For the best part of the last year, myself and a few mates have looked at doing an across-Australia ride. As things got serious and we finally hatched a plan for the ride, we weeded out the “yeah, nah, dunnos” and it came down to just me and my good mate Ben Dickinson who were set to pull the trigger.
That was fine with me, as Dicko has raced an Australian Safari and several Finkes and Condo 750s, plus he’s spannered for me at many more races. I knew his riding speed and mechanical abilities would be up for any challenge. Mind you, COVID-19 restrictions would be a constant worry, but we had no control over that, so all we could do was roll the dice and see what happened.
Besides the dreaded pandemic, fuel range was our biggest hurdle. However, Robin Box at Aussie brand Safari Tanks, who has been a long-term sponsor and supporter of all my rally and adventure riding activities, had just finished his first two prototype 25-litre fuel tanks for the Ténéré 700 and he would send them to Dicko and I to “try in the real world”. Perfect timing! With 25-litre tanks as well as two 12-litre fuel bladders each, we knew we would be comfortable for fuel range.
Working with Bikes Only transport, we freighted my bike from Longreach, Queensland, and Dicko’s bike from his base at Bathurst, NSW, across to WA a month prior to the ride. They arrived a week before we would fly to Perth to start
