Make it up as you go.
The original plan was to head west into the Granite belt and the long open roads to the west of Brisbane.
I left East-Brisbane base mid-Sunday morning, navigated to the M1 on-ramp and thought to myself, “I have this awesome, great-handling CVO Road Glide, do I really want to sit on dead-straight roads all day?”
The answer was a definite, ‘yeah-nah’, so I wheeled south towards the twisty roads of the Gold Coast Hinterlands instead … again.
All the while formulating a revised plan for photo opportunities as I did.
I had it pretty much worked out, but by the time I got to Beenleigh and was sitting in four lanes of relatively heavy motorway traffic, I canned plan B as well, and took the Yatala exit instead, with version 3, a crossing of Mt Lindesay, in mind.
Things picked up from there and I had a clear run all the way to Beaudesert.
It’s not my favourite bit of road either, a bit boring, but the Road Glide gobbled it up with aplomb.
I had a fuel stop on the approach to the town and was soon back on route 13 with the Scenic Rim looming large. The trip computer with a topped-up tank was showing a range of over 500km. Good enough!
When we first moved to Brisbane back in 2011, the Mt Lindesay Highway, up and over the mountain, was easily my favourite road in the district.
Tight, twisty, with a reliable surface, and most importantly, an open road, 100kph speed limit all the way.
An opportunity to hook-into the twisties with the threat of blue and reds in between.
My, how that has changed since those days – on the Queensland side anyway.
Crossing the plain out to Rathdowney and beyond is easy going, but the climb up from Palen Creek is now an absolute disgrace.
The tarmac has degraded and is weather damaged. But instead of timely repair, the speed limit has been dropped to 60kph and the surface shoddily patched, with plenty of loose road base thrown here and there in for good measure. At least it’s reasonably well sign posted.
Fortunately, the Road Glide is delightfully sure-footed and dealt with the conditions admirably. Even-so, is did highlight the fact that while the Showa rear suspension is better than anything that’s been put on a stock Harley before, it still has limited travel.
If it was my bike, and my preference for this type of mountain riding, I’d go for the Ohlins upgrade. That said, if you mainly stick to the major highways-ways – the Showas are just pretty good. Bad roads – not so much.
And that fact was evident after I crossed the cattle grid that marks the border into New South Wales.
The speed limit jumps back up to 100kph and, maybe because it’s on the plateau, but the quality of the tarmac significantly improves, and throwing the CVO into the tight left and right handers along the ridge once again became an absolute, sheer delight.
I was hitting the corners and 20-30kph over the advisory speed signs and nothing touched down, scraped, or gave the slightest hint of discomfort. It was just joyous. Solid sure-footed, and very, very enjoyable.
I love it when a plan comes together.
Normally at the top of the mountain, I turn east and head towards Kyogle, and even considered looping north along the Lions Road again, but for a change, call it plan ‘D’. this time I headed down the hill to Woodenbong and had a Chico roll for lunch at the Pit Stop Café.
Back when I first took this continuation of the Mt Lindesay highway down to Woodenbong heading west, towards Killarney, it was this section that was the disgrace.
Large sections of its surface around Kareela comprised endless patched potholes, seemingly joined together in a jaw clenching suspension torture test for man and machine.
And again, how that has changed.
Over the years the tarmac on this section of the highway has been repaired, widened and reconstituted, into what is now possibly the best motorcycle road in the district. Fast, sweeping and … well, stunning.
And the Road Glide devoured it.
The 121 Cube VVT is so smooth and strong, and the whole package chucks around so easily, it’s just brilliant. Once under way it becomes deceptively light and nimble. At slow, foot down speeds it really is a lump.
I stopped for a few photos along the way, looking southwest to the ramparts of the Scenic Rim, before continuing further down the hill to Legume and Acacia Creek.
Just before reaching Killarney, I turned off on to Scenic Route 21, and the climb back towards the Queen Mary Falls.
This section is tight and twisty in parts, some of it is quite challenging – very narrow and speed limited, but the early spring countryside and its views were rewardingly spectacular.
I stopped just past Carr’s lookout for the signature photo looking north toward Mt Superbus, then continued to the steep descent to Cochin and back onto the plains and the open countryside to Boonah, opening the throttle somewhat along the way.
The CVO rolled away the distance effortlessly with great comfort and a big dollop of hi-tech style.
From Boonah the options were to keep heading north and back to Brisbane via Ipswich, but I opted to return the Beaudesert way and back to the Mt Lindesay Highway again, then to connect with the M2 heading east.
It was then a matter of engaging the Road Glide’s excellent cruise control, cranking my favourite playlist via the bike’s Bluetooth connection to my Forcite Smart Helmet and relaxing as it all rolled by.
Even at freeway speeds there is minimal buffeting from the bodywork and the rest of the ergos work well, even for the taller gentleman.
Before long I was back on the M1 and taking the exit to home as the shadows were lengthening.
With a few detours for photo stops, and a bit of exploring, I covered just on 400km.
It was a great day on a fabulous motorcycle. It’s comfortable, fast, luxurious and very capable. It’s a lot of money, but boy, it sure looks the part.
What a machine.
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