[Eric]

Now I could be wrong here, but I don't think you guys have what we call a Road Train. The big one's are 123 feet long and maybe travelling at 55-60mph. Then the smaller ones are 87 feet and travelling at 65-70mph.
If you ever come to the land Down Under and you are going to the outback, you will come across these Road Trains. I am not saying that you should break the road rules, but I am saying it is the safest way to get past them.
Carry about 10mph faster than they are travelling and at about 100 feet behind them pull out and see if the road ahead is clear. If clear throw all road rules into the wind and gun it. I like to get up to about 90mph, to get past as quick as I can. Now there are 4 things that you need to be aware of at this stage.
1/ Watch out for road junctions. Because someone can just appear out of nowhere off a road and leaves you nowhere to go.
2/The Road Train may have startled a roo or emu. And you don't want one of them trying to hitch ride on the front of your wing.
3/These guys can have a big bow wave waiting for you as you go past the cab. And at this speed an excursion onto the gravel will test anyone.
4/Cattle Road Train need that extra space as you pass because you don't know when they are going to releave themselves. As far as I am conserned, a great rate on knots is required.
The road rules are: The speed limit is the speed limit. And if the Road Train is travelling at 65mph and the speed limit is 70mph. How many miles down the road can you see and how many miles will it take to pass. In this case thow the rules in the air and gun it.

 

[fossil92]

Great info Eric. The most we have in the US is twin trailers & their the smaller ones.

 

[lken37]

Wow Eric, I suppose following something like that would not be fun and I expect your roads in the out back just go on forever, like Nevada or Eastern Oregon. BTW they have triples in Oregon that seem to me way too long. Stay safe my friend.

 

[Dookoo]

Crazy stuff in the land down under. Nothing like that here. Gun it I say and get some crazy modulating, flare emitting passing lights. My friend Mad Max was from your parts, I think he used Nitrous.

 

[RAM 54]

Would hate to try to back up one of those rigs, but I'm sure they don't.

 

[detdrbuzzard]

Great info Eric. The most we have in the US is twin trailers & their the smaller ones.

we don't call them road trains eric we just say that you are pulling doubles or tripples. sorry fossil but tripples have been legal on the turn pike for years now but once off the turn pike they must go to a yard where the tripples are broken down into doubles or singles. the yard cannot be more than five miles ( if i remember right ) from the turnpike

 

[Eric]

I thought that just because I had not see a Road Train in the USA didn't mean they were not there. Over here on different routes we can have only single rigs on some roads. On different routes up to 2 trailers Road Trains. But up north there are 3 trailer Road Trains. The worst place to come across a Road Train is on our outback dirt roads. You can't see at all past them. The amount of dust they kick up you can see them miles away.
Dookoo: Somehow I don't think you will take long to pass a Road Train. I have see how you treat your trees. I tend to chicken out at around 90mph. Too many things to go wrong. Three years ago a mate that lives in the bush was passing one when a roo jumped out just after he had passed on a dirt road. He went down with his wife on the back. They then got hit by the Road Train and got dragged a bit. The good bit was they both got away with it. She was in hospital for 2 weeks. He was in for 3 month and then rehab. While still in hospital he was talking of his next bike.
Iken37:I think it would be a bit like the Texas erea. A long way to get anywhere and with little communities along the way. The heat is the same.
While we are talking about the outback I am finding the wing very hard to ride on our tracks. This track got the better of me. I made it through the first creek crossing but it was just too hard and I gave up and turned around.

 

[Chopin]

Here in America we usually stop if the asphalt ends. A dirt road is another name for a wrong turn.

 

[Eric]

Chopin114: But some of our best places are at the end of a dirt road. Actually the better dirt roads the wing isn't too bad, it's the tracks. On one track I lost it on a corner and went through the bush a bit. I keep it upright but when I got on the track again, I got a slap from the back seat. She wasn't impressed and I thought I had done well to keep it upright. She is a good wife. Eric

 

[detdrbuzzard]

i've been on plenty dirt roads on the wing but they are tiring and all the locals zooming by in their country cadolac's makes it a not so fun ride

 

[Dookoo]

Are you kidding me Eric? I just saw the red dirt road pic! I think you are pretty brave. I spotted my wife jogging down a dirt road about 4 miles from the house today and drove up on the road to surprise her. Well, after I said Hello, the bike started plowing through a sandy portion. I managed not to drop it, but was burried to the pipes. I could not budge the bike an inch. Luckily about 4 guys in a farm truck pulled over and pushed me out. I never dropped my speed below 20 mph till I was out of the soft stuff. Where's my camera when misfortune turns my way?

 

[budoka]

Heard aobut the road trains and were kinda worried about them but we never ventured far enough into the Outback to meet up with any. I can see where it would be dicey getting past them.
Dookoo, yer a lucky sort that those fellas happened along. Ever tried a sand tire on the Wing? Nah, sorry, that would just be wrong

 

[Eric]

It takes over a mile to get past if you were to not break the speed limit. That is a long time on the wrong side. Anything that has an element of danger has a bit of fun to it. When you come up behind these guys and the last trailer is swinging 3 feet and there is the danger of a tire going or some wildlife being hit and spat out the back. You think to yourself. Wow we are past him. It's good fun. Eric

 

[detdrbuzzard]

come to michigan where the we have gravle haulers pulling doubles with the rear trailer swaying. no big deal you say. the maximum load in michigan is 160,000. loaded or empty don't stay behind one for long

 

[budoka]

Maybe it's just me Eric, but if you are overtaking a road train, wouldn't that put you on the 'right' side of the road?
I know what you mean about the danger and adrenaline rush. Riding with my mates in Ireland with the 'lane sharing' and centre-line passing moves at 80 mph (with traffic oncoming AND beside you) it's a heckuva cheek puckering experience. Ya gotta keep up with the guide or ye gets lost mate!

 

[Eric]

If I come to Check out your gravel haulers, will you come over and check out our road trains. No I am not trying to compete with ours is bigger than yours. I'm not sure what the figure of 160,000 is. Is that lbs. I looked up gravel haulers michigan and was surprised that they are permitted to go in the built up areas. Our road trains have to drop off 1 trailer at Pt. Augusta, which is 200 miles from Adelaide and they come down with 2 trailer. Eric

 

[detdrbuzzard]

thats 160,000lbs