HU Western Australia Travellers Meeting 2019

Richard Hall Remote Area Travel Things I've learned since I was 15!

Adversity makes the adventure! Richard went on his first adventure ride on a DT250A from Kalgoorlie to Rawlinna when he was just 15. Back in those days, all he needed to survive was a piece of canvas, sleeping bag, cordial bottles full of water, and a 22. Since then, he's made regular journeys into the outback on a variety of bikes and with assorted mates. Over the last 40 years, he has travelled iconic tracks such as the Simpson Desert, Canning Stock Route, and most of Len Beadells' tracks.

Find out what Richard has learned over the years, what's changed, and what's stayed the same. This layman's introduction to desert travel will cover topics including: knowing the outback; desert track options; planning your ride; bike preparation; spares and repairs; personal preparation and fitness; luggage options; communication gear; water; first aid preparedness; plan flexibility; sand riding; and comfort! He'll show some shots from his trips and discuss things to know about the Suzuki DR650.

RICHARD HALL has been adventure riding since age 15. He is President of the Classic MXWA motocross club and a Level 3 Motorcycling WA Clerk of Course. He still rides motocross (to keep fit for adventure riding!). He does one big outback trip per year and tries to squeeze in a couple smaller ones as he can.

Tanya Nayda & Michael Eckert, Earth's Ends A Fair Crack at Africa / Mods, Maintenance, and Bush Repairs

1. A Fair Crack at Africa
Tales from over two years of meandering around Africa

After years spent happily ensconced in the bosom of the Australian mining industry, Tanya and Mick decided it was time to live the dream and travel a large portion of the globe on the back of their trusty, kitted-out Suzuki DR650s. Plans painstakingly made beforehand were swiftly abandoned upon arrival in Africa - more fun and adventure was to be had by following advice from locals and snooping around on the roads less travelled. An imagined 10-month trip morphed into a two-years-and-two-month, 66,000km meander throughout 23 African countries. They travelled south to go north, east to go west with blazingly glorious inefficiency over the continent.

The most special leg of their 3.5-year RTW trip on bikes was the stretch from South Africa to Morocco. From remote trail riding in the north of Namibia to Kenya's Lake Turkana and through Ethiopia's Omo Valley, a last minute decision to tackle the notorious N1 Mud-fest across the Democratic Republic of Congo and an impromptu trip in the remote northern Congo Jungle with a trained opera singer to find singing forest people… and many tales in between.

2. Mods, Maintenance, and Bush Repairs
How we got (and kept) our bikes Africa off-road ready

Mick's an engineer and tinker-er from way back. Never one to leave well enough alone he embarked an an ambitious bike build (x2) that got a little out of hand before yielding a couple meanly kitted out, Africa ready dirt donkeys. And if that wasn't enough he managed a couple of full engine rebuilds and a bore out to 790cc for good measure....all from the confines of a tiny garden shed during an European winter. Mick speaks on preventative maintenance - the sting that holds any long term bike trip together and his favourite bush repairs.

TANYA NAYDA is a geologist and long-time lover and rider of all varieties of motorbike. MICHAEL ECKERT is a mining engineer by trade who has been riding for quite some time. They're one year back in the "real world" after a 3.5-year RTW trip on two Suzuki DR650s.

Viv Canini, Metalmaiden Photography Himalyas - What to Expect There is a wide range of terrain to tackle, but all have one thing in common: The Spectacular View!

As a photographer, I have travelled the Himalayas quite extensively over recent years. There is no shortage of amazing scenery. As cliché as it sounds, it most certainly is a life-changing experience. No matter how many times I have been there, it is always offers a different experience to encounter. Sometimes the adventures run smoothly, and others not so much, but day-to-day life generally takes you on an unexpected journey and makes you grow in ways you would not think possible.

Join me as I showcase these amazing places and hopefully inspire you to whole-heartedly do whatever it is you choose to do in life. Don't sit and wait for life to happen… BE BOLD, PUSH YOURSELF AND GET COMFORTABLE BEING UNCOMFORTABLE (Angie Gels).

VIV CANINI knew things had to change when she fell seriously ill in 2007. She took on an adventure that not only changed her life, but also fed her soul. Having travelled across the Nepalese and Indian Himalayas, and most recently across the Mongolian Steppes, Viv is always looking for her next adventure and new life experiences on two wheels.

Kirsty Cowie & Ellen Flower, Sea To Summit Rest Well. Eat Well. Explore More. [EXHIBITOR PRESENTATION] Join Ellen and Kirsty from Sea to Summit to find out how to choose the best stove system for your adventure!

When it comes to cooking after a long day of exploring, you want to ensure you've got a reliable setup that is easy to use, and enables you to create the meal that you want. We'll help you understand everything you need to personalise your entire cooking system, from stoves and fuel to pots, pans, dinnerware, and accessories. You'll also get to see how the most popular camping stoves fare against each other in our Battle of the Stoves, and sample some Back Country Cuisine freeze dried food.

KIRSTY COWIE has worked in the outdoor industry for over 10 years. Moving to Perth from London in 2011, she quickly embraced the WA lifestyle. She spends her free time camping, hiking, kayaking, and 4WDing with her partner and their dog, Frankie.

ELLEN FLOWER grew up in Tasmania, always dreaming of travelling the world. So far, she has managed to get to 35 countries. On her last adventure, she traveled from Singapore to the UK without flying. It took her 10 months and modes of transport varied from trains, buses, motor bikes, camels, and horses.

Steve Hammond Planning a Tour of North America (and Maybe Mexico) / 87 Octane... My Bike Won't Run On That!!

1. Planning a Tour of North America (and Maybe Mexico)

Want to travel to the USA, but think it's too hard? In this session, Steve walks through the steps he's been taking to ship his 650 V-Strom and himself overseas for five months of adventure. Steve's research will help you navigate the labyrinth of U.S. bureaucracy and get on with planning your own northern adventure. Discussion will cover: visa options and application; shipping your own bike or buying/hiring there; insurance and vehicle documentation; importation; crossing borders; bike parts and servicing; travel money; and how to use a U.S. gas pump!

Steve will have his fully-prepared V-strom available all weekend for tyre-kicking and discussion.

2. 87 Octane... My Bike Won't Run On That!!

The manufacturer's handbook says my bike needs 95 octane! How will my bike perform? Will it cause damage? Join Steve's discussion of fuels for both Australian and overseas adventures. Unravel the myriad of rumours about fuels as they change to meet modern demands. Petrol, diesel, LPG, and ethanol blends will be covered, as will the safe handling and storage of them. Hints for Aussie outback travellers using all forms of transport are to be found here and, if time permits, a chat about engine oil. Bring your vehicle's owner handbook to this session and we'll see what else you can discover about your trusty steed.

STEVE HAMMOND claims to be a greying nomad who enjoys motorcycle touring on dirt and sealed roads equally. He has toured all states of Australia and both islands of New Zealand. Never happier than touring, photographing and camping in a different scenic location, his next trip planned is a retirement tour of USA.

Doug Vickery Adventure Wisdom at Any Age A 60-year-old newbie's perspectives on motorcycle travel throughout Australia

There's two kinds of wisdom: the kind you (hope) to accrue throughout life and the kind you earn through motorcycle travel. Doug shares his experiences about the latter, especially as a late-starter to overland adventuring. Over the past couple of years, he has traveled over 44,000 km across Australia via the Great Central Road to Uluru, through the Victoria High Country, Snowy Mountains, and back via the Gramians, Eyre Peninsula... Doug brings "mature newbie" perspectives to adventure riding skills, camping, packing, breakages, injuries, wildlife encounters, and more.

At 60 years old, DOUG VICKERY, is a recently-initiated newbie to the world of motorcycle adventure travel after having ridden mostly Ducatis since his early teens. Having now done two rides across Australia through the centre via Uluru and the Victorian high country and ventured off the bitumen through WA, 44,000km later and a bit wiser? he'll talk about the trips, his hard knock and fun learnings and failings on bike setup, riding technique, exercise, motivation, safety, chance encounters of the people and animal kind and tips on camping and accommodation."

Lyn and Peter Mawby Riding Mongolia Hindsight is 20/20: lessons learned during pre-trip planning and while on-the-road

Find out how Lyn and Peter arranged their first self-organised, overseas motorbike trip to magnificent Mongolia. Hear tales from the road on hired 150cc bikes as you follow their 3.5-week adventure, including all the fun and frustrating experiences.

They cover their pre-trip planning: visas, medical, bike hire, what riding and camping gear to take, and how it get it all to Mongolia. They'll also talk about the variable road conditions, what they used for navigation so they didn't get lost, and the side-trip they took to hike in the west. All that, plus a short video to showcase Mongolia's spectacular scenery and the beauty of this country and its people, regardless of how you travel.

Lucky enough to grow up in the Swan Valley, PETER MAWBY spent his youth riding off-road, and has always been interested in motorcycles. LYN MAWBY's interests originally lay elsewhere - horses, hiking, kayaking or any other mode of transport that made it possible to enjoy getting out amongst nature. They love holidaying and travel, and spent many family holidays camping with a young family, followed by a variety of overseas travel, where they discovered the benefits and sense of achievement when travelling backpacker-style.

In 2015, Pete and Lyn fulfilled a long-time dream by joining a motorcycle group, riding two-up through India, after which they train-hopped around the country for three weeks. Thoroughly inspired, they chose Mongolia for their first independent motorcycle trip. At the time, the task of preparing seemed enormous. Now, on the other side of that trip, they're here to share the lessons learned during the planning stage and while on-the-road to prove that you CAN make your dream become a reality.

Jenny and Will Colquhoun C'Mon, Let's Ride Australia... It's Easy? Five months + 21,000 km: Team Wiljen ride from Mandurah QA to Cook Town QLD and back.

We focus on the humorous side of motorcycle touring across Australia (with a side-trip to New Zealand) as a married couple, riding our own motorbikes. Lots of things go right, but heaps also go wrong. Enjoy hearing about our bloopers balanced out with a quick fly home two-thirds of the way into the trip due to a very unexpected funeral of a loved one back home. We returned to Cairns, FNQ, to continue our ride across the Top with the tropical wet season on our tail. It all wraps up on a positive note. We have great photos, video, cost details, and ideas to share with you on how to ride as a middle-aged couple across Australia.

For the past four years, JENNY and WILL COLQUHOUN travelled to many places. Together, they're known as Team Willjen and love to live simply. They prefer self-organised travel by bicycle and motorbike. Multi-month tours include exploring Europe, India, New Zealand, and North America. It's just the beginning.

Ewen MacGregor The Trans European Trail (TET) Over 44,000 km. Put simply, an adventure rider's dream!

The Trans European Trail is an adventure rider's dream made up of a network of off-road tracks criss-crossing the European continent, stretching over 44,000 km from the northernmost point of Europe in Nordkapp, Norway, all the way to the shores of Africa and across from Portugal to Romania. Early social media posts in 2017 got me salivating at the prospect, given my passion for off-road adventure riding. Since I already had a European ride planned, I offered to do some pre-running of the route in France and northern Spain. By the time I arrived in Europe, the TET was officially launched with free downloadable GPX files available.

The TET project became a bigger success than the founder John Ross and supporters Adventure-Spec ever imagined. I returned in 2018, keen to finish the French TET route and ride in the Italian Alps. The adventure this time, however, was less about the riding and more about a relaxed pace that allowed for visiting museums such as the Le-Mans 24 hour, following locals chasing wild mushrooms, or cycling classic Tour de France climbs. Share my passion for adventure travel through lots of stories and some video footage.

EWEN MacGREGOR is a passionate adventurer who has travelled extensively on two wheels in Canada, UK, Europe and Australia. His adventures include sea kayaking, hiking and mountain biking around the remote Kimberley; cross-country skiing in Norway; and mountain biking across the Canadian Rockies. More recent adventures include adventure motorcycling in Morocco, Sri Lanka, and Australia. Over the past two years, Ewen has been exploring Europe on the Trans European Trail. He is a strong advocate for Horizons Unlimited and been involved since its inception in Western Australia.

Andy C. & HUWA Team How to Lift a Fully-Loaded Travel Bike

Does the idea of dropping, then having to pick up your loaded bike give you the heebie-jeebies? Have you tried to pick up your bike and found recommended techniques just don't work for you? Bring along your bike and willingness to find a helpful technique or two for the next time your bike decides to take a nap!

Andy is a long-time adventure traveller with many great rides in Australia under his belt. He's owned a KLR250, XTZ660 Ténéré, XR600, DR650, XTZ660 Ténéré. Now he rides the Africa Twin.

John Lizamore Bike Ergonomics and Maintenance

You will get the most out of your motorcycle when it feels like an extension of yourself. John shows you the amazing difference a properly set-up bike makes to your riding fun. He covers ergonomic and functional bike set-up, the advantages and disadvantages of various options such as handle bar position, screens, and more.

JOHN LIZAMORE has traveled more than most, but less than others. He prefers solo trips, but can be persuaded to join groups if he knows them. Whille he prefers motorcycles, John also has extensive 4x4 and trucking travel experience.

Xander Kabat, Overlander Adventure Equipment Packing Smarter and Fix That Flat!

Packing Smarter

'Overweight is underprepared' has become an anthem for overlanders. However, the debate of what to bring, and how much to carry is as enduring as what is the best bike. It is agreed that the 'lighter the better', but what does that mean? What do you need to 'live on the road'? We will explore some of the advances in Camping and Motorcycle gear that is designed to be lighter and more comfortable than ever before. Be it a week end, a week or year the advances in gear may make your travels more enjoyable (or at least easier).

Fix That flat! Tyre Changing

In the style of Grant's tyre changing seminar Xander covers: how to prevent flats in the first place, and fix them when you get one; the best tools and how to use them for tube and tubeless tires; hands-on practical for beginners to experts.

XANDER KABAT has been riding since he was five years old, never stopping for long. He started travelling on his bike as soon as he got his license at 16, travelling North America and Canada. He always travelled solo until he was 25 when he met his wife Tam. For 10 years, they toured two-up, including in Australia, Europe, and a 17-month trip from the U.K. to Australia through Africa and SE Asia. Now he travels around Australia solo or with Tam on her own bike. Xander and Tam own and run Overlander Adventure Equipment in WA, a shop dedicated to overland two-wheel travel.