Riding In Australia
A little geography
Australia is almost as large
as all of Europe put together, and a good deal larger than Texas. Motorcyclists
on an extended trip around the continent with a diversion into the centre
of Australia generally ride over 20,000 kms! The most direct route from
Sydney to Perth in Western Australia is 4,450 kms. Sydney to Melbourne
is 1,000 kms and a trip north from Sydney to Cairns via Brisbane is 2,500
kms. If you wanted to ride from Perth to Darwin, you could travel via Broome
and this would be 4,200 kms. Sydney to Ayers Rock is 2,875kms, and continuing
onto Darwin would show 4,034km on the odometer. This should give you some
idea of the distances you can travel in Australia.
Of course you could just ride
to Palm Beach in Sydney for the day ... around 80 km return.
Climate
You will find the climate varies in Australia just as much as the geography. The climatic conditions vary greatly throughout the year and will depend on the area you are travelling through. Beware of travelling through the outback during the high summer.
| Spring:
September
to November
Autumn: March to May |
Summer:
December
to February
Winter: June to August |
Ideally Central and Northern
Australia should be travelled to during the winter months, when daytime
temperatures range from 25 to 30 degrees C. Night time is much cooler,
often dropping to zero. The area north of The Tropic of Capricorn is subject
to monsoon conditions, with a wet and dry season. The Wet (November
to March) is subject to daily storms and occasional cyclones. This
heavy rainfall makes travel on unsurfaced roads hazardous if not impossible.
The warmer months are perfect for travel in the coastal areas of NSW, Victoria,
Tasmania, the Southern coast and areas of South Australia and Perth and
surrounding areas in Western Australia. Sydney of course is perfect all
year round and one of the great things about Australia is that you can
ride a motorcycle 365 days a year.
Road Conditions
Australia has a network of
sealed Highways and Motorways linking our major cities. The more populated
the area, the better the road conditions. Generally these areas have sealed
roads, which can vary from well maintained highways to narrow sealed country
roads. For the dirt bike enthusiast the secondary roads in Central Australia
are almost all dirt. Fire trails and dirt roads through the Great Dividing
Range are easily accessed from Sydney. Whether you choose a road or dirt
bike, there is plenty to choose from.
Clubman
Motorcycle Rentals recommends that you avoid
riding a motorcycle between sunset and sunrise, particularly at
twilight, due to the abundance of Australian native wildlife - for instance
kangaroos and wombats. And when camping, beware the dropbears.
Motorcycle Insurance
Insurance is included in the
rental fee paid and covers both the rider and pillion in the case of an
accident. The excess is only payable if the accident is the fault of the
rider of the motorcycle. As a motorcycle rental company we cover you for
full accident insurance with the excess being payable, rider at fault.
In the event the rider is not the cause of the accident, an accident report
is required by our insurance company and no excess is payable. Please
note that theft insurance is not available for motorcycle rentals, therefore
if the motorcycle is stolen, the renter will be responsible. However Clubman
Motorcycle Rentals will supply security locks and cables as
required.
Personal Injury/Travel Insurance
Clubman
Motorcycle Rentals recommends you obtain this type of insurance
before
leaving
your country. These policies generally cover you for medical expenses incurred
whilst travelling and theft of money, passport etc.
Motorcycle Licence Requirements
An International Licence is
the most convenient and popular method of riding legally in Australia and
is available for short term visitors and holiday tourists. International
Licences are valid for three months from the date of entry into Australia.
We will accept a licence from your own country, providing it clearly defines
in English, the right of the holder to ride a Motorcycle.
Third Party Personal
This is a component of motor
vehicle registration in Australia. If you are involved in a accident whilst
riding in Australia and you are at fault, then you are protected from claims
against you by the compulsory Third party insurance. This insurance will
cover you for any injury caused by you to another person in the event of
an accident.
You must never ride or
drive an unregistered vehicle whilst travelling in Australia.
Language
The official language spoken in Australia is English. For non English speakers, our multicultural society has enabled the development of a very accessible telephone interpreting service, which is available from any telephone within Australia.
If there is something we haven't covered for you, please just ask us and we will help you. Please note that the insurance comments are a guide only and not legal advice. We suggest you obtain further information from insurance companies at home regarding personal and travel insurance.