Too Long

Well it's been way too long since I took the time to write on here and I've been on so many rides, I can hardly remember them all.

I remember coming back from the Ruptured Budgie Rally between Tenterfield and Texas back in mid-May and saying that I would have to write a blog on how much fun it was. Its one rally that is on my 'must do' list if only for the ride out there and back. Actually the rally is a fun night too. I met lots of very interesting people and listened to and told lots of stories around the bonfires at night.

It was pretty cold riding, but we all had the right gear on. There were more complaints about the rough road in one section than there was about the cold weather. But apart from that section it was certainly a great ride. There were 6 bikes, a nice little group of friends, and we went out through Boonah, Rathdowney, Woodenbong and Tenterfield. On the way back we went through Stanthorpe and Warwick till we got our heads straightened out from the night before, then cut through Allora to Ma Ma Creek before stopping in at the Glamorganvale for a few drinks on the last leg.

Of course we were blaming the sore heads on the need to drink lots of port because of the cold weather. The night before we got there it was -2 degrees and the washing up water was frozen in the bowl. Just as well we took that good bottle of port. I was as snug as a bug when I did finally crawl into bed and I know that I didn't surface the next morning until the frost had melted.

I just love those overnighters. I've done a few others lately too. June long weekend I went to the Rally Man Rally at Grevillia (before Kyogle). I was really keen to go for a ride by myself, but I had a little bit of trouble doing that as there were so many bikes on the road. I was forced to overtake 6 shiny red and yellow jap bikes just out of Dugandan (near Boonah) in an effort to ride alone, but alas they wanted to play, so I was forced to make sure they stayed in the chase position. I let them pass when we got to a T intersection after the windy bits and gave them a bit of space so I could resume my ride alone. As much as I like riding with other bikes, sometimes I just like to get out there by myself for a while.

Now that Rally Man Rally is a hoot. There were about 5 different bands playing from early afternoon when I got there till around 2:30 in the morning. Funnily enough some of the early bands were better than the last one, or maybe I was just a little befuzzled by then. But it's definitely a great time. Only thing bad about it was that it finished too soon. Sunday morning everyone packed up and left, when I had expected the music to start up again. I had planned to go for a nice ride, have lunch somewhere, pick up lots more alcohol and set myself up for another night of bopping in front of the band with a drink. But not to worry plan B was just as good.

I ended up back at one of the SMP rider's houses playing pool, drinking and being much much warmer than I would have been out in that paddock. And I blitz them at pool...gotta love that. Oh SMP, in case you were wondering is an acronym that they like to refer to as Suck More Piss. I believe it actually stands for some peninsula in South Australia where they formed their club, but their shirts have "a drinking club with a motorcycle problem" printed on the back and that says it all. Needless to say they were a great bunch to party with and it's just as well I played pool well that night because I certainly wasn't riding well that afternoon...I was feeling just a little ordinary, but that didn't last too long once we got started again.

So I hope you are not letting the weather hold you back...cold in Aus, damned hot where my friends are in Arizona. Keep it upright and have fun :)

Poker Machines On Wheels!!!!

Had to laugh at this...Speed Cameras A Con. I really think that the Queensland Government has stuffed up big time on this - speed cameras are supposed to be a deterrent to speeding. To do so, I believe that we need to see more police on the roads, not unmarked cars parked on the side of the road with radars!

They boast that they are trying to reduce the road toll by adding more unmarked speed cameras to our roads!! How can you say you are attempting to deter speeding when you are doing so by deception?? It really is insulting the drivers of this state, being treating like children.

It should be about the visual impact with more cops on the road - I know that I and nearly everyone else will always watch their behaviour on the road if a candy car is visible. They are on the spot and can deal with the situation in an appropriate manner. To have a politician tell us that "when people get tickets in the mail it will dawn on them" is an insult not only to us, but also to the police who are forced to bear the anger of drivers/riders.

Good on you Ian Leavers for speaking your mind.

Ride & Party this weekend

Party at the GlamorganVale Hotel this Saturday night. 4 Bands Playing
6pm for Dinner (bookings 07 54266222) Free Camping / Undercover areas for swags / Lockup area for bikes / shower & toilet block for campers.
Ride leaves the pub at 10am
Bands from 6:30pm *Fat Cheese* *Chaia* *Alchemist* *Rotten Dog*
Heaps of raffles - hand crafted guitar; airbrush air piece; meat trays to raise money for Scotty (his wife and 2 kids) to help in his fight agains Lymphoma Blood Cancer
All welcome - family friendly.

Go to their website for directions http://www.glamorganvalehotel.com.au/default.html

Thumpa!!

Look what I scored!! I decided it was time to finally explore some of the great dirt strips we have around Brisbane and so a couple of weeks back set out looking for something that would enable me to do so. I looked at a few dirt bikes around the place but eventually found this 2002 KTM 520 EXC for a bloody good price and so bought it. The bike is in pretty good nic considering its age, but does need a couple of minor things done to make it comfortable for me to ride. The thing only weighs in at around 115kg, so that makes the rider heavier than the machine!! It is registered so I can ride it on the road, although after riding it the 30kms home I would not want to be on the black stuff for too long on this.

I suppose the reasoning behind me wanting to get into some dirt bike riding stems from the fact that the roads are becoming a bit too restrictive - after loosing my license for a few months last year and watching the ever increasing precense of unmarked cop cars, bikes and speed traps on many of the routes I like to ride, I thought about heading off road and saving my "moments" for a place where I am less likely to be nabbed or cause injury. There are also some fantastic tracks running through the many National Parks and forests in south east Queensland.

I do still have the GSX but I now also have an alternative, so stay tuned for some off-road stories coming soon.

My Triumph Daytona 675 Experience

How do readers - long time & not much written!! As you may have read in previous posts, I have not really had the urge to blog much, due in part to the fact that I haven't really been riding outside of my daily commute and also because of some major changes in my personal life. So I thought I would make an attempt to get back into it by documenting my experiences on riding Cindy's bike while she has not been able to.

Back in October I went on a ride with Cindy - unfortunately she suffered an injury whilst on this ride and is still recovering from it 6 months down the track. She is now walking unaided, but is still a long way off being able to get back on her bike whilst the bone in her ankle repairs. In the meantime she so generously offered her Daytona to me to ride - and wow, what an experience I have had!

When I first had a good look at her Triumph Daytona I thought to myself that there was no way I would ever ride one of "those". Being a true sports bike it would mean a large proportion of my somewhat ample weight on my wrists in what I thought would be a very uncomfortable riding position. Anyway, I agreed to look after her bike and ride it for maybe one or two days a week whilst she could not.

The first time I started this bike in my own garage, the sound immediately grabbed me - there is something about a Daytona 675 with a decent pipe that is extremely appealing, as well as being somewhat Jekyll and Hyde. The bike quietly purrs whilst it sits there warming up, but give the throttle a slight twist and she barks at you, almost daring you to get on with the real business and ride her. I was so used to the rumble of a vee twin or the deep growl of my torque laden 1400, not the higher pitched "plastic fantastic" Trumpy. The seed had been planted.

Out onto the road, and whilst I was not overly happy with the posture I was forced into, the sounds coming from this baby kept me wanting more. This bike really sounded like a racing machine - the high pitched whine from the box coupled with the grumbling coming from the pipe exiting from beneath the pillion seat made this riding experience something completely different. I felt as if I had mounted something a little more refined than I was used to - a racing machine with real personality. The one thing I did find initially difficult - other than the weight on my wrists - was pushing the tacho needle up into what would usually be redline territory for me. I struggled listening to this poor little three pot 675 screaming from between my legs - but it still pulled my weight comfortably even though it sounded as if it was straining, which it clearly wasn't. This was the nature of this beast.

The riding experience on the Daytona made me feel as if I was travelling faster that what I actually was - I was closer to the road, the motor was really reving, I was enjoying it immensely, and for once I was not upsetting anyone. After a few weeks of getting to know the bike and learning to use my thighs and lower back more effectively, I found that I was picking the Triumph key from the rack more often than the Suzi. That is not to say that I don't enjoy the 1400 when I do ride her - it is just a very different experience. The Daytona is real head down arse up type, lighter and nimble, more suited to single seat fun. The Suzuki is more the torque laden monster, better suited to touring with a pillion & luggage or just flat out power.

I really do have to pay my utmost respect to this bike - it has opened me up to a different type of riding experience - one that I honestly thought I would never get the chance to try nor enjoy.

And it hasn't yet ended - well at least not until Cindy wants her back!!


A footnote: I am yet to really push the Daytona as I am still gaining my confidence riding it and finding out exactly what it can do. I have no doubt that it will perform adequately with me on it, however it is a slightly different riding style, one that I am yet to fully come to terms with. And I do not own it!! Last thing I want to do is something like this.

Number 7

Barry Sheene passed away on Monday 10 March 2003, aged 52. He was a great bloke and a champion rider, winning the 1976/1977 500cc world championship wearing his cherished number 7. In 1987 he swapped his native England for Oz and went on to become a highly respected motor racing commentator on Australian television.

With it being 7 years since his passing I thought it appropriate that I post a couple of videos in his memory - and if you are in Sydney, don’t forget to check out the Barry Sheene Festival of Speed 3-4 April 2010 at Eastern Creek.

2010 GSX1400.org Calendars

These great quality A3 sized calendars are now on sale - if you want to get hold of one, send me an email and I will advise you of the ordering procedure.

How Long Has It Been?

Hey there, sorry I haven't written anything of late, I guess the summer weather tends to lead to more motorcycling and less blogging. And WoW isn't summer Hot!

It was a real struggle riding on the Toy Ride last Saturday, but seeing so many people (especially the children and oldies) getting such a thrill out of watching the passing parade and then being able to donate money and a special toy to some needy children made it very worthwhile. Apparently there were around 800 bikes in the parade with the town’s people lining the roads all the way to cheer us on and hand over toys for donation. It actually gave me goose bumps seeing the joy it bought to people all braving a stinking hot day for a good cause. It’s always good to catch up with friends on the ride and I even made some nice new friends.

That was one of the most sedate rides I've been on for a while, so naturally I have tales of a few other rides that had the revs up higher. Let me think....working my way back...

There was a ride the prior Saturday with the Glamorgan Vale riders which went from the pub, down the motorway, to the Tumbulgum Hotel for lunch. Great catching up with friends even though we managed to loose one rider on the way. Apparently after he stopped trying to find us he had quite a good day. It's a wonder we didn't loose more from the ride because Rusty missed a turn that should have had us going back through the Numinbah Valley past Natural Arch, but instead we headed out towards Nimbin. Kyogle Road from Murwillumbah is great to ride, so before too long we were 70ks south at Kyogle with a smile on our faces, only to realise it was getting late and we were about 3 hours from home. Oh well, it was a great ride and possibly even better from then on, riding the Mt Lindsay Highway over the boarder ranges then the Rathdowney-Boonah Road - fantastic at high speed! We rode hard and fast all day and I just loved it.

One of our group had a spill which put a bit of a damper on the day though. He took a corner a bit too fast and ended up just missing a tree and was thrown into a barbed wire fence. A driver in a 4WD took him to hospital while a couple of us arranged to get his bike back to town. The bike was rideable only having a small scratch and a bent forward control gear change rod, and thankfully our mate wasn't in too bad a way. I guess we like to think positive and say he was lucky it could have been much worse. He ended up with 80 stitches in his upper arm and some micro surgery on his finger to fix a bit of tendon damage, but he's in good spirits and happy that the insurance company came to the party with a new jacket and fixed his bike.

I went to the Imbil Rally a few weeks back. That rally is on my must do list; it was excellent. I met up with new and old friends, danced and partied till the wee hours and had a great ride to and from Imbil through Kenilworth, Melany, Kilcoy and Esk. There is only a DJ playing music, but everyone has a great time and its one of the few runs not put on by a patch club where there are a high percentage of Harleys. It’s nice to get there early and relax during the day with a cold drink and for those a little competitive, there is a gymkhana in the afternoon that is pretty entertaining.

I took a 2010 model FatBoy Lo out for a test ride recently too, thinking it might be my next new bike, but that's not going to happen. I didn't like the riding position and the fact that I scraped the running boards half a dozen times on a ride around town. Just imagine what it would be like on some windy roads. Oh well, it just wasn't meant to be no matter how much I liked that customised denim black beauty.

Back in September I went on an overnighter to Bundaberg with a group of 12 bikes; about 420 kms each way. A friend of ours is working in a pub up there, so what better excuse for a ride and party night. And party we did! I still laugh when I look back at the videos of people dancing (and staggering) on the bar. A great bunch of people and such a good laugh; it was one of the best overnighters I've been on in a long time. No mishaps and excellent riding both ways; can't beat that.

I know there are countless other rides that I have been on since I last wrote a blog, but hey, you just should have been there. As usual I forgot to pull out my camera most of the time, but I'm sure I can rustle up some pics from somewhere!

Safe riding over the silly season everyone! Take care and don't risk drinking and riding because they'll be out in force. I'll be relaxing by a spa/pool with a cocktail at a five star resort on the Gold Coast for a week over new year's but am planning to take an extra day off work the day before Australia Day and to make the most of a four day weekend and some twisters in Northern NSW. Let me know by email if you're interested in joining in.

Happy New Year Catch you in 2010 Cheers Donna

Everybody Hurts....

Thought this would be appropriate given the time of year - warning, some of it is graphic, but it is meant to be!

Stay safe....and just think a little.

Cindy's Ankle

Been a while hasn’t it!! I have been riding a bit, just nothing that I have found exciting enough to write about. The daily commute and a few short stints on the odd weekend have been the extent of my riding since getting my license back. That changed a little over the weekend.

I recently changed jobs – at my previous job I worked with Cindy, a lady whom owns a Triumph Daytona 675. She really didn’t seem to ride it that much and I was always on at her about coming out for a day on the road. After much harassment on my part, we finally arranged to do so last Saturday.

I was up early and headed cross-town to Cindy’s place at Springfield. The morning was overcast but the forecast was for a warm sunny day. I got there in just over 45 minutes and shared a coffee with her before heading off for a trip up to Tamborine and Eagle Heights for lunch. Always find it refreshing riding up in the mountains on a warm day.

We took the road from Springfield to the Mt Lindsay Hwy at a steady pace, allowing Cindy to find her feet again. Was a bit slow, but didn't really worry me that much. Onto the highway and then turning off not too far down to head towards Tamborine. Was great to get away from the traffic. The roads were good, the day was nice - not much more you could ask for. We reached the Logan to Tamborine strip and picked the pace up a little, finally pulling up for a break out the front of the Bearded Dragon. I let Cindy know that I would probably take off a bit from here but meet her at the top again.

If you haven't ridden it lately, the road up the mountain is currently being resurfaced. Up to about the half way mark the black stuff is new and smooth as, but then reverts back to the original crap that used to cover this climb all the way from the bottom - filled potholes and really bad camber in a lot of spots have long been it's weakness. It will be a fantastic bit of road once they finish the resurfacing and you pick your times to ride it. Traffic was quite heavy when we rode it so I was forced to use all of the road, but gees, the new bit is good.

I reached the top, pulled up and waited for a short while until Cindy was in my mirrors again. We then continued through Tamborine Village and pulled into the Eagle Heights pub for a few drinks. After a couple of hours we headed off again, this time heading towards the St Bernards pub to check out that huge dog!! We stopped at the info centre so Cindy could grab a few brochures about accomodation up on top of the mountain. Once done we mounted up and were about to hit the road when Cindy dropped her Daytona!

We had parked the bikes on a bit of a hill and as she was just about to take off she went to put her foot down but picked the wrong side. She overbalanaced and the bike went down, trapping her right leg underneath. I got off mine and lifted the bike off her but she was in pain, serious pain. An older couple who witnessed the fall rang an ambulance and stayed with us until it arrived - we sat and waited, watching a lot of other bikes just ride on past. I was pissed off that no other biker pulled up to see if all was ok - I would have for sure. Anyway, the ambos arrived and had a look at what had happened. They decided to cut her boot off and man, I was amazed at how swollen her ankle had become. She had obviously broken it after taking the full weight of her bike as it fell.

The ambos carted Cindy off to Logan Hospital and I found a place to store her bike. I then headed down (whoa, it was a great ride down!!!) to see how things turned out. On arriving at the hospital I was amazed to see how big her ankle had become. I didn't stay too long as she had a friend with her, but rang her later on and she confirmed that it was smashed. She is still in hospital and has already had one operation, with another on the cards once the swelling goes down.

Her bike was not damaged too much with just a couple of scratches on the fairing. Her ankle actually saved the bike, however, it bore the full weight. I felt so bad afterwards, but I do understand I wasn't responsible for what happened. It is just such a pity that we parked on that hill. Fortunately it was a zero speed accident and she will recover eventually, although with some inconvenience.

Take it easy out there people - something this simple can be very painful and very inconvenient.

Under (re)construction!!