Australasian Safari 2012 - Adventure tour or challenge planning!

[vegeman]

Hi,
After reading the threads on Advrider, and here...and seeing some of the kiwi boyz partake in the official rally, I started enquiry about it.

During that process, the Safari team also run a adventure tour (ADVT) which is quickly becoming almost a feeder school for those that want to try before you buy. The adventure tour still is a full on ride, but not under race conditions.

I called the organiser last night and spoke to him about the ADVT which all sounds pretty good....so I thought I start planning to see if I can attend.

The first major issue is clearly the bike. My KTM690 is no doubt a perfect machine for that event...but how much hassle, cost and grief will it be to get the bike there.

Renting 'tour' bikes would be the easiest but finding a decent machine and an affordable price will be the issue there.

Does anyone have any advice on ship to AU, rent in AU, and then we have buy and sell in AU as the third option

Appreciate you thoughts and experiences.

V

[topo]

The ADVtour is a great way to see the safari and the WA outback, those lads always had a smile on their faces even with the early starts.


A couple of questions for you.

A/ how long would you want to be over there? just the safari or touring?

B/ Whats your range/tank size? even in the tour you'll need a few hundy km's at a FAST trail pace.

C/ are you a rally addict? (if your not now you soon will be)


Not sure if i'll be back over next year, but would be great to see a few more kiwis there.

[Rosie]

Clint640 and I shipped our bikes to Oz in 2009 using Go Logistics. I can't remember exact figures, but it was around $2k per bike all up - shipping, paperwork and insurance.
It wasn't too much of a hassle, we had to organise carnets through the AA, get the bikes packed into a crate, and get insurance for Australia (which was a minor hassle, we ended up with Swann, no-one else would insure us).
Qantas lost our paperwork, which led to hassles with customs in oz, but other than that it all went fairly smoothly.
Every state has different rules about temporary registrations, in NSW, for example, as long as you have your NZ rego and WOF up to date, you are good to go with your NZ plates for up to 3 months (I think), we didn't even need to tell them who we were, we just jumped on the bikes and rode off. We paid $30 ACC equivalent for Victoria, and never bothered to find out what we were supposed to do for SA.

I think Clint worked out that 3 weeks was the cutoff point where shipping our bikes would be cheaper than hiring, and it's good to have your own bike - you know how your luggage fits on, you know how to work on it etc. Also bear in mind that a lot of rental vehicles won't be allowed on some desert tracks without written permission from the rental company (getting permission may just be a formality, or it may be impossible, I don't know).

[ducatijim]

Hi,

The first major issue is clearly the bike. My KTM690 is no doubt a perfect machine for that event...but how much hassle, cost and grief will it be to get the bike there.
V

Fly it to Perth and back, piece of piss for a man of means( or not).

[javahead]

Great to read this vegeman. It's a blast to be able to ride some of the stages, and short of entering the event, even the locals don't get the opportunity. If you do get over there I'm sure you'll love it.

You'll need a steering damper, well-sorted suspension, more fuel than standard, and some suitably tough tyres, but otherwise a good stock 690 that you're already comfortable on will be fine.

Freight for me has not been cheap. Then again I've been sending over a few tools, spares and tyres as well, so I've needed to ship a crate. In 2009 I arranged everything myself - carnets etc - and that was time consuming but not too difficult. I spent ages getting quotes etc and it was astonishing how much it ended up costing. I've now tried using the official freight provider. That turned out at least 20% more costly again, and it wasn't any better in any respects that I could notice. Strangely the cost of airfreight has never been much more than sea freight - it seems to be all the incidentals either end of the trans-Tasman freight that make it expensive. Getting a bike to Perth and back for NZD$2k would be less than half what I've had to pay.

In 2009 I did a carnet through the local chamber of commerce, and it was easy, but required me to deposit a chunk of cash equal to the value of everything I was shipping. In 2011 the freight provider arranged a temporary bond, which was a much smaller amount. It may be you can arrange that yourself - I don't know.

I needed a VIA (Vehicle Import Authority) before I could ship, and that took six weeks. You might need one of those.

Turned out my existing NZ bike insurance with vero gave me cover in Aus for 30 days if I nominated the dates. It'd pay to ask yours.

If I were doing the ADVT I'd certainly check out what you can rent there instead of taking your own bike across. It can be quite draining dealing with all the details when all you want is a holiday, and there's nothing quite like thrashing someone else's bike for a week.

[vegeman]

The ADVtour is a great way to see the safari and the WA outback, those lads always had a smile on their faces even with the early starts.


A couple of questions for you.

A/ how long would you want to be over there? just the safari or touring?

B/ Whats your range/tank size? even in the tour you'll need a few hundy km's at a FAST trail pace.

C/ are you a rally addict? (if your not now you soon will be)


Not sure if i'll be back over next year, but would be great to see a few more kiwis there.

a/ currently just thinking about the safari BUT if the shipping bike thing seemed 'easy' ...which is sounding it insn't...I would have throught about riding back from WA

b/ 690 range is generally 200K, to fuel light + plus another 40K to empty. I have yet to see how much extra fuel the Akra map consumes under power so no doubt it will use more - I'm thinkin about getting the Rally Raid 5 litre side tank. This would make for add another 100K under nomal conditions

c/ I do enjoy fanging it, and enjoying challenges for sure...thats why the 690 is the bomb

[vegeman]

If I were doing the ADVT I'd certainly check out what you can rent there instead of taking your own bike across. It can be quite draining dealing with all the details when all you want is a holiday, and there's nothing quite like thrashing someone else's bike for a week.

Hi Mate, thanks for replying (Andrew, I presume ) reading your threads and journey certainly helped in motivating me to move forward. I think we rode here in welly with the motomart guys around the coast...I was on my old XR650L...anyway

After reading more of the threads around shipping and returning bikes, I'm going to find a bike over there. IF we consider, frieght pain and costs, logistics, the fact that my machine will not be available in NZ while its being transported. My timeframes will be less than 3 weeks (thx Rosie), I'm not racing so I don't need to be 'at one' with a known machine...it really doesn't seem like shipping it is the goer.

I'm sure someone, somewhere in Aussie will allow rentals for this OR I'll just buy the bike I want second hand, use it...and then sell it again. If I bought a WR450 for $6K, use and then sell for $4K...then that would be ok

I will also be checking all over Aussie and keep you posted.

For instance, I contacted Don McGrath as per the Services section on the Australasian Safari site...and they are only doing Rally preppred machines now.

[jezzaNZ]

Hi Vegeman, if you are looking for a secondhand bike, try http://www.tradingpost.com.au or http://www.bikesales.com.au/ Bikes tend to be more expensive here in Aussie than NZ plus you have to pay sales tax also. I am tentatively thinking of doing the ADV Tour in 2012 myself but will have to negotiate with my partner for an extended leave pass.....

[vegeman]

Hi Vegeman, if you are looking for a secondhand bike, try http://www.tradingpost.com.au or http://www.bikesales.com.au/ Bikes tend to be more expensive here in Aussie than NZ plus you have to pay sales tax also. I am tentatively thinking of doing the ADV Tour in 2012 myself but will have to negotiate with my partner for an extended leave pass.....

Thanks...for the links...

Surely since you are already in the land of Oz..then its far more justifiable with the missus as at least you one the same big block of dirt. - Just say you'e going out for a ride...

I told my wife that I want to do this, and she is pretty cool and letting me do adventures. For the last couple of years, I been Wapiti (Deer) hunting in fiordland which are 2 week long, hard, wet sorties...so getting time out for a bike adventure is still within the expectations of escaping from the whanau.

[LBD]

2 week long, hard, wet sorties...

Sounds a lot like some of my bike trips....

[jezzaNZ]

I wish it were that easy.....just to get to Perth from Melbourne is a 4 day ride.....not like going from "The Hutt" to Taupo for a long weekend. I am busy saving my brownie points but need to decide how to spend then in 2012...The Simpson, APC Rally or the Safari...ing

[vegeman]

I spoke to Magnus at Outback today and they have a complete package ie entry fee's, camping, bike hire, bike delivery and maintenance for $5340 AUD...the steed is the venerable DR400 which sounds like a fair compromise. They know the ride, and know how to do everything...so that there is worth a few extra hundy. The competition itself costs $2800 (included in the OAT price)

The tour is now classified as the 'challenge' to make cooler to tell your mates...

Magnus sounded like a top bloke who new his stuff, and said he reckons now that half of the riders in the tour/challenge are kiwis....and a good number of the group go on next year to the full ride.


...just need to double check with the wifey...and then its time to pay the deposits.

[JayBo]

Hiya V.
Just stumbled across this thread while looking for Dakar support/interest levels. It looks to me like you're heading down the path of hiring a package from Magnus. I had a look at his offer, and I've seen his outfit and support facilities, and I believe that to be outstanding value for money! (I have no stake or "interest" in his business at all). If you need any help at the Perth end of things, let me know. I'll always do everything I can to help out Kiwi's coming over for the Safari - just ask Ben and Andrew. (I doubt I'll be racing this year but that depends on whether my Dakar entry application is accepted in July. I may be a grumpy late entry).
Cheers
JayBo

[k14]

I spoke to Magnus at Outback today and they have a complete package ie entry fee's, camping, bike hire, bike delivery and maintenance for $5340 AUD...the steed is the venerable DR400 which sounds like a fair compromise. They know the ride, and know how to do everything...so that there is worth a few extra hundy. The competition itself costs $2800 (included in the OAT price)

The tour is now classified as the 'challenge' to make cooler to tell your mates...

Magnus sounded like a top bloke who new his stuff, and said he reckons now that half of the riders in the tour/challenge are kiwis....and a good number of the group go on next year to the full ride.


...just need to double check with the wifey...and then its time to pay the deposits.

That sounds pretty awesome, not a bad price too. Might have a look next year.

I see they do a Dakar tracking package too, $17k aud...

[vegeman]

Hiya V.
Just stumbled across this thread while looking for Dakar support/interest levels. It looks to me like you're heading down the path of hiring a package from Magnus. I had a look at his offer, and I've seen his outfit and support facilities, and I believe that to be outstanding value for money! (I have no stake or "interest" in his business at all). If you need any help at the Perth end of things, let me know. I'll always do everything I can to help out Kiwi's coming over for the Safari - just ask Ben and Andrew. (I doubt I'll be racing this year but that depends on whether my Dakar entry application is accepted in July. I may be a grumpy late entry).
Cheers
JayBo

Thanks for the feedback...I am still hoping to get there but my finances and timing just took a hit. I decided to build a new courtyard with pizza oven etc for Xmas, and like all good building projects - I cocked up the amount :-). I've got the NZ Safari ride next weekend, which is a fun ride really....then I'll be reviewing where things are at.

I felt the pressure for the deposit was due asap, so I'm SOL if thats the case but am thinking that with the general finance pressure on most people...the window for entry will be greater.

...also Dakar Tracking package??? that sounds interesting? like most guys here, have been following Dakar especially our Kiwi entry Chris Birch who is a magnificent rider, so its been very interesting to hear his viewpoint on the event....which seems to be how fast everyone goes ie more faith and balls to keep it wide open....eek.