HU Travellers Meeting Queensland 2015

Georgia Melville From Scotland to Africa and back - 22 year old girl experiencing the world through solo motorcycle travel

"You can't go by yourself its too dangerous". A statement I found to continually come from people's mouths the minute I indulged them with my plan...

Its not until you travel that you realize how wrong other people are about other countries. I found this statement to be incredibly true after returning from my three month adventure from Scotland to Africa and back on a BMW F650 GS. Looking forward to sharing my experiences, laughing a lot and inspiring others to get on the bike and head for the horizons.

"Originally born in Scotland and migrated to Australia in 2001, I am 22 years old and work for NSW as a Paramedic. I have travelled solo the last 2 years on and off riding a BMW F650GS from Scotland to Africa and back. I ride an F800GS when I am at home and have been all over Australia and NZ exploring. I love inspiring people to ride, especially women and showing that anything is possible if you set your mind to it."

Stuart Ball, The Great Australian Ride

Just back from the Great Australian Ride 2015 for SIDS and Kids Queensland, Stuart will have some great stories to tell!

"For some of us, when a huge reality gap opens, it actually helps us to clarify our purpose in life: we get in touch with 'the big picture', we reflect on what life is all about, we connect with our true core values, and we grow and develop. We may even discover a greater cause or create a mission, which ignites our passion and gives us a sense of vitality."

On the 1st October 2011 Stuart Ball founder of The Great Australian Ride rode his KTM990 Adventure motorcycle solo 6000km across Australia. This was a daring and difficult ride with many challenges and hardships along the way. Raising $5200.00 for The Children's Health Foundation to help work wonders for sick kids. Starting in Byron Bay, eastern most point of Australia and riding unassisted through The Simpson and Gibson Deserts with only a map, no GPS, no sponsor or support to reach his end goal, Steep Point in WA, the western most point of Australia.

Alan Curtis and Lyn Williams Moroccan Magic and Forgotten gem - Eastern Europe

Moroccan Magic

Come with us on a 3 week trip to Magic Morocco, from learning the tricks on the ferry crossing, to the Atlas mountains (2700 meters), from Sand storms to Rain storms, the magnificent gorges, the wild Atlantic Ocean and the mighty Sahara Desert at Erb Chebbi.

Forgotten gem Eastern Europe

Come with us on a Journey through Eastern Europe, from Motocamp Bulgaria, the border hassles into and out of Turkey. tour the Transfagara?an and the Transalpina Passes in Romania, take in the sights of Budapest, Prague, the Carpathian Mountains on the border of Slovakia and Poland, the magnificent scenery and the campsites along the way.

Lyn and Curt left Australia on the 1st April 2014 to travel the world. They shipped to Singapore, this is where their adventure begins. Through Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, airfreight the bikes to Germany, then their Europe travels began taking in most of the EU countries over the last 16 months. Seeing many amazing things, meeting great people and riding magnificent roads.

Dale and Chris Bartlett OMAN: Beauty Has An Address - How Dale and Chris got 'stuck' in Oman for five years during their Overseas Odyssey. What is really so beautiful?

To travel and pass through a place is one thing. To stay, work and live in the land of another is something else. When Dale and Chris thought they would take their 1998 Moto Guzzi Quota 1100ES, find work and live in Oman for two years, little did they know their Overseas Odyssey would extend to six years and still counting!

The Middle East is a region like no other. Oman is a Middle Eastern country like no other. Picture deserts, camels, dishdashas and abayas, but then imagine 3000m high mountains, green and flowing waterways, friendly fun-loving locals, high quality roads well suited for motorcycles, colour, vibrancy and much, much more...

Dale and Chris Bartlett hail from Cairns, Australia. Over coffee one day, Dale said he'd like to return to Oman. Sounded like a plan, so in 2009 they sold their business, modified a 1998 Moto Guzzi Quota 1100ES, flew the bike to Dubai, then free camped to Muscat. Six years and a zillion experiences later, the couple are now living in Qatar and planning a ride from the UK back to OZ.

Peter 'The Bear' Thoeming, Australian Motorcyclist Borders - The culmination of 50 years on the road

Australia's best-known motorcycle writer, Peter has written for The Australian, The Sydney Morning Herald, Australian Road Rider and now Australian Motorcyclist. He edited Two Wheels magazine before starting Bike Australia, Australian Road Rider and Australian Motorcyclist. Peter also authors the Hema Motorcyclist Atlas + top 200 rides of Australia.

Peter Jeremijenko International Motor bike riding for Fun!

Adventures Around Europe, Asia, and Australia.

From Bergen in Norway, I had planned to ride to Paris to propose. After that the plan was to 'have no plan'... so my new Fiancee decided she would like to go to Greece. Wow! what an adventure- and home via the eastern bloc countries, a total of 25 countries. I have some advice on the best roads e.g. Dolomites and Croatian coast and the worst Roads and what not to do: e.g. put tank bag magnets next to your credit cards in a foreign land.

X Stunt Rider Peter Jeremijenko tells stories about: how he accidentally rode around 25 countries in Europe and then 5 in Asia; the best Fun charity rides around Australia and how to do it all on a shoe string Budget! Jenko hopes to inspire, educate, entertain and get a few laughs.

Tex O'Grady Tex and Bundy - Charity Fundraisers

Tex and his Cattle dog Bundy talk about their charity work, the adventures together as they travel the length and breadth of Australia. Also hear about Tex's successful attempt at the Around Aust' Record in 1978, 15,500 klm's in just under 9 days!

Tex & Bundy are a well known Australian motorcycling, charity fundraising duo. An Aussie bloke (Tex) and his stumpy tailed cattle dog (Bundy) who love & live to ride together, Tex & Bundy have ridden over 600,000km together for charity all around Australia supporting countless charities.

Peter and Kay Forwood, 193 Countries on a Harley! How this motorcycle became the World's Most Traveled Motorcycle!

Peter and friend in Kenya

The other half in Gabon!

Jacqui Kennedy, ScooterGal Around Oz on a Postie Bike. Seriously? Go small. Go slow. You don't need a big bike - you just need to adjust your attitude.

Why on earth would someone voluntarily spend two years in the saddle of an under-powered, over-loaded little bike which steers like a washing machine on a good day.

After taking one year to cover 33,000 kilometres, Jax and Mo (the bike) were only halfway round. Find out which parts of Oz kicked their butts.

Jacqui has spent the last few years on the road, first on a scooter up the Swiss and French Alps and then on a Postie Bike circumnavigating Australia.

Trevor Gibson Riding for a Cause A Qld Road Trip on Royal Enfields: Do's, Don'ts & Why Not?

A father and son plan to ride from Brisbane to Darwin on one old and one new Royal Enfield raising funds for charity. What could go wrong?

"My son Jonathan and I set out to ride from Brisbane to Darwin on our Royal Enfield motorbikes. Jono rides a 1969 350cc Bullet and I have a 2012 500cc Chrome. Jono continued his ride overland to London while raising funds for Beyond Blue. There were many more twists and turns than we expected on this road trip and not all were the roads!

With no support vehicle, a swag and a tent, no dedicated GPS and a tight travel budget, this was no luxury bike tour. Self-sufficiency was the key on this 3 week, 3,600kms road trip for us as we traveled some great Queensland country roads through Gayndah in the south east to the Gillies Highway in the tropical north before tackling the Savannah Way and heading west. Lessons learned and tips for next time will be covered in this presentation."

Trevor Gibson bought his first motorbike in the early 1970's and notwithstanding a full time job and a misplaced passion for old English vehicles, be they motorbikes or cars, he is still keen to feel the wind in his face and explore the road less travelled.

Helen Black and Anthony Holzwart In search of a temple in Nepal

Renting classic Royal Enfield bikes, Anthony & Helen set off to reach a ancient temple high up in the Himalayas.

The goal

From crazy Kathmandu traffic to the icy valleys winds of the semi arid Annapurna valley.
With one good rider and one... well... not so experienced rider crossing boldered river beds, experiencing local village life and climbing steep rocky 'roads' / tracks, the question is, do they make it?

The road along Himalayas to get to the temple in Nepal

Anthony has been riding bikes since he was a kid, Helen on the other hand...

Grant and Susan Johnson, Horizons Unlimited How it all began. The story of Grant and Susan's 11-year trip around the world, without a plan or a clue!

Way back in 1987, before the Internet, two young and naive Canadians set out from Vancouver to ride around the world on a motorcycle. The plan (and budget) was for 3 years, but it didn't quite work out that way!

Grant crossing a river on a pipe bridge in Peru

11+ years later, they finally made it, through 50 countries - Europe, Africa, New Zealand, Australia, North and South America, with a side trip to Antarctica! Hundreds of great pics and some amazing stories!

Martin Livingstone Preparing Your Mind, Road Food and Minimalist Touring

Preparing your mind for the road - Some helpful tips and strategies to keep a strong mindset when travelling

Adventure motorcycle travel will always come with it's share of highs and lows. This presentation will help you develop a mindset which may better allow you to keep a positive outlook and how to deal with any roadblocks along the way. It will be an interactive session and there will be opportunity for input on the audience as to their experience and their own strategies.

Road food: what works - A beginner's guide on packing food to sustain you through a trip

When travelling in remote and/or rural areas, we need to pack food to sustain us through a trip. This session will cover some important aspects of what foods are (1) easy to pack and (2) nutritionally sustainable. In addition, we will also cover the variety of cooking implements. The presentation will also contain lots of examples of meals and there will be plenty of opportunity for audience members to share their ideas.

Minimalist touring - Touring on a 250cc or below machine: it's not impossible!

This session will explore the world of a minimalist touring adventure (i.e. bikes 250cc and under). People may think you're crazy to tour on a small bike, but we will discuss why it can be a smart choice and why you don't need 150 horsepower to have a good time. Included in the presentation will be tips on packing light and setting up your bike.

Martin has found his love of adventure of motorcycle grow dramatically over the past couple of years. He has traveled through NSW and Vic, but is currently planning 'The Big One' for a lap around Australia.

Shane Kuhl Bike Mods and Electrical Bike Workshop and Changing Wheel Bearings

Shane will do THREE technical workshops this year!

1. The bike modifications workshop, starting with the Suzuki DR800 and then moving onto other bikes.

2. Electrical bike workshop (for non CANBUS bikes):

• Basic tools
• Basic testing.
• Soldering techniques
• How to NOT set your bike on fire.

3. Changing wheels bearings. Shane will be doing the wheel bearings on the DR800. It will be a first for him on this bike and so hopefully everything goes fine. The pressure will be on as he plans to use the bike for a rideout on Sunday!

Shane's modifications to the Suzuki DR 800 have been written up by Mark Hinchcliffe in Motorbike Writer - see here for the details!

Chris Jensen Novice's guide to major maintenance work

A look at my experience as a novice mechanic tackling a major mechanical job for the first time

I knew little about my R1200GS mechanically apart from changing the oil and filling the fuel. In a deranged moment of overconfidence, due to a slipping clutch, I decided to "have a go" at changing the clutch out. How hard could it be? I had most of the tools needed (so I thought). Now I know a lot more about my bike and am a hell of a lot more confident about future service work, especially after having to work on the clutch twice to get it going.

So what did I learn? Don't be afraid of the bike, tools or process and take your time if you are unsure. Manuals are helpful, blogs and forums even more so, youtube is a lifesaver, iPhone's are fantastic tool for a fading memory (yes I am an Apple fanboy) and it pays to invest in the right tools to do the job.

Chris describes himself as: "A guy who loves to ride and isn't afraid to dive into big trips. My motto is throw the gear on the bike, take off the watch, ride and see what you find."

Grant Johnson, Horizons Unlimited Fix that flat! How to change a tyre anytime, anywhere!

Grant's tyre changing seminars are always well attended and appreciated. This seminar 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, optional tyre changing contest.

Grant's tyre changing seminar at HU California meeting.

Grant and Susan Johnson, Horizons Unlimited 4 Easy Steps to Overland Travel! You can do it - we can help! Finding your way around Horizons Unlimited, other resources. Lots of great pics and video clips.

"Grant and Susan Johnson are icons in the round-the-world (RTW) motorcycling community. The Johnsons host - or more appropriately write, edit, produce, manage and coordinate Horizons Unlimited - a global network of motorcycle travelers... and a bona fide adventure motorcycling phenomenon." Dan Hilton, Rider Magazine

This seminar will be an overview of 'How To' travel overland topics. Includes content from the Achievable Dream series and great pics from HU Photo Contest winners!

Grant Johnson, Horizons Unlimited Ergonomics!

When you picked up your new bike, did they take the time to make it fit you? You'll learn the amazing difference a properly setup bike makes to your riding fun.

Ergonomics demonstration at HU Canada West meeting.

Border crossings - How to get through borders with minimal stress and cost!

Packing light - Tips and techniques from experienced travellers to reduce weight and bulk.

Regional discussions - e.g. travelling in South America or Asia.

For Women Only - A must for the ladies, so be sure to plan on being there! A chance to talk to experienced travelling women without the men around!

Experienced Travellers Panel - ask the experts anything you want!

Walk arounds / Show and tell!

Tents and Bedding discussion (in the camping area) - What works, cheap vs dear and which ones keep you dry, warm and comfy!

Bike mods - Show off your best bike mods - homemade saddle bags, toolbox mounts, GPS mounts, seats, side stands, tank panniers, cup holders, etc.