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Perspective of a motorcyclist – A travel diary

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Tag: Motorcycles

17/09/201717/09/2017davesviewpoint

The Z125: The First and Final Run

25/02/201725/02/2017davesviewpoint

The Grom Tourer 2017: Day 8 – Albury to Sydney via Canberra

19/02/201719/02/2017davesviewpoint

The Grom Tourer 2017: Day 7 – Melbourne to Albury via Myrtleford

12/02/201712/02/2017davesviewpoint

The Grom Tourer 2017: Day 6 – Sydney to Melbourne

11/02/201711/02/2017davesviewpoint

The Grom Tourer 2017: Day 5 – Gold Coast to Sydney

09/02/201709/02/2017davesviewpoint

The Grom Tourer 2017: Day 4 – Texas to Gold Coast via Brisbane

29/01/201711/02/2017davesviewpoint

The Grom Tourer 2017: Day 3 – Lightning Ridge to Texas

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  • Africa Twin Across The Australian Outback 2017 (15)
  • Bike Life (18)
  • Europe 2018 on the R NineT (12)
  • Panigale ADV – A Divergent Italian – 2015 Summer Road Trip (6)
  • Panigale ADV – A Divergent Italian – 2015 Winter Road Trip (8)
  • Panigale Around Australia 2016 (28)
  • The Everyday Italian (2)
  • The Grom Tourer (9)
A symbol of the rise and fall of communism in Europe. When the Bulgarian Communist Party built the Buzludzha monument, they sincerely must have believed that they created heaven on earth and that they had reached the final and most superior stage of sociopolitical evolution. Will history repeat itself within our lifetime to prove that real Communism had not yet been applied and practised properly as a political ideology? The answer to that question will never be clear-cut, but the magnitude of the structure and the natural beauty that graces the mountains is one that is undeniable. This historic part of Bulgaria is truly a spectacle to witness in person. The structure remains untouched and there is no maintenance to preserve the monument. It would be only a matter of time before it crumbles and end up in ruins unless major work is done to it. Glad to have seen it for myself. #bmw #bmwmotorrad #rninet #rninetracer #caferacer #motorcycle #roadtrip #motorrad #makelifearide #scenery #nature #landscape #adventure #travel #camping #biker #heaven #buzludzha #buzludzhamonument #communism #bulgaria #europe
Now and then, I attempt all-nighters that discourage me from taking up proper sleeping/resting arrangements. Of course, after a long day on the saddle, it's not viable to stay awake for a whole night. Over the years, I have developed my own power nap regime designed to prevent REM sleep and ensure that I go that little bit further on the road without falling into microsleep. I don't recommend the substitution of proper sleep with a nap regime, for reasons of accumulated fatigue which is easily built up but extremely difficult to alleviate without having at least 2 or 3 days off from a motorcycle. My power naps have usually occurred either in a carpark or behind a shop. I have really low standards when it comes to my sleeping arrangements. From the top of my head, I've slept on the streets in cities such as the following: - Bucharest, Romania (pictured) - Thessaloniki, Greece - Vladimir, Montenegro - Innsbruck, Austria - Calais, France - Stockholm, Sweden - Hell, Norway #bmw #bmwmotorrad #rninet #rninetracer #caferacer #motorcycle #roadtrip #makelifearide #motorrad #biker #travel #adventure #camping #onthestreet #sleepingrough #scenery #landscape #carpark #bucuresti #bucharest #romania #europe
Windows of the world 🔎 Glancing outside to a realm full of undiscovered beauty 🏞ïļðŸŒ #bmw #bmwmotorrad #rninet #rninetracer #caferacer #motorcycle #roadtrip #motorrad #makelifearide #travel #adventure #camping #scenery #window #landscape #mountains #nature #romania #europe
Camped overnight in Romania alongside a set of vardos. The vardo is also known as the Romani wagon (not Romanian). Romani people are a minority group in Romania and other parts of Europe, originating from North India from many centuries ago, who have traditionally lived a nomadic existence. #bmw #bmwmotorrad #rninet #rninetracer #caferacer #motorcycle #makelifearide #motorrad #roadtrip #biker #camping #travel #adventure #scenery #nature #landscape #forest #vardo #romani #wagon #romania #europe
The ghostly Capra Tunnel in Romania, which runs 890 metres in length at an altitude of 2040 metres. I was petrified about riding through the tunnel because, without the guidance of my headlight, all I was able to see was pitch black darkness. There was nothing else other than the sunlight emitting from the entrance behind me. All sorts of scenarios ran in my head. Every zombie horror movie scene watched that terrified me were replaying themselves in vivid imagery, as paranoia meddled against my desperation to keep on moving. With one very deep breath, I popped the bike into 1st gear, slowly creeping forward as my heart rate increased exponentially with every metre that I covered. Every one metre seemed more like a kilometre, with no end in sight. Without any other sign of life inside the world that I had rudely decided to intrude, I was almost certain that I was going to be swept away, and taken into an interdimensional world where I would remain locked up for ungodly eons... On a side note, what the hell were actually in those old wooden storage boxes?!! ðŸ‘―ðŸ‘―ðŸ‘―#bmw #bmwmotorrad #rninet #rninetracer #caferacer #motorcycle #makelifearide #motorrad #roadtrip #camping #travel #biker #adventure #scenery #tunnel #darkness #romania #capratunnel #europe
On my own, in a world of my own 🌍 #bmw #bmwmotorrad #rninet #rninetracer #caferacer #motorcycle #roadtrip #camping #makelifearide #motorrad #biker #travel #adventure #nature #scenery #landscape #mountain #snow #romania #europe
I miss that R nineT. I wouldn't have chosen another bike for the trip around Europe. Absolutely loved its cafe racer inspired design, and the air cooled boxer was a breeze to use once I got accustomed to that rightward shove of torque whenever I gave it a decent squeeze of the throttle. The boxer engine's advantages are most pronounced on tight, curvy roads where its low centre of gravity, bucket loads of low-end torque and silky smooth power delivery can be put to very good use. #bmw #bmwmotorrad #rninet #rninetracer #caferacer #motorcycle #motorrad #makelifearide #roadtrip #adventure #travel #biker #camping #scenery #nature #landscape #mountain #transfagarasan #romania #europe
Feeling right at home in Romania 🇷ðŸ‡ī... Because home is wherever my tent can be pitched. In weather conditions like these, tent camping is the only way 🏕ïļðŸ‘Œ #bmw #bmwmotorrad #rninetracer #rninet #caferacer #makelifearide #motorcycle #roadtrip #motorrad #travel #adventure #biker #scenery #landscape #forest #tent #camping #timisoara #romania #europe
Romania is so lush 🍀 I gotta go back there some day. The Carpathian mountain range makes for dramatic topography that makes our own Great Dividing Range in Australia not that great looking in comparison. There's a saying that goes around in Romania: Calul bun se vinde ÃŪn grajd - the good horse is sold in the stable. In other words, a good product requires no advertising, because it speaks for itself. One taste of this beautiful country, and you'll inevitably want to see more of it. The Australian Dollar is very favourable against the Romanian Leu, so it's also an affordable country to visit. Let's make it happen 🇷ðŸ‡ī #bmw #bmwmotorrad #rninet #rninetracer #caferacer #motorcycle #makelifearide #motorrad #scenery #landscape #adventure #biker #travel #roadtrip #forest #cascadabalea #waterfall #mountains #romania #europe
Checking out those Carpathian views. Twisties made in heaven 🇷ðŸ‡ī #bmw #bmwmotorrad #rninet #rninetracer #caferacer #motorcycle #roadtrip #motorrad #makelifearide #adventure #travel #scenery #landscape #mountain #transfagarasan #carpathians #transalp #romania #europe
The clueless Aussie. The Romanian flautist.. 🇷ðŸ‡ī #bmw #bmwmotorrad #rninet #rninetracer #caferacer #makelifearide #motorcycle #roadtrip #motorrad #touring #travel #biker #camping #adventure #scenery #landscape #streetart #flautist #flute #flutist #timisoara #romania #europe
That "I've been to Budapest" pic for Instagram ðŸ“ļ #bmw #bmwmotorrad #rninet #rninetracer #caferacer #motorcycle #motorrad #makelifearide #adventure #biker #roadtrip #travel #scenery #hungary #budapest #europe #hungarianparliament
The bridges of Budapest, Hungary 🇭🇚 That Richa magnetic tank bag was awesome. Easy to use, very large and spacious, and solid enough to be a chest mount for a relatively comfortable cruise on the straights. I brought it home to Sydney after the Europe trip... but it's collecting dust at the moment as none of my bikes have a steel tank on which the bag can be attached 😅 ... #bmw #rninet #rninetracer #caferacer #motorcycle #motorrad #makelifearide #roadtrip #biker #travel #adventure #camping #bridge #hungary #budapest #danube #europe
The Deutsch stallion, leading the parade.. My very brief visit to Vienna, Austria ðŸ‡ĶðŸ‡đ, before getting drenched on the way to Budapest. #bmw #rninetracer #rninet #caferacer #motorcycle #touring #adventure #travel #roadtrip #scenery #landscape #makelifearide #vienna #austria #europe
The less people there are around me, the calmer and more content I become. @the250tourer is well aware of how fussy and indecisive I get when it comes to shooting those lucrative "Instagrammable" photos in the bustle of crowded urban environments. When appropriate, I specifically attempt to arrive at particular destinations when there aren't as many people around, whether it be early in the morning or late at night. A tourist attraction void of no other soul but mine is an invaluable asset and a venerative opportunity that, when available and ripe for the photographic harvest, I must take up as the reclusive moto traveller ðŸ˜ķ #bmw #rninet #rninetracer #caferacer #motorcycle #makelifearide #roadtrip #bikelife #travel #adventure #landscape #dawn #morning #charlesbridge #bridge #oldtown #prague #praha #czechia #czechrepublic #ceskarepublika #europe
Old Town of Prague, an infinitely gorgeous part of the Czech Republic. R nineT + Charles Bridge = heavenly bliss! An elderly local told me off for rolling the bike on to the bridge but he apologised as soon as I told him that I came here all the way from Australia JUST to see this bridge, and advised me to go all out with my bike. One of the few perks of being a clueless tourist 😂👌 Love you, Czechia! ðŸ‡ĻðŸ‡ŋðŸ‡ĻðŸ‡ŋðŸ‡ĻðŸ‡ŋ #bmw #rninet #rninetracer #caferacer #motorcycle #motorrad #makelifearide #biker #roadtrip #travel #adventure #camping #scenery #landscape #charlesbridge #oldtown #prague #praha #czechrepublic #ceskarepublika #europe
Prague, in the Czech Republic. The picture-perfect city, a haven for the urban photography aficionado ðŸ‡ĻðŸ‡ŋ #bmw #rninet #rninetracer #caferacer #motorcycle #roadtrip #makelifearide #scenery #sunset #landscape #travel #adventure #biker #camping #czechia #czechrepublic #prague #praha #europe
Got my Dresden pics before the crowds gathered in the morning! Prior to the formation of the Soviet-governed East Germany, Dresden was decimated by British and American aerial bombers during WW2 in 1945. The Dresden Frauenkirche, completed in 1743 and rebuilt in 2005 with many parts salvaged from the original church, stands tall and prominently in the central square as a symbol of harmony and progress resulting from the unification of West and East Germany ðŸ‡Đ🇊 #bmw #rninet #rninetracer #caferacer #biker #roadtrip #motorcycle #motorrad #deutschland #makelifearide #bikelife #roadtrip #travel #adventure #camping #europe #ww2 #germany #dresden #frauenkirche #lutheran #church
Yeah, mountains and cliffs do exist in Germany! You just gotta search for them 🔭 Though, with a name like "Saxon Switzerland National Park", you'd think that this one's in another country... ðŸ‡Đ🇊 #bmw #rninet #racer #rninetracer #caferacer #motorcycle #roadtrip #travel #adventure #camp #germany #deutschland #mountain #park #dresden
I haven't blogged in agessss that it's not even funny. Been so occupied with life itself that I had no time for this social media thing. But anyway, harking back to a bygone era, I will exhume and resurrect this topic about the R nineT and flog it till it dies off because this has to go before I can plan for other stuff. Love that number plate that @konrad.dng formulated on my behalf. The D on the blue stands for "Deutschland", English for Germany. The upper GM stands for "Gummersbach", the compulsory letter combo applied at place of vehicle registration. The bottom four characters are those that can be customised to my liking, so I set it as EU for "Europe" and the 18 for the current year. My own personal interpretation of the plate is that: - D stands for "Dave" - GM for "Germany" - And the rest of the EU 18 as originally intended.. ..which makes me love the plate even more! So grateful that my mate sent the plate to Sydney so that I get to keep it! 😎😎😎 #BMW #RnineTRacer #racer #caferacer #biker #roadtrip #camping #adventure #travel #makelifearide #germany #motorcycle #motorrad #deutschland #leipzig #europe
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