The bLU cRU Ride ADV WR250R Rally took the long way round this year. The annual event sought out the best trails between Cessnock and Bulahdelah in the NSW Central Coast hinterland to put a smile on 45 owners of the small capacity adventure bike.
A round trip of around 500kms indicated that the one model rally – now in its fourth year – certainly took the scenic route because the two NSW towns measure 115kms apart via tar roads.
Ride ADV honcho Greg Yager and his capable team were challenged by COVID regulations and so decided to abandon the time-honoured cornerman system in favour of a GPS navigational ride. The team enlisted the services of Rob Cox and his desert bashing Mercedes Unimog support truck for a sensational COVID-friendly mid-ride BBQ.
Cessnock Yamaha dealer and BBQ king Chris Watson ensured all the riders were fed for not only the Friday evening briefing but for Saturday breakfast too.
The annual two day ADV ride was originally scheduled for May 2020 but COVID delayed the event. Undeterred, and knowing that riders from interstate would be unable to attend, Ride ADV pressed for a revised date of 4-6 September. Which unluckily for some fell on Father’s Day. Not so for Robin Bradfield from Sydney who joined the ride with his son Simon for an epic father and son experience.
The rally covered a classic ADV mix of terrain from singletrack trails to winding gravel roads – including a tricky mud section mid-morning on day one.
The bulletproof 250cc single lapped it up with all riders completing the round trip in good time at their own pace by following the supplied GPS tracks.
“The WR250R Rally keeps on delivering the goods – just like the bike itself,” explains Ride ADV’s Greg Yager. “My job is so easy when I have such a great crew and the support of people like Rob Cox and Chris Watson,” he continues.
”Next year’s WR250R Rally will head up to Nundle for some of the best ADV trails in the country and it will hopefully revert back to a time in April or May. We also plan to run a Tenere 700 one model rally later in the year, so tune in to www.rideadv.com.au and look out for details,” he ends.
