Circumnavigation of Oz take 2

Good to hear it's going well Marty, and that the LAVs are purring along.
Updates and photos appreciated.

I'm sure there are many who have the travel itch re-ignited by your trip.
 
Just got to Tablelands, very long day, I broke down 4 times middle of nowhere. Marmalade is being very naughty. Original wiring loom can't handle the rough roads. No fuses left, running a couple of bolts. Camoweal to Barkly 5 hrs for 260km. 32 degrees in the desert. Road trains don't slow down, first one picked up the side cover with all the bolts in it an scattered them everywhere. Steep learning curve. Glad to be in Barkly, will try and make a set of ceramic fuses from a beer can.
 
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Road gets way better after the Barkley but road trains increase once you hit the Stuart Highway, 10 fold
And Caravans, they are like a plauge

Am in Darwin, got in at 16:30
 
Well done on getting so far Marty, even though you've had your fair share of problems. Maybe if you left the beer in the canned fuses it would act as a heat sink. Just thinking. Often wonder how far the 750 would have lasted?
Here's to a trouble free remainder of the trip.
 
martymoose said:
Road trains don't slow down
Click to expand...

Well, that’s a given.

I’ve been steering an 83 tonne road train, 83 is my max weight and I usually hit the scales at 82,900kg.

At 550hp it takes all 18 gears (edit: actually, it starts to roll in second gear, all 17 gears) and 2.5klm to go from stop to 90kph on flat ground.

Given that, slowing for someone on the side of the road is met with a …… nah.

We will swing wide around you though 😉

Loving the commentary on your adventure
 
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When I was riding at night at 80 to dodge roos out there, I'd left hand indicate and ride off the tarmac on the dirt shoulder when road trains were coming close. Not to be polite, just avoiding pancaking.
 
What are the two fuses for? SF2 had 4 fuses, it reduces the chance of some shitty feed wire to som ancillary taking out the ignition. Can you quickly rig up a system to just feed the ignition? No fun working on a hot bike on the road out there.
 
Hang in there Marty,
Captain Brett will be in Darwin, he lust LUVS roadside repairs on CLNSW runs. hehehehehe

From experience, you will probably find the fuses are rotating in their holders, building up a high resistance crud (engineering term there) and that is why they are fusing. If you can, find some of those newfangled spade type fuses in a suitable holder. A good auto parts/electrical shop should have some.
I'll tell you how I know over a beer next time you visit.

We think you chaps are going bloody well !
 
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