EV Friendly Ride Routes: Best Electric Motorbike Day Trips from Melbourne

Speaking from experience as a resident of over 12 years, Melbourne’s reputation as a food and culture capital is well deserved. And don’t get me started on coffee.  Melbourne is also one of the best cities in Australia to ride an electric motorbike, with the Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula and Great Ocean Road all within comfortable range of a full charge.

This is the first post in a new EV Friendly Ride Routes series, where I map out destination-worthy stops for electric motorbike riders, region by region. We're starting close to home with Melbourne, rounding up some of my favourite breweries, cafes and wineries for a great day (or weekend) road trip.

Each stop below was chosen with EV riding in mind, so there is a mix of shorter loops you can comfortably do on a single charge and longer runs worth planning your trip around with a lunch-break top-up charge. 

What Makes a Ride Route EV Friendly?

For this series, I am calling a ride route EV friendly where the distance, charging options, and final destination all work together, not just a nice road to the middle of nowhere.

When picking stops for this series, I’m thinking about:

• Return-trip range: Can you either comfortably get there and back on a single charge, with reserve to spare, or settle down for a nice break while charging your bike up at an outlet
• Charging options nearby: As mentioned above, destinations must have a charger available (or standard outlet too if using the Savic C-Series adapter)
• Riding variety: A good ride should have a mix of highway stretches and twistier back roads, to take full advantage of the C-Series balance and handling.
• Worth the ride: I am only recommending destinations that are good enough to be the reason for the trip, not just a stopover point.

The Savic C-Series has up to 220 km of mixed city and highway range , so most of the stops below are well within reach of a single charge from Melbourne, with a few longer options worth planning around.

Yarra Valley: EV Motorbike Friendly Wineries VIC

The Yarra Valley is one of the most popular day-ride destinations from Melbourne.
With plenty of twists and turns and only an hour from the CBD, it's an easy loop on a single charge.

Image source: visitvictoria.com

Oakridge Wines
864 Maroondah Hwy, Coldstream (~55KM East from CBD)
https://oakridgewines.com.au/
Open Daily 10AM - 5PM
Destination Charger: Type 2, 11kW AC Porsche destination charger and Tesla destination chargers available.
Free to use, open to visitors while dining or visiting the cellar door

Worth the Detour: Head up north through Eltham-Yarra Glen Road to sneak in a few sweeping corners along the way Ride Route Here

Oakridge Wines are known for their cool-climate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, and the 2022 One-Hatted Restaurant is perfect for a special occasion.
I am personally a big fan of their Block 864 Chardonnay, especially after cellaring for 5-10 years.

St Huberts Winery
1 / 3 St Huberts Rd, Coldstream (~45KM East from CBD)
https://www.sthuberts.com.au/
Open Daily 10AM - 5PM
Destination Chargers: 6 EV parking stations with 11kW Type 2 AC charging
Cost: Around $0.35 per kWH, open to visitors while dining or visiting the cellar door

Worth the Detour: Head up north through Etham-Yarra Glen Road to sneak in a few sweeping corners along the way Ride Route Here

There are several other great stops around Coldstream (I suggest Levantine Hill and Yering Station), so it’s easy to string together two or three stops in a single ride before heading home, without adding much distance.

Dandenong Ranges: EV Motorbike Friendly Stopover

Image source: visitvictoria.com

The Dandenong Ranges offer some of the best riding from Melbourne. Many riders do laps up and down the Mountain Highway, with a really great bakery to stopover at

Proserpina Bakehouse
261 Mount Dandenong Tourist Rd, Ferny Creek
https://www.proserpinabakehouse.com.au/
Open 7am-4pm daily Wed-Mon
Destination Charger: 1x Tesla Type 2 charger available, for customers only

Worth the detour: Great route on the Mountain Highway and then back up Tourist Road Ride Route here

Work up an appetite riding; Proserpina Bakehouse is famous for their generous portions and artisanal scratch-baked goods. A perfect refueling stop while you explore the ranges.

Mornington Peninsula & Bayside: EV Motorbike Friendly Breweries VIC

Image source: timeout.com.au

Another good ride from the city is down to the Mornington Peninsula and along the Bayside. A couple of stops along the way with EV charging facilities along the way that I recommend:

Stomping Ground Brewery & Beer Hall
9 Cochranes Rd, Moorabbin (~20KM SE from CBD)
https://www.stompingground.beer/
Open daily from 11:30AM
BYO Type 2 Charging Stations available inside the underground carpark on Cochranes Road

Worth the detour: Great opportunity to ride along beach road, a more relaxed ride and very scenic. Ride Route Here

Only a stone's throw from Melbourne CBD, while still offering a great ride and scenery along the bayside.  Stomping Ground has a relaxed beer hall setup, perfect for a good pub feed.

St Andrews Beach Brewery
160 Sandy Road, Fingal (~90KM SW from CBD)
https://www.standrewsbeachbrewery.com.au/
Open Wed-Sun 12PM - Late
Destination Charger: 2 Type 2, 11kW AC Porsche destination chargers
Available to customers only while visiting the venue

Worth the Detour: Hop off the freeway at Frankston to cruise the coastal strip through Mount Martha. You'll catch sweeping ocean views and a stretch of cliffside twisties that feels just like a mini Great Ocean Road. Ride Route Here

Set among an apple orchard on the Mornington Peninsula, with a large range of their own beers and a genuinely great atmosphere for an afternoon off the bike.
Pair St Andrews Beach Brewery with a stop at Donato below, and you've got a solid Peninsula loop from the city.

EV Motorbike Friendly Cafes VIC

If you’re riding along the coast, there are 2 coastal cafes worth planning a ride around: one for a shorter Peninsula loop, and one for a longer run down the Great Ocean Road

Donato
88 Craigi Rd, Mount Martha (~65KM South from CBD)
https://www.donatocafe.com.au/
Open daily from 6:30AM
Destination Chargers: Two Tesla Type 2 destination EV chargers with up to 16 kW of charging power
Available 24/7 for customers and guests

Worth the Detour: If you're in no rush, cruise along Beach Road all the way down from the CBD to Mount Martha for a laid back coastal run. Ride Route Here

A locally loved breakfast and brunch spot on the Peninsula, well known for its Eggs Benedict and dog-friendly outdoor setting.

Swingbridge Cafe
40 Great Ocean Rd, Lorne (~145KM SW from CBD)
https://www.swingbridgecafe.com.au/
Open daily from 7:00AM
No destination charger, but it is right next to the Lorne Visitor Information Centre and public EV Charging Station, with Type 2 / CCS connections and up to 50kW DC Rapid Charging
Cost: Standard Network Rates ($0.40-$0.70 per kwH)

Worth the Detour: The Lorne to Apollo Bay run is world-famous for a reason, packing the tightest coastal curves and best views on the entire route. Make time to run this section up and down a couple of times to get your fill before starting the return trip. Ride Route Here

Right on the water in Lorne, with a menu that punches above its weight and some of the best coastal views on this list. This one's a longer ride from the city, so it's worth planning your charging around it rather than doing it in a single hop

NOTE: This cafe is approved by my dog Gigi

Is the Savic C-Series Good for EV Ride Routes?

The Savic C-Series is built to handle exactly this kind of riding: a mix of city streets, open road and a destination worth the trip.

Its ride-route benefits include:

• Up to 220 km of estimated mixed city/highway range

• A 180 km/h top speed, so open sections of road are no problem

• Cruise control for longer highway stretches

• Regenerative braking through the twistier back roads

• Customisable ride modes to balance performance and range

• Charging from a standard household power point if there’s no destination charger available, or you’re staying overnight.

For the Yarra Valley and Bayside stops on this list, a full charge will comfortably get you there and back. For longer runs like Lorne, it's worth mapping your route around a charging stop, the same way you'd think about fuel on a longer ride.

Each C-Series is made to order and built in Melbourne for Australian roads and conditions.

Download the C-Series brochure to explore its range, performance, charging and customisation options.

DOWNLOAD THE C-SERIES BROCHURE

Opening hours, addresses and offerings are correct at the time of writing but may change. Always confirm details directly with each venue before you ride, and check real-world range against your own riding style before planning a longer route.