‘Go for it’: Meet the Germans tackling Australia’s dirt tracks on 50-year-old two stroke bikes

Two kooky Germans on a mission to ride Australia’s famous 4WD tracks on 50-year-old 50cc motorbikes have landed in Townsville after surviving their first major trip, the Telegraph.

Time to Ride co-founders Bea HÅ¡benreich and Helmut Koch are riding their 50cc vintage Mopeds on the toughest tracks around Australia. Picture: Shae Beplate.

Two kooky Germans on a mission to ride Australia’s famous 4WD tracks on 50-year-old 50cc motorbikes have landed in Townsville after surviving their first major trip.

Helmut Koch and Bea Hoebenreich first caught the bug for Australia’s harsh, remote landscape in 2011 when they decided to sell their lives up, buy two Honda Transalps, and ride around the world.

“We actually started in Australia,” Mr Koch said of that fateful first adventure.

“We really fell in love with Australia, the country and the people, and we knew we wanted to come back.”

The couple spent five years driving down every dirt road they could find in the world, and once the global trip was done, Australia still ranked as the best country of them all in their hearts (right next to Mongolia).

“Australia stuck in our minds because the people are so open and friendly,” Mr Koch said.

Time to Ride co-founders Bea HÅ¡benreich and Helmut Koch are riding their 50cc vintage Mopeds on the toughest tracks around Australia. Picture: Shae Beplate.

“And for us from Europe, travelling in Australia is like being in a zoo.”

Fast forward to 2024 and the duo are back in the zoo - this time with 12-month visas - picking up their ‘vintage’ two-stroke Kreidler bikes at Brisbane airport, and setting off North via Clermont and Ravenswood.

Thirteen years ago they only went as far as Cairns on their Hondas, so getting into the Cape was a big deal for the Europeans.

The couple said they spent four days on the Telegraph Track, and only saw four other cars.

Time to Ride co-founders Bea HÅ¡benreich and Helmut Koch are riding their 50cc vintage Mopeds on the toughest tracks around Australia. Picture: Shae Beplate.

“It was not busy at all,” Ms Hoebenreich said of the October traffic.

“People have told us at the top where there is a sign, they’ve had to line up to take a picture with it, but we were the only people there.”

Mr Hulmet said they could’ve “stripped off and swam naked in the rockpool” with a few beers.

“The bikes only had a couple of minor issues, we drowned one in a river, but it’s fine now,” Mr Helmut said.

“Not having aircon or anything wasn’t an issue because we love camping, we have a stove, our tent and a mattress and that gives us the freedom to stay anywhere.”

Time to Ride co-founders Bea HÅ¡benreich and Helmut Koch are riding their 50cc vintage Mopeds on the toughest tracks around Australia. Picture: Shae Beplate.

Ms Hoebenreich said it was also easier to adjust to Australia’s climate when you’re constantly in the elements, rather than moving in and out of an air conditioned car.

Currently the couple are house sitting in Mount Low, using the down time to edit together videos of their trip.

“This time we really want to produce high quality videos,” Ms Hoebenreich said.

“We’ve got one episode up on YouTube already, and a second one is about ready.”

The couple said they want to show people there was value in ‘just doing it’.

“Go for it and don’t wait till retirement, or until you have the money for all the fancy stuff,” Mr Koch said.

“I don’t know if you have it here in Australia, but in Germany there has been a growing trend of people wanting very fancy and expensive vehicles and stuff for travelling. But you don’t need that, it’s about the spirit and going there.”

This desire to show you don’t need all the trendy gear to travel is why the Germans have put their faith in two 50-year-old two stroke engines.

The original plan was to do the Tele track then cross the Top End to tackle other giants like the Savannah Way, Gibb River Rd, Great Central Road, and Oodnadatta track, but concerns about the wet season have convinced them to head south instead.

“We’re going to go clockwise now,” Ms Hoebenreich said.

“We hope we can cover most of Australia’s tracks in a year. We want to do the Birdsville track and things like that, and if the bikes prove they can handle it we will think about the Canning Stock Route.”

If you’d like to follow the couple’s progress, they can be found on YouTube and Facebook as ‘TimetoRide’.

Originally published as ‘Go for it’: Meet the Germans tackling Australia’s dirt tracks on 50-year-old two stroke bikes