Off Road Riding in WA- Info Please

[Don Logan]

Hi, I've recently moved to Perth and would like to get back on a bike to do some exploring of WA.


I'm looking into getting a road registered bike and using it for small off road trips with a view to perhaps going further afield once or twice per year.


I don't really know much about where I can legally ride off road (apart from day trips to commercial mx tracks and Mundaring Powerlines track and around), and furthermore where camping is possible, as I read that all 'wilderness' camping is illegal and will incur a fine if caught. I'd be keen on some info on what's possible in terms of trips up to a few days. I have looked at the CSR, the Holland Track, etc. but imagine that there must be loads of these places around this huge state but not much info on them.


I'm also wondering about which bike to look at with a budget of around $6k. A WR450f looks to fit the bill but I'm wondering if a 6 grand one is likely to be in a decent condition or whether I should wait til I've got more money or perhaps look at something a bit cheaper such as a DRZ400. I've owned bigger CC sports bikes before, and have never had to worry about top end rebuilds, etc. so don't know much about frequencies and servicing costs.


Any advice on what to get or where to go would be appreciated.


Thanks

[Warin]

You have lots of legal public dirt roads to explore. These are not race tracks but take you through the countryside - take it easy and be prepared to stop and chat to the locals.

Take a look at https://www.exploroz.com/treks/wa

Regarding camping.. I've had no problem just choosing a spot out of the way. Of course that is not near a commercial camp ground nor inside a National Park. A local pub might suggest a good local spot.And this is not near Perth or any large city/town.

Note: the Canning is not 'a few days'. Read through the above exploroz website on the Canning .. The Canning is something you need to plan for at least a year before going. Do some reading and chose the smaller trips first.

What to get? There is a reason why OZies like big fuel tanks ... it can be a long way between fuel stations .. over 600 miles in some cases. You need to decide on how far you want to explore.

Arrr ... you won't be use to our fury friends ... Emus, Roos etc are hazards ... especially at dawn and dusk. Best not to ride then, if you must keep your speed down and look out for crossing paths .. a creek is a wildlife path and is a ridge or a fence line.

[Don Logan]

Thanks, yeah I'm aware that the Canning Stock Route isn't a weekend trip, I should have worded that paragraph differently...

I'll check out the Treks section of ExplorOz, thanks for that.

EDIT: That's a bloody great link, i've looked at ExploreOz before but never come across that section. Thanks..