Who’s News October 2010

The Club web site at www.melbsportsbike.net.au accumulated 780 hits during October, down 70 on last month – probably due to the amount of rain during October. Total visits are 64,254 since April 1996. The counters on the other pages after another month indicate that the Calendar page took 665 hits (total 13,421, down 51 since 28^th October 2008) and Great Roads 101 hits (total 3577).

Membership now stands at 73 (up 1 this month). Official kilometres for the month of October: 3326 km, up 1615 from last month – Towong adding a lazy 2040 km to the monthly total. Official Club kilometres for the month (people x ride length): 47,053km, up 19,391 km on last month, indicating some well attended rides – and Towong. The 2010 year total is 280,266 km; average yearly total 324,241 since 2005. We are on track to make the average. The people km per injury is 70,067 so far for 2010 and continuing to improve with each injury free month; long term it is 118,842 km.

Seen at the General Meeting, Tower Hotel in Hawthorn on Thursday 6^th October: Julie and Ben Warden, Ron Johnston, Cliff Peters, John Rousseaux, Barbara Rolfe Harris, Paul Southwell, Ha Du, Ian Payne, Dennis Lindemann, Rob Langer, John Willis, Ben Fuller, Paul Sorenson, Tony Raditsis, Peter Philferan and Tim Emons. 17 people – same as last month. Rob Langer gave a very informative account of his BMW travels in the USA and Canada making us all envious. He is an excellent public speaker, both in fluency and entertaining content. Thanks Rob.

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). Attending one or more days of a weekend event scores 3 points for leading, 3 for rear riding duties and 2 points for participating.

The count is for the 20010/11 year ending the ride before the 2011 AGM in July. After four months the top ten positions are: Ben Warden (34), Cliff Peters (26), Pina Garasi (24), Ron Johnston (23), Misho Zrakic (16), Ian Payne (15), Paul Southwell (15), Ha Du (14), Dennis Lindemann (13), Tim Emons (13) and John Willis (13).

Front Cover: photo taken outside the Strzelecki Bakery at Mirboo north, Sunday 24^th October, Kongwak ride. Back row: Misho Zrakic, Geoff Shugg, Pina Garasi, Cliff Peters, Phill Hotschilt, John Willis, Edward Simonis, Raj Malhotra, Chris Tran, and Damian Jones. Sitting: Rod Merrett, Damir Djikic, Ha Du, Paul Sorenson and Tim Emons (crouched). Ben Warden behind the lens. Thanks to Peter Feistl who performs the digital manipulation every month ensuring that the best head shot (out of a series of photographs) appears on the final product, wayward limbs and fingers are removed and the photo is generally made as perfect as possible.

Pina Garasi crashed her new Honda CBR600 not far out of Tallangatta on Day 1 of the Towong Melbourne Cup Weekend. The roads were wet and suspicion of oil or diesel on the road being contributing factors. She suffered a bang to her knee which subsequently got quite swollen but subsided by the end of the weekend. The bike sustained minor cosmetic damage commensurate with sliding for a long way. It was almost unrideable. Read more in the Towong writeup.

Tony Raditsis crashed his Aprilia RSV1000 on the Licola Road. He survived with various bumps and bruises whereas the bike suffered severe frame damage. We hope to see Tony back some time in the not so distant future, his calm nature and steady riding much appreciated. We know he really loves the Club and will miss the MSR members greatly.

Two new riders (first ride) crashed resulting in minor cosmetic damage: Noel Brown on the Kongwak Ride (24/10) and Billy Nguyen on the Licola ride (10/10). Be advised that if the ride is marked as not suitable for first time MSR riders, the Committee is serious. Do not bring your mates on these nominated rides or certainly advise them to leave part way through. New riders struggle with the sustained speed, long distances and culture (experience) of the MSR. They are not usually bike fit and hence fatigue early.

Email from Dave Ward: Thanks to all that came away on the Melbourne Cup weekend and what a great time we had. Could not believe the weather as only the first day was not pretty but was in the car anyway and the rest fine. For those who chickened out, you lost! Thanks to Ben for leading and to all that made my friend from Tassie ( Boyd ) very welcome; he could not wipe the smile from his face all weekend. It was great to see everyone and, as they say, until next time.