MOTO ODYSSEY CAPE YORK ADVENTURE

A bucket list trip.

With borders opening and travel looking to resume to a new normal, it's time to get back outside and start exploring the beauty in our backyard.

 

Always dreamed of taking on the tropical paradise of Cape York, without the hassles of transporting your own bike? Moto Odyssey Australia is the place for you!

Strap yourself in for a trip of a lifetime as Charlie from Moto Odyssey Australia takes us on their latest tour to Australia's most northern point with moto legend Matty Mac in tow.

Charlie - Moto Odyssey Australia - We kicked off our 6 day Cape York tours in mid May, the water levels on all the crossings were still right up for the first 3 or 4 tours and proved challenging.  Some crossings were impassable and others we were having to carry the bikes across some pretty deep, fast flowing & croc infested waters.  We made good use of a sneaky zipline across one of the deeper crossings, it’s a pretty cool way to send bikes and bodies across the river, like something you might see on a tour in Asia or South America! 

Having missed 5 tours so far this year due to the lockdowns in New South Wales and Victoria and on what should have been our 10th tour (but was actually our 7th ) we had a spare spot become available just 2 weeks before departure. To fill that spot, we decided to invite ex Nitro Circus freestyle rider Matty ‘Mac’ McFerran along for a squirt. Matty Mac is a man of many talents and apart from going upside down on motorbikes he is also a pretty handy photographer and drone operator. Luckily our timing was right and Matty jumped at the chance to come on tour with us. The brief was - have an awesome week away riding on our KTM 500 EXC-F's, eat restaurant quality food and drink icey cold beers… Then snap a few pics & vids on the side.  Simple!

 

Some of our guests were already following Matty on Insta and the surprise was blown before we could drop it on them with him walking in on the morning of day 1. Pretty stoked to see him, the scene was set for an epic trip to the tip of Australia over the next 6 days. 

Day one started off badly as Matty went down on an awkward slow speed tree root crash and damaged his shoulder, all within the first 3 hours of the ride - not Matty Mac, another Matty, there were 4 Matty’s on this tour - and was unable to continue the tour.  He was ok, but understandably upset at crashing out and had to be picked up nearby and taken to hospital in an Ambulance.  Hopefully he will be right to come back one day and have a crack at finishing his tour. 

The rest of the week then continued and unfolded beautifully, the conditions were prime as we blasted along all the best tracks without incident or any more injuries. We visited the charismatic Lion’s Den Hotel then on to Cooktown, camped in Lakefield National park. We flicked for Barra (none caught this trip), spotted crocs, checked out some WW2 crash sites, rode some private property single trails along with the CREB track, Frechman’s track, Starcke track, both the southern and northern sections of the OTT (Overland Telegraph Track), watched the 4x4 shows at Gunshot, swam in the crystal clear waters of Twin Falls, then went and put on our own little show for all the campers, swimmers and on-lookers at Nolan’s Brook.

 

While the rest of the group were walking the bikes over the skinny 3 log bridge Matty Mac and a couple of boys spied and then had a lash at a rad water crossing jump.  All of the on-lookers were treated to a couple of epic jumps across the water, and also 1 epic fail - Hahaa!...  Plenty of pics were taken, the pink dress was again awarded out and a good laugh had by all.

We carried on to arrive in Seisia later that afternoon on day 5, everyone was hyped to have made the distance relatively unscathed. After freshening up and a few sunset beers, the pub was calling. We all headed up for a farewell dinner of fresh caught Mackeral and hand cut chips at the open-air beach bar & restaurant. Over dinner there was plenty of bench racing and talk of what we had all conquered over the past week along with questions being asked about the final ride to “the tip” the next day.

 

We wandered back to camp and some of the group sat up around a fire into the night while the rest headed off for an early night.

 

After breakfast we headed off and ripped into a few trails on our way to the tip.  The last leg of the mission to 'the tip' requires a walk out along some open rocky headland to the sign, while the queue for the sign subsided the group sat back to take in the stunning waters and views of the most northerly tip of Australia.  It was then our turn to get some pics with the sign, the cherry on the cake, the crew had made it!

The final ride back to camp is also pretty unreal, we do more trails and the 5 beaches ride along a stunning windy and rugged coastline where beach drags, wheelies and doughnuts are the definitely the go before the tide comes back in to wash away any trace of anyone being there.  Back at camp, the group freshened up and packed for the plane ride back to Cairns, ecstatic at the ride just completed, but somewhat sombre that it has all come to end in what seems like the blink of an eye.  What an insanely fun and memorable way to spend 6 days with your mates and ride over 1500 kms in paradise on a 500cc KTM dirt bike!

I have to say how impressive these bikes are and have performed flawlessly all year.  The guests are absolutely loving them and they are so much fun to ride and just perfectly suited to our tours.  Bring on 2022! 

Words - Charlie - Moto Odyssey Ausrtralia

Images - Matty Mcferran

To find out more about Moto Odyssey Australia the tours that they operate, head to their website here.

 

Moto Odyssey Australia are offering the discounted price of $5500.00 - to the KTM extended family on this tour!

 

Moto Odyssey Australia is booked solid in 2022, there are some spots still available in 2023 and they have just listed dates for 2024.  Book asap to choose your preferred dates.

 

There is now 1 full tour for 14 riders left available this year leaving on the 30th October, the last Cape York 6 Day tour for 2021. 

 

Moto Odyssey Australia will continue to run 2 and 3 day tours through until May 2022 when the Cape York season starts up again. These epic short tours are all pub accommodated, with a bar and air each afternoon to cool you down. The dates will be listed online and are also available by request. 

 

Check out their website for details www.moatours.com.au