I am planning a trip Melbourne to Wollongong (return) and wanted to ride bits of both Snowy Mountain and Coastal routes. I have been searching various routes, but anyone who has ridden the mountain and coastal routes, I would be grateful for any tips and preferences.

For instance, can anyone confirm that the Snowy River Way (Bombala to Jindabyne) is now all sealed? Also, does anyone have any suggestions for sealed roads from Tumut to Canberra that don't involve me heading via Cooma or the M31? And from Canberra (visiting a mate overnight), what is the Kings Hwy down to Batemans Bay (and A1 to Wollongong) like? Any alternates suggested for Canberra to Wollongong (excluding M31)?

PS: current plan includes taking in Wangaratta-Bright-Granya Gap-Jingellic-Tumbarumba-Cabramurra-Cooma-Canberra on way north, and on return south A1 to Pambula then Bombala-Jindabyne-khancoban (undecided how to join M31 for scoot home). Only real criterions for me are no dirt, no section 200km+ without fuel stop (fuel guzzling 107cc in my FXR), and I can handle 750-1000km in a long day (experienced long hauler!)

Darrin, check out the Snowy Mountains Ride II in the interstate ride section. The boys are just about to start a week's ride in the Mountains. You'll be able to follow their antics and ask questions.

Ig and Krackers, thanks for the tips. I saw ninetynine's route, but was looking for more mountain and less M31 and A1. I'll touch base with Christo. Am hoping for more insight on back roads, police lite maybe (my loud pipes and thus criminal association of course!), and the hidden gem routes and stops that only those who've done the area know. 

About the best route. Heading north from Bombala towards Cooma, 20 kilometres out turn left and head towards Dalgety (good pub) and the onto Jindabyne. That road is all sealed and a good fun road. A few animals and very few speed recommendation signs. (75 Klms, 50 Klms etc). Did that road twice in November. The road from Tumut after Kiandra is absolutely magic. Big sweeping curves.

David, thanks for confirming that the Snowy River Way is now all sealed. I googled Kinadra too and it looks like, coming from Tumbarumba via Elliot Way and the Links rd that I join the B72 Snowy Mtn Hwy at about Kiandra for the run into Cooma.

Anyone care to comment on their preferences regarding the Bonang Hyw (Delegate to Orbost southward direction) versus the The Great Alpine Rd (Bright to Bairnsdale, either direction)?

Cannot really give you advice on the best way to go , , but 2 years ago we left Adelaide , ocean road , over to Lakes entrance , up the coast to , Tathra i think it was , and then cut inland , hit JymDabyne , Bombala , Tumut all round that area , and what advice i can give you if it rains SLOW DOWN ,, ,around the Tumut , Batlow  area , bikes were going down all over after some rain , 2 of our group went down , local copper said the heavy rains were playing havoc , he had spent the whole day attending accidents and bike offs .

So ride safe and if its wet SLOW DOWN . Lots of deisel on the roads , makes them like ice rinks in the wet .

Boxa, I've done a few alpine trips around the globe (Thailand, Vietnam, Swiss Alps (and the alps in surrounding countries!)), and in general if it rains I find a hotel/pub or a freeway! In the Swiss Alps you spend half your time looking for black ice! Best application of the slow down principe is Passo del Stelvio in Italy. Google it, you'll see the ultimate ride to kick any motorcyclists a***!!!

 

PS: long range forecast for snowy's in second weekend Feb is zero rain, so fingers crossed

Boxa, I've done a few alpine trips around the globe (Thailand, Vietnam, Swiss Alps (and the alps in surrounding countries!)), and in general if it rains I find a hotel/pub or a freeway!


I'll second and third that .. I'm one of them weirdos who actually likes riding in the rain , wife thinks i'm mental , it starts raining and i go out . BUT up there when it was getting cold , and it rained with all the deisel on the roads from the logging trucks , you really worth taking your risks . In fact the local cop said the accident he attended just before my mates was, same thing guy came off, no other vechilles involved . Only he reckons this poor bugger had virtually every bone in his body broke , he came of in front of a truck .

Riding in rain is ok but you have to be sensible about it .

Boxa, I think my inner, well hidden prissy self emerges in the rain. Maybe because I think my 1992 bike with its literal last century electrical wiring is just gonna wig out in hard rain and strand me on some isolated road! Which has happened! Coil wire turned out to have a split which led to arcing in the rain and the back cylinder not firing. 

One little mentioned rain hazard? Rode up a Pennsylvania mountain one time in the pouring rain. It's the USA so of course it was a 6 lane freeway all the way. Had all my rain gear on so no worries. Over the top and down the mountain and the rain cleared, the sun burned through, it got real humid, and I still had all the rain gear on. And started getting real sleepy from the humidity magnified by the rain gear. Motto of the story is that if it rains it seems safer to be miserably cold too!

Up until a few years ago a motorcycle was my only vehicle I had to get around on going to work and all other stuff, so rain, hail, or shine I was on it... it's amazing how you can get used to freezing rain and all other conditions when you have to,,, I like riding anyway, but my Harley wont see rain if I can help it, just use the jap bike instead... I made one mistake by taking my girl on the bike during the middle of winter down to Mannum... it rained so much the road was awash with water and so cold even I was shaking with full leather motorcycle gear on... she still hasn't forgotten that trip.

I think we have all done something like that ,, Remember years ago , i owned a 750 /4 ex police bike , left Adelaide to go to see my parents , in a little town the other side of ballarat , it was nice when i left , no rain gear no leather jacket just denim jacket and levis , This was before the freeway skirted Ballarat , closer to ballarat i got the colder it got , i was stopping on the road to put my hands on the engine to thaw them out , (no gloves )

I went through Ballarat and it was snowing , the trucks were going up the hill dozens of them , i was riding in there tyre tracks snow everywhere else , i'm hooting along with trucks overtaking me , and i got to the old mans he come out and first thing he said you hav'nt got any lights on ,, fack me i'd come all through them hills with semis up my ass and no lights , i was obviously using there lights .

Gee... no gloves... and just denim 

I was born and raised in Ballarat, yes it snows at times... bloody cold place during winter ... think I mentioned it before on this forum but here goes ... some years ago I had a Suzuki 250 GN... I rode it from Adelaide to Ballarat in the middle of winter... the thing couldn't even do a 100 kms an hour ... lol... never saw another bike on the highway all the way over... the temp dropped below zero... at some stages the fog was so bad I couldn't see in front of me... I had at that time the most excruciating pain in my neck and shoulder going down my right arm from a pinched nerve and even morphine couldn't relieve it... I was numb with pain and the cold... I didn't have bike gear back then, just ordinary clothes (2 jumpers and jeans and a flap about thin coat) and they got wet through pretty quick... I was really poor back then after I lost everything in Paul Keating's 'recession we had to have' (that's another story)  My brother said I was crazy to do that on such a small bike in such weather when I turned up at his place.  it was the hardest ride in my life... a couple of days later I came back to Adelaide but the weather was a little better... at that time I was about 54... I will say one thing about motorcycles and that is if you need to toughen up or snap out of a situation that is dragging you down, get a motorcycle... it may not be for everyone but that little Suzuki helped me to get back on my feet and get on with life and I have never looked back.

Best road we did was Mitta Mitta to Omeo , in that direction . 100kms of great corners . Close 2nd , Jindabyne to Charlottes Pass .

Tim, thanks for the tip on the Omeo Hwy direction, and especially the Jindabyne-Charlottes Pass rd, which I had not seen nor heard of until now!