Adelaide is one of the neatest cities in Australia, laid out in 1837 by Colonel William Light on a grid of wide streets, squares and a ring of parklands that still wraps the centre like a green belt. Unlike most Australian colonies, South Australia was settled by free emigrants rather than convicts, and the city has long had a reputation for being quietly civilised, with good food, many festivals, and a relaxed pace. The Torrens river runs through the centre, the Adelaide Hills rise to the east, and the Gulf St Vincent lies to the west.
For a motorcyclist, the city's best feature is how close the good roads are. Within twenty minutes of the centre you can be on the climbs of the Adelaide Hills, through bends shaded by gum trees, with views back over the plain to the sea. Gorge Road, following the Torrens Gorge, is a favourite, and the Chain of Ponds and the roads toward Birdwood have a good flow. The Barossa Valley, famous for its Shiraz, lies about an hour north-east, and the Clare Valley, with its Riesling and old stone villages, a bit further beyond. Spring, from September to November, and autumn, from March to May, are best. Summer can be fiercely hot, with bushfire risk in the hills, and total fire ban days can restrict activity, so check conditions.
Culture is easy to find. Hahndorf, in the hills, was settled by German Lutheran immigrants in 1839 and still has the look of a Prussian village, with bakeries and beer halls. The Barossa has the same heritage, with its Lutheran churches, sausages and rye bread. Back in the city, the Central Market, one of the largest undercover fresh produce markets in the southern hemisphere, is a great breakfast stop, where you can eat coffee, pastries, cheese and olives while the stallholders do their morning shouting. Adelaide is also well known for its pie floater, a meat pie floating in thick pea soup, a strange and loved local invention.
Practicalities are never a problem in a city of over a million. Fuel is available on every main road, including twenty-four-hour stations, and there are plenty of motorcycle shops and repair services. Kangaroos can be a hazard on country roads at dawn and dusk, so keep your speed down when the light fades. Carry water in summer, and remember that mobile coverage thins out in some of the more remote valleys.