We Don't Know How Lucky We Are Here!

[T.W.R]

After spending a bit of time over the ditch in Melbourne and the surrounding area I made some observations that cemented a few thoughts I'd had towards our motorcycling here in NZ

We Don't Know How Lucky We Are

Although the roading system around Melbourne & surrounding suburbs is pretty amazing the congestion is ridiculous, toll roads make commuting expensive (the system for locals is a lot better for regular users, but one piece of road with 5 toll gates within 10km make it a good revenue collector for the powers that be). Luckily we only had to deal with what's called the Eastlink mostly and fortunately didn't have to deal with rush hour traffic (mid evening & mid morning traffic was well enough to handle). One noticable thing was the attitude of drivers, far more accomodating & considerate than us kiwis we'd be well versed to take a lesson from our aussie counterparts

Getting away from the city the roads change considerably and a comparable to our highways though the proper highways make ours look like sidestreets. Standard rural roads are a bit dubious by comparison and the speed limits are well different (mostly 80km/h, reminded me a lot of the early 80's here when the open road limit was 80km/h). The Hume Hwy however is a bit better with a 110km/h limit but with fixed speed cameras in a few locations and roving HP cars making themselves noticed. They place speed cameras on quiet backroads and hit people hard for speeding (saw an infringment notice for $145 for 67km/h in a 60km/h zone).

Black Spur (Maroondah Hwy) one of the top bikers roads in the state is an amazing piece of road but ruined by sheer numbers of traffic and 80km/h speed limit one would either vapourise one's licence in no time or become a hood ornament from frustration caused by lines of vehicles crawling up beautiful pieces of road. We moan about a favourite road being busy with traffic but we really don't know what busy IS! Signage dedicated to bikers is a good thing to see, unfrtunately the only one I managed to take a pic of was the deaths since 2000 but there are warning signs on the roads for users to be alert to motorcycles

The main species of bikers seem to be adventure riders on mid size dual purpose bikes or Power rangers on the race reps (everyone seen was in colour coordinated leathers etc) trying to get somewhere fast but literally doing stop/start riding between the queues of traffic or midgets on Harleys creeping along city roads at walking pace speeds.

Bikeshops aren't too dissimilar to here though Peter Stevens shop was neat with elevators etc for the second story

Pics:
1) Bimota TESI 30 at Bikeshop in Ringwood (P.O.A)
2) Maryville (Heart of the Black Saturday Bushfires)
3) Black Spur (Maroondah Hwy): bushfire damage & 80km/h and mid arvo traffic
4) Corner sign on Black Spur co-pilot was driving
5) Line up of Victories outside Victory shop on Elizabeth Street
6) Motorcycle deaths sign at Healesville (gateway to the Black Spur)

[onearmedbandit]

I'm over in Melbourne about twice a year, have to agree with what you say. Love the parking on footpaths, no one minds whatsoever. Peter Stevens is awesome, always pick up something from there. Every sportsbike I saw parked in town seemed only to get town riding though, all their tyres look brand new except in the middle!

[Big Dave]

I agree about the lucky here thing.

The Great Ocean Road is aptly nameded though.

[T.W.R]

Every sportsbike I saw parked in town seemed only to get town riding though, all their tyres look brand new except in the middle!

the store a bit further down from Peter Stevens had a mass of middle weight sportsbikes outside and like you say just about every one of them had tyres with slick strips in the middle and as new tread on the edges
The only sportsbikes I saw really gunning it were on the Eastern Freeway and they were lane splitting with glee, though it looked a bit like mobile dodgems and a high risk game with the rules they use for merging traffic

[T.W.R]

I agree about the lucky here thing.

The Great Ocean Road is aptly nameded though.

Apparently even the GOR is loosing it's appeal because of the amount of traffic.

One evening watching the local news bulletin, there'd been a population growth study done and they reckon within 20yrs Melbourne will have a greater population than Sydney

[Big Dave]

within 20yrs Melbourne will have a greater population than Sydney

Probably a good thing (relatively) - it's a grid laid out on a flat plain. Sydney is hemmed by natural boundaries - a bit like Auckland.

[Headbanger]

Spent a few years in Sydney, one of the few times in my life I didn't own a bike.

Completely and utterly pointless.

I just schemed on a way to escape the hell hole.

[pete376403]

Central Sydney parking building... we're not quite there yet.

[JR1]

Central Sydney parking building... we're not quite there yet.

fuck me those prices are high

[T.W.R]

Central Sydney parking building... we're not quite there yet.

That's comparable to the toll for using the road to get to Melbourne airport (Tullamarine) on the Tullamarine Freeway (not quite ) $4.50 for one toll camera.

The Eastern Link on the Eastern Fwy is $10.80 for 4 toll gates & a tunnel in roughly 10km