Part 0.2 Finding Shirley

Our story continues in Gladstone, QLD. I’d been there for four months and looked for a world travelling motorbike. So far, I’d come up short. Very short. I had dialled my options down to 2 types of motorbike. The Suzuki DRZ400 and the Kawasaki KLR650. Both bikes had excellent pedigree’s for world travel. They are easy to fix, have good fuel consumption and most importantly, can be treated like absolute trash and keep going. I planned to take as much care of my bike as possible, but I also understood that my 'best' wasn't very good.

Being a small country town, the options for world-touring motorbikes was…limited. I knew if I wanted this incredible vehicle, I would need to go to the big city. I worked for a company that operated all over Australia and knew I wouldn't have to wait long. I'd been sent on a project to repair another facility in a small town 5 hours inland from Sydney previously. So when another project came up at the same place, I knew this was my chance.

Of course, being the impromptu child that I was. I'd already chosen my motorbike. A 250cc Honda CB that had been converted into a cafe racer. It was perfect…in the photos… I'd already spoken to the owner and told him, quite emphatically, that I was going to purchase the motorbike. I'd even given him a deposit. Yes. Looking back, providing a deposit on a motorbike I'd never seen that I was going to ride around the world may have been somewhat…foolish…However, considering myself a responsible adult. I also arranged to look at another motorbike. I knew I wouldn't buy this giant red monstrosity of a machine, but it did have most of the add-ons that one would need to travel the world. And of course, I was responsible, so...what the hell (We all know how this story ends, but let's tell it anyway, shall we???)

I'd arranged an extra day before the project to look at my dream bike and this other piece of junk as a 'token' gesture. The mature facade still in place. Catching a cab to my dream bike was the most excited I'd been in years, and I had my money in hand before even getting out. Take it easy, Jake, look at the bike first. Jarrod was nice enough. A young, skinny guy. With a shaved head and a few tattoo’s. A motorbike mechanic, who liked to build cafe racers on the side. Or, in other words…cool. Unlike the childish looser that had just arrived. Formalities over, it was time. I took one look at the bike and knew it was precisely…the wrong bike. An excellent little cafe racer, to be sure. However, the seat was only big enough for a person. Not even considering the travel bags and panniers (bags on the side of the bike for added storage). The indicators didn't work. And most importantly, the whole bike was run off a 6-volt battery. Not uncommon for a cafe racer, but wildly underpowered to run a world travelling motorbike. A bike that needs to run its own electric system started motors, indicators, head beams, tail lights, brake lights, etc.…But also, charge cameras, phones, navigation systems and battery banks too!!! Damn it…Lucky I booked that other piece of junk to look at.

Tim was also nice enough. A young economist from The Netherlands. Who had moved to Australia with his Indian wife and child. Listening to them speak to their young son in Hindi, Dutch, and English was really interesting. Little prick was going to know three languages by grade school. I'm still struggling with one! The bike was straight and clean, with high mileage for a motorbike, but not too high. And it was a KLR, so, like buying a Toyota Landcruiser, it was only 'run in' and would survive a direct hit surface to air missile. I couldn't touch the ground at all, but it came with many extras I knew I would need. A set of extra LED lights bolted to the crash bars protecting the bike. Bark Busters (guards for hand protection) a 12v socket for charging the phone. A set of small side panniers. And a few extra bits. Basically, the bike was already set up for world travel. I took it for a spin around the block and considering there was nothing else on the horizon. I bought it. Another guy had already said he would buy it too. So I had to act fast. I paid for the bike then and there. Then left to work on the project. Telling Tim I would take the bike upon my return. I'll note here that we're in Australia. There was little to no chance he was going to anything shady.

I knew things were going to be tight. The project would take 3 days, and I'd arranged to have an extra four days off, just in case I bought a motorbike. Things got interesting straight away when I was put on the night shift (projects run for 24 hours. 12-hour’s each. Day and night). Fortunately, 3 days is enough time to get used to being awake all night. I knew I wouldn't have any problems being awake all night then going straight back to Sydney the next day…Fuck….