ZX7 Tim Walker ZXR750 Ben Warden

ZX7 Rhys Williams RF900 Ian Payne

TL1000 Sam Sirianni GSXR600 Mark Blashki

VTR1000 Steve 1^st ride R1 Theo Kalkandis

Vmax Ian McFarlane (rear) ZZR600 Geoff Jones (rear)

R1100GS Geoff Barton (leader) ZX7 Darren Ford (2^nd ride)

CBR1000 Stewart and friend

13 bikes, 14 people

The ride started the night before with a call from Geoff Barton asking me to pick up the gang from KBCP. As it was on the route I said fine. So I collected Geoff Jones (ZZR) and Steve on his brand new, yellow VTR1000, which he was running in. We made good time to Hallam for the secondary pick-up, arriving with 10 minutes to spare. There were plenty of bikes with a few flagship models from the various Japanese manufacturers. It was quite a smorgasbord.

The pre-ride spiel dispensed with, first stop Trafalgar, we set off into very pleasant sunshine with Ian McFarlane on his Yamaha Vmax taking up the rear riding position. We headed south through the ever expanding suburbia working our way around through Hampton Park and Berwick South, all the bikes nose to tail, leader to rear rider, travelling at a sedate 90-100 km/h. On through Cardinia and people started to get bored and restless, riding in and out of the white lines, riding one handed, and stretching their legs. Hmm. What to do? It is rather difficult to ask the leader to speed up, particularly as it is his first ride, let alone considering the legal ramifications. I discussed it with Ian as we rode along. He shrugged his shoulders as if to say, I don’t know, whatever you feel like. So I cruised up the outside and motioned to Geoff to increase the pace. He happily obliged, and we never looked back.

The couple on the CBR left the ride somewhere around here, complaining of sinus problems.

Through Bayles, thenYannathan, picking up the Drouin Road before cutting south to Poowong. Corners at last, after 50 km of straight roads. Sam and I corner marked the turnoff to Poowong waving the rear rider on, giving the group time to get ahead. By the time we reached Poowong just in front of the rear rider, the two new guys (Steve and Darren) had left the corner. We pondered our predicament and figured they had headed for Ranceby. Moments later Steve and Darren returned, realising the error of their ways.

There was now quite a distance between the front and rear of the ride so Sam and I had a great derby between Ranceby and Ellinbank on the Warragul to Korumburra Road. The road surface was in the best condition ever, the curves flowing easily. Sam was happy to follow, noting the stability of my bike in sweepers, compared to his. His previous bike was a ZXR and he swears Kawasakis’ have the best front ends.

At Ellinbank I told corner marker Rhys the reason for the ten minute delay, also giving the others time to catch up. Now with most bikes behind us we headed around the Ellinbank Road to Yarragon. Watch out for those dips under the trees — I had a couple of shakes. I can never remember which one has the big dip.

Theo had his boot off, thinking that his leg was bleeding. He had the pins out of his leg, and the screws out of his shoulder, on Friday and here he was on the ride on Sunday, itching to get back into it. Apparently the bottom screw in his leg had broken and they had to take it out of both sides of his leg, leaving a big hole that need one more stitch than provided. Hence the ooziness. As it turned out his leg felt worse than it actually was, no blood seeping through the bandage. Suggestions of heading home were met with disdain.

Six km of highway to Trafalgar for food and fuel. The first swervo offered fuel, but no coffee or food. So we moved into town. The second location had food but no coffee! And the bakery was shut. We were about to move again when I suggested that they could walk the 150 m to the next milkbar that did serve coffee, otherwise they would have ridden!

It was 12.10 pm and morning tea. Lucky I had my thermos of soup, which seems to have lost its vacuum and was only warm. Ian McFarlane, Sam Sirianni and Steve bad their farewells, and Geoff Jones took up the rear riding position for the remaining part of the journey. I took a few photos of the bikes lined up in the street and gave a way a few duplicate photos from the Maldon Steam Train ride to Geoff Jones and Ian Payne. Time was pressing so soon enough we were back on the bikes and heading south.

Riding up out of Trafalgar is twisty, yet fast, and a well worn road. Thorpdale with its freeway-like series of esses on the approach, was slightly less pleasurable than usual due to a couple of slow cars. The pace of the ride had really picked up now and by this stage everyone was in the groove. We arrived at the big T junction and turned left towards Morwell and not Mirboo North and we usually do. Interest. Where were we going I wondered. Nine km up the fast, twisty road we turned right for Yinnar and worked our way back to Boolara and then Boolara South where Tim and I corner marked the Mirboo turnoff.

I was busting for a leak and cribbed forward looking for a tree. Tim took off, mistaking Darren on the black ZX7 for Geoff. I glanced in my mirror and saw Geoff hurtling off in the wrong direction down the Grand Ridge Road and set off in pursuit after negotiating a 3 point U turn. It took about 3 km of twisty roads to catch him and another half a kilometer to pass him and raise the alarm. We back tracked catching the group at the next corner trying to figure out what had happened, Tim still convinced the rear rider had gone through! Alls well that ends well and off we all headed, Geoff and I stopping soon after to relieve the pressure, where upon I was accosted by a trail bike rider offering assistance.

On to Dumbalk via familiar, good, twisty, downhill roads before opening out for the run to Meeniyan where we picked up the South Gippsland Highway to Foster. What a great series of wide, connected curves through here, allowing maximum lean angles. Petrol and lunch were consumed while discussing the slow access times when connecting to the Internet and what the possible causes and solutions could be.

With the sun marching steadily towards the horizon, the weather turning overcast and cold, we set off on our final fling. Across to Fish Creek and down to Walkerville. This was the southern most point of the ride and it started to rain, Geoff’s pace on the R1100 slackened marginally, but Ian had to convince himself that if Geoff could get around the corners at that speed on hard compound road/trail tyres, then he certainly could on soft compound road tyres. The rain lasted about 10 minutes and then petered out as we headed north to Tarwin Lower, then zigzagged west and north through Leongatha South, Outtrim, crossing the Korumburra Wonthaggi Road towards Jeetho and finally Loch. Interesting roads, particularly the 5 km uphill section where all the ZX7s ran nose to tail, Tim fired up and mobile.

From Loch we headed north through Nyora arriving at Lang Lang at about 4.05 pm, still over 100 km from home. It was a great, the first ride-ride for quite some time. Petrol and hot food were purchased, visors cleaned. Rhys had a look at my cosmetically challenged muffler and may have a solution. We also discussed what to do on the Melbourne Cup Day long weekend. Heading for the hills seeming like a worthwhile option. See elsewhere for more info.

Riders departed in dribs and drabs. Thanks to Geoff for first time lead — well planned, and to Ian and Geoff for rear riding duties. Home by 6 pm after being delayed on Springvale Road by Mr Plod seeking contributions to this year’s Policemans’ Ball re obscured number plate. I cleaned it last year, osifer, honest. $110.

Ben Warden ( tired ol’ Kawasaki ZXR750)