Australia, the land of wonder ‘down under’, has just become an even a more attractive destination for BMW riders with the country’s two largest BMW Motorrad dealerships now offering hire fleets.

In Melbourne, BMW Southbank Motorcycles and in Brisbane and the Gold Coast, Morgan and Waker BMW have a fleet of the latest models ready for your biking adventure of a lifetime. A days riding can take you to stunning coastal scenery, rainforests, the outback or even cosmopolitan cities. There is no better way to travel the big brown land than from behind the ‘bars of a BMW.

Choose from the dynamic F 800 S or ST, the luxury of the R 1200 RT or 
K 1200 GT, or the bikes that could well have been produced with Australia in mind – the go-anywhere R 1200 GS and GS Adventure travel enduros. All bikes come equipped with panniers and are fully serviced ready for the journey.

To simplify finding your way around (and back to the dealership at the end of your trip!) a BMW Motorrad Navigator is available at an extra charge. It is also possible to hire BMW Rider Equipment or perhaps take advantage of the opportunity to purchase new rider clothing from the extensive range carried by both BMW Southbank Motorcycles and Morgan and Waker BMW. 

BMW Southbank Motorcycles is situated in the heart of Melbourne and is just over an hour’s riding from the Great Ocean Road, one of the world’s premier motorcycle roads. In a recent poll of British motorcyclists, it was voted the number one dream motorcycling destination, and no wonder! The Great Ocean Road hugs the coast for over 155 miles, following magnificent coastal formations and rugged cliffs, and of course some of the best surf beaches in the world, including the famous Bells Beach. 

On one side of you there is the ocean; on the other is ancient rainforest with wildlife that can sometimes be seen at close quarters. The Great Ocean Road can be the start of a journey that takes you through the best that Victoria can offer, including wineries and many interesting places to stay in historic towns that go back to the gold rush era.

Some 1,050 miles further up the Gold Coast in Brisbane is Morgan and Wacker BMW, which is also a fantastic starting point for a tour of Australia’s sunshine state of Queensland. Follow the coast with its pristine golden beaches and tropical rainforests to Cairns, the perfect destination for exploring the magnificence of the Great Barrier Reef. 

From Brisbane, the great Australian outback with its expanse of colors is within a days ride. It is a place like no other with a rich history that goes back thousands of years. The scenery can only be described as stunning, but once the sun has gone down it’s just as impressive to settle down to a sea of stars that light up the sky.

Australia is a year round motorcycling destination and even riding in winter is comfortable so no matter when you come it is ideal way to explore the vast southern continent. Furthermore, flights to this amazing country are more reasonable than you might think, so why not consider Australia for your next BMW motorcycle trip of a lifetime?

For more information on visiting Australia, visit the many online tourism guides such as the www.about-australia.com website. For more details about the participating dealer rental programmes, please visit www.bmwsouthbank.com.au or www.morganandwacker.com.au

Photography by Tourism Queensland