MotoGP - Phillip Island, Australia

[John-DownUnder]

Five of us arrived safely home last Wednesday evening from our Phillip Island adventure.... two STs in the group. An excellent trip; no problems; 3,026 km down from Brisbane over 4½ days and 2,172 km back in 3 days (823 km on the last day). Lots of fun; great roads with lots of mountain twisties; no traffic; excellent weather (but cool); and awesome GP bikes - they sound excellent!

Memories flooded back when we smelt the exhaust fumes of the 125s and 250s (and heard their buzzing/screaming) - those racing 2-strokes reminded us all of the 1970's racing we used to follow (TZs etc).

None of our group had seen or heard the newer 4-stroke GP bikes prior to the race weekend - the noise is a hoot! And a new main straight speed record of 334 kph (207½ mph) down the main straight was jaw dropping!

This is the view back across our Kosciuszko National Park (the park covers Australia's highest "mountain" range - just a pimple by world standards, but we love it ;-) )
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v681/John_Meara/MotoGP/MotoGPKosciuszkoNationalPark.jpg
A couple more pics at:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v681/Joh...ationalPark.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v681/John_Meara/MotoGP/MotoGPGroupinCowes-lastmealouta.jpg)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v681/Joh...ofrostJohna.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v681/John_Meara/MotoGP/MotoGPOmeofrostJohna.jpg)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v681/Joh...psleyFallsa.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v681/John_Meara/MotoGP/MotoGPOxleyHwy-ApsleyFallsa.jpg)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v681/Joh...oGPpodium3a.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v681/John_Meara/MotoGP/MotoGPpodium3a.jpg)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v681/Joh...Pmainrace2a.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v681/John_Meara/MotoGP/MotoGPmainrace2a.jpg)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v681/Joh...cforGPsigna.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v681/John_Meara/MotoGP/MotoGPHeavytafficforGPsigna.jpg)

Cheers

[dannyk]

Boy, would loved to have been there with you, maybe some day after I have ridden all the roads the usa and canada have to offer. :biker:

[Clark]

The MotoGP bikes are incredible aren't they? I saw them at Laguna Seca last July. There was a guy sitting next to one of my friends in the grandstands. He had a water bottle that was about half full... When the riders went by, the sound was so loud the water would vibrate in the bottle.

They sort of make the AMA bikes sound like Goldwings! ;)

[Redeye]

Nice to see you had a Varadero in the group! :)

Wasn't Ian Hallett was it?

[CruisingDog]

Looks like a load of fun. Wish I'd been there too. :coffee1:

[rickj]

John,

I just returned from a 3-week trip down under to visit some "rellies". I managed to drive on the left side without too many problems, but I wondered how hard it would be to adapt to riding on the left side. In the car, I'm sitting on the opposite side than I'm used to, so I have a constant reminder to pay attention. However, no such thing on the bike! I'd have to learn a whole new approach for entering corners, etc. It would probably be pretty challenging.

I concentrated real hard and didn't turn on the windshiled wipers every time I wanted to turn the blinkers, like a previous trip. I never could get used to looking to the left for the mirror though!

Rick

[John-DownUnder]

Glad to hear about your trip. I understand your concern Rick.

I recall being jet-lagged after my flight from Brisbane-Honolulu-LA, 4 hours sleep then LA-Phoenix (in 1983). I hired a small car (a "compact"?) and drove out to Old Tuscon. I seemed to be coping well with driving on the "wrong" side of the road (at least the controls were all the same side)

All was going well until the end of the day when I drove out of the carpark onto the highway. I thought all was OK as I was in the right-side lane on a dual carriageway. Then I noticed another car travelling in the same direction as me, about 50 yards through the desert to my right ????

I'd actually pulled on to the "wrong" left-side of a 4-lane divided road, and was travelling up a slight rise!! Fortunately there was no on-coming traffic until after I'd done a very quick U-turn.....Phew!

I am not sure either how I'd go riding in the USA. But as I am a "motorcyclist", I am probably a far superior user of the roads than the average (non-riding) driver :D :D , and so think I'd be OK :wink: My wife would love us to do a trip over there, and through the Canadian rockies too.
Maybe one day (again)
Cheers