Cruisin' Down Under

Harley Davidson Price Drop - Yes it's true - they are now even more affordable (and fun)

2011-10-15T10:29:00.002+10:00

2012 Harley Davidsons are going to cost you less than last year's model!

Here's a few of the prices:

Wide Glide with the 103 motor and ABS braking $24,495 ($4,400 less than the 2011 model)

Fat Boy with 103 motor and ABS braking $$27,995 ($4,255 less)

Heritage Softail Classic with 103 motor and ABA $29,495 ($3,000 less)

Softail Standard with 103 motor and ABS $26,995 ($1,000 less)

So this year you get more grunt, better handling and a better deal....go check them out. The dealers are having their open days soon so go have a test ride of the 103 motor, you're certain to be impressed!

No Hopers Poker Run

2011-10-15T10:15:00.007+10:00

Every year I look forward to the No Hopers Poker Run. It's held in September and those hillbillies certainly know their way around the country roads. Their clubhouse is up on the Hampton Range and most of them live around the Esk, Hampton, Ipswich, Crows Nest areas, so riding around those roads is second nature to them.

Their run gets around 100-200 bikes each year and even though this year the weather wasn't perfect, with gusty wind, there was still a great turn up. They met at the Sundowner Hotel at Haigslea this year, took some great riding roads with 2 pub stops and then back to their clubhouse for drinks, a band, good food and great company.

This is the ride that I had my accident on last year where another bike slammed into the back end of my bike, but fortunately there were no accidents this year, and normally it's all incident free.

I didn't take many photos this year, once again busy riding and partying, but my friend Cath was kind enough to pass over a few that I've attached below.

Look out for this ride next year, the ride is always exciting and the party afterwards is not to miss. Cheers Donna
PS Beaker - where were you this year???

Invited so..... thought I'd drop in and say G'day......

2011-10-04T15:06:00.002+10:00

Hi all, thought I'd say a quick hello........ Beaker asked if I would like to put some stuff up here, which I wil do as soon as I sort myself out..... LoL.
Lets just say I'm a 'mature aged' rider living on the Mid Nth Coast of NSW who enjoys getting out and about on my beast.....

I ride a GSX1400 'Black' that plays well with others while enjoying 'hunting' sportsbikes in the twisties ha,ha...........the 14 is a doddle to tour on being as docile as you wish while giving you a nice kick in the backside if you want to twist the wrist.......... Luv it!!

My backyard is country NSW with a brilliant biking road a mere 30 minutes away, The Oxley'.... where riders from far and wide come to play hard on 45k's of tight corners that open up onto fast corners and flats across the plateau to Walcha in the west.......

Anyways, enuff about me....... shall endeavour to put some rides up in due course.

Cheers, Rogues

Free

2011-08-10T19:23:00.001+10:00

Harley Davidson BlackLine Review

2011-08-08T22:18:00.007+10:00

The Harley Davidson Softail model has been a favourite of Harley riders since it was first introduced in 1984. There are more custom & aftermarket parts available for the Softail than any other model providing enthusiast’s loads of opportunity to make it unique and the 2011 Harley Davidson Blackline FXS Softail won’t be any exception to this with it’s already stripped down look.

Personally I found the standard off-the-floor model quite uncomfortable because of the punched out riding position and rather than finding the forward controls to be my greatest challenge, I found it difficult to comfortably reach the handlebars. Having said that, I’m sure lots of men (in particular) won’t have this problem.

The Split Drag Bars are mounted independently and even though the internal wiring provides a clean stylish look, they are not adjustable at all, being mounted straight to the top triple clamp. There is a pullback version available which brings the controls closer to the rider, but this version puts you in a more upright position which I didn’t find comfortable (or cool!!!). Burly Bars are currently designing bars to fit the model so they might be seen on some custom models in the near future.

The V-shaped slimline seat is one of the lowest on any of the big Harleys and together with the forward controls result in a very comfortable position (for some!). Even I found it quite comfortable at higher speeds when the pressure was off my outstretched arms. After slipping it into sixth gear down the open highway, in the cool evening air, the smooth-running engine gave me that “I could ride for hours” feeling. I think with some minor customisations this bike could be very popular.

The ground clearance is good and the bike is light and it tosses around pretty well for a big bike and stops well with the anti-lock braking system. The Blackline certainly feels much lighter than my Softail Deluxe weighing in at 294kgs. I love the Sedona Orange and Vivid Black combination or just Vivid Black rather than the Cool Pearl Blue option.

The 18.9 litre tank is uncluttered by instruments with only a fuel cap and centred Harley emblem. There is a noticeable gap between the nose of the seat and the fuel tank that exposes the top of the frame, which Harley state is intentional, but I personally didn’t see the point. The digital odometer on the small round analog speedo mounted between the handle bars is easily changed to display a clock, tachometer and 6 speed gear indicator combination or fuel mileage countdown with a flick of a switch.

With a Black Denim powder coated frame and swingarm, grey heads above black cylinders, black powder coated triple clams and black painted fork lowers, you’ve got to love black to love this bike. The simplicity of the fender design and combination rear indicator/brake lights leave the rear chopped fender looking clean and sleek.

The bike is powered by a rigid-mounted, internally counter-balanced 1584cc Twin Cam 96B engine with peak power about 3000 revs, but the bike is geared low so there is instant torque when you throttle on. It certainly hooks in, I had some fun on it!

Overall I was impressed with the Blackline (other than the uncomfortable un-adjustable handle bars). Its aggressive attitude suggests the bike will suit younger riders with heaps of opportunity for the usual customisation that makes a Harley an individual masterpiece.

Blackbutt - that's an understatement!

2011-07-19T20:43:00.021+10:00

Hi everyone. Donna here again. It’s been a while and plenty has been going on, in fact I've diversified somewhat lately, taking up other adventurous sports which means I don't get to spend quite so much time on my bikes, but hey...life's all about choices, so as long as it's fun, bring it on.

I have done some riding of course! I was invited to pick up a brand new Harley Davidson Black Line to take home and test ride for 2 weeks, which was a privilege indeed. Unfortunately the handlebars were not adjustable, so it wasn't as very comfortable for a short arse like me and I didn't do quite as much riding as I would have liked to; plus it was the middle of winter but nonetheless, I did enjoy it and will write up a review soon.

I've got my boat and PWC licence recently and have found out just how much fun a jet ski is. What a blast! I absolutely love it; mind you falling off can be quite painful too, but hell if you can't push it to the max, where's the fun? If only there was more time for all the fun toys.

I had an accident last September, which I’ve not advertised. I guess I’ve been a little embarrassed by it all. I was on a Poker Run with the No Hopers; on the second leg of the run going up the Blackbutt Range when I was distracted by some friends with video recorders on the side of the road after we came around a corner (at high speed). I haven't been able to look at the video myself more than once, but it’s not often an accident like this is captured on video, so I’ll have a go at uploading it.

The guy behind me was distracted too and didn't react quickly enough, but I take my share of the responsibility for the accident and am just glad we both came away without any serious injuries. I was wearing leather and Kevlar and only sustained a LOT of bruises and a bent bike. I was lucky not to be run over after sliding down the road and as you will see quite a few bikes managed to avoid further collisions.

People have told me how lucky I was that day and others have told me how tough I was getting back on my bike and finishing the ride and partying till the wee hours of the morning, but I can tell you...I didn't feel very tough the next morning or for quite a few weeks. A bit of handy panel beating on the side of the road and I was off again, but it took months to get my bike repaired (luckily I have another one). It's better than ever now with plenty of new bling and I don’t recall my life flashing in front of my eyes, so all’s well that ends well.

The crash happened on the Blackbutt Range and I ended up with a seriously black butt; hence the title of this blog. Take care and keep on enjoying life.

Reflection

2011-06-17T21:36:00.004+10:00

I have been unable to post any ride info for the last few months due to my lack of riding. This was and still is due to me not having a valid license for the period March 1 to August 1. It sucks big time, however, it is totally of my own doing. As we enter the best time of the year for riding, I have been reading many posts on various forums about rides that I would do if I could and thinking to myself that I need to have a serious re-think of the way I behave when on my bike. I do not consider myself to be a reckless rider - I do not put other road users at risk. However, because I was on the road every day for my commute to and from work, I considered myself to be more of a target for law enforcement than a weekend-only rider would be.

My biggest downfall has been getting booked for speeding - when it has happened I have never argued the point, nor have I been riding at outrageous speeds. Nearly every time, I seem to have been focused more on the road ahead of me than my speedometer, especially in the dark. Obviously the consequence of doing this is that I would lose track of how fast I was travelling, and when I rode into a speed trap, well you know. Perhaps I need to consider purchasing a GPS that warns me when I exceed the posted limit - I really don't know how good they are, but aside from that, it is going to require a conscious effort from me to not only watch the road, but also watch my speed.

I have always been a firm believer of making sure you know what is around and ahead of you when riding - now I need to change that a little. It won't be easy, but I don't want to go through this length of time not riding again....ever!!

It is all only talk at this stage - the proof will come when I am back on the road.

WHEELS ARE ON FINALLY....

2011-06-13T17:05:00.002+10:00

We Deserve Better From The QPS

2011-06-07T19:39:00.007+10:00

Why do they never want to listen? Why do these regularly ignorant traffic cops refuse to listen to anything from you when you are pulled over for breaking a traffic law whilst trying to protect yourself? The last time I was booked was in early March - it was one of these occasions.

I was riding to work and pulled up at traffic lights next to a car. I was watching this bloke because I could see he was playing with his phone. When the lights turned green the driver of this car decided to pick up his phone and try to text someone - in doing so his car swerved from his lane into the left lane where I was and then across into the lane to the right of the one he started in!! My natural instinct was to get away, and do so in a hurry. It just so happened that I was in the cross hairs of a coppers speed gun at that exact time.

The first thing he asked me after pulling me over was "Do you have any medical reason for breaking the posted speed limit?". WTF?? Doesn't life preservation count?? I tried to explain to this prick-in-blue what had previously happened, but he was not interested at all . He simply said to me that "That is no reason to break the speed limit".

Now, let me tell you something - whomever is trying to spread this bullshit about making roads safer by setting up more speed camera locations is totally ignorant. Had I been listened to, I think I had a fair case - the fact of the matter is that this prick-in-blue (and he was a first class prick) did not want to listen to me. I felt I was protecting myself from being hit, but not in a "legal" way - I will be the first to admit that I was speeding as I did directly to him, however, my life is far more important than breaking the posted speed limit!! The majority of Queensland Traffic Police treat all motorists the same, which is totally wrong - us riders deserve a little bit of leniency in situations like the above. We don't have the luxury of more than a ton of metal protecting us.

So, if you are serious Mr Commissioner Bob Atkinson, pull your head out and tell your enforcers to use a little common sense, because the Queensland Police Service is fast becoming the Department of Revenue for our state government and loosing a lot of respect with motorcycle riders!

Pull your head out Bob!!

Nearly...

2011-04-19T21:48:00.002+10:00

Nearly there...just waiting on the discs....

Bling For The King

2011-04-05T21:44:00.008+10:00

With our dollar up against the US dollar, thought I would bling the King a little!!

Landed a set of newly-chromed Hayabusa rims for less than what it would have cost to get my originals chromed here. Decided that if I was to have a second set of shiny wheels then I should order the remaining bits to enable an easy swap over.

Picked up another set of near-new discs from the B-King forum as well as Supersprox sprocket and tyres from Jake Wilson.

More to come soon!

Motorcycling

2011-03-21T11:53:00.004+10:00

There is cold, and there is cold on a motorcycle. Cold on a motorcycle is like being beaten with cold hammers while being kicked with cold boots, a bone bruising cold. The wind’s big hands squeeze the heat out of my body and whisks it away; caught in a cold October rain, the drops don’t even feel like water. They feel like shards of bone fallen from the skies of Hell to pock my face. I expect to arrive with my cheeks and forehead streaked with blood, but that’s just an illusion, just the misery of nerves not designed for highway speeds.

Despite this, it’s hard to give up my motorcycle in the autumn and I rush to get it on the road again in the spring; lapses of sanity like this are common among motorcyclists. When you let a motorcycle into your life you’re changed forever. The letters “RE/R” are stamped on your driver’s license next to your sex, height etc as if “motorcycle” was just another of your physical characteristics, or maybe a mental condition. But when warm weather finally does come around all those cold snaps and rainstorms are paid in full because a summer is worth any price.

A motorcycle is not just a two-wheeled car; the difference between driving a car and climbing onto a motorcycle is the difference between watching TV and actually living your life. We spend all our time sealed in boxes and cars are just the rolling boxes that shuffle us from home-box to work-box to store-box and back, the whole time, entombed in stale air, temperature regulated, sound insulated, and smelling of carpets.

On a motorcycle I know I’m alive. When I ride, even the familiar seems strange and glorious. The air has weight and substance as I push through it and its touch is as intimate as water to a swimmer. I feel the cool wells of air that pool under trees and the warm spokes of that fall through them. I can see everything in a sweeping 360 degrees, up, down and around, wider than Pana-Vision and than IMAX and unrestricted by ceiling or dashboard. Sometimes I even hear music. It’s like hearing phantom telephones in the shower or false doorbells when vacuuming; the pattern-loving brain, seeking signals in the noise, raises acoustic ghosts out of the wind’s roar. But on a motorcycle I hear whole songs: rock ‘n roll, dark orchestras, women’s voices, all hidden in the air and released by speed. At 60 km per hour and up, smells become uncannily vivid. All the individual tree- smells and flower-smells and grass-smells flit by like chemical notes in a great plant symphony.

Sometimes the smells evoke memories so strongly that it’s as though the past hangs invisible in the air around me, wanting only the most casual of rumbling time machines to unlock it. A ride on a summer afternoon can border on the rapturous. The sheer volume and variety of stimuli is like a bath for my nervous system, an electrical massage for my brain, a systems check for my soul. It tears smiles out of me: a minute ago I was dour, depressed, apathetic, numb, but now, on two wheels, big, ragged, windy smiles flap against the side of my face, billowing out of me like air from a decompressing plane.

Transportation is only a secondary function. A motorcycle is a joy machine. It’s a machine of wonders, a metal bird, a motorized prosthetic. It’s light and dark and shiny and dirty and warm and cold lapping over each other; it’s a conduit of grace, it’s a catalyst for bonding the gritty and the holy. I still think of myself as a motorcycle amateur, but by now I’ve had a handful of bikes over half a dozen years and slept under my share of bridges. I wouldn’t trade one second of either the good times or the misery. Learning to ride one of the best things I’ve done.

Cars lie to us and tell us we’re safe, powerful, and in control. The air-conditioning fans murmur empty assurances and whisper, “Sleep, sleep.” Motorcycles tell us a more useful truth: we are small and exposed, and probably moving too fast for our own good, but that’s no reason not to enjoy every minute of the ride.

Author unknown.

Demerit Points

2011-03-10T21:09:00.007+10:00

I have got to give some credit to the RTA in New South Wales - at the start of February they took the initiative to increase the number of demerit points on a NSW drivers license as well as reduce or remove points for 22 driving offences.

Why were these changes implemented?
Since the demerit points scheme was introduced in 1969, the motoring environment has changed significantly. The number of vehicles on the road has increased, and the road network has been extended and improved.

The changes to the demerit points scheme have been implemented to reflect these conditions.

The additional point for professional drivers recognises that these drivers spend more time on the roads.

This now means that our friends down south have an advantage over all their interstate counterparts - and all the while I was under the misguided belief that the demerit points scheme was a national initiative!

To the government bodies across the rest of this country who continue to roll out more & more speed cameras as well as reduce speed limits on some roads to ridiculous levels - GET WITH THE TIMES and follow the RTA's lead.

Read more HERE.

Tight!

2011-03-01T20:15:00.003+10:00

Talk about useful...imagine being able to turn in your own lane and take off in the opposite direction!! This is how to do it....

Still Waiting...

2011-02-25T04:49:00.001+10:00

Over 4 weeks now, and still waiting for parts! I want my bike back!

Progress On The B-King

2011-02-06T15:26:00.004+10:00

Well 2 weeks have passed since my little off and I have finally sorted everything with the insurance company. Work should start on the fix this Monday - still reckon I will be waiting at least another 2 weeks till she is back on the road, mainly due to parts.

I have been commuting on a mates ER6N - was really nice of him to offer me his bike. It is great for city traffic but am hanging for a little more get-up-and-go!!

A Total Shock...

2011-01-31T11:24:00.011+10:00

Been just over a week since I dropped my bike. Have not had the urge to even talk about it till now.

Was out with the Ozbikers forum last Sunday the 23rd January and somehow I just missed a corner - not speeding, not riding hard, just plain missed the turn. The front tyre touched the soft mud on the side of the road just outside of Chillingham in northern NSW and down she went. Thankfully I ended up missing both the armco and the post that the bike hit, so no damage to me other than pride.

The bike however was a different story - scratched pretty much all down the right hand side with a hole in the clutch cover. One of the other guys picked the bike up, dusted her off and checked that all was ok and I actually jumped back on it for a few kilometers until I realised that it was leaking oil!! We pulled over futher up the track and then realised that it needed towing.

Kind of puts things back into perspective - it happened so quickly and so easily that I reckon I was in shock for a while after. It really doesn't take a lot for things to turn bad.

So now the King is sitting in the shop waiting to be fixed.........

Mud everywhere!!

Snap...

Looking a little worse for wear

Hole in the clutch cover

Thanks to my mate Chris and his lovely lady Donna for the pics and all their assistance at the scene - really appreciate your help guys!

An Old Favourite!

2011-01-18T04:51:00.018+10:00

I got out on Sunday morning for a ride with the mob from the Ozbikers forum into northern NSW - all up 11 bikes of various sorts left from Yatala at 8am and took advantage of some great riding weather. It was fantastic to see a lot of other riders out on the road doing the same thing.

Our route took us out to Canungra, Caligraba Road and then along the Numinbah where we re-grouped at Chillingham - this is one of my favourite stretches of bitumen, especially those sweepers alongside the Hinze Dam. As I was new to riding with these guys, I took it relatively easy on the way out, but even so, we were hooking along - most of these guys ride sporties/performance bikes and like to have a go when they can. This was just what I and the B-King needed!

The road surface was in pretty good condition considering what our weather has been like - there were a few potholes but most of those were off the riding line. We did have to make one water crossing on the way into Chillingham, but it was only a couple of inches deep and posed no problems. After a brief stop in Chillinghsm to re-group, we continued on to Murwillumbah and then followed the Old Pacific Hwy over the Burringbar Range.

The road over the Burringbar Range is another favourite of mine - great surface and lots of corners which can really test your riding skills. It is fast and testing and the bike responded to my every demand. This was where I could really get a feel for my new B-King, and I did so - I carved a track up and over and then back - I was on rails. Perhaps the best two features on the bike that I really came to appreciate were the grip from the tyres and the power of the brakes - I was able to really fling the bike around with no doubt that if I needed to slow or stop in a hurry, I could do so. To me this bike is far superior to the GSX1400 in those two areas as well as on take-off - although it is around the same weight, it feels so much lighter when on the gas. You are also in a far more aggressive stance when seated on it with very little between you and the road ahead. Anyway, we rode it a couple of times and then headed back to Murwillumbah for fuel.

After re-fuelling the group headed back towards Canungra for lunch. A couple of us followed Ozzy's lead leaving Murwillumbah but he eventually flagged us past. Up and over the border and back into the Numinbah Valley - this is when the fun began!! I chased a fella in the group on his Busa all the way back to Canungra and gee we had fun in those Hinze sweepers. He would slowly pull away from me on the straights but I would then reel him in on the corners - a real game of cat & mouse!! This continued onto Caligraba Road where he and then I overshot a corner onto the other side of the road. Nothing major and nothing coming the other way, but proves that I was too busy watching him instead of the road. Lesson learnt!

I rode into Canungra with the biggest of grins on my face, having had a fantastic time getting to know my new bike a little better and cannot wait to get out again with these guys.

Re-grouping at Chillingham

Stokers Siding at the bottom of the Burringbar

Sensory Overload

2011-01-06T20:38:00.003+10:00

This is simply amazing - it takes you as close as you could possibly get to a real riding experience via video. Jared Barnes slays the tail of the Dragon on his R6!!

Enjoy it - I did......a number of times!!!

New Bike - 2010 Suzuki B-King

2010-12-29T19:36:00.010+10:00

Hi there strangers!! I have been uber-slack with keeping the site going this year - a lot of stuff happening that has demanded my attention! Apologies for that, but I needed to spend some time sorting my personal shit out and it hopefully is coming to a close.

Great news...I went out a couple of weeks back and bought myself a brand new bike! My GSX1400 had gotten to a stage where I needed to spend a bit of dosh on it and so I decided to check out what was happening at the dealers. I was originally keen on the new Kawasaki Ninja (faired Z1000), but after riding it decided it was a bit too small for my liking - a great bike to ride, however just didn't suit. After doing this I ventured around to the local Suzuki dealer. As I walked in, I spotted a blue & white B-King with Two Brothers pipes - I asked if it was a demo but was told that it was sold a few weeks prior! It really stood out and I instantly fell for it - I had ridden one a month or so earlier and really liked the way it went, but didn't like the black & silver paint. Anyhow, I met the owner and he fired her up.....OMFG, this was it!!

After an hour or so waiting for a price, the sales guy came back to me with what I considered to be a good deal - that was it, my first new piece of machinery! I went back a week later and picked the King up minus the stock plastic crap on the rear and with a set of nice loud pipes - gees what a machine.

I have been commuting on it now for a few weeks but the weather has been so wet here in Queensland I have not had the chance to give it some. It is an awesome bike - lots of poke and I haven't even lifted the needle past 5k! I suppose when you ride a naked bike with a Gen 2 Busa donk you should expect a bit of get up and go, and I have not yet been dissappointed. The biggest difference between the 1400 and the King is the delivery of power on take off - the 14 was smooth and consistent off the mark whereas the B-King hits a certain point and just absolutely launches. Man, it is incredible!!

The great thing about this bike is that I have have found the need to ride & share it all again. Cool - will keep you all posted on how it goes!

Harley Davidson Forty-Eight Review

2010-10-10T00:06:00.026+10:00

The new Harley-Davidson Forty-Eight motorcycle is a 1200cc V-Twin Sportster that's super cool to be seen on. I really enjoyed this ride, it's got an aggressive raw bobbed style; is responsive and handles well making it fun to ride.

The inspiration for the Forty-Eight name is the seven.eight litre tapered peanut tank that was first seen on Harleys as far back as 1948.

With a blacked out and polished rubber mounted motor, fat tyres, forward controls, low profile handlebars with mirrors mounted underneath, a solo seat and slammed suspension, it's very unique. I think it will appeal to both young men and women. The seat height is only 66cm so you feel in control at all times.

I love the colours too. Vivid Black, Brilliant Silver Pearl, and Sedona Orange colours. I'm a fan of the Black which adds to the rebel look, but the Orange is pretty outstanding too.

The seven.eight litre tank and stretched reach won't have you taking this bike on a long trip and personally it is too stretched for a short-arse like me, but I have that problem with all forward control mounted bikes. The underslung mirrors are easy to adjust to, but don't hang a shoulder bag where it will block the rear view. The shallow lean angle is very limiting so I expect it wouldn't take long to grind off the tabs that are attached to the foot pegs to stop you scraping the bike on more expensive components.

As with most Harleys I found the position of the shifter could be closer, but I managed to bring this to the attention of the design team so hopefully there will be a modified part available in the future.

I was curious about how the bike would handle with the chunky tyres but it was much lighter than expected and they certainly look good. The chopped fenders, blacked components (air cleaner cover, clutch and brake levers and turn signals) and peanut tank add to it's charm.

A special feature of this bike that I found very attractive is the combined indicator/brake lights. The rear indicators also house the brake light leaving the rear fender with a clean look.

Overall this new Sporty has spirited acceleration that might have you lighting up the rear end around town, then take it out on the weekend on the twists and turns of a mountain road with like minded friends and I think you'll have a lot of fun. With on on-road price of $16,625 ride away, Harley adds another cool and affordable bike to its stable of Sportsters.

Harley-Davidson 2011 Model Year Launch

2010-09-10T18:21:00.004+10:00

Some really important news...next week Donna is flying down to Melbourne to attend the 2011 model year Harley launch!!!! How good is that?? Not like I had a choice - believe me, I would have loved to have gone but I think they realised how much of a passion she has for what they offer, and so sent her an invitation. I am sure she will be busting to tell us all about it on her return.

From what I understand she will get to ride a few bikes over the day, so make sure you pop back in to view the pics, read about her experience and share her thoughts on what The Motor Company has on offer for the coming year.

Safe riding Donna, and don't forget my tee-shirt!

Mid Life Bike Crisis???

2010-08-11T16:35:00.006+10:00

I have been sitting here today looking back through some of the posts I have put up on this site - ranging back to mid 2005!! Whilst I found a lot of it entertaining, I also found it a little depressing, coz I feel as if I have lost the urge to ride for fun and share it with others.

This year has not been the best for me personally and I have just not been able to motivate myself to get out on the roads on the weekend. I still commute to work every day on my bike and love the ride, but come the weekend I just cannot motivate myself. On the odd occassion that I have done so, the last thing I felt like doing was trying to recount the day and then document it. I keep telling myself that this feeling will pass and I will get back into it and I reckon it will, but not just yet.

I have booked a few weeks annual leave in October and I plan to ride down to Phillip Island for the MotoGP. I will spend a few nights camping at the track and have a ticket to one of the stands - I am really looking forward to it. I then plan to link up with some of the GSX riders in Melbourne and ride with them up to the MCR, our annual get together in Bathurst. Now that will be special as I have never ridden the Victorian side of the Snowy Mountains, and I am told it is spectacular.

I will be setting off on my own, but no doubt will meet other riders on the road heading south, so am looking forward to it - no real plans except to get there, except I wanna be there for the first day of practice on the Thursday. I reckon it will be a good way to get that feeling back!!

Still need to get myself set up with some basic stuff - am looking at getting a decent swag and some decent wet weather gear - but it is good to know that I am committed and it is going to happen. So, if you are heading down to the MotoGP in October, let me know - I may just tag along for the ride!!

Too Long

2010-07-03T00:24:00.007+10:00

Well it's been way too long since I took the time to write on here and I've been on so many rides, I can hardly remember them all.

I remember coming back from the Ruptured Budgie Rally between Tenterfield and Texas back in mid-May and saying that I would have to write a blog on how much fun it was. Its one rally that is on my 'must do' list if only for the ride out there and back. Actually the rally is a fun night too. I met lots of very interesting people and listened to and told lots of stories around the bonfires at night.

It was pretty cold riding, but we all had the right gear on. There were more complaints about the rough road in one section than there was about the cold weather. But apart from that section it was certainly a great ride. There were 6 bikes, a nice little group of friends, and we went out through Boonah, Rathdowney, Woodenbong and Tenterfield. On the way back we went through Stanthorpe and Warwick till we got our heads straightened out from the night before, then cut through Allora to Ma Ma Creek before stopping in at the Glamorganvale for a few drinks on the last leg.

Of course we were blaming the sore heads on the need to drink lots of port because of the cold weather. The night before we got there it was -2 degrees and the washing up water was frozen in the bowl. Just as well we took that good bottle of port. I was as snug as a bug when I did finally crawl into bed and I know that I didn't surface the next morning until the frost had melted.

I just love those overnighters. I've done a few others lately too. June long weekend I went to the Rally Man Rally at Grevillia (before Kyogle). I was really keen to go for a ride by myself, but I had a little bit of trouble doing that as there were so many bikes on the road. I was forced to overtake 6 shiny red and yellow jap bikes just out of Dugandan (near Boonah) in an effort to ride alone, but alas they wanted to play, so I was forced to make sure they stayed in the chase position. I let them pass when we got to a T intersection after the windy bits and gave them a bit of space so I could resume my ride alone. As much as I like riding with other bikes, sometimes I just like to get out there by myself for a while.

Now that Rally Man Rally is a hoot. There were about 5 different bands playing from early afternoon when I got there till around 2:30 in the morning. Funnily enough some of the early bands were better than the last one, or maybe I was just a little befuzzled by then. But it's definitely a great time. Only thing bad about it was that it finished too soon. Sunday morning everyone packed up and left, when I had expected the music to start up again. I had planned to go for a nice ride, have lunch somewhere, pick up lots more alcohol and set myself up for another night of bopping in front of the band with a drink. But not to worry plan B was just as good.

I ended up back at one of the SMP rider's houses playing pool, drinking and being much much warmer than I would have been out in that paddock. And I blitz them at pool...gotta love that. Oh SMP, in case you were wondering is an acronym that they like to refer to as Suck More Piss. I believe it actually stands for some peninsula in South Australia where they formed their club, but their shirts have "a drinking club with a motorcycle problem" printed on the back and that says it all. Needless to say they were a great bunch to party with and it's just as well I played pool well that night because I certainly wasn't riding well that afternoon...I was feeling just a little ordinary, but that didn't last too long once we got started again.

So I hope you are not letting the weather hold you back...cold in Aus, damned hot where my friends are in Arizona. Keep it upright and have fun :)

Poker Machines On Wheels!!!!

2010-06-02T19:15:00.005+10:00

Had to laugh at this...Speed Cameras A Con. I really think that the Queensland Government has stuffed up big time on this - speed cameras are supposed to be a deterrent to speeding. To do so, I believe that we need to see more police on the roads, not unmarked cars parked on the side of the road with radars!

They boast that they are trying to reduce the road toll by adding more unmarked speed cameras to our roads!! How can you say you are attempting to deter speeding when you are doing so by deception?? It really is insulting the drivers of this state, being treating like children.

It should be about the visual impact with more cops on the road - I know that I and nearly everyone else will always watch their behaviour on the road if a candy car is visible. They are on the spot and can deal with the situation in an appropriate manner. To have a politician tell us that "when people get tickets in the mail it will dawn on them" is an insult not only to us, but also to the police who are forced to bear the anger of drivers/riders.

Good on you Ian Leavers for speaking your mind.