Finke Desert Race

[Paul Brooking]

Bucket list item
Got invited to travel 2,000 km north into Central Australia to watch the Finke Desert Race (think Baja, Dakar etc)
Following a clapped  out Triumph Tiger that is about to be traded on a V85 (180,000km)
Great ride great company. Have found every fine dining restaurant on the route 😎

[oldbike54]

 

 Watched some video from last year , looks like fun .

 Dusty

[Sasquatch Jim]

 How can it be a race with all those fine dining spots along the way?

[Paul Brooking]

It is bloody cold on this trip
-3c start. 13c during the day with a 5-10c windchill (?) factor
Beautiful blue cloudless skies

[Paul Brooking]

It’s an area with no water
The waste removal from the mines is by v8 powered vacuum system

[Huzo]

Is that the event sponsored by the 1% bikie club..?

[Paul Brooking]

Is that the event sponsored by the 1% bikie club..?

Don’t know
But these days it is such a huge tourism draw for Alice Springs that I would be very surprised if there was even a whiff of controversy regarding the management/sponsorship
Arguably the second or third biggest motor event after Bathurst or Philip Island.

[Paul Brooking]

How can it be a race with all those fine dining spots along the way?

Gentlemen tourers
Leave the KTM & BMW riders to the McDonalds and Jim Beam & Coke’s 😎

[Huzo]

Don’t know
But these days it is such a huge tourism draw for Alice Springs that I would be very surprised if there was even a whiff of controversy regarding the management/sponsorship
Arguably the second or third biggest motor event after Bathurst or Philip Island.

Oh.
I thought there might have been an association with the Fink’s bikie outfit..

[Paul Brooking]

Watching the Time Trial “Prologue”
Dry and dusty
Some very impressive times being posted
KTMs, Husqvarnas, Honda’s SWM are dominant
There has been one BMW GS12000 do a lap. Reasonably quick
I was very disappointed that the scrutineers made him take the panniers and top box off 

[wyno]

You should have been going round on the Stelvio Paul.

[Paul Brooking]

You should have been going round on the Stelvio Paul.

Bloody tempted Wyno
I had a chat to the BMW rider
Scrutineering was take off panniers
Take off screen
Bungy cord to hold up the stands
Bark busters
GPS transponder

[wyno]

There ya go. Done. And I expect at least a third place.

[Paul Brooking]

There ya go. Done. And I expect at least a third place.

There is only 2 in the over 60 class
So 3rd is a given 

[malik]

 

[Paul Brooking]

The BMW is listed as finishing at 6 hours +
The leaders are listed at about 1.5 hours

[Darren Williams]

Those road bias tires aren't going to help that GS much. But I bet he had fun nonetheless.

[wyno]

Did he ride it home after the race?

[Paul Brooking]

Did he ride it home after the race?

By all accounts, yes
Probably had it washed and waxed at The Hilton Hotel Valet Parking in Alice Springs, put the panniers on and gently cruised home.

PS have downloaded a application form for next year 

[Paul Brooking]

Ran into the GS rider at Marla Bore Roadhouse on the way home
Funny, approachable bloke
Bike was in very good shape, engine guards were a bit scratched and sand blasted
His stories of the ride are hilarious.
He took 6h 7m
He was aiming for four hours
He got stuck in a sand hill and took 45 minutes to dig himself out
He had a big off after hitting bulldust filled pot hole at speed
His final big off was when a discarded jersey jammed into his front disc and locked his wheel up at speed
Luckily enough there was an off-road buggy broken down next to him who supplied 13mm socket to remove the brake caliper
When he returned the socket they gave him a beer (he had earned it) which he slammed down and resumed the race

[wyno]

Good story Paul. Great effort from him running a pig like that in a race.