A lot of people said his little 250cc motorbike wouldn’t be able to do it.
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But it’s made round-trips from Darwin to Ayres Rock and Darwin to Perth and now former Tamworth man, Barry Simshuaser is roaring his way down the countryside towards Hobart, raising money for prostate cancer.
Mr Simshuaser is taking part in The Long Ride, an annual fundraising trek for the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia.
He took a detour for a pit-stop in his former hometown to catch-up with family and do some maintenance.
“I’m going the long way, everyone else from Darwin, they’re going straight through the centre, I’ve cut down the east coast,” he said.
“After I complete this ride, that little bike has only got to go from Melbourne to Perth and it has been around Australia.”
Mr Simshauser said the bike is punching well above its weight on the long-distance charity rides.
“It’s a Suzuki TU 250x, it’s a commuter bike, it’s what you call a street bike,” he said.
“It’s not designed to do what it does, but it has surpassed all expectations with very little maintenance.”
He said it’s the “most reliable” bike he’s ever owned and, like the rider, its origins trace back to Tamworth.
“It used to belong to my father,” he said.
“It was originally purchased here in Tamworth and it’s been all over the countryside ever since I got my hands on it and I’ve put nearly 40,000km on that bike in nearly two years.”
Mr Simshauser has jumped at the opportunity to get on his bike for the prostate cancer cause.
“It is the highest terminal cancer in Australia,” he said.
“The money doesn’t just go towards finding a cure, it helps the families with counselling and support while dad, their uncle brother or cousin is in hospital recuperating.”
He urged men to get checked.
“Most men think it is a finger in the rectum for a prostate check and they’re too afraid to go to the doctor, but it’s actually a simple blood test, if you pick it u pearly it can save lives,” he said.
Mr Simshauser is hoping to raise $5000 from the Darwin to Hobart ride.
People can donate at everydayhero.com