Braidwood On Royal Enfields

This entry is part 7 of 19 in the series Adventure Rider Issue #33

Bob Wozga prescribes a dose of mateship and riding to treat Industrial Disease

I noticed retro bikes seemed to be drawing large crowds at the motorcycle show.

Bikes like Kawasaki’s Z900RS and W800, Yamaha’s SR400 and Triumph’s Bonneville and Ducati’s Scrambler all had crowds milling around admiring the sleek lines, chrome and classic looks.

The ones that really struck me for some unknown reason were the Royal Enfield Classic and Continental. There was something about the raw style of them that captured the imagination. DKW, Arial, BMW, BSA…these were the bikes my father used to ride in Poland after the war. They were mechanically simple, but enjoyable to ride on both country and city roads. I can understand why Dad was so fond of them and now gets excited when he sees an old bike.

Meant to be

So the gods were smiling when they guided me to the EagleRider stand with the Classics, Bullets, GT Continental and Himalayan on display. The fact the bikes could be rented for a day, a weekend or months was, well, a godsend.

The seeds were sown for the idea of an Enfield ride. All that was needed was a destination and a date. That was simple enough.

The bikes were neither restorations nor imitations, but were exactly as they came from the factory in India.

Keen as

The lads jumped at the chance for a weekend trip on Royal Enfields.

The hire bikes were well-maintained, in great condition and ready for us on the day without any hitches. We picked up two Classics, a Bullet and a Continental.

EagleRider also gave us the ground rules due to insurance regulations: no dirt roads, no wheelies and no shooting firearms from the bikes (true!).

My mates had never been on a long trip. Some had spent most of their time on scooters in Asia and some just on city roads. Most had never been through the popular scenic region of NSW’s southern highlands and tablelands. A weekend in May was chosen for the mild weather conditions and four Enfields, one Honda – that soon became an honorary Enfield – and a car prepared for a Royal Enfield experience.

The Royal was a welcome sight.

Nice start

I’ve come to the conclusion riders are the best travel companions. You can be part way through a conversation at traffic lights then dart off when the lights turn green, ride for an hour or two, pull over for fuel and continue the conversation where you left off. Unlike travelling in a car, it also lets you immerse yourself in your thoughts without being interrupted because your passenger doesn’t like the sound of silence in the vehicle. And you can play Spotto without your passenger giving you weird looks.

The lads turned up early to demolish a warming breakfast with coffee, then we rumbled our way through Picton and along the old Hume Highway to Mittagong.

Looking over the shoulder every so often to ensure the pack was together, we took a scenic route along Range Road and Tourist Road to the top of Macquarie Pass.

It’s not the Himalayas, but the Royal Enfields were in their element, cruising past green fields, stone fences and gliding around the bends. Australia really does have a unique landscape.

The Robertson Pie shop was a welcome stopping point. It was also the start of Jarod’s quest for the perfect cheese-and-bacon pie. Many were consumed over the weekend.

The red, gold and brown leaves swept to the side of the road as the Enfields chuckled along the country lanes until the smell of smoke from warm fireplaces told us we were approaching Moss Vale, Exeter and Bundanoon. It’s a little part of Britain down there.

We stopped at Marulan to refuel and stretch the legs, then headed through Bungonia towards Tarago and the final destination – the Royal Hotel at Braidwood.

The lads jumped at the chance for a trip on Royal Enfields. The CB125 was awarded honorary RE status for the weekend.

Pie guy

The Royal was a welcome sight. The beer was cold, the food was hot and the atmosphere was welcoming. The rooms were basic, but that’s what we were looking for…except Craig. He needed to stay in a motel with a pool, palm trees, spa and cocktails. Apparently that’s what he’s accustomed to when he’s overseas.

He didn’t want to stay with the riff-raff he rode down with, so every time he bought a beer we made sure it had an umbrella in it.

Braidwood is a mesmerizing town.

Steeped in a history of bushrangers and gold, the town is heritage-listed because of its original Georgian architecture and wide streets. Standing in the centre of the road, you can imagine bullock drivers swearing and cursing asthey rolled through town. It’s a majorstopping point between Canberra and Batemans Bay and home to some great cafés, galleries and bakeries – with bacon-and-cheese pies. It’s well worth a visit.

Seeds were sown for the idea of an Enfield ride.

Way back

After breaking the ice from the bike seats the next morning, a quick photo at the park brought some onlookers who stopped to chat. They were astonished to find the bikes were neither restorations nor imitations, but were exactly as they came from the factory in India, and pretty much hand-made as they have been since the 1950s.

Rod planned the return trip via Bungendore, Lerida Estate Winery – very nice reds – and into Goulburn for a look at the Big Merino. From there we dawdled through Berrima and back to Sydney.

It was a very well thought out route with varying riding conditions from country lanes to open road and expressway.

A rear drum brake and the only gauge is a speedo, but still very enjoyable and reasonably comfortable.

Rules obeyed

I was rather impressed with the Classic.

Knowing it’s built pretty much the way they have been since 1954 I expected it to have a bit of vibration and be not as fast as a modern bike. It still has a rear drum brake and the only gauge is a speedo.

But it was still very enjoyable and reasonably comfortable. It sits happily on around 90kph and suits the country roads perfectly. It also didn’t have a problem on the expressway at 110kph. I thought it was great.

Rod had an issue with vibration on the Bullet. We noticed this when he bought a round. By the time he got the schooners from the bar to the table they were only half full because his hands were still shaking from the ride.

Jarrod had grown up on sports bikes and the Continental suited him to a tee.

It vibrated too, but was nothing to complain about. His quest for the perfect cheese-and-bacon pie continues.

Craig – aka Duckman – had no complaints about his Classic except there was no cup holder for his martini.

The drivers requested to remain anonymous.

I was most impressed with Jim – aka ‘Wingman’ – on his Honda CB125.

He got it all the way down to Braidwood. It was a bit of a struggle for a smaller bike and did take a toll on fatigue levels,but he pushed himself and got it back home with plans of doing another trip on a larger bike.

We handed the bikes back without having done any dirt roads (the council had paved all the ones we looked for). We tried doing wheelies numerous times but couldn’t get the wheel up, and we didn’t get to shoot anything from the bikes.

Sleek lines, chrome and classic looks.

Pressure down

These rides are more than just being on a bike. They’re about mateship and looking after each other. If someone was fatigued, we’d pull over or slow down to suit the slowest rider.

If someone was lacking riding gear, we’d spot them a jacket or face mask so they could come along and not freeze.The rides are also about destressing and taking the micky out of each other, making sure no one slips into a depressive state from life’s pressures.

Dire Straits sung about Industrial Disease in the 1980s. Rides like these trips are a good relief for the symptoms they sang about:
Dr Parkinson declared, ‘I’m not surprised to see you here You’ve got smokers cough from smoking, brewer’s droop from drinking beer.

I don’t know how you came to get those Betty Davis knees,But worst of all young man, you’ve got Industrial Disease.

Maybe, instead of a visit to a therapist, we’d be better off getting our friends together and going for a ride.

Thanks Rod, Craig, Jim, Jarrod, Phil and David.

A weekend in May was chosen for the mild weather.

Does riding with friends help your state of mind? Should riding with mates be covered by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme? Are your mates all under-prepared slappers who drive you crazy on a ride? E-mail tom@maynemedia.com.au and let us know.

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