[avgas]

with the salarys they are offering me i could build a racetrack anywho - pity the misses doesnt want to go there.

[Lord Zod]

with the salarys they are offering me i could build a racetrack anywho - pity the misses doesnt want to go there.

HA! If you can afford the land here at the moment.

[SPman]

More expensive than Auckland......

Cave road is good, on the south coast, swooping through the forests....


The road out to Toodyay is a good run. Fast n flowing. Well..it seems to be busy most weekends...I can almost do it in my sleep, being the main commute to town.....in fact...I think I AM asleep most of the time......

[slowpoke]

What about the "dam run" at Mundaring Weir? Awesome twisties there (well awesome by Perth standards anyway).


As already mentioned, the Hills behind Kelmscott and Kalamunda are great and the Chittering Valley. Then just South from Byford up to Jarrahdale on further South again to Dwellingup.

Drop me a line if you want to go for a blat.:ride:

Mundaring Weir is a reasonable bit of road but I know blokes who can almost fart longer than the time it takes you to ride it.

Jarrahdale isn't a bad run but is getting bumpy as buggery with the increase in traffic out that way, although the strop to Dwellingup is good fun. Not much chance to get a knee down though unless you are doing "go directly to jail" type speeds.

I used to live in the hills and I think it was Mills Road that was racetrack (real race track not Minefeild) smooth and nicely twisty but once again frustratingly short and getting busier by the day.

[munterk6]

HA! If you can afford the land here at the moment.

Back in 85 I looked at a show home in Marmion the whole package was $42K !
A block of land (approx 450sqm) was around $18K from memory the 3brm brick n tile house was around $24K.
I was making around $550 a week in the hand in a sales rep job. Oh how things have changed in 23 years seems like yesterday lol!
Things were cheap and wages were pretty good in those days. I bought a 78 Ford Escort Ghia from a car dealer for $3995. Cars were cheaper in Aussie than NZ back then. Yep...things have changed, a lot!
I see Ian Usher has "his life" for sale at the mo. His house is valued at $400K to $420K. Nice lookin place though. I saw the bidding was $2.2million the other day, but now is at $300K. I thought 2.2mil was a little excessive lol! Fake bids and time wasters huh. Ian must be struggling to pay the mortgage now that the missus has shot through. Break ups really fuck your life up.

[Big Dave]

I spent a lot of time exploring WA too. I can assure you there is a lot of this:

http://homepage.mac.com/david_cohen_design/.Pictures/misc2/n7.jpg

http://homepage.mac.com/david_cohen_design/.Pictures/misc2/n1.jpg

http://homepage.mac.com/david_cohen_design/.Pictures/misc2/n2.jpg

[Lord Zod]

I spent a lot of time exploring WA too. I can assure you there is a lot of this:

http://homepage.mac.com/david_cohen_design/.Pictures/misc2/n7.jpg

http://homepage.mac.com/david_cohen_design/.Pictures/misc2/n1.jpg

http://homepage.mac.com/david_cohen_design/.Pictures/misc2/n2.jpg

Hahahaha, yes, yes there is. :clap:

[Peril]

How bad is the wildlife over there toward bikes?
I'm hoping to head there oneday and would love to take the XT with me for some desert exploration,but the thought of a 'roo or wombat taking me out scares me a bit :(

[Big Dave]

OK by day - Only ride at night in the bush if you absolutely have to, and then with great caution.

[R6_kid]

I guess i wont be applying for that high paying desk job in Perth after all...

Did you encounter any roads in that area that appeared sportsbike worthy oh wise one?

[Big Dave]

There are plenty of good roads - all over aus. but they are often hundreds of miles apart.

You come here and it's just amazing.

[tri boy]

Used to live in Cairns, and still got racing buddies up there.
They may have some nice touring roads there, but there isn't a decent sealed race track until you get to Brisbane.:angry2:
At least Perth has Barbagello(Wannaroo).
But if you like to "cruise n pose", Cottisloe beach and hotel in Perth is the place to go. Babes in bikini's walk off the beach, across the road, and out to the garden bar:eek::drool::headbang:
Now thats my kind of pub.:woohoo:

[Gibbo13p]

I spent a lot of time exploring WA too. I can assure you there is a lot of this:

http://homepage.mac.com/david_cohen_design/.Pictures/misc2/n7.jpg

http://homepage.mac.com/david_cohen_design/.Pictures/misc2/n1.jpg

http://homepage.mac.com/david_cohen_design/.Pictures/misc2/n2.jpg

wow they have Egypt in Australia too! Is it more Harley Country? Cruiser roads...