Bemm River

After a little planning and a couple of false starts the day’s ride to Bemm River arrived with glorious sunshine to boot.
We all know how hard it is to co-ordinate a free weekend when there are a couple of others involved so last weekend was canned and the date for lunch at the pub with Dave and Jim was set for yesterday. Yes MotoGP day and all.
 
The power distributer SP Ausnet decided to replace 35 poles between Bairnsdale and the border over the weekend so I had to call ahead to make sure the pub was on generator and I also checked with the roadhouse at Newmeralla. Both would be operating on backup power. I should have checked Cann River for Jim as it turns out be he can tell that story
 
So I set off from home a bit before 10:00am figuring on 2hrs to the Benn turn off plus a fuel stop in Bairnsdale. It was all going well until I got to Nowa Nowa where the road was blocked for what seemed like ages while they strung new cables up the new pole. As usual 35,000 blokes and 2 doing the work but we were stopped in the shade so it wasn’t too bad. I quickly rounded up the cars in front of me when we got going but every car coming towards me seemed to be Hwy Patrol. Even saw 2 bikes so instead of making up time I had to trundle along at about the speed limit. The poor bandit! I made it to the turn off about 20 mins late which was about the same time as I was stopped for. Dave and Jim were waiting in the shade  and suggested they had thought I had broken down. Never! Anyway off to the pub on the final 25km or so has me out in front. Jim and daughter close behind and Dave somewhere back. If anyone knows the Bemm River Rd the bottom half is pretty good fun and this time the road was pretty clean of bark and sticks although Jim reckons I chucked one at him
 
Lunch and beer were good and only interrupted by a dog fight that broke out almost under our table. Its amazing what married first cousins do for entertainment………….. Anyway we were soon back on the bikes heading for home with a pretty strong sun on our backs. Jim turned right and went east while Dave and I went west and had a very sedate ride home counting all the VicPol cars/bikes/cameras and even a silver ute winding up an amphometer tape. I got 10 cars and bikes on the whole trip and they were all between Bairnsdale and Orbost. Dave and I took a detour to an old rail bridge because that’s what older gentlemen look at :lol:before rejoining the highway. We parted company in Sale and I arrived home at Golden Beach with 540km on the trip meter and pretty well knackered probably as much to do with lack of seat time since April and not being able to do a comfortable speed the whole trip. The B1250 loves 4,000RPM on the clock but VicPol say I must only see 3,300RPM
 
So when’s the next ride?
 

Bike prep completed
 

Gearing up after lunch
 

Two real bikes and a GSX


Our small detour on the way home - Wairewa Trestle Bridge

So when's the next ride ?   Cowra in less than 2 weeks !  Can ya make it ? Can ya. Can ya.    

Glad to hear your back in the saddle 2W.

great report 2wa , despite the police it sounded like fun 

Sorry Hammy cant do it this time.
Paul it was fun to be back onboard doing some good miles now the shoulder is pretty much ok.
I still don't have the strength back to muscle the Bandit for long but for highway cruising it was just like old times

I have added another pic to the original post.

Well thats 2wa version of events, Due to a dose of Manflu i was a bit touch and go for the SBA south east luncheon date at the Bemm river pub, ( hi marks for the choice of venue 2WA) .

Ewok rocks around home at 9:30am packed for visiting mum, i chuck my daughter keely on my GSX1250FA which is every thing the GSF1250 Should of been

and away we go i let ewok know that i am topping up fuel in Eden for our casual ride down the highway to Bemm River, Being mindful that every police car in southern NSW will either be on the highway or the Cann valley so it pays to be careful,

gentle cruise down the highway nothing exciting, Ewok Rounds me up and sets the brisk pace, when we get to Eden he pipes up and says "great day for a Fang" said like a man with 13 points on his licence.

just before the vic border is a set of twisties that are really nice, so i was look forward to having a "FANG" through there, but only to be ruined by two grey nomads towing vans . 50kph through the bends

i must admit when i got to alfred national park just out of Cann River i made up for missing out on the last set of bends

More Caravans, a quick overtaking maneuvers makes light work of them, must be getting hot in Queensland. just near Bright light saddle i pass a vicpol highway wagon, Jeeze i hope ewok is being good. yep he was Just

in to Cann River stop at the servo for a drink and kill some time as we are a bit ahead of schedule should i fill up, Nah do it on the way home.

On to Bemm River, looking forward to 2WA breaking out the big Camera and taking some action shots as we turn in to Bemm River, but hey no 2WA
ok park under a tree and wait and wait and wait, Dave you reckon 2wa bought the FZ and its broken down ? 



20 minutes late ... i mean later we hear the dulcet tones of the Bandit on the down shift, when i question 2WA about his tardiness he pulls out a note from his mum saying here will this do. shit a note from his mum ok i suppose thats as good as it gets.

Off to Bemm River



now i have not ever been to the Bemm River Pub before, it looks nice, a nice cool breeze off the lake, cold beer, friendly Yokels except for that bloody blue healer.

some beer and food


Miss Keely my best bikey daughter enjoying facebook on my phone



for a skinny bloke you sure can put it away fast, no 2WA it wasn t your last meal



  Dave enjoying a coke or two

after lunch and it time say goodbye



Good looking bike that GSX

enough of that, it was a great feed and good company but i must be off, so its Tata and off we go, seeing that the GSX handles a little better than the GSF i left both guys in my wake to enjoy the only police free twisties in eastern victoria. right turn to Cann River.

a gentle cruise into Cann River pull up at the servo, Keely says dad there shut, remember when i said that i should fill up when we stopped there on the way down. SHIT 2 bars on the gauge mmm this is going to be interesting 145ks to Eden 130 to Kiah store.

Super economy run here we come not going over 100ks or 3500rpm all the way home made for a long trip, coming down alfred national park the fuel bowser starts flashing, flick it over the reserve trip meter yes a new thing for the GSX, 100ks i should get out of that, cruising cruising got over taken by a astra driven by a 50+ lady oh the shame, just near the border i see the Vicpol wagon taking a donation, phew thats the last of police till Eden through my favourite twisties cruising cruising, keely saying can you go faster, with a reply do you want walk to Eden, No ! didnt think so. 

just as i started to relax i pass two vic bike cops now that would be interesting could they book me for speeding, dunno cause i wasnt about to find out, then just near womboyn everything started flashing shit 35ks left now this is going to be touch and go Kiah it is, guess what closed SHIT, any way i cruised into Eden to the Caltex put in 18.4 litres and 384ks to that tank, all time record for me

all filled up 20 minutes and we are home quick dip in the pool to cool off 

thanks guys it was fun, can we go to a place that i don't have stick to the speed limit next time for lunch

Great Report Guys.

Sounds like a good day out. After a big off on my dirt bike a couple of weeks back I finally dusted off the big girl last week for a ride to work. I could've easily turned around at work and kept riding

The rain is starting to ease off over here In the south west of the continent, will have to setup a WA bandit ride soon.

Nice report, Been wanting to ride some of those roads for quite sometime.

Planning on coming home that way from Cowra. Heading across to Bateman Bay down through Eden, Bainsdale, Foster and then home. Keeping it as a loose plan, no accommodation booked just stopping when we feel like it.

Good report....

"So, you do have POWER out that way".

Bugger about VicPol getting in the way of a good thing.

Do I detect a bit of "Mines bigger than yours" in these reports??  

Jim, Well done on pushing thru the barrier with the "Manflu". We ALL know your pain brother. It must have been terrible... Hope you're OK now.
(If in doubt, Milk it for a few more days, Just to be sure.....)

That GSX IS a nice looking bike...............

Just got back home myself.  Not bad -48 hrs late on a day trip!  But it was nice to catch up with mum.  What has wifey done to my computer while I've been away - it's slower than Mr Coleman riding with two bars!

Some more pics to follow soon (hopefully).

The pick of the bunch! 


Waiting and wondering (but not for long!).

Out of interest's sake who would be interested in coming along next time?
Its easy for me to txt Jim & Dave but who else would like an invite?
Just under 500km from central Melb. (less than a tank and a quarter apparently )
Pub has accommodation if required.

Nice report Lads!

....so where's the pics of the dog fight???

No bugs on your bike Dave.
I got home and had to have my jacket wiped down while still wearing it.  
I haven't tackled Black Betty yet but the bugs will be nice and crusty by the weekend

Possibly hidden by the sun glint off the screen.  I too had to do several cleaning sessions for bugs on my jacket.  Bombala is notoriously bad for bugs.

leave the bugs on your jacket in-case you get peckish on a ride

madmax wrote:Nice report, Been wanting to ride some of those roads for quite sometime.

Planning on coming home that way from Cowra. Heading across to Bateman Bay down through Eden, Bainsdale, Foster and then home. Keeping it as a loose plan, no accommodation booked just stopping when we feel like it.

Go this way Max , there is a little bit of gravel 17Ks just out side of delegate but once past that its gods best road the Bonang Highway, not mention Mount darragh and the Bermi Tathra rd

Adding to what Jim has said, two of my favourites around here are:

- the Snowy Mts Hwy section between the Princes Hwy and Bemboka; and
- Mogilla Road, which runs between Bemboka and Candelo (which then leads onto the Candelo-Wyndham Rd, then the Mt Darrah Rd, the latter being on Jim's suggested route)

These two sections of road have a lot of 75 kmph and 85 kmph corners (and relatively short straights), so not too twisty but great for a Bandit if you're not in the mood for muscling it about.  I'm hoping to have a couple of friends down in early to mid December and have been planning a bit of a fun day out that takes in these stretches.