January 2002 Who’s News

The MTCV Home Page has taken 229 hits during December and 10,629 since April 1996. See more information such as magazine articles in the Members-only section or visit the visitors’ page to see what other people think about us. Note: the password to the member section is only available to financial members. Do not divulge it to non-members.

Road Conditions Reporting Line: (03) 9854-2899 where motorcyclists can report road conditions and give suggestions for improvement on any road in Victoria. Vicroads has an email address for the same purpose: [email protected]

Ben and Julie have moved to their new house at 2 Ethel St Oak Park. The new home phone number is 9300-2789. Visitors welcome.

For Sale: 1997 VFR750, 42,000 km, green, excellent condition. Comes with spare fairings (complete except front guard, crashed damaged, repaired, unpainted), Scot Oiler, Bagster tank cover and bag, Ventura rack and hard top box, workshop manual, spare brake and clutch levers. Price negotiable. Reason for sale: selling road and dirt bikes to buy DR400. For more information please contact Rob Matricciani on 9729-4584 at home, Heathmont.

Seen at the December Xmas BBQ: Hans Wurster (ZX1200, last bike, past president), Peter Philferan (past president 12(?) years worth, life member, Majesty 250), Daniel Kosinski and Marika Hasmat (? – spelling unreadable), Ron and Julie Johnston, Pete Weyermayr, Ian Payne and Kerrie Gooding, Di Welsford, Liz Oliver, Craig Morley, Dave Nimmo, Mick Hanlon, Wayne, Joanne and daughter Nimmo, Wayne Grant and Verity Mayo, Dave Ward and Bronwyn Manifold, Jon Riddett, Dave Moore, Trevor Trevor and Ann Harris (Trevor sporting an engineering mechanical marvel on his right arm limiting the amount of movement allowed by his elbow (dislocated on Melb. Cup weekend), Geoff and Val Jones, Ray Walker, Bruce Saville, Ben, Julie and Fiona Warden, Enzo Cunico, Martin Hastie and Carmen, and Bradley Cain. 37 people, catered for 40! Top weather, some old faces. Finished after 5 pm. Pete and Liz, Ben, Julie and Fiona hired a boat from boathouse and rowed up Yarra River for 1 hour.

Dave Nimmo, of GSXR750L fame, has bought a new GSXR1000. Unfortunately he crashed it riding up Mt Buffalo on the second day of the Club Camp, losing the front end in a deceptively tightening left hand corner. Luckily he had ridden 350 km earlier in the day up to Dartmouth Dam, bringing the total up to 1150 km. Dave escaped injury other than pride, bike substantial cosmetic damage (tank, engine cover, fairings) ending up upside down 3 metres down an embankment wedged between a tree and the earth, precariously, as Craig was to find out. We towed it out with Julie’s Magna and Dave sat out the week. It is insured so we look forward to see Dave riding soon.

The Marysville Bakery is holding the Big Bakery Biker Bash on the 24^th of February. The day will begin early with breakfast and events held all day. A variety of prizes will be awarded. For details call Lyn on 59633477.

The Omeo Alpine Camp is offering cheap and bike friendly accommodation. They have beds available from $15 per night. For details phone 03 51591228 or www.omeo.net/alpinecamp/

Phillip Island will be hosting Round 2 of the World Superbikes on March 22-24, 2002. This will be a good opportunity to see OUR Two World Champs defend their titles. Troy Bayliss – Superbike and Andrew Pitt – Supersport.

Rob Langer is selling both his VFRs (the black one and the red one) and the Sport 1150 BM to buy a Yamaha FZ1000 naked bike, currently receiving excellent magazine reviews. He’s keeping the 1150GS.

Confusion Rally will be held at Licola on the 25, 26 & 27 of January. For more details phone Phil 9876-6380

Fancy travelling by motorcycle through Nepal, Turkey, Vietnam, Himalayas, Rajasthan or South America? Well now we have TWO companies offering this type of adventure, Ferris Wheels and Worldwide Motorcycle Tours.

For details check [email protected] and www.asianexperience.com.au

Dave Ward and Bronwyn Manifold are back from their 9 day holiday on the South Island, New Zealand, commencing 23^rd December and finishing 2^nd January. They hired a BMW Funduro 650 for the duration at $170 per day, unlimited kilometers, and rode 2,300 km. For comparison, a late model Falcon would have cost $66 per day and a new GSXR1000 costs $26,000. Loaded up with panniers they had a ball, despite the fact that it rained every day! The transition from bright sunshine to pouring rain took about two seconds according to Dave. But it was not cold. The roads could only be described as sensational, and many that had been noted as only fair, had been either repaired or bitumenised. Other road users were very friendly, with bus drivers indicating when it was safe to pass and car drivers pulling over. They will be heading back next year to do the North Island.