Looks great. Have been talked into a 2 day double crossing by a "friend?" in 2010. Guess i better start getting my sand skills up to scratch. Oh and he wants to do it unsupported. I gotta stop going over to his place and drinking scotch.
I have just bought a 92 dr650 and a 97 xr600 and i am trying to decide which bike to do it on.
we will be riding from vic there and back. we will have a landcruiser as a support vehicle too just in case and to cart the missus in whilst the boys ride.
How much fuel did you use on the dr650 and do you recomend the lighter xr600 to do the trip on?
Me thinking about going back next year to. For the hayriver track. Love it out there.
Heavy vs light? Electirc leg vs kick start? If you have good sand technique you will not be picking your bike up to much so a heavy bike will be ok. But then again if it falls over you don't want to be trying to kick it all day long.
Both these bikes will get you across the Frenchline without a drama. I would verge on the XR because I've picked upa 230KG KTM out there. And nearly died trying
IF you do not have much SAND experience, you can take a quick diversion to Murray sunset country on the way there. Near Mildura. Riding around here over the sand dunes will give you a real good head start in dealing with the desert.
Really enjoyed this video! Thanks guys. What a hoot.
I went across in 97 and then again in 98 on a DR 650. The extreme heat and absolute dryness in 97 had everything appearing desolate and dead.
However in 98 they had the most rain fall in over 20 years and there were desert flowers on the sand ridges and even green leaves on the scrubs and trees.
9lt mabe an over kill .but better safe the sorry .. one wrong turn? even know its well signed you just never know what could happed! i see sticks go through fuel tanks.
I think even without an accident we could have been in trouble.
Only afterward to you really understand the conditions. This is a desert, one crossing to the next can be very very different. This was no exception with a south easterly two day sand storm making both sides of the dunes soft.
That and the sand west of peopple was diabolical. If those conditions extended another 50km we would have burnt another 3-4L. Let alone at least an hour on the clock...
2 weeks ago i made my trip from Cairns to cape melville, simply amazing, but to much rain to go until cape york...damn! they tell me that's the wrong season to go, but damn, that's was the only period that i have! maybe i will return in Aussie, i d really like to do Perth-uluru, someone tell me that's a grat desert road...or better Perth-Broome!! but fuck, it's necessary to much time, and the flight ticket is really expensive from Italy! in any case congratulation mates, grat job!!
As always a great video. I'm I Australia at the moment myself from the auk. Perhaps Ill go and take a look at the Simpson Desert, we don't have them in Wales.
Thanks dude!! we planning another trip this year... hopefully more dirty video's to come!!
phillgray 1 year ago
Nice video, and epic day on the might DRZ400s! I like.
spotcom05 1 year ago
Bateau Bay??? Gday from a fellow Central Coaster (Pt Clare) now living in the UK...
Motoguzzi750 1 year ago
i was thinking to do it with a CT110.What do you offer?
halfmumi 1 year ago
Looks great. Have been talked into a 2 day double crossing by a "friend?" in 2010. Guess i better start getting my sand skills up to scratch. Oh and he wants to do it unsupported. I gotta stop going over to his place and drinking scotch.
Creels01 2 years ago
Gday
i am planning to do this trip aug2010
I have just bought a 92 dr650 and a 97 xr600 and i am trying to decide which bike to do it on.
we will be riding from vic there and back. we will have a landcruiser as a support vehicle too just in case and to cart the missus in whilst the boys ride.
How much fuel did you use on the dr650 and do you recomend the lighter xr600 to do the trip on?
iamskoza 2 years ago
Giday mate.
Me thinking about going back next year to. For the hayriver track. Love it out there.
Heavy vs light? Electirc leg vs kick start? If you have good sand technique you will not be picking your bike up to much so a heavy bike will be ok. But then again if it falls over you don't want to be trying to kick it all day long.
Both these bikes will get you across the Frenchline without a drama. I would verge on the XR because I've picked upa 230KG KTM out there. And nearly died trying
phillgray 2 years ago
IF you do not have much SAND experience, you can take a quick diversion to Murray sunset country on the way there. Near Mildura. Riding around here over the sand dunes will give you a real good head start in dealing with the desert.
phillgray 2 years ago
SDCC eh? I'm aiming for 2010.
ttbf 2 years ago
Really enjoyed this video! Thanks guys. What a hoot.
I went across in 97 and then again in 98 on a DR 650. The extreme heat and absolute dryness in 97 had everything appearing desolate and dead.
However in 98 they had the most rain fall in over 20 years and there were desert flowers on the sand ridges and even green leaves on the scrubs and trees.
Amazing transformation
JamesyYZFR1 2 years ago
hay phill was that 59lt per bike?
35 lt sarfari tanks? were did you guys put
the other 25lt fuel?
450hp202turbo 2 years ago
Hey Dude.
we carried 29.5 in the safari tanks (59 Litres). and 10 each in backpacks (20 litres). + 5 litres in a plastic oil drum
Total at start 84 Litres.
We finished with 18 Litres.
We burnt aprox 66L in total, or 33L each.
Our provisonal estimate based on what we knew the conditions to be like, and our previous visits had us using about 36Litres.
Given we had 9L left each, some folks have said we went overkill. Frankly pushing the bike into Birdsville? Not interested. 9L is to close!
phillgray 2 years ago
spot on info there ! phill yes no pushing
9lt mabe an over kill .but better safe the sorry .. one wrong turn? even know its well signed you just never know what could happed! i see sticks go through fuel tanks.
450hp202turbo 2 years ago
I think even without an accident we could have been in trouble.
Only afterward to you really understand the conditions. This is a desert, one crossing to the next can be very very different. This was no exception with a south easterly two day sand storm making both sides of the dunes soft.
That and the sand west of peopple was diabolical. If those conditions extended another 50km we would have burnt another 3-4L. Let alone at least an hour on the clock...
But. I'll go back tomorrow! :)
phillgray 2 years ago
Good work boys!!!!!
gregj1234 3 years ago
bloody brilliant mate, I'm trying to head across the simpson in oct,
that has just given me even more inspiration to get the plans underway.
Though mine will be slower, in a patrol. Cheers bud
bounceferret 3 years ago
2 weeks ago i made my trip from Cairns to cape melville, simply amazing, but to much rain to go until cape york...damn! they tell me that's the wrong season to go, but damn, that's was the only period that i have! maybe i will return in Aussie, i d really like to do Perth-uluru, someone tell me that's a grat desert road...or better Perth-Broome!! but fuck, it's necessary to much time, and the flight ticket is really expensive from Italy! in any case congratulation mates, grat job!!
follettazzo 3 years ago
Crazyyyyy!!!
follettazzo 3 years ago
Thanks Dude!
Next time we are going to plan something more crazy!! but we gotta build up to it. ;)
phillgray 3 years ago
Hey Loco!!
Theres enough sand for everyone outback mate. Just a question of how much you want....
great to hear from you, glad I could make your day brighter.
phillgray 3 years ago
Stuck here behind a yellow freaking wall in a VW dealership in the mountains of NC in the US, this is the best thing I've seen all day.
What I wouldn't give to join you...
Dean, dreaming of points south. Way South.
bmwloco 3 years ago
Thanks Chris,
if you want to get a good feel for the desert, travel to Alice Springs, then head south or east, or west or north!!!
ok, south is better, east or west is pretty much the same. Bloody stunning...
enjoy OZ mate, I am a tourist myself (kiwi) and I can't get enough of it.
phillgray 3 years ago
As always a great video. I'm I Australia at the moment myself from the auk. Perhaps Ill go and take a look at the Simpson Desert, we don't have them in Wales.
Well done lads
All the best
Chris
chrisrees67 3 years ago
thanks!
phillgray 3 years ago
great Job Phill.
Redgee11 3 years ago