Visiting Oz for 3 weeks: The Options

[mikeyw64]

Going to be visiting NSW for 3 weeks in Sept15 ostensibly for a family wedding & plan on doing some riding whilst there (I try to avoid cars, haven't owned one for 14 years and in the last 7 or 8 have maybe less than a month behind a wheel)


Anyways to my mind there are 3 options

1) Hire
2) Buy/Sell
3) Ship one of mine there




Option 1 is probably by far the simplest and also potentially the second most expensive. Large capacity bikes seem to be around the $150 per day mark or around $3k for the period I'm out there


Option 2 is where I'm sort of headed given how I understand the insurance.reggo works over there. Look at buying (through friends) something with a reasonably long reggo for around the $3k mark. Even if I subsequently sell it for $2k for a quick sale then thats effectively still $2k less than renting.

Of course the downside is the "what if there's a breakdown, how well has it been maintained etc" sort of scenarios

Option 3 is probably a pipe dream and the most expensive especially for such a short visit.

Looking at the RAC website a Carnet is probably going to cost me around (after converting from sterling for consistency) $1100 plus there's 2 way shipping costs, quarantine fees etc however I would be on a bike I know and trust. On the down side however I would be without her in this country for an extended period whilst she went on a world cruise (jealous).


Anyways enough of my ramblings and I've probably answered the question for myself but what would you do ?

[Lonerider]

For that short period of time I would go for the rental option, as you say its far easier. It would depend on whether you wanted to rent a little CRF250 or a 1200GS.

I have a rental CRF and its done me proud for the last 5 weeks, albeit in Thailand and Laos

Whatever you decide, enjoy it



Wayne

[Warin]

You won't want it for the entire 3 weeks ...
1 week with the wedding - family + friends + local touring (beach, pub, bush, animals, repeat)
1.5 weeks riding..
0.5 weeks end - pub, family pack.

So say 14 days of riding at $150 a day .. should be cheaper in longer term rentals .. umm $2,100 ...

[mikeyw64]

cheers Guys

the plan time wise is

Sunday 13th Sept Arrive Sydney (20:00)
Mon-Weds Do the Tourist thing around Sydney
Thurs head up to Wauchope where the wedding is
Fri- Sun The Wedding weekend
Mon my playtime starts, flight back is on Fri 2nd Oct, aim to be back in Sydney on the Thursday


As for routes (am aware that the Alpine areas could be a bit hit & miss in Sept) looking at an outbound leg something like https://goo.gl/maps/Nlj8J


For the inbound leg something like https://goo.gl/maps/t12fr


Thats around 3500km/2200miles or working on 10 days riding just 350km/220miles per day on average

For refence I normally ride a Blackbird and last years Euro excursion was 3800 miles or 6100km over a 14 day period which included a couple of "lazy" days

[Walkabout]

I would rent; as said above, it is for less than 3 weeks, potentially much less if you have a big hangover from the wedding.

+ buying, and selling again, have tenuous time scales but you have just 3 weeks total (and that 3 weeks will simply fly past).

[Gs.Bones.77]

In 2007 we did a week on. Gs1200 rented from bikeroundoz.com. They sorted bike, route and all accomodation. Based on around 200 miles a day it went from Sydney to Melbourne via the grampians. Snowies and the great ocean road. It was an amazing trip. Very easy as everything was arranged. Left the bike at the depot in Melbourne but could have ridden back to Sydney. Cost 2550 aus dollars but this was 7 years ago and the scenery is breathtaking. If we had just rented we would probably have followed the coast but heading in land we were amazed at the different climates and terrain. And a 6ft Roo stepping in front of you as the sun goes down certainly sharpens your concentration a bit.

We are just planning 10 weeks in New Zealand and even that duration we have managed to get the rental nearly as low as the shipping cost and carnet. Plus we will be on newer bikes. With breakdown cover and won't be without our own bikes for 8 weeks each way. So rental is the stress free way to go.

Good luck


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[mikeyw64]

Have to agree the rental option is by far the simplest as well as (leaving the TYOB option) the most expensive and was my initial thought.


What started swaying my mind was the way the registration/insurance works in NSW/Aus.


Im in a fortunate position whereby I have a number of diwn under contacts as well as my niece & her fiancee who can check out/buy/register a bike for me (the registered owner doesn't need too have a valid licence but anybody with a valid licence can ride it with the registered owners permission) then sell it after I've left

I'm also going to be in a position where I dont mind tying up some money temprarily.

If , around late july time, I can find something in the $3-5K mark with 10-12 months registration then even if I take a £1k hit on selling it a month later that's still going to be around $1.5k cheaper than hiring.

Well that's the theory , things may change

[Squily]

Some good deals to be had on the ADV Australia forum. Most guys will probably assist (being travelers themselves in some way) with your rego etc.

OZ Flea Market ** PLEASE-READ THE RULES in FIRST POST BEFORE SUBMITTING AD*** - ADVrider

[RoyalHog]

3 weeks. NSW isn't That big. We did Brisbane to bottom of Tasmania, around and back via inland route Goondiwindi, on two bikes, 5,500 k in a 9 day road trip end of April 2011.
NSW you cross in any direction in a day, 1.5 day with extra stops. Also, you can gear up for a one way rental if they allow, Like Sydney- Melbourne -Great Ocean Rd - Melbourne, drop off bike. Stay 4-5 days in Melbourne backpackers and then a 6-7 hr bus trip or flight back to Sydney for no more than 4-5 day rental. I'd ship for 3 months or more, I'd buy for 5 months or more, spending a week on getting the bike trustworthy. And/or similar trip up to Brisbane, but take a longer route over Goondiwindi. Don't travel earlier than 2-3 hrs after sunrise and same at sunset, for sake of wildlife road kill events, especially inland.
Ride with Rhythm
Royal

[Chinggis]

For your trip plan, you've picked some of Australia's best roads.

I have a few suggestions of places you're going close to, which might be worth the detour:

This is a big change but:
Instead of Bathurst/Cowra/Young, consider going Lithgow to Oberon via Jenolan (and Jenolan Caves if you want to do the tourist thing), then Goulburn, Yass and finally to your plan at Gundagai. Good roads in the first bit - the A41 isn't that exciting (neither is the M31, though).

On the outbound leg, go straight to Torquay (Vic) from north of Melbourne or Ballarat, then do the Great Ocean Road to Warrnambool. It's so good you might want to do it twice! If not, come back via Mortlake/Ballarat.

Lakes Entrance

Merimbula (much nicer than Eden if you're staying overnight)

The A1 from Eden to Tilba Tilba is pleasant (and Bega's quite nice) but look into going the coastal route along that section instead as an alternative.

Similarly nothing wrong with going through Ulladulla but consider taking the road to Braidwood from Batemans Bay, then to Nowra from there. Nice roads.

Moss Vale

That's all I'd suggest, but it's a good plan! (By the way, hire, don't buy or ship)

Edit: Oh and like RoyalHog says, beware of 'roos around dawn and dusk. I reckon you can still ride at those times, but be wary.