Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/570763
FEATURE DARYL BEATTIE'S AUSSIE OUTBACK TOUR P86 ers knew only one person on the trip—that being Daryl. By the second night there's beer-drinking and story tell- ing, all of us aware nothing this good ever lasts long, so we make the most of it. We all help with the packing and unload- ing of the mighty Unimog, set up camp and stay the f*** out of the kitchen when Daryl's brother- in-law and professional chef Grant is doing his thing. The food is incredible. There's a collective feeling of teamwork and camaraderie in the campsites of Mount Dare, Georges Corner, Lone Gum and the French Line. The riders range from ultra success- ful CEOs to farmers, construction workers to property magnates to engineers, and one lone, lucky journo (that being me). By the end of the final day we've grown tremendously as riders, our skill levels and confidence on a distinct upward climb, and as we proceed to success- fully drink the Birdsville pub out of beer, we're already thinking about the reunion in 12 months' time. It's been that kind of a trip. It's been that kind of a trip because every- thing—from a punter's perspective—has been taken care of. Daryl Beattie, a man famous for riding very, very fast and going toe-to-toe with mighty Mick Doohan, loves this country, having been born in Charleville in Queensland's central south. He's had tremendous help from his mates in setting this company up, three of which are on this ride now—Scooter, one of the most unassum- ing and down-to-earth blokes you'll ever meet is the Unimog driver, making this behemoth climb every dune we do on the bikes, including Big Red THE HONDA CRF450X The trip was made all the more memorable thanks to the Honda CRF450X machines that we had the use of. The Hondas never missed a beat the entire time, handling the deep sand and hard-packed trails with ease. The Michelin Desert tires also played their part well—not one rider suffered a puncture and you prob- ably would have been able to get another 600 miles or so more riding out of the tires before you needed to replace them. The Hondas were modified using 6.6-gallon Safari tanks, which gave us enough fuel to get through most days on a single tank. They handled brilliantly on a full tank, a little top heavy but once you're used to them you'd never notice—especially if you're used to riding big adventure bikes. Other mods included: radiator guards, new chains from RK Chains, steel sprockets (gearing was changed to go one tooth up on the front and three down on the rear), DBR sprocket and chain covers/protectors, a bash plate and standard handle- bar guards were fitted. Daryl and Ron's bike also run a cig lighter port for keeping iPads charged on the go. The 450 engine was perfect for this type of terrain, with an excellent spread of power despite the taller gearing. The modifications carried out, along with the perfor- mance of the 450 engine, make this the perfect bike for this type of terrain. Beattie casts watch over the herd. He hasn't lost any of his skill on the bike!