Hill End via Reefton Spur            28th November, 2004

 

Honda CBR929           Ben Warden – leader                Yamaha YZF1000       Izi Hadzionerovic (1st ride)

Honda CBR954           Paul Southwell                          Triumph 955i                Rob Martin (1st ride)

Honda VFR800           James Melford                          KTM 620ie                  Rhys Williams

Honda CBR929           Ian Payne - rear rider                Suzuki GSXR750         Damian Glynn

Honda VFR750           Renzo Cunico                           Suzuki Bandit 1200      Ron Johnston

Honda VTR1000         Bill Wee                                   Yamaha R6                  Joel Haley

Honda CBR1100XX    Martin Hastie                            Kawasaki ZX12           Paul Grosser

 

The forecast was for fine weather, but the outlook from the window was not that great. However, I saddled up and proceeded to Yarra Glen.

 

On arriving, a few new faces were mixed in with a few old faces (or should I say regular faces). Izi (YZF1000) and Rob (Triumph 955i) were on their first rides with the Club, and based on the proposed route, were about to be well and truly initiated.

 

As Nigel was still having the Buell repaired, Ben stepped up to the plate as ride leader, with Ian volunteering for rear rider duties due to some front end quibbles. The route was to be Black Spur, Reefton Spur, Hill End via Noojee, Moe, Neerim South, labertouche and the M1 Freeway. That is heaps and heaps and heaps of corners. (Lucky I have such a light and nimble bike. Ha!).

 

The ride started off at a reasonable pace up through the Black Spur, with only minor delays due to road works, and on to Marysville, Reefton, then Warburton for the required pit stop. The Black Spur provided very little traffic with only minor debris on the road, which resulted in a satisfactory pace. The group was reasonably spread out at this point and I was able to have a great deal of fun in the twisties with Joel (R6). However, all good things come to an end with yours truly ending up with motion sickness by the end of it (I am actually blaming the Mexican (food? …Ed.) I had the night before).

 

When we arrived at the Bakery, it did not take long for the inevitable waves of bikers to arrive. After a quick break we departed, with Martin and Renzo leaving us. Wild Bill joined us on his repaired VTR (which required some repairs before we even left the Bakery).

 

The trip to Noojee was typically pleasant with only a few areas after Powelltown with gravel on the road in a few nasty corners. Rhys was able to put the KTM to great use through these tight twisty sections leaving many of us in his wake. All day he had a grin from ear to ear and kept saying “Grouse!”

 

On leaving Noojee, many were thinking, will Wild Bill make it to the top of the range? On his previous two outings he was able to crash on the same corner, but in different directions. On reaching the turnoff for Hill End, two things became apparent: Wild Bill had made it, and somebody else had not. A cruiser was located about 12 feet down an embankment with a crew of onlookers trying to figure out how to get it out. The rider (and pillion) were part of an MRA organised ride lead by our m ember, Allan Zimmer.

 

The road into Hill End was fantastic, the best I have seen it, with little leaf litter and a great surface. It makes for a very pleasurable ride. On through Hill End towards Moe, with some surprising areas of gravel putting the wind up a few and scaring the crap out of others.

 

A relaxed lunch at Moe saw a few interested locals coming for a look and chat.

 

From there a leisurely run to Buln Buln, Crossover, Neerim South, Jindivick, Labertouche and adjacent to the M1 Freeway for our break up point.

 

Total km approx: 350 base to base. Total number of corners: ran out of fingers, toes and brain cells. Overall a great ride, great weather and a great time.

 

 

Paul Grosser (Kawasaki ZX12R)