Who’s News July 2008

The MSR Home Page accumulated 648 hits during July, about the same as last month. Total visits are 45,694 since April 1996. Assuming the Club has your current email address, Ern Reeders has sent you email with an invitation to join [email protected]. This email group will work to support Club activities to the extent that people join, so please accept your invitation. People can post photos, have conversations, ask questions and get answers, sell stuff, look for goods. At the moment we have 18 members. Ern can be reached at [email protected] if you need help or would like to discuss.

Seen at the Social Sip, Thursday 6^th June 2008 at the Mark’s Place: Ben and Julie Warden, Trevor Harris and Barbara Rolfe, Paul Southwell, Ian Payne, Ron Johnston, Jacinta Thomas, Nic Jacka, Ken Goederee, Misho Zrakic, Pina Garasi, Jean and Clare Eldridge. 14 people

Welcome to new member Henry Wright on a Honda Spada 250. He has completed a few big rides including some wet and cold ones and has come through with flying colours. He is looking to upgrade from the Spada and has purchased a naked Triumph 675. Only two more months to wait before it is legal. He works for GMH tuning the myriad of electronic control systems on vehicles before they leave the production line, everything from engine management, air bag impact trigger force, brake systems to suspension control. We wish him many safe and fun rides and look forward to seeing his new bike.

The Club Participant of the Year is based on aggregate points accumulated at 1 point per ride, an extra point for leading or being rear rider, and 1 point per magazine article (maximum 2 per magazine). Attending one or more days of a weekend event scores 3 points for leading, 3 for rear riding duties and 2 points for participating.

The count is for the 2008/9 year ending at the 2009 AGM in May. The count after three months is Ben Warden (27), Ron Johnston (21), Paul Southwell (19), Pina Garasi (18), Randal Leacock (16), Ken Goederee (16), Misho Zrakic (16), Ian Payne (15), Nic Jacka (14), Dave Ward (12.5) and Cameron Stevens (10). With only one dry ride out of 6, and three really wet ones, it was a fine effort to see the most of the top guys picking up between 4 and 9 points over the period. Dave’s suspension saw him plummet through the ranks. Conversely Ian was out and about much more than in previous months and will soon be pressing the leaders.

Email from Dave Ward: There is a ride day at Phillip Island on Monday 22^nd of September run by the Honda Riders Club. Paul Southwell and I are keen at this stage and thought that other members may want to join us. The day costs $175 for non-members and $155 for members plus $20 license for the day. For more information please call Dave on 0413-624-598.

Congratulations to Randal Leacock who celebrated his 50th birthday a couple of weeks ago at Bridie O'Riellys on Chapel St. 

Chris Pointon crashed his GSXR1000 after putting on a new rear tyre. The tyre had no grip and slipped out. He damaged his foot in the crash and has been off work. He has been hobbling around for weeks and only last week was fit enough to come for a ride. We wish him a speedy and full recovery.

Email from Geoffrey Ross: The bike has been out of action since losing the front on turn one at Broadford. I was doing rider training so Shannon’s should have covered repairs. They declined saying that ‘the training you were doing was track specific not applicable to road riding’ One letter and two phone conversations from a lawyer and they are now honouring their policy. My lawyers comment was ‘they had not read their own policy very well’. So probably another four weeks to get the bike back on the road. Any recommendations on insurance would be appreciated.

Email from Stoimen Stojanov: Looking for a set of quality leathers (e.g. Dainese, Spidi, Tiger Angel, Alpinestar) to borrow or buy until I get some made for me. Size 54 or a loose 52 (need it more for length than girth!) - "L" 2 piece or one piece. Not too fussed about colours, protection is a higher priority to me. Can anyone help? (I haven't seen anything worthy on eBay or The Trading Post. Ray Quincey has a nice 2 piece Dainese, but they are asking $1195!) Ring 0431 951 263 or email [email protected].

Email from Randal Leacock after he had some issues with gear selection on his ZX9 on a Club ride: Just a wee note to let all the guys know I made it home ok. It was just like driving an auto: sit back and steer only. Only had 4^th gear but the engine and clutch worked well, no problems at all. Got home and had it fixed within the hour. The problem was the shift lever seized on the foot peg pivot. I had to hammer the shift lever off the foot peg, clean the surfaces, lubricate and refit. It now has six speeds and neutral and shifts like new. I will weld the exhaust bracket at work tomorrow. Then all ready for another day.

Also, I was talking to Tristan Culvenor from Redline Motorcycles in Dandenong. He is interested in running a dyno day, possibly Sat July 26/7 if there is enough people interested. If it can go ahead he might even put on a barbie. Thought of starting mid morning and running into the afternoon so people can call in when they can, see what a bike can do on a dyno, or put there bike on the dyno, and then go. He normally charges $50 for x2 dyno runs but on the day he will charge only $35 for x2 dyno runs, one run full on and another with the oxygen meter to measure fuel mixture. It would be interesting to see how a broad mix of bikes compare. (The dyno day ended up being a week later and Geoff Jones and Cameron Stevens attended along with Randal. See Geoff’s article. …Ed.)

Front Cover: Photo taken on Sunday 8^th June on the Korumburra Ride near Woolamai. Standing up: Gary Smith (1^st ride), Rick Whitehead, Tim Walker, Nic Jacka, Dave Ward, Misho Zrakic, Ron Johnston. Kneeling: Richard Marek, Pina Garasi, Paul Southwell. Ken Goederee reclining. Ben Warden behind the lens. Photo taking a bit lean this month as my camera has disappeared and now I am in the market for a digital SLR.

Email from Ron Johnston: After doing the Highlands ride and losing the contents of the muffler on the 400/4 on Sunday I contacted Megacycle on Monday to see if they could help me with another one. I faxed them the details and then spoke on the phone. They said they don’t make that size any more, (three and a half inch diameter), they only do four inch now, but went away and had a look and found some old stock and told me he could make one up. It was new, but had a couple marks on it and I could have it for $150, normally $350. I agreed, and said send it by post. When I picked it up and opened it up, I was surprised to see it was anodised gold with a black end cap. Fitted it to the bike and it sounds quite good.

Saturday before Gippsland ride I had to take the clutch out of the 400/4 because I have been having a few problems with free play and the clutch slipping. Three of the six steel plates were a bit shiny, which proves that it had been slipping a fair bit. Cleaned all the plates, used some 80 grit sand paper and scuffed both sides of the steel plates. The cause of the problem was where the clutch lifter went through the side cover. The hole was worn egg shape instead of being round and that has been the problem all along.

I took the cover off the spare motor, which on close inspection, was in good condition, assembled the plates in the clutch basket and put it all back together, made the necessary adjustments and took it for a test ride. Brillant! No more clutch slip and she goes like a 400/4 should. No more clutch slip at the top end. The Gippsland ride proved that, even the fuel economy should be better.

I have sent the old clutch cover to Peter Scott (Motorised Metalcraft 0409 096 548 ) to be machined and have a bronze bush put in it. Relying on the side cover only for support, without a bush, has proved to be a weak link.

PS Hope to have the body work for the Bandit painted in the next couple of weeks.

Ben Warden clocked over one million km on bikes a few months back. The riding has been mainly with the Club (since 1982), first bike 1979. I plan to write up a small article listing the bikes I have owned, their odometer readings, and what happened to them (mainly written off). Plenty of funny stories, some of which I might print. …Ed.

Tassy 2009. It’s happening. Rough dates are Wed 4^th to Sat 14^th of March. Costs are $241 night or $134 day plus $41 for the bike, each way. The proposal is to go nights both ways making a total $562 for fares. Expressions of interest are sought. The sooner we have idea of numbers, the sooner we can book accommodation.