GSXR750M Peter Weyermayr CBR929RR Ben Warden
YZF750 Craig Morley CBR900RR Paul Tallents
GSXR600 Ray Walker VTR1000 Dean von Schill
ZX7R Tim Walker YZF600 Steve Taebring 1st ride
VFR800 Bruce Saville YZF1000 Trevor Harris
GSXR750L Dave Nimmo CBR900RR Liz Oliver
Falco Darryl Otzen Ducati 748 John Listro
CBR600 Daryl Wheatcroft (1st ride) TL1000S Peter van Meurs
ZZR250 Janelle Creighton (1st ride) R6 Ian Crossley (1st ride)
R1 Glen Parnell (1st ride) 19 bikes, 19 people
Rob Langer called Tuesday with a leg injury as a result of a dirt bike recent fall and was unable to lead this ride. We left it hanging – if he made it, he would lead, otherwise I would lead. Somehow we got our wires crossed because Paul Tallents turned up thinking he was leading. But with no plan he opted to ride with the pack. And what a pack it was!
Riding up plenty road on this magnificently sunny day I noticed Di Welsford’s CBR600 parked at a different servo. She rode up later to tell us that she and Rob Matricciani were riding with the QL Club (quarter litre). Later she left a message on my mobile enquiring as to where we were having lunch, the QL ride already over for her.
Similarly, outside a recently sprung up café I waved to Robert Wallace, a regular Bright Christmas Camp patron who had crashed his YZF600 six months earlier on his first Club ride. He walked up for a chat, noting he was riding with the Whittlesea Tourers, and was off down to Mirboo North. He hadn’t been riding much, having broken 3 toes at work, two on the first occasion and another a week later. Steel toed boots would have saved him the first time, and didn’t the second time. Bugger.
I got a surprise to see one-time-member Darryl “Dicky” Otzen there with his new Aprilia Falco vee twin thousand. And Tim Walker on his trusty ZX7, not having ridden with the Club for quite a while, even missing the Ballan Hill Climb (interstate at the time). We also picked up four first time riders including John on his pristine Ducati 748. And so to the ride.
People kept arriving until we had a lively looking 19 riders. I gave the corner marker spiel to all and sundry, Tim kindly accepting the rear riding duties. At one stage Tim was looking to have the least powerful machine until Janelle appeared on her ZZR250 and added the “touring” element to the day’s ride. Mind you, I understand she was “cruising” between a very respectable 12 and 14 thousand revs all day. 1000 revs = 10 km/h roughly.
The Club now has
a new blue Emergency Kit, downsized into a bum bag, courtesy of Ian Payne. And
thanks to whoever put in some tyre repair plugs. Tim preferred to attach the
kit to his pillion seat with the aid of a borrowed ocky
strap from 10-years-ago member Dean von Schill. Dean
was riding a GPz900A2 (blue and silver) back then and now sports a new aqua
VTR1000. He had followed me up the
I outlined the
route – 110 km to Pyalong (not to be confused with Poowong in Gippsland) – first
stop, followed by another 110 km to Yea for lunch. And we were away. We headed
for Kinglake, Flowerdale and Strath Creek around the
Roads were
grouse – pimples removed from the
Dean paid his membership at morning tea. Welcome back Dean. All the Suzukis had to fill up – in fact most people did. Something about travelling 110 km in less than hour and high rates of fuel consumption. The proprietor of the milk bar cum petrol station was overwhelmed by the sudden influx of paying customers. She couldn’t pump petrol and man the cash register at the same time so I manned the bowser while she did the money thing. Later she thanked me. There was no need as it was the most efficient way to manage the group.
Back on the
bikes we headed north out of town picking up the Emu
Flat back road and on to Tooborac. I had expected the great fast sweepers but
realised that they were between Lancefield and Emu
Flat, not Emu Flat and Tooborac. So we travelled on
uncharacteristically (for Ben) straight roads. And the run across to
So the boys (Craig, Paul, Ray) behind started swapping bikes. At one stage, Ray, riding Paul’s Fireblade, was seen to come to a screaming halt, the front end locked up – by itself. Ray planned to make the bike crash on the right hand side (slightly damaged already) and pick it up again before Paul arrived, should worse come to worse. Luckily that plan was not called for. Nothing obvious was found at the time and so all parties continued. On inspection at Kinglake West I noted that the brake master cylinder was overfull. My theory is that as the front disks heated up from spirited use and expanded and then pushed brake fluid back up into the master cylinder, it had nowhere to go. So the pads were pushed onto the disks leading to more heat until finally the brakes locked on. Extremely dangerous but easily fixed – drain a bit of brake fluid – and hope the disks aren’t warped!
Through
Into Yea for lunch and more petrol. The salad sandwich at the bakery was splendid once again, and even Bruce was surprised at the paltry $2.80 for effectively one with the lot. People lazed around on the grass near the bikes enjoying the sunshine and good company. There were bikes everywhere. Kathy Robinson rolled up on her CBR600, maybe part of the QL ride.
Back on our bikes for the final blat across Junction Hill and into Kinglake West to breakup. Seven riders decided to make their own way home from Yea, particularly the newer riders. It had been pretty much a baptism by fire, and if they weren’t used to travelling in a large group or being passed at regular intervals at breakneck speed …
All done by 2.30 ish and some 265 km from
our starting point. This allowed adequate time
to get home to watch the Malaysian 500cc Grand Prix won by Valentino Rossi at
the very agreeable time of
Ben Warden (Honda CBR929)