Reefton and Black Spurs Sunday 8^th January, 2005

Kawasaki ZX9	Mick Bosworth	Honda CBR954	Rob Jones
Honda CBR954	Steve Cowburn (^1/2 rear)	Suzuki GSXR1000	Paul Punicki
Suzuki GSXR1000	Lyn Duncan	Honda CBR1000	Paul Southwell
Honda CBR954	Breht Emmerson (leader)	Suzuki GSXR600	Dave Ward
Yamaha R6	Joel Haley	Honda CBR929	Ben Warden
Suzuki GSXR1000	Danny Hasnat	Kawasaki ZX10	Dave Hives
Honda CBR900	Shane Hindle	Yamaha R1	Graham ‘Pommy” Tattersall
Suzuki Bandit 1200	Ron Johnston	Honda CBR954	Darryn “Bart” Hutchinson
Yamaha R1	Geoff Jones (^1/2 rear)

The bikes just kept coming until we had a grand total of 17, a great turnout for the first ride of the new year – discounting last Sunday when most of the regular riders were still frying at Porepunkah.

The Jones’ crew had turned out in numbers including sometimes members Dave Hives on a very tasty brand new, just-running-in, green 2006 ZX10, Bart on the yellow 954 and Pommy on his 2005 mint R1. Interestingly all the bikes on the ride were Japanese and all large capacity with seven CBRs (four 954s), four GSXRs (three GSX1000s), three R1s and two ZX9/10s. If it wasn’t for the couple of 600s I would have had the smallest bike with only 929cc.

The ranks of the Japanese were reinforced with Dave Ward arriving on a near new second hand GSXR600 rather than his normal Italian exotica, the MV 750 SPR. Something about comfort and reliability. And Shane was off the BM and back on the more sporty Honda but still chasing a flat spot in the power delivery “Nothing below 5000 rpm!” though in this company, a genuine “normal” lack of power will be highlighted. Could be time for a new bike!

The numbers were swelled with the return of Joel who had been missing for a couple of months after having his car written off in November. It was hit from behind and then cannoned into the car in front. He has spent much time chasing insurance companies, then finding and purchasing another car. Mick was on a couple of week’s annual leave but feeling the need for speed, his three and a half year old daughter giving him a day off from daddy duties. We worked out our bikes were only a few months apart in age and it was time for him to update, a new ZX10 just around the corner.

It was Breht’s first lead and he had prepared well, knowing the route and distances between stops. He relayed this information to the assembled group outside the Original Café at Yarra Glen in the beating sun before we took to our bikes. Danny, the perennial straggler, rolled up as we were leaving, making the third GSXR1000 and adding even more talent to the ride.

Old Healesville Road across to Healesville and left up Chum Creek Road. From the back I saw Bart on Dave’s heels but they were going too fast for me, the dappled light and potential for gravel in the corners dissuading me from pushing hard. It occurred to me that Dave had probably done this road yesterday as he said he had been out riding. He looked super confident of the surface. No, he remarked later, only the Myers Creek Road, which we duly picked up on our way back to Healesville, where the ride compressed behind Breht for the dull slow ride through the Healesville shopping strip and out to the Woori Yallock road. The strawberry plants looked to be fully grown and about to produce, the sprinkler systems going full tilt.

At Woori Yallock we performed the left right jiggle and continued south to Cockatoo turning right at the big off camber roundabout picking up the Macclesfield Road back up to Seville where we stopped for a well earned morning tea at the 105 km mark. The sun was intense and shade a premium. The service station had vast areas of parking and the bikes formed into three chaotic groups. I asked Breht where the bakery was and he promptly pointed across the road. The specials board showed a long salad roll, small muffin and small drink for $4.50. What a bargain! The Chinese seem to do bakeries very economically.

After a long break it was back to the Warburton Highway and off towards Reefton. Steve Cowburn had retired from rear riding duties and headed home with Dave Ward who had work commitments. Geoff Jones picked up the rear riding duty which was a little more onerous than usual with Dave Hives running-in his ZX10.

We trundled up the Highway, ever watchful, but making good time; safety in numbers. After 1800 km of twisties up at the Xmas Camp less than a week ago, the bike was feeling pretty comfortable and well set up apart from a reasonably hard compound rear “road” tyre. So when I came up behind Rob on the 954 in the preliminary twisties and he seemed to be going slow, I passed him. Later we travelled together across the Reefton at a fair clip. Rob noted later noting his rear tyre was pretty shagged and was sliding around.

Near the end of the Reefton we were stopped by a serious bike crash, traffic halted from both directions. One of the Hangmore crew had thrown away his ZX9 reportedly sustaining a broken leg and possibly broken ribs. The SES was out in force and an ambulance was attending. Unbeknownst to us, a motorcycle cop on his way to the accident scene came up fast behind Geoff Jones in a built up area, flashed his lights, gave Geoff a fright, and proceeded past at a great rate of knots.

Not being particularly patient, Rob and I looked at each other and, with barely a nod, decided to slip by. Lyn, knowing I wouldn’t be hanging around – it was only a few days ago I had gone under the tree across the road – made sure she was right behind me. Sure enough, about 20 bikes tagged along with us as we filtered past the crash site. There were bikes everywhere, all day. We ran in to the Hangmore Club at least three times during the course of the day’s ride and Marysville was awash with bikes.

Official lunch and unofficial fuel stop for most after 195 km. The Jone’s boys headed for the pub after a hot, half day’s work. As I parked the bike in the heavily modified main street – it looks like they are going to build a tiered rock wall along where we normally park as they have done further down the street – I was accosted by a man in a helmet with a very pleasant looking girlfriend who recognised me. It turned out to be a bloke called Greg, a friend of Tamzin Knight’s, who has ridden with us on a couple of occasions. His bike was looking a little worse for wear after a get off at Winton on a track day. His girlfriend’s name was Kit.

We grouped outside in the cool, overlooking the bikes. There was a fair swag of Christmas Camp refugees and we hadn’t seen each other for days, so it was good to catch up again. After a restful lunch and the tyres returned to ambient temperature of around 30 degrees (and very humid), it was back to the sweaty leathers.

The Black Spur was surprisingly busy and made for hard going, though the car drivers were pretty obliging, moving over where they could. I only passed a couple of foreign bikes, obviously a lot of fun happening at the front, judging by the happy animated faces outside the Healesville servo where we waited while Breht refuelled.

After a visor clean, it was off up Myers Creek Road, this time in the reverse direction compared to the morning. I followed Paul and eventually we caught the gang and proceeded nose to tail all the way to the Mt Slide junction with the highway where four bikes were left to corner mark. Lyn turned right and headed for Flowerdale and back to her sister’s house where the car, trailer and dog Thor were waiting. She may continue north for an extended holiday while her house is on the market and in the hands of the real estate agents. Christmas was kind for Lyn with her Mum springing for the next set of tyres!

Following Breht now and earlier a bit over the Reefton, I noticed he has much more confidence on the bike and is riding as of old. A week at the Club Camp riding every day did a power of good.

At Kinglake Paul Southwell and I corner marked. Soon enough Geoff arrived and I set off. Danny blitzed by while I sat behind Paul. At the bottom it flattens out a bit with a couple of tight right hand corners. Nearing the end of this section Paul and I were following Mike on the ZX9 setting a fair pace. Next minute Paul is all brakes, having gone in a bit deep. “Total brain fade” as Paul put it. The back locked up and he was forced to go straight – not so good on a left hand corner. You get sucked along by the bike in front and I also found myself braking unexpectedly hard. Meanwhile Paul had met an oncoming truck, had just managed to gather the bike up and run along the verge before rejoining the highway. I gave Paul a delighted blow on the horn and the thumbs up as I slipped past him on the left hand side, one of the “legal” times you can pass on the left! It was a good save.

At St Andrews we turned left and headed for Panton Hill and eventually Kangaroo Ground. Just as we crested the final hill Mr Plod hove into view, requiring another heavy application of brakes. Paul gave him a mia culpa wave as we glided by, stopping at the general store.

As I was parking, Peter Pondeljak (former member, yellow CBR600) saw us and stopped to say hello. He was on his way in his new truck to see Kate in Kangaroo Ground.

It was stinking hot and some of the guys headed straight for the ice-cream fridge and then sat outside watching Mr Plod set up with his radar, beach chair and the good book. It is a big dipper at 60 km/h and it wasn’t long before he had his first customer. Geoff wasn’t too keen on riding past him on the way home, even a little paranoid. “He’ll get me for something, I know it.” Geoff and Danny followed me as we made our way across to Diamond Creek and on to the Ring road, Geoff peeling off a little before and heading for Doreen and Yan Yean.

Good ride, no bookings or crashes. Thanks Breht for leading and Steve and Geoff for rear riding duties.

Ben Warden