50cc Mopeds vs Australia’s toughest tracks

THE GREAT OUTBACK CHALLENGE

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The Adventure ∙ All Facts & Figures

The journey at a glance:

Total distance: approx. 15.000 km
Off-road section: approx. 8.000 - 9.000 km
Well over 1.000 sand dunes
Countless river crossings
3 Guinness World Records (new category for 50cc mopeds under consideration)

When do we start?

July 2024
Starting point: Brisbane/Australia
Approximate duration 4 - 6 months (Australian winter & dry season)

What bikes will we ride?

Two Kreidler Florett 50cc vintage mopeds, built in '69 & '75, which Helmut has rebuilt from scratch, restored and converted for long distance travelling. With a tank capacity of 12 litres each and a fuel consumption of 2.5 - 3 litres (on gravel), the two can cover a good 400 kilometres, which is pretty decent.

However, as we will be travelling mainly on outback tracks, carrying extra fuel, water and food on the mopeds will be one of the biggest challenges. Although the Floretts have a load capacity of no less than 165kg, for weight reasons we want to take as little luggage as possible and distribute it as optimally as possible on the small mopeds. In our Long distance travelling modifications blog post we explain all technical changes in detail.

And in our blog posts Riding gear and Luggage setup we show you the equipment we´ll be using on this adventure in detail.

A little courage and curiosity are all you need for a real adventure!

~ Bea & Helmut ~

Where are we going?

Old Telegraph Track to Cape York

This 800km track is one of the most famous and toughest in Australia. The biggest challenge - especially for our mopeds - are the countless river crossings which, depending on how much it has rained, can be just about manageable or an almost insurmountable challenge. Crocodiles, which can be found in almost all waterways in northern Australia, add to the challenge!

Savannah Way

This 3.500 km stretch of mostly dirt road links Cairns in the tropical north of Queensland with Broome on the west coast of Western Australia. The route is notorious for its wrecking corrugated tracks, will put quite a strain on our oldies.

Gibb River Road

This 660 km route takes us through the breathtakingly beautiful Kimberley region of north-west Australia. Dusty tracks, river crossings and green oases surrounded by steep rock formations - this route offers everything an adventurer's heart could desire but will certainly put our bikes to the test!

Canning Stock Route (maaaaaybeeeee)

Meet our final boss! Nearly 2.000 kilometres long, the CSR traverses deserted desert landscapes and crosses nearly 1.000 sand dunes. This makes the Canning Stock Route one of the most remote and challenging off-road tracks in the world. Is it possible to ride the CSR unsupported on our 50cc bikes? Not only do we need to carry enough fuel for the trip, but also water and food for the planned 3 - 4 weeks, which will be a real challenge on our bikes. During the first few months in Australia we will be testing our small 50cc bikes extensively on other Outback tracks to see what they can do and how they cope with the tough Australian tracks. Time will tell if the CSR is possible for us and our little mopeds, or if we have to abandon this route for safety reasons.

Great Central Road

A 1.200km long track that stretches to the horizon, surrounded by nothing but red soil, kangaroos and camels. That's what the Red Centre of Australia is all about for us.

Oodnadatta Track

A reunion with a good friend, as we had ridden this track on our Transalps a few years ago during our motorcycle world trip. Never in our wildest dreams did we think we would return here - and certainly not on 50cc mopeds.

And who knows, maybe one or two more tracks will be added...

Is it possible?

Australia - A country so far away that some planets seem closer. So big that some of its cattle stations are bigger than some countries. And so sparsely populated that there are fewer people in the whole of Australia than in a single large city like Tokyo.

And that's where we're going. But not backpacking, on a motorbike or 4WD, but on our 50-year-old 50cc Kreidler Floretts. Sounds unusual? It probably is!

We had already spent 1 ½ years in Australia during our motorcycle world trip and gained a lot of practical experience and knowledge. At that time, we also fell in love with the country and its people and were determined to come back - even if we didn't know that it would be on two old mopeds! Well... our mopeds. We've already covered a good 10.000 km across Europe on them, testing their off-road and cross-country capabilities on the TET in Poland and Sweden. And so far, they have done very well!

But to make our new adventure even more exciting, we have chosen some of the toughest and most remote off-road tracks in the world. Tracks that are already tough driving in a 4x4 or on a sport enduro. But on a 50-year-old 50cc moped, they are definitely next level!

Especially on sand - and there is a lot of it in the outback - tyre width and power are key. And our Floretts can't exactly score with either of them!

That's why we're not sure if we'll be able to ride all the tracks we've planned so far. We love the challenge and the adventure, but we don't want to recklessly put ourselves in danger. Especially in the Australian Outback, where the next human settlement can be several days away, we have to think very carefully about what is possible and what is not. That's why we'll be approaching the off-road tracks slowly, deciding how to proceed with each track we master - or perhaps not.

The weather also plays a major role. From November at the latest, the rainy season begins in the north, and at the same time it gets uncomfortably hot in the south. From then on, a lot of the tracks are closed. So, it depends on how well we make progress as we have a relatively tight time frame.

But one thing is for sure: Despite all the uncertainties, we are up for the challenges of the Outback and ready to push ourselves and our bikes to the limit and beyond.

WHY are we doing this?

Mainly, of course, because we love travelling on two wheels and we love challenges. The fresh wind in our faces, camping in the bush, just thinking about these things makes our hearts beat faster. But this trip will also be one of the toughest adventures we have ever faced and yes, it will definitely not be easy, but it will be all the more rewarding.

In case you're wondering why we've chosen two 50cc vintage mopeds for this trip, as these bikes are far from ideal for the tracks ahead: Simply because we love challenges. Leaving the comfort zone again and focussing on what really matters in the end.

Creating LIFE and MEMORIES!

Our western lives are dominated by work and consumption. A big house, an expensive motorbike, a fancy holiday in a 5-star hotel and the latest smartphone on a regular basis... All nice things. But how much time and money do we have left at the end of this cycle to really experience stories with all these things that we can tell for a lifetime? Or to put it another way: how many experiences in the last year can you really remember straight away? Special moments that will stay with you forever?

This is exactly why it is so important to prioritise the important things. Children, families, friends, a delicious meal, a fulfilling hobby or even realising a big dream. And if you don't have the best or most exclusive material available, it doesn't matter!

The main thing is that it brings a smile to your face and creates MEMORIES for a lifetime!

That's why we take on the challenge with our 50cc oldies, packed with not much more than our tent, sleeping bags, a pair of undies - and our camera of course - on some of the toughest and most adventurous off-road tracks the world has to offer. Because a real adventure requires nothing more than a little courage and curiosity!

How will we take you along?

This time we won't be writing travelogues for our blog in the traditional sense, but we will be filming the trip and taking you along on a regular basis (depending on the infrastructure available in the Outback, because that's another challenge!) in a new series on YouTube. Our future videos will be in English (with an excellent Bavarian accent). The reason for this is simple: firstly, we can take the Australians with us on this adventure, too, and secondly, we want to share our adventure and our message with anyone who is interested - and English is the universal language that connects people all over the world. Of course, speaking in a foreign language is an added challenge for us and we will see how we can make it all work. But life's challenges are what make us grow and broaden our horizons. And they make us feel alive!

In addition to the video series, we also try to post pictures on our social media accounts on a regular basis.

At the moment we are trying to work through the pile of tasks that need to be done before we can finally start. But we're really looking forward to our new adventure, and of course we're very interested in what you think of our Outback Challenge and look forward to your feedback in the comments section below!

See you soon,

We are also delighted that this very special adventure has inspired some of the partners who have been with us since the beginning of our motorcycle world trip, and with whom we have developed some real friendships over the years, to join us again on our new adventure.

This is anything but self-evident, as the "advertising factor" of a Kreidler Florett compared to a new GS, for example, is far from mainstream and anything but attractive. Therefore, a big thank you goes to the responsible persons for being so enthusiastic about our mopeds and our Outback challenge, and for putting the spirit of two-wheeled travel and adventure first.

Thank you for being part of our adventure and for standing behind the message we want to spread with this trip:

~ No matter what bike you ride, it´s the experience that counts. ~