Early July, Julie and I headed for cool Queensland Gold Coast for a work related conference, the opportunity too good to miss, even if it did coincide with the Social Sip and magazine production. In my haste I left out the first page of last month’s Who’s News. So, if you expected to see your name in print and didn’t, my apologies. Here is a compilation of the last two months.
The MTCV Home Page took 279 hits during June, 390 during July and has taken 16,876 since April 1996. We continue to generate new members via the web. Our ads in the bike magazines are also doing well. Note: unless you are a financial member, you will not have access to the Member’s area. The password has changed. Contact any of the Committee if you require it (and are financial, of course).
Seen at the July Social Sip: Derek Atkinson, Daniel Kosinski, Peter Philferan, Tim Walker, Ken Wright, Ian Payne, Kate Stewart, Peter Pondeljak, Greg, Amalia and Callan Hales, Jon Riddett, Katelyn, Martin Hastie and Carmen Debono, Di Welsford, Ron Johnston, Andrew Symes, Bruce Saville, Rob Matricciani, Pete Weyermayr and Liz Oliver. 22 people
Darryn Webster is all but over his GSXR1000 crash. Physically his shoulder strain is nearly healed and the heavy bruising has cleared. The bike was a write-off and he expects to be paid out shortly, once a minor mix-up with the insurance company is sorted out. He will be in the enviable position of being able to choose a new bike, or good second hand one, from the many bargains now on offer.
Ian Handforth has traded in his XJ900 Diversion and XTZ660 on a Honda Varadero.
Andrew Symes is also looking for another bike after his Suzuki RF900 was deemed a write-off. He has received the payout cheque and now the search begins. We look forward to seeing him back riding again. That was last month. He now informs me that he is the proud owner of a 1999 GSXR-750 W. “This is a
large improvement from the RF9 in overall handling.” We look forward to seeing him on a ride.
Greg Hales has purchased a Honda CBR929RR to replace his crashed Suzuki TL1000. He lasted 12 days without a bike, and has been on every Club ride since. He loves it, once we sorted out the standard suspension settings – it comes over-damped, particularly the front compression damping
Mario Ibeas had his last outpatient checkup last week (last month) and all looks good. He is in no pain and is back working as a house painter including “rolling ceilings” which requires a fair amount of upper body strength. As soon as the insurance comes through he will pay out the bike and look at putting his 20,000 km old 2001 R6 back on the road, after he flipped it doing monos! He is looking forward to gaining some more experience and getting back to riding with the Club. The latest is that he is now out riding his R6 – sedately - taking up the rear riding position a couple of times. Welcome back Mario.
Ben Warden has fitted new, stiffer fork springs in his CBR929RR, the stock ones always on the soft side. This week he re-oiled and re-gassed the Ohlin’s rear shock absorber. After 65,000 km the shock oil was described as “putrid”. By Sunday it should all be back together, ready for the Ballan Hill Climb.
Geoff Jones is
trying to help a mate sell his bike. "For Sale Kawasaki ZX6R, Oct
2000 model, 16,000 km, new tyres, dealer
service record. For more details ring John on mobile number 0409 860 010.
Ron Johnston emailed me on
Monday 4th August with the latest update on his Bandit crash:
“Picked up a second hand engine for a $1000 with 38,000 kms.
Have swapped camshafts and rockers; they were worn worse than the old engine
which had 20,000 km more. Still waiting on some gaskets
to arrive. Will have to have some welding done where one of the bolts
goes that holds the side cover on. I also got a mirror, blinker, rhs fairing and a screen for another $100. And I have
swapped speedos so it shows the correct mileage. So I
have done alright. I have to strip the rest of the bike, paint the frame,
bodywork and the wheels and then put the bike back together. At the moment it
has just been sitting in the shed collecting dust..
Hopefully I will have it back on the road before Christmas.”
The Points System. 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). It runs till the May AGM. We are already two months into the 2004 points, but given poor weather in May and worse in June, resulting in low attendances, few points have been accumulated: Ben Warden (15), Kate Stewart (8), Paul Southwell (7) and Ron Johnston (6) are the only standouts. Now at the end of July: Ben (24), Paul Southwell (11), Ian Payne (11), Pete Weyermayr (10), Kate (9), Martin Hastie (9), Greg Hales (8) and Ron Johnston (8). One quarter of the Club year has slipped by.
Membership renewals are
overdue. The Club is a not-for-profit organization run by dedicated volunteers.
Your subscriptions are used to pay for things like the printing of itinerary
cards, photocopying and postage of the magazine, and thrice yearly hall hire.
Due to judicious cost saving measures, subscriptions will not rise this year.
Without your membership fees, the Club cannot survive, and at less than three
tanks of petrol, it is a bargain. Make cheques
payable to the MSTCV and post to
The Age, 12th of June: The $14 million plan to introduce registration stickers on the front of motorcycles is still at least a year from being decided on says the State Government. Interestingly the statistics for 2001 showed 346,598 speed camera shots were taken, with 1,553 fines for riders unable to be issued, compared with 80,612 for cars! Also a snippet from Victoria Police saying it is considering “double demerit points” for drivers breaking the law over busy holiday periods. It would ONLY be considered if the evidence suggested it could save lives and reduce injuries.
The Age, 25th June: The Great Ocean Road speed limit is to be cut from 100 km/h to 80 km/h on the stretch between Torquay and Lorne, later this year. This is in response to a 13% rise in crashes involving injury between 1998 and 2002. Motorcyclists represented 43 % of these with ‘running off the road on bends’ as the most common form of crash!
Speed cameras snapped 75,952 speeding drivers during April with 242 booked at more than 30 km/h over the limit, but the bulk, 59,468, were caught speeding by up to 10 km/h. About 8% of those caught could not be fined due to poor camera images.
I
received email from former MTCV President Hans Wurster
and long standing (retired) member. Believe it or not, he is going to give up
bikes! And he wants to sell his Kawasaki
ZX12R. Here is a bit of his email: “It is a very hard decision for me to make
but at this stage in my life, the bike is not getting sufficient use to justify
me keeping it. I am prepared to 'sacrifice' it with 12 months reg. (due
19th August) for $11,000 (maybe just
a little negotiable.) The bike is in very good condition, never dropped, just
turned over 27,000 km (actually just run in). First reg Aug. 2000.” Hans can be contacted on 9398-5575.
Both Daniel Kosinski and Ray Walker are having “sensor” problems with their GSXR1000s, according to Ian. It doesn’t seem to slow them down any …
Ian Payne has a new
work email address (his old “home” one still works) if you need to contact him
in a hurry: [email protected]
Dave Ward has the racing bug again but this time it is on the dirt. He will be racing in a series of the ‘Thumpernats’ and if that’s not enough, has also signed up for a 3 hour ‘Enduro’.
Rob Langer is
resting up at home with a recurring bout of cellulitis
in his leg (a nasty infection, possibly due to a broken leg received in a
motorcycle crash received 15 years ago). Unable to bear weight, he hasn’t
walked in a week but hopes to be right in about two weeks. We wish him a full
and speedy recovery. The rides are not quite the same without his unusual bikes
or antics.
On behalf of the Club I would like to extend
my deepest sympathy to Ben on the recent death of his father. During the course
of my friendship with Ben I have got to know his family and in particular, his
parents. Many a time after a ride we would descend on the Warden household
where, without a second glance, Mum would soon be dishing up drinks and hot scones
for the biker friends that Ben had brought home. Ben’s father, Don would
normally be off ‘running’ which was his passion. Even when aged 79 years he was
still competing regularly in Club track and field events. Sincere
condolences to Ben and his family.
Ian Payne.
Thanks Ian for your kind words. He died at
Trivia (from the net): A major design feature on
the Space Shuttle was determined over two thousand years ago by the width of a
horse’s ‘backside’. Explanation: The shuttle uses two solid booster rockets
(SBR) for propulsion. These are made in
Those on the Melbourne Cup
weekend away last year will know just how good a location the Walwa Resort is. Unfortunately Saturday night was
completely booked out for a wedding. So I have booked 3 new units at the Jingellic Pub for Saturday night and two double-storey
modern cottages sleeping between 4 and 6 people (6, if couples) comfortably for
Sunday and Monday nights, at the Resort. The Resort cottages are fully equipped
– all you need to bring is yourself. The cost is $115 per cottage per night (3
nights) per couple, then $10 a head. It works out at around $40 per head per
night. The cottages are very widely spaced, offer
spectacular views across the
The plan is to ride up on
Saturday leaving Yarck at
Les Leahy reports that a pair of cooking tongs were left at his BBQ after the Heathcote ride. If anyone is missing a pair please contact Rob Langer on phone 9888-8977 to organize collection.