riding in the monsoon season
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emvales
riding in the monsoon season
Greetings from the east coast. Planning to leave Sydney mid January to travel to Mt Isa then Barkly Highway to Tennant Creek, turn right and go up to Katherine, then left to Kununurra and Broome. In Broome a month working, then back probably same way to Sydney. Main road bitumen all the way. So, touring in top end in the wet. Any advice, experiences? Can you safely ride through a monsoon deluge? Advice on wet gear? Any likely issues with the R1200GS with wife on back? Thanks for any comments.
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2volts
- Posts: 128
- Joined: Wed 16 Jan, 2008 2:53 pm
- Enter the middle number (7726): 9781
- Location: elsewhere, where its always fine
Re: riding in the monsoon season
I lived in the Top End (Adelaide River near Darwin) for 11 years so here goes...
Top End wet season is typically late afternoon storms and "fine" but really humid in between.
Storms are short high intensity bursts of rain, with lots of electrical action (lightning). Rain won't be continuous for days on end unless there's a monsoon low pressure zone happening.
When its raining hard you would want very very good wet weather gear to stay dry on the outside, but you will end up being soaked anyway from the inside due to the humidity.
Biggest riding risk in a storm is visibility and the amount of water on the road surface.
The other thing to consider is road closures, its common for creeks and rivers to rise very quickly after storms. If there is a monsoon low or cyclone hanging around flooding and road closures may go on for a few days or more.
Overall, its not the most pleasant time to be riding up there, but if you have the right attitude to it all and accept the discomforts for what they are, you will have a good time anyway.
pete
Top End wet season is typically late afternoon storms and "fine" but really humid in between.
Storms are short high intensity bursts of rain, with lots of electrical action (lightning). Rain won't be continuous for days on end unless there's a monsoon low pressure zone happening.
When its raining hard you would want very very good wet weather gear to stay dry on the outside, but you will end up being soaked anyway from the inside due to the humidity.
Biggest riding risk in a storm is visibility and the amount of water on the road surface.
The other thing to consider is road closures, its common for creeks and rivers to rise very quickly after storms. If there is a monsoon low or cyclone hanging around flooding and road closures may go on for a few days or more.
Overall, its not the most pleasant time to be riding up there, but if you have the right attitude to it all and accept the discomforts for what they are, you will have a good time anyway.
pete
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Richard Hughes
- Posts: 168
- Joined: Sun 07 Sep, 2008 8:46 am
- Enter the middle number (7726): 9781
- Location: Bridgetown
Re: riding in the monsoon season
Issues with Wife on the back of the GS.....Oh where do we start ? 
Good luck, your in for a treat riding that area in the wet season, wet weather gear? do as the locals do, shorts and thongs all year round, too hot to wear wet weather gear,the rain is warm so you won't get cold.
Roads closed will be your main concern and the heat.
Send some pics!
Good luck, your in for a treat riding that area in the wet season, wet weather gear? do as the locals do, shorts and thongs all year round, too hot to wear wet weather gear,the rain is warm so you won't get cold.
Roads closed will be your main concern and the heat.
Send some pics!