Travelling Oz on 00' WR400F

[dirtboxboy]

Hi there, I'm setting off on a month long trip around Oz. Right now it seems like I'll be riding a minimum of about 7000kms, possible more. Has anyone got any suggestions for mods to the bike or experience with their WR's over these sort of long distances, gearing, windshields, softer seat etc. A lot of friends have been telling me that it can't be done but I have faith in the bike and would like to prove them wrong.

Right now it's a stock 2000 WR400. I'm planning on making a poly-carbonate windshield and putting a 44? tooth sprocket on the back.

Do you think the bike can handle so many km's on road. I can't see why there would be a problem, but maybe someone out there knows of lots of reasons why there might be

Any comments or suggestions welcome ?

Thanks for you input guys

[simch]

Good luck fella, but 7000ks in a month would be tough in car!!

Here in the UK, it would be tough to do those miles without getting floats attached! ?

[yamaha.dude]

Great adventure, and quite do-able on the bike... the issue is going to be tyres and gearing.

You can get a gearing change like you have, what size have you got up front? take different counter sprockets, say a 14 if you get to a hilly part that you don't want to carry such tall gearing.

Tyres , well you should be able to get some hard wearing dual purpose tyres - whatever you get, it's always going to be a compromise between traction and wear...

Luggage capacity may be an issue, what do you plan to carry - swag, bags, tools, spares...? Might need a rack...

There is no real problem running them all day on the road, but do vary the speeds every 20 minutes, sit on 95, then 105 then 100... just to give you a break from the drone... you may want to consider a few pairs of those yellow squashable ear plugs they are comfy for long trips...

A good jacket is going to be a god-send, lots of pockets, zip-off sleeves... a camelback for storage and hydration... glove liners perhaps... you could also get a softer seat or seat cover made up...

Which way do you plan on going? Drop in for an oil change if you pass this way... ?

Good luck, and take pictures...

David

[blue_beast_wins]

You are talking some long, long boring K's on a dirt bike i'll tell ya, you are looking at about 20,000 k's around Aus i'd say going by my dad's recent trip (by car) around Aus, defenantly 15 up front and i'd go a 40 in the back, you'll need all the top end you can get in some of the sections, hth.

[dirtboxboy]

Thanks for the help guys, I'll make sure I carry a 14 and 15 tooth counter sprocket on your advice(using 15 now), as well as changing to a 40 on the back. Still haven't mapped out the entire trip yet but I'm planning on getting to Broome one way or another and then back some other way. I've got a small(2kg, 2 man) tent and very small sleeping bag that kept me more than warm enough in Canada. Still getting the tools and spares together but will definately be putting in some heavy duty tubes at a minimum. I'll try Ballards for a softer seat and luggage rack.

Give me a week or two and I'll post pics of the finished product, nothing too exciting to look at right now. Definately taking the camera so should get some good pics.

Thanks again for the help guys. I'll keep you posted.

[yamaha.dude]

I have seen guys make it to Cape York on Postie bikes... ? so anything is possible...

One other thing - you may want to put some mesh like flyscreen over the radiators... to keep the bugs out ? and get some filter skins... to keep the fine sand out ?

David

[AussieE]

Hey Son just a couple of other things that are good is Tyre sheild it's a pink goo that you put in ya tubes and if ya get a puncture it seals the hole straight away (and no its not finileak you put it in before you ride and forget about it)Heffo and a few other long distance guys swear by it,I got mine from PEP parts,just follow the instructions and yes it's ment for dirt bikes,if ya don't like the Idea of this stuff that cool but do use plenty of talcon powder in between the tyres and tubes this helps stop chaffing of the tubes and also helps keep them a little cooler,also a motard front guard might be good for those long hi-speed sections(just an idea)but for you get a couple of those lightweight space plankets they're about $5 from the camping section at woolies(the little silver ones)they take up no room and can double as a ground sheet to sleep on(if the ground is dusty or wet and ya cann't be bothered putting the tent up)and also as a ground cover if ya working on the bike in the dirt(nothing worse than looking for lost nuts and bolts in the dirt),and in ya first aid kit put some Rectinol(laugh all ya like but if ya need it and haven't got it ya won't be laughing)(when we went to cape york and luckily I took some with me I didn't need it but one of our other guys did and he offered me a $100 for the tube,cause long distances on vibrateing bike sitting down may cause you some discomfort hahahaha.also nerofen cause its good for inflamation and ya feet may tend to swell after a week or two and while we're on feet GOOD SOX the thick woolen Fox ones are good with the extra thick wool around the foot and ankle area and they come up over your knees,sorry I cann't offer any help on the bike side of things but I've neverr riden a wr400 over a long distance.

Ian

[AussieE]

Just a bit off track here but just incase ya don't know about it there is an aussie dirtbike page called dirt bike world with heaps of good guys on it too.

www.dirtbikeworld.net and go to the forums and check it out

Ian

[SteadyEddy]

good luck dirt box boy,

If you find your way coming through canberra, come in for an oil change ?

[yamaha.dude]

Some other things I was thinking you may want to consider... travel in the early morning until say 10 or 11, then rest until 2, then travel on until dinner time... you will cover lots of ground, not get worn out riding across the outback in the middle of the day, plus you can wander around and do stuff over a long lunch... Take a good cable lock, to tie the best up, and remember, sand riding will do your fuel consumption in, so take extra fuel... if you want to go the whole hog, you can get a 35 litre tank for the WR, or supplementary bolt/strap-on tanks to hold a few extra litres...

Drink plenty of water... got a large (3 litre)camelback? You may also want to remove your MX visor if you are using that for your helmet... it will drag your head around at high speed... your neck will grow two sizes by the time you are back home... Consider a street bike helmet... easier to wear sunnies underneath the visor ?

I am sure I will think of more... hit the web, there are plenty of tourist sites out there to plan your trip... are you a member of an auto club... The RACQ will recover your bike if it is on your membership as the second vehicle... also, don't rely on small town stores all having EFTPOS, but the town will have ATM's...

David

[Hamish]

maybe you should check out this item on ebay

[Rich_in_Orlando]

...you can get a 35 litre tank for the WR, or supplementary bolt/strap-on tanks to hold a few extra litres...

Damn that's a HUGE tank. That works out to over 9 gallons?! It would definitely increase the range for those long stretches but what would it do to handling? That's an extra 40 pounds or so of fuel over the stock tank, plus all the gear you're hauling.

One thing I'm thinking of relating to such a long trip is oil changes. My manual says to change the oil every 300 to 500 kms. That will work out to 14 oil changs-one every other day if you take a month. Now you have to carry a crapload of extra oil or try to find some along the way and what do you do with the used oil on the trail?

This is an interesting question to me because I'd like to do the Transamerica Trail on my '99 WR in a few years and that's about 4000 kms from start to finish.

[yamaha.dude]

I will try to get a pic of the 35 litre tank mounted up... It is in a magazine I have somewhere... They use them on big rallies, and desert riding - probably big enough and heavy enough to act like a gyroscope at high speed and keep you travelling in a straight-line, upright, at 170km/h...

The oil changes are going to be the issue, but if the bike has been well maintained, and is fully run in, then longer intervals may be OK, as long as the oil was fully synthetic... Depending on his route, he already has a couple of oil change offers... Just have to take a small funnel, spare drain plug, and buy oil at local dealers and change it while the "Shrimps are cooking on the Barbie..." ?

David

[speedcomm]

Dredging up 4 year old posts ? . Does anyone know if the trip worked out ?

I am planning a long jaunt on my WR400, maybe not that extreme, but im interested to hear how it went, My main interest is in the gearing and how that worked out, also tyres.

[Whiplashwilly]

no way. through Oz on a Wr ? are you INSANE ?! I find the 3 miles in a straight line on my way to work boring enough on my WR (not to mention the seat?) lol

have you considered what you would do if you broke down in the bush ? x amount of miles from anywhere and a lot further to a yamaha dealer?

Ive travelled a bit in Oz (not on a bike) but one thing i know is im glad it was in a tin can!

seriously, having a vehicle as a refuge/shade spot/sleep alternative is not to be underestimated somewhere like Oz. (why not put the Wr on the back!)

2 cents...

[speedcomm]

Australia isnt just all desert ?

[Martin555]

I am also interested (just curious) if a WR400 would do a longer trip, what would happen. pls somebody put in your data of longest trip with Wr400F. thx.