50 Years of Living 50 Days of Riding 15 thousand kms 15 thousand $ to raise
18 APRIL - 6 JUNE 2022
Our Partners
What and Why
What on Earth are we doing?
Why on Earth would you do that?
Why on Earth would you do that?
It's pretty simple. We love riding motorbikes. We love Australia.
We are going to ride around Australia in 50 days following Highway 1 - The Big Loop.
Three of us on motorbikes, my son with us in the support car.
Averaging about 300kms per day with some places we will stay a little longer to see people significant in our lives and visit places important to me during some part of my first 50 years.
Riding 2020 Husqvarna Svartpilen 401s will be:
- Dave Drury - one of the R40s Founders & close friend
- Joseph Ryan - one of my childhood mates from Darwin
- and me, Robert Barnes.
In the support vehicle:
- Lockyer - my son and our first aider & personal trainer
- Random Passengers jumping in and out on different legs of the trip
Connect with us:
Why on Earth would you do that?
Why on Earth would you do that?
Why on Earth would you do that?
Alan has been my friend since we were seven years old. In 2009 we travelled together and started talking about a trip around Australia in 2011 to celebrate our 40th birthdays. Around Australia in 40 days sharing our love of bikes. Well more than 10 years has passed and 2021 is the year of our 50th birthdays. Alan now lives abroad and with a young family he won't be able to do the trip.
While watching Long Way Round recently, my wife Nicole said - "you should do the trip anyways for your 50th".
And here we are, planning and preparing to leave on August 4 - Alan's 50th birthday - and spend 50 days on Highway 1 circling Australia stopping at some key points with significant meaning in my first 50 years.
- Port Macquarie - where Dave's family lives
- Sunshine Coast - pick up my brother Nathan and where my Parents and older Sister are buried.
- Darwin - where we grew up and where my sister lives
- Kununurra - where Alan was born
- Gnarabup - where long time friend Cam runs an awesome business
- Hobart - where we lived and owe our friends there some time for leaving before we were supposed to.
Telling the Story
Documenting the Journey in images and film.
As much as this is more about the actual shared experience itself, we have an opportunity to document it as well. Why? Well because it so happens that Joseph Ryan is one of the most talented story tellers, photographers and film-makers we know. His works extends from feature documentaries to music videos and corporate photo shoots. So, we will document the whole thing for our own benefit for anyone who supports us and the vision will be amazing. Check out his work - http://freewayproject.com/#
Roaring Forties Boardriders
#wearthecap
#livethelife
#sharetheprivilege
Five founding fathers - Sean, Graeme, Pete, Dave and I - started the Roaring Forties Boardriders in the lead up to the first of us starting to hit 40 years old. We decided to take our 40s by storm and focus on our health & wellness so we can be our best selves for our families and for our friends. There is a lot of pressure on men that age to support, be strong, work hard etc and it can take a toll. We surf, ride, camp, hangout and talk to keep connected. This trip is an ode to the mission of Roaring Forties Boardriders.