2018 Sunny Corner Trail Bike Ride

Most people will have heard of the Yamaha Sunny Corner Trail Bike Ride. And many will be aware that it’s the biggest organised annual trailride in NSW, and arguably Australia. But what’s in store for its 32^nd installment, to be held in the Sunny Corner State Forest on NSW’s Central Tablelands on September 15-16? We asked Luke Seymour from the Central Tablelands Motorcycle Club to reply to the most frequently asked questions we get about the annual event…

Last year, the event’s staging area was moved a few kays up the road. Has that proved a good move?
A really good move, mainly because it’s now based on private property with the main area on top of a hill offering views over the surrounding pine forest. The new area allows everyone to camp a lot closer to the event’s main stage, and all the trade stands to be set up closer to each other. Being on private property has also allowed Yamaha to stage a demo loop for kids’ bikes, as well as their adult enduro bike range – obviously with a different track used for each. I believe they’ve also got a bit of a crèche set-up this year, which means mum and dad can leave their kids for a bit while they go out and do a loop themselves. This will be the third year that Yamaha has been the event’s major sponsor. The Yamaha crew has been very proactive with the promotion of the event, as well as putting in a big effort at the event itself. It’s no coincidence that since Yamaha has been involved, our numbers have grown a fair bit.

Are entries capped for 2018? Do I need to get in quickly to avoid missing out?
No, they’re not capped, but entries do start filling really fast about a month out from the event. And based off how entries are tracking, we’d expect similar sort of numbers again this year. Sunny Corner has firmly established itself as a bucket-list event for dirt bike riders around the country.

How many trail loops are there, and what’s the terrain like?
Up until 2016, at the previous venue, we ran two loops. But last year, the three loops proved really popular because they gave people more options, so we’ll be using three again this year. Basically, there are two longer loops that range from 55 to 70km, which typically take about two-and-a-half hours for the average rider to complete. We also run a 35km loop in case people are pushed for time. There are hard and easy sections to make sure we cater to all riding abilities, and we’ve also introduced cut-off points about halfway into the longer loops, in case people want to shortcut back to the staging area for one reason or another. All loops are still based in state forest, with a majority of them made up from singletrail.

Will entrants be in the running to win a bike again?
Yep. There’ll be a 2018 Yamaha WR450F up for grabs, plus two PeeWee 50s, a Yamaha generator, an MMG three-bike enclosed trailer, and a heap of other sponsor prize giveaways. Like last year, we’ll be holding the presentation on the Saturday night again because that seemed to suit a majority of people a lot better than the Sunday arvo did.

Do you have to actually be there to win the bike?
You do. To be eligible to win the bike, you have to make sure you put your raffle ticket (which you get at sign-on) into the barrel, and you have to ride a loop of the course to qualify – which we use an electronic scanning system to confirm. We do this to make sure the major prizes are won by people who are there to enjoy and experience the event, rather than someone who just pays an entry fee and likes their odds in the prize draw.

What’s included in the $180 entry fee?
For that, you get two days’ access to the three trail loops, two meal vouchers, a ticket for the prize draw, Saturday night bonfire, access to trade stalls and other displays, and the opportunity to ride Yamaha’s latest range of bikes on a purpose-built course.

For more information or to enter the event, go to www.sunnycorner.com.au