For once I was not really looking forward to the "Spur" as during the week while I was maneuvering the CBR about the garage I overbalanced and dropped the bike! As I had been straddling the bike when it fell, I tried to support the weight but with it falling to the left and this being my "weak" side I had no hope of holding it. As it landed on the floor I was still astride the bike so ended up underneath it. This was both fortunate, as I cushioned its fall and hence minimized the damage to a few scratches, and also unfortunate as my left elbow and hip contacted the non-slip floor (i.e./ abrasive) with some force. So there I lay with left leg pinned under the bike, left elbow bleeding profusely and not sure of the best way of extracting myself without causing any more damage to the bike! Fortunately with little effort the leg came free and with the adrenaline flowing the 180+ kilograms of bike was soon back on its wheels.

The elbow was of some concern as back in April 1997 I’d had the "big one" when a Commodore driven by an elderly gentleman "failed to give way" and I spent 4 months in hospital recovering. The elbow had been shattered and required 21 screws and a couple of plates to put back together. The screws and plates are still in place, hence my concern. My left knee had also undergone a complete reconstruction and with the bike falling on it, more concern and to make matters worse the "soft tissue damage" to my neck and right shoulder had become inflamed after picking the bike up. So off to the physiotherapist for a bit of remedial work. After a couple of sessions I didn’t feel too bad and with him reassuring me that no damage had been done, I decided to head out on Sunday for the Reefton ride.

On arriving at Yarra Glen I had intended to volunteer for rear rider as I just didn’t feel that great but Wayne had already secured that position, so I decided to just go with the flow and see how I went. But once under way I started to feel a little better. In fact the further we went the better I felt, so much so that once we started up Donna Buang it all came together and it was a sensational run. Definitely something therapeutic about riding a motorcycle!

After a short break it was back down the mountain, then onto Reefton. We had been warned about recent police activity in the area so we proceeded with caution, that is, until we hit the Spur. I thought I was going quite well until John and Eric breezed past; very smooth and very fast. Then, just a couple of corners before the end, disaster. Jeff Hornby and David Nimmo had crashed. Both had gone off the road but fortunately no injuries and little damage to the bikes. I proceeded on to alert the leader of the crash.

While waiting for the others to arrive word came through that Bradley Cain had also crashed his immaculate TRX, about halfway through the Spur. Incredible. Three crashes on the Spur and all from our group. Not a very good endorsement of the ride but on the positive, no blame can be leveled at rider incompetence or foolishness. (Yeah? …Ed.) Fortunately no one was injured!

We proceeded on to Marysville for lunch, the mood a little subdued after all the action on the Reefton. I had a chance to talk to the guys and was assured they were OK. Only problem was going home and reporting the crash to the "missus". Fortunately David didn’t have to worry about this as Mum and Dad were the rear rider and he’d already had a talking to by both of them! Our leader, Tim, also confessed that he’d had a "close one" on the Spur when a large sloppy bug smashed into his visor and obscured his vision resulting in him nearly running off the road!

After a leisurely lunch it was time to go but due to the circumstances, Tim decided to shorten the ride and finish at Healesville. so off to Narbethong and through the Black Spur. The ride effectively broke up here although Rhys, Tim and myself did keep close company as we rode home through Woori Yallock, Cockatoo and Beaconsfield.

Thanks to leader Tim, and, Wayne and Joanne for rear riding.

Ian Payne (Honda CBR900RR)