5 Reasons Not To Miss a Transmoto Event

If I had it my way, I’d ride every Transmoto event of the year. Why? Because they’re just so bloody good. And a heap of fun. When I miss one, it hurts. So to cheer myself up and get me through the working day, I reflect on five things I like most about these cracker weekends…

THE ROAD TRIP

It’s always a blast. I knock off work Thursday; feeling the excitement build, knowing in a few days I’ll be cutting laps on an epic loop on what is always a supreme property located somewhere special. My bike is prepped with fresh rubber, the spares and tools are packed, esky loaded, swag rolled, and the banter between my mates and I rolls off the tongue as soon as we meet. Leaving any worries behind as I hit the road for up to 12 hours feels pretty damn cool, knowing soon I’ll be surrounded by like-minded souls searching for the rush experienced from riding a dirt bike. My body, mind, and spirit is fresh. And it needs to be for what lies ahead. Only those who have ridden a Transmoto 6-, 8- or 12-Hour know what I’m talking about. Getting there is part of the experience, but the real fun begins after rolling into the paddock full of hoons.

THE VIBE

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As soon as I jump out of the 4WD, mid-morning Saturday, it feels like I’m at a reunion. Mates I haven’t seen for years pop out of the woodwork and the bullshit starts flowing. The vibe is similar to a music festival with cool tunes flowing over the PA setting the mood for the activities to come. Sign-on goes smoothly, and I meet a bunch of guys I’ve never met before – lads from Newy with the trickest Katos I’ve ever seen. Come to think of it as I look around, I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many rad set-ups – including vehicles, bikes and camping rigs – before in my life. There’s some serious cash in this paddock, and I’m thinking this crew are loving a weekend away from work with their mates. It doesn’t take long for beers to be cracked open, and the fun to begin with the Ballard’s Uphill Battle, Metzeler Tyre Changing Challenge, and The Fox Boot Toss. It’s always a great way to break the ice and get the laughs cracking.

THE SOUND

One of my favourite things at a Transmoto event is being woken up at the crack of dawn by blaring speakers blasting out an iconic power ballad from legendary bands like The Cult, ACDC, and Nirvana to name a few. Transmoto’s Robbie Warden always nails it with the first tune, and that signals it’s time to slide out of ya swag and get dirty. The sound of tent zippers opening, blokes belching and farting, gets the day rolling before the sun pokes its head over the horizon. Riders have already lined up their bikes in rows of four as far as the eye can see to ensure they get a good starting position. This all happened last night before crashing out, and now there’s the stragglers who couldn’t give a toss where they start slowly filling the remaining grid spaces in readiness for the flag to drop.

RIDING

It’s all just a bit of fun, right? Well that’s what we tell ourselves, but as soon as the helmet goes on – and the sound of 150 dirt bikes fire up – the adrenalin kicks in hard and the beast within takes over. Controlling the beast is the challenge. It’s a long day ahead – so many laps to navigate technical terrain, water crossings with slippery rocks that test the best of us, and grasstrack sections to die for.

For me, it’s all about survival, not pushing too hard, but hard enough to where I feel confident I can keep a consistent pace all day without riding over my head. I’ve never entertained the idea of riding the Ironman class – which is going it solo, for those who don’t know – as it’s tough enough punching out the laps and passing the transponder from bike-to-bike between teammates. Pushing myself to my limit is what it’s all about.

CELEBRATION BEER

It really doesn’t matter where you finish, as long as you finish in one piece. Seeing the last-lap board is always welcome, especially for those in the team who don’t have to do it. The feeling of crossing the line with the chequered flag waving is pretty special though, and so is the feeling of washing the dust down your throat with an icy cold beer afterwards. My bones and muscles ache for days after each Transmoto event, but it’s always a good ache; the type that reminds me I’m alive, and have just experienced something that always brings a grin from ear-to-ear!