Testimonials for Australia Curves to Phillip Island
"All the hotels had their own character which made them special, if I have to choose one I would say the one at Phillip Island. That is mainly due to the fact when waking up the first thing you see is the ocean. All the meals were great, the Dinner at Mamak in Sydney getting a real good taste of the Malaysian cuisine, the lunch at the Radio Springs Hotel was fabulous, the lunch at Tuscany had a special family touch to it apart from the great taste, the atmosphere at Batemans Bay was mesmorizing with real good seafood, the dinner at Pino’s Trattoria with all the MotoGP history eating Italian food was just amazing and last but not least the dinner at Thai at the Island. I’ve ridden a few MotoGP tracks but Phillip Island is a track that makes it very easy to get comfortable with increasing your speed every time you go out, the layout is quick to learn, the speed you manage after the first day makes you hungry for more. Unfortunately you don’t see much of the scenic view while riding but looking at the pictures afterwards is just an awesome experience. The whole organisation of the track day was done in a very professional way, the bikes were great to ride, no issues whatsoever. he was great adapting to our pace on the road as well as adapting the speed when the road condition changed. On the tour Cat had everything under control all the time making sure we wouldn’t run out of fuel, chose great viewing points along the road. Kept a very good timing of the day trip making sure we arrive at our destination in time. It was all good"
Holger Kösling.
“As a WERA racer, I signed up for the two days of track time at Phillip Island Circuit, on a California SuperBike School BMW S1000R. The bikes are very well maintained, & they refuel as needed. They even added a little front brake fluid when I asked for it. It comes with Dunlop Q3’s, an adequate tire. They will change them when shagged. This tour is the easiest way for anyone to make that happen: pick up & drop off at the airports, hotels are booked, transport to & from the track, & you can rent a full set of gear if you don’t have your own (any color you want, as long as it’s black).
December is the start of Summer in Oz, so the weather was great. There is always some wind on the circuit, usually coming off the water. There was some brief rain, but it never fell on our group. By the time we got back out, the line was dry.
They do 4 groups, with no lunch break per se. I recommend the Medium Slow for the first day to get the layout & feel of the bike, then bump up to Medium Fast for day 2. PI Ride Days runs everything, check their website for more details, & they are as good or better than similar groups here in the US. They constantly monitor laptimes, & move people up as needed. They can’t tell you times for “insurance purposes”, but can give generalities.
Cat says, “You’ll never watch the races here the same way after riding it,” & he’s right.
The bonus is 5 days of street riding on some of the most scenic twisty roads in the world. Up hills, down hills, coastal highways, through jungles, forests, & ranch land. Your steed is a BMW GS, also well maintained; rental choices are limited in Oz. 90% of the route is paved roads, that 10% makes the GS the right choice. Most roads are equal to stuff here in the US, depending on where you are from. Their freeways are equal to our interstates. I build roads & bridges for a living, so I know what quality looks like. Some of the more rural stuff is sketchy, watch out for loose gravel at the worst place it could be.
We had a small group, so we were all fine with a ‘spirited’ pace. At times, I wanted to go faster, but it is street riding.
Watch out for traffic (speed) cameras & live cops in Victoria.
Hotels were all good (the ski lodge is amazing), great food at the evening restaurants & morning coffee shops, & yes, plenty of great Australian beer! (Not Fosters)
Bottom line, if think you might want to or be able to go, BOOK THIS TOUR! It’s worth every penny, & all your friends will be jealous.”
‘Michael J. Wagner’
Australian Curves to Phillip Island was the trip of a lifetime! I'd ridden on the back of a motorcycle only once prior to this trip...but now I never want to travel any other way. As a passenger, I had the most amazing view from Sydney to Melbourne & all the wonderful stops in between. While the riders were racing around the track at Phillip Island, I was hand feeding kangaroos & wallabies. Leave the logistics of trip planning to Leod Escapes, and just enjoy the ride. We can't wait to travel with them again!
Sydney Heath-Williams
Australia Curves to Philip Island: December 2015
It was when we were just setting off, leaving town and catching a glimpse of our moving reflection in the store front windows that it felt like we were starting something special, a five day motorcycle journey from Sydney to Melbourne. This adventure came with a special treat. The icing on the cake of an amazing road trip, two days of track time at Philip Island, home to World Superbike and Moto GP racing. Its expectation would add an extra level of excitement to the days ahead.
Before we even launched, Nancy coached us through deciding what to bring and how to pack as well as helping us with anything else we needed. Our fearless leader Cat MacLeod, had taken away all the stress of planning the whole tour, from arranging for the bikes to designing the scenic route. Leading us from the ocean to rain forests, into the mountains, and all varieties of landscape, we were in good hands with an expert rider and guide. It was nice knowing that he knew where to go so we could enjoy the ride, once even taking us into a field to see a wild kangaroo mob coming in for grass nibbles. Cat also knew where to stop for lunch. The hidden gems that only the locals would know with fresh fabulous meals and warm welcomes. The hotels were perfect and located within walking distance to dinner, giving us a chance to clean up, stretch our legs, and have evenings free to explore. Maybe most importantly, Cat had an instinct for when to stop for a break, even before we thought we needed it, but definitely did. Often times we’d stop at a petrol station for rehydration or a stretch, or when traversing Bandara and isolated in the mountains you get comfortable stepping out into nature.
This tour helped us to meet people and see places that we would not have experienced traveling on our own. Cat took the time to take us to a nature center so we could interact with the local wildlife, including wallabies, roos, wombats, dingos, and a Tasmanian devil.
We enjoyed the camaraderie and riding pace of the group. In Cowes on Philip Island we felt part of a bigger team, eating pizza at Pino Trattorio surrounded by other track day riders with MotoGP memorabilia covering the walls, and seated where Valentino Rossi once sat. And we can’t forget our farewell dinner at ‘Thai on the Island’ which is owned and run by one of the track stewards.
Cat went the extra mile on the last day to drive us all the way to our hotel after dropping the others at the airport. We were staying on for another week and chose St. Kilda for its beach and sailing, south of Melbourne proper. He really did go the extra mile in every way.
Gosh, we had such a great time in Australia. No doubt, watching the televised races from Philip Island will never be the same. Looking forward to our next adventure with Leod Motorcycle Escapes!
Thanks so much,
Hugh and Joan (the nimble pillion)
If you enjoy travel, touring, and track riding, don't just think about taking a tour with Leod Motorcycle Escapes, do it! It's an adventure beyond cool and an experience you'll never forget. I know of no other touring company that provides the rare opportunity to ride on a world class race track, as well as mountain roads of the surrounding country, and Leod makes it easy.
I was fortunate enough to be a part of Leod's Australian Curves to Phillip Island tour and can truly say it's a trip that should not be missed. From start to finish, Leod's organization and attention to detail meant I didn't have to think about logistics. Whether transportation, lodging, or food – everything was pre-arranged and without worry. Not having to think about those details left me free to enjoy the amazing scenery, local hospitality, group camaraderie, and, of course, the spirited riding. There is simply no better way for a track enthusiast to enjoy Australia.
As for Leod's other tour destinations, I've been working hard to create my next travel opportunity and expect that Europe is in my near future!
Scott Mebust
