The New England region was visited by 180 motorcyclists and support staff last week. The route of the annual BMW GS Safari took the riders on a large loop from Ballina, into Northern Inland NSW and finishing at Forster, via Port Macquarie.
Co-ordinator, Miles Davis, said the event has been going for about 15 years. The week long GS Safari is for dual purpose/off-road bikes. The 1,300km safari included as much ‘off road’ as possible, took in roads less travelled and stopped in to support small country communities along the way. Ebor’s Fusspots Cafe supplied lunch last Wednesday, before the BMW bikers roared on to Armidale for an overnight stop.
“A great thing about the Safari is that we try to get out to smaller communities. Logistically, we have to stay in the bigger towns because of our accommodation needs. During the day, we visit much smaller towns like Ebor and we buy fuel, food and experience what the local area has to offer,” Mr Davis said.
The safari showcased the region to BMW customers from across Australia. Each year, the route traverses a dramatically different part of the country.
“Last year’s went from Broken Hill to Port Lincoln SA. Previous events have been in Tasmania, the Snowy Mountains and up to Cape York,” Mr Davis said.
The 165 riders ranged considerably in ability and ages. The camaraderie was evident between groups of mates and people from all walks of life. It was also a bonding experience with father-son and father-daughter riding teams involved. Daria Twist was riding with her father. “I’ve been riding GSs for a couple of years. Dad and I went on the safari last year as well. We have a ball and get to ride on some fun terrain,” she said.
Mr Davis said that bikies are a widely recognised yet a small proportion of motorcycling in Australia. “An event like the BMW GS Safari is great for motorcycling, in general,” he said. “A lot of people have seen the doco-movie, “Long Way Round” featuring Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman – riding their BMW GS motorbikes around the world. It captures peoples imagination. A lot of people dream of that kind of adventure – this event makes that achievable.”
Story: Gary Fry
