Tenere Tragics

TRAIL MAIL: TRAGIC COLIN'S BUSHPIG IS ALIVE AND RUNNING!

Hi Clubby & Tania: Unlike last year where I was still trying to get the Bushpig up and running while the rest of you Tragics were already on your way to Arkaroola, this year I have the old girl off the bench and have even managed to go out for a shake-down run. You will notice in the picture there have been a few changes since last year. The flammable saddle bags have been replaced with some hard panniers and I have done some major revisions to the front end. Funny how replacing a leaky fork seal can turn in to a $500 front end overhaul with new seals, wipers, bushes, fork boots, steering head bearings and a set of Hyperpro springs to replace the stacked-out originals.

One of the many advantages of living in the country is that you don’t have to go far to find some good adventure riding. In my case, living on a dirt road, the adventure starts as soon as I head off down my driveway. I was having a good ride on some of the great dirt roads and tracks that run around the Clare Valley area here in SA until I stopped to take another picture after about 70km of riding. It seems that the Motoz Tractionator that I put on the rear is a bit wider than my previous rear tyre and it had been rubbing on the inside of the oil tank and caused a small crack to appear, making the rear of the bike an oily mess. Luckily I was only about 15km from home, so a had a slow ride home, stopping every few kilometres to check that I still had oil in the tank. So the bike is now back in her normal position on the work bench while I repair and modify the oil tank to stop a repeat performance on the big trip.

-- Colin, Ténéré Tragic #6

Nice one, Colin, the old Boy Scout theory of being prepared is clearly the order of the day this year -- good stuff! But it just won't seem the same if you don't roll up to greet us at the start of the ride with the delicious waft of molten saddle bags in the air and emu feathers jammed inside the engine fins! Take care on the long ride across from South Aussie and we'll see you at Mount Panorama on Sunday week.

-- Clubby, Ténéré Tragic #1