EDITORIAL MARCH 1981

We have heard some discussion of late regarding riding attire. The Constitution specifies that sandals, thongs etc are taboo, and that the wearing of protective clothing shall be encouraged. Fair enough! Ideally, one would be best attired in a good set of racing leathers. Not exactly the most pleasant suit for a 40 degree plus day. Shirt sleeves would be far more comfortable unless one has the misfortune to take a slide down the road. So what do we wear? Well, we think it is up to the individual! We personally wear heavyweight jeans a belstaff in the warmer months, or leather strides and belstaff when the weather is cooler. On occasion the belstaff is swapped for a denim jacket, (usually for around town use). We consider this is minimum for our style of riding. When riding in the lighter type clothing we travel a little more cautiously. Let’s face it, skin wears rather quicker than most clothing. (Smarts too!) What should we wear on a club run? Jock strap and riding boots or a set of leathers? If you front up in the former and manage a trip down the road a lot of people are going to be inconvenienced in securing your machine and then helping you pick the gravel out of the ensuing rash. (a wire brush helps but I feel would be somewhat painful!) if your clad in the latter the same trip down the road will result in a set of scuffed up leathers. Up you get and ride on. Both of these, of course, assume that nothing is broken, either human or machine.

So protective clothing SHOULD be ENCOURAGED, but should it be made MANDATORY? How would you feel if you were told that you could not ride with the club until you sported a set of leathers? If a specified type of riding attire was mandatory who would be responsible for ensuring that it was in fact worn? (Righto you lot, line up for inspection. Ten-shun!)

Think about these few questions. A little bird tells us that you might just be asked to give your opinions on them shortly.

Cheers Faye and Geoff.

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MARCH RUNS

Sunday 1 Nagambie. 9am KBCP. Bring togs.

Friday 6 General meeting. Club hall 8.15 SHARP.

Weekend Omeo Round Trip Leave Hallam 8am

7-9

Sunday 15 Cathedral Lane 9.30am KBCP

Sunday 22 Mt. Avoca 8am KBCP

Sunday 29 Shepparton. 8.390am KBCP

APRIL

Wednesday 1 Rocket Lake. 3.30am KBCP

Friday 3 General Meeting Club Hall 8.15pm SHARP.

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COMMITTEE CHANGES

As a result of a couple of resignations from the committee the following 2 members have agreed to stand in until the next election –

Tony Baly as Vice-Captain

Gary Young as Social Secretary.

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NEW MEMBERS

The following membership applications were accepted at the February meeting:-

Julian Bull. XS 850

Bruce Faldon. Z 500

Paul Smith. XJ 650

Vincent Green. Moto Guzzi SP 1000, BMW RT

Bob Steckelenburg. GS 850

Peter Henry. Honda 750

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CHANGE OF ADDRESS

Chris Negus and Debbie Snell

Unit 17/28-36 James St.

Box Hill. 3128

Ph. 886362

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NOTICE OF MOTION TO AMEND CONSTITUTION

The following proposed amendment to SECTION 14 of the Constitution is suggested by the committee.

SECTION 14 sub-section (b) the amendment shall read;

Always proving such disablement occurs –

Whilst travelling with the club on an official club function,

Whilst travelling to or from an official club function whether or not there is a stated leaving time or place for the club.

Provided such route taken is the most practical or whilst travelling in the company of other club members on any run originating from an official club function.

NOTE: for interpretation purposes the words ‘official function’ shall include any club activity printed in the Itinerary or included in the club magazine under the heading Itinerary.

The above amendment is proposed to cover such claims made upon the ‘FUND’ originating from such events as may occur from members travelling to a club camp or other official functions at times other than those printed in the Itinerary and to cover instances where a member participates in a ride originating from an official function. E.g. a day tour of the area surrounding a club camp or similar activity.

SECOND PROPSED ADMENDMENT TO SECTION 14

I further propose to move that the word MECHANICALLY be removed from sub-sections (a) and (I) of section 14 and the whole of sub-section (d)2 also be removed.

The above amendment is proposed to enable claims to be made against the ‘FUND’ in such cases of machine disablement not directly attributed to an electrical/mechanical fault or a puncture related spill.

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As you will realize if adopted these amendments will greatly increase the benefits of club membership; in as much as you will be covered by the ‘FUND’ when and if your machine is disabled anywhere, anytime provided you are engaged in some club activity.

As these proposed amendments involve a major constitutional change, I will move the amendments at the APRIL general meeting. There by giving all members the opportunity to study the proposals carefully before having to cast their vote.

Keith Finlay

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RYE BACK BEACH 11/1/81

First of all I give my regards to Faye and Geoff, and wish them all the best for 1981.

As normal we all met at K.B.C.P on a rather overcast Sunday morning. A lot of new bikes to arrive weren’t uncommon to see with most of them being the Honda CB 650’s. Apart from Mick’s new trail B.M.W, which looked very nice.

Anyway Craig gave a run down on the route to be taken to Rye. Darren on the Goldwing was our leader with Lindsay being our rear rider on his new Honda. I think everyone knew the ride down to Rye, being the beach road most of the way. The traffic was fairly good. On the way we toured up through Arthurs Seat which was nice and twisty. We arrived at the Rye beach around lunch time. A mad game of cricket was enjoyed by all, especially tall Lindsay. Everyone enjoyed the beach outing.

The way home was through the Flinders township and eventually through onto the freeway where most of us split up and went our own ways. It was the first Sunday ride of the year, fairly short, but very enjoyable. The coast line from Rye onwards up to Phillip Island and Wonthaggi etc I think, provides us with some fantastic scenery as well as some terrific beaches.

Anyway that’s about it, regards

Julian Bull

Yam XS 850

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Q. What’s that black stuff in between Elephant’s toes?

A. Dopey natives.

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CLOSING DATE FOR ARTICLES FOR NEXT MAG IS 20/3/81

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CLUBMAN ‘81

The Clubman Rally is put on by the Willoughby and district MCC, the same club in fact, that runs the six hour. Over the years the six hour has gained a reputation for its importance to the motorcycle community as a yardstick for settling arguments about the performance levels and handling ability of the bikes that we buy off the showroom floor. As a consequence of this the prestige of winning the six hour is so great that as each race went by (we’ve had 10) the cheating became better and better and at the same time the officials became more hardened and cynical. Cynical to the point of being ridiculous that is. However, you may be wondering what the six hour has to do with the Clubman.

Well it’s quite simple really. The Clubman when it first started in the early seventies was nothing more than an exercise in making money and having a bit of fun at the same time by a large organisation called a motorcycle club. The intentions were there by a few people to organise a rally like others with small profit but the people who said yay or nay wanted bickies to justify printing the rally on its club itinerary.

It all came to a head in 1976 they charged $5 per head and offered a badge in return and absolutely nothing else. To top it off the organisers arrived late and were in cars. Combine this with eight inches of rain in three hours (it was held in a rain forest not far from the QLD border) an alternative rally in S.A. and you have the demise of a rally.

Willoughby and districts club was going through a power struggle on the touring side of things and a small group of people who did a lot of work in the racing scene but who were dedicated tourers finally got control of the rally. They moved it from Warrumbungle National Park after the 1977 Heatwave Rally (as we all called it and vowed not again) it was 48 deg Celsius at west Wyalong.

The new site was private land on the banks of the Murray near Jingellic in N.S.W., it has proved to be a poplar site mainly I think because the weather in January combined with Australia’s most well known river situated near the centre of the triangle of capital cities could hardly go wrong. It proved to be successful more according to the growing number of rallyists who went to the rally. I this year was very interested to see how the rally went as I had worked at last year’s six hour and knew who did what and why and remember the six hour is a money making machine of the first order and the people who run it ensure that it stays that way. The same people who hold positions of real power in the six hour were there at the rally running it and making sure things went right and ensuring that everything went according to plans and also making sure we weren’t ripped off!!!!

The reason for that bit of useless history is because of a quote in 1976 of a senior Willoughby official who said “It is not the intention of this club to run a race meeting unless we are certain of profit and it is not our intention to run a rally unless a proper percentage of the entry fee is earmarked for our funds to be distributed fairly amongst our various internal factions ge:- mini Bike, Learner, Road Race, Motocross etc “ UNQUOTE.

Happily that official was asked to step down along with others sometime ago and so we have a new look rally committee who are unique in that they run the biggest single rally. One is totally professional and the other is totally amateur.

Well after all that garbage my trip to the 1981 Clubman Rally was a little different from other rallies in that I was riding a new bike and that’s something I don’t do every day. Arriving at the rally site and hitting the check-in tent and finding on a good map where the MTC was, we proceeded to our club site where the tent was thrown up amid mutterings of what will happen when we throw ourselves in the river to cool off. I might point out that it wasn’t overly cold at that time the temperature was somewhere around 38-39, perfect weather for not putting up man made contraptions which have the sole purpose of keeping us humans dry and warm.

Tent up it was time to join the multitudes and hit the river upstream of the camp, float past everyone yelling all sorts of ridiculous things at various peoples that one knows and then drag oneself out downstream of the camp and proceed to walk upstream through the camp and comparisons being made between wet rags and oneself etc. Al l extremely good fun and it would appear to be helped by the fact that people were mingling more because there being a total fire ban they weren’t stuck around their fires.

Sunday morning dawned bright and sunny and saw more than a few smart peoples heading to Walwa in Victoria for provisions and then back to the rally site to beat the heat, or is that beat the river.

THE RACE

It was Sunday morning the sky was clear and I was drifting down the river without a care in the world when I was casually asked by a gentleman from Sydney was I game? Was I game? What a stupid question I said, asking him if Gunga Din was a coward. Good, he said, we’re going in t raft race!!! And that is how I was sucked into the race.

Well we tied four air beds together with bungee cords and two small bags we had life jackets (organisers requirements) to save us and four paddle we had three fold up shovels and a Frisbee (there were four of us) not exactly your 1981 head of the river team but you just never know do you.

Prior to the start which was in Walwa in Victoria we were inspecting some of the other craft and noticed that they all had five gallon drums with millions of flies around them, made us wonder what we had let ourselves in for I’ll tell you.

Getting ourselves a good grid position we got off to a good start amid what could loosely be termed a barrage of all sorts.

Once away from the spectator area we found out that those contained nice wet cow-shit and did they throw it around! Our raft whilst not the best looking or fastest managed quite well and we were keeping up with most when we struck a problem in the form of a large raft with fifteen people on board. They were organised like you wouldn’t believe. They employed drummers to beat the drums so they could paddle in unison they had someone steering at the rudder and when they got near anyone they called for their Bombardiers who were a right and left handed pair who managed a constant flow of cow-shit that you wouldn’t believe it was seemingly impossible to pass them. Or was it? A large left hand bend in the river was our answer while they followed the river we hit the shore picked up our raft and ran like shit passed them and a lot of others and that folks is mainly how we came to be 4^th outright!!!

After the end of the race which finished at Jingellic in NSW we floated back to camp with a whole lot of others from the rally. The race started at 1pm and we got back to the rally site at 6.30pm totally stuffed with only one shovel left and one air-bed knackered form a tree. That’s how I spent my relaxing Sunday.

Others were not so fortunate. Our resident president went for a ride and got a dent in his bike. Actually a few MTC peoples went for a ride in the snowies, god knows why as there isn’t around this time of the year and with the temp in the low 40’s they must be mad. I don’t know what happened coz on Sunday night I was too stuffed to ask and on Monday morning Keith was too stuffed to talk.

Monday morning saw us on the road at 8.30 trying to beat the heat without much success. Pulled into Wang at 10am and it was 40 deg then so we just had a drink and continued home to lovely hot Melbourne.

That folks was my 1981 Clubman Rally trip and that’s that.

Mick R80GS

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ANGELSEA 1/2/81

About 20 of us left on what was a perfect day we went straight through to Geelong where we stopped for no reason that I could see. Then we went off again to stop at Anglesea. I was rear rider. One thing I did notice was the number of different of cylinders and arrangements on bikes. Practically everything was there except Moto Guzzi. There was a single cylinder Yammie, parallel twin, triple, and 4 fours plus flat fours opposed twins, 90 degree in Ducati and 72 degree Morini, motorcycle manufactures are and always have been more adventuresome with other motors.

Craig found a piece of 2”x2” wood of sufficient length to be used as a bat, so a game was got going. For me the beach is for swimming, lying in the sun or perving and apart from that I had worked all the night before. Not in bed. For some the call of the great Ocean Road could not be resisted and they went to Apollo Bay and back. We did see marc Sulot and a friend who were returning form a camping trip to Port Campbell, yes all that way on a 250 with only two cylinders. As a certain second cousin of mine, who is a D head and lives in Queensland said to me once when I went to cairns in my 600cc Honda twin Scamp car. You mean to tell me you came all that way in a car with only two cylinders. The big three certainly brain washed him, no doubt a 6 cylinder man. Unfortunately there are few in the club, apart from other motorcyclists who are brainwashed to the extent that they try to persuade everyone, they need at least four cylinders and 750cc to go anywhere.

After enough sun (sunburnt) exercise with cricket? We headed off to Geelong via Lorne and Mt Moriac, good to see Sue Jean again after quite an absence. My memory is such I could not think of her name but could still remember her and Kate swapping recipes for Beef Olives in Hobart 1976, she had a 400/4 then, now but not for long a larger four to be replaced by a 500 Guzzi. We will see. I know another girl who was going to buy similar but ended up with a 650 BMW.

As Les Leahy says it’s not easy to do a write up if nothing happens and it was perfect, no storms or trees across the road, no accidents or bike troubles, not even meeting a nice policeman to make the day noteworthy. There are in conclusion two things I want to mention that I would like to see brought up by someone as I will not be at the next couple of meetings.

Years ago we all met at a point in town at a cafe and then dispersed and if anyone was turning off before then they would notify a committee member who told everyone so no one found themselves lost or in some one elses home. It was a good idea and tractable only in those days with fewer riders. So now we disperse at the outer suburbs. Dandenong or Ringwood, Coburg etc. Fair enough. Geelong is still not an outer suburb. Point dispersal should be Footscray. Note it makes no difference to me as I carry tools and can fix any minor things roadside that can go wrong. There have been, probably still are, members who know nothing about bikes, punctures and who only go out with the club because there will be someone to help them. What happens if something goes wrong between Lara and Geelong? They can ask if they can ride back with another member but they shouldn’t have too – it is after all a club ride and as a club we have to think of the minority as well as the majority. Also, as I heard Mick Fagan say, a ride to Anglesea means what it says on the itinerary, Melbourne, Anglesea, Melbourne. I am not talking about anyone who wants to go to Apollo Bay and back or hill climbing that is a private thing, not an official run.

Anglesea is a good beach and it was a beach day, so why leave early to return via Apollo Bay as was suggested? We have rides to these places. Why see quarter of Victoria on every ride then stay home for three months? Adhere to the itinerary and come out more often. If we went home via Apollo Bay, Colac, in a few weeks time if there is a run there, some won’t come as we went there a few weeks back. I see no point in having an itinerary if we don’t stick to it. We try to have round trips, but can’t always, and on this ride it was not so much emphases on the ride as being at Anglesea. I might say I have been doing around 50,000 km per year, so it’s not long rides I dislike but I don’t like changing plans or itineraries unless necessary. Anyway think about it and air your views at the next meeting.

Lloyd XS 850

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If you have participated in a recent run and have been eagerly awaiting the report on that run and are now disappointed to find it not included in this mag then it is because the requested author has failed to authorize (?) authorcate (?), ----he didn’t bloody write it yet Mate!!

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We, the willing, led by the unqualified, have been doing the unbelievable, for so long with so little that we now attempt the impossible with nothing.

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IT PAYS TO SHOP AROUND

I sold my Honda 750/4 and Yammie XT 500 and bought an 850 Yammie. No matter what one buys today it pays to shop around. I was really surprised at the difference, even at two different Peter Stephens shops. At Springvale I was quoted in writing for a GS 850 Suzi $2,799 plus $150 rego and other costs, on road that is $2,949. In the city shop $3,190 on the road which is roughly $240 more, but Springvale offered me $1000 trade in, as against $900 in the city. If I wanted an 850 Suzi I would be $340 better off to buy at Springvale. On the 1000 GS at Springvale $3,149 on the road, in the city $3.600 or $450 more and the same trade in, so I would be $550 better off at Springvale.

The deal on the 850 Yammie from Yamaha City was equal to Peter Stephens at Springvale except I got things like a Hallmark Pack frame, panniers and a few other things at cost, about $60 saved in all.

Peter Stephens, city said if I paid cash I could have the 1000 GS for about $3400. The Suzi people further down Elizabeth St said I could have one there for cash $3000 on the road, again $400 cheaper.

I would have been happy with either bike but I thought that it’s easier on this model Yammie to remove rear wheel also fit pannier frame on plus I still have 4 new rear tyres which fit a Yammie 18” wheel and not the Suzi 17” wheel. I went into Sth Melbourne Yammie people, and asked for a trade in quote. I was told they could not do that as their sales manager did that and he was overseas in Japan and wouldn’t be back till 25^th, if I would like to come back then. Said I, you mean to tell me that while your manager is away you can only sell for cash or deposit and H.P., and he said yes. So I said you have lost a sale for I am buying a bike today or tomorrow, not after your sales manager comes back, and walked out.

I said earlier it pays to look around, even prices for parts varies. In Malvern I was quoted $20 for the 2 throttle cables for an XT 500 and in Sth Melbourne I bought them for $12.95.

Lloyd Yam 850

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When the Lord made Man, al l the parts of the body argued over who would be Boss.

The brain explained that since he controlled all parts of the body, he should be Boss.

The legs argued that since they took Man wherever he wanted to go they should be Boss.

The stomach countered with the explanation that since he digested all the food, he should be Boss.

The eyes said that without then, Man would be helpless, so they should be Boss.

Then the Ass hole applied for the job.

The other parts of the body laughed so hard that the ass hole became mad and closed up.

After a few days the brain went foggy, the legs got wobbly, the stomach got ill, and the eyes got crossed and unable to see. They all conceded and made the ass hole Boss.

This proves that you don’t have to be a brain to be Boss... just an ass hole

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Heard it said t’other night that it appears that the club is drifting away from the “Touring” aspect of riding. The speaker feels that we are developing into a lot of hard chargers playing boy racer most of the time.

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Is it true that our Captain (who always asks for someone to volunteer for rear rider) refused to take on the position when others at the briefing suggested he volunteer himself?

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CHRISTMAS 1980 Part 2

I will in future have the greatest respect for Les’s instinct. Had I realised exactly what lay ahead of us, there would probably have been three BM’s fighting for first position on that fragile quivering suspension foot bridge.

Riding that day, made the last couple of days seem really like a piece o’piss; subjecting the poor 750’s to conditions that would cause their designers to have a seizure.

The lush ferny growth, similar to Sherbrooke Forest that we initially rode through after leaving Les, lulled us into a false sense of security, as we followed the ridge along. Then it started to go down, and down, and down. There was no turning back. As we manhandled the bikes down one, by one, two four wheel drives came creeping through. (In first gear, low range)

Congratulating ourselves on having overcome this section, we came upon the two 4WDs. “If you think that last bit was steep, just take a look at this one,” said the grinning 4 wheel driver. “You go first and we’ll pick up your remains on the way down”, he said.

And so we began the decent. The track was plenty rough with deep rain grooves and lots of loose rock strewn about. Approximately 500 yards down the track took a 40 degree right turn with a rock ledge that dropped 3 ft in a distance of 1ft. We gradually edged the BM’s down one by one, without any damage. Although at one stage I slid for about 20ft with both wheels locked and Tom hanging onto the pack rack.

From here the grades began to lessen till we reached the valley which had its own set of obstacles in the form of seven river crossings. These varying in depth up to the petrol tank on the BM and being rock covered similar to the Lerderderg Gorge area.

Tom attacked the rivers with speed and strength, to make it look easy, only being stopped completely within feet of the opposite bank by a flooded engine on one occasion.

On the other hand yours truly did not quite have the technique fully sorted, flinging bike and self into the depths on four or five occasions for complete drowning. At least the watering took the edge off the hot day.

On reaching Wonnangatta we collapsed exhausted onto the ground for a well earned rest. “Mmmm, I don’t like that looks of those clouds; it could rain,” remarked Tom.

“No,” says I.

But half an hour later we were putting up the tent and lashing down the tarp in double quick time, getting in just as the storm hit. With thunder, lightening, hail, rain and heat we had had everything that day.

The following day was spent relaxing and drying out. In the morning we went fishing in the river at the tent door. Tom immediately catching a good size trout; 3 in all that morning, while I thrashed away at the waters, to no affect what so ever.

In the afternoon we took a leisurely stroll down the track to the old Wonnangatta homestead site. This must have been a great place in its day on the river flat surrounded by mountains. But these days all that’s left is one corner of the old homestead, the mustering yards and a stockman’s hut which is still in use.

Back at camp a couple of 4 wheel drivers stopped for a chat and informed us that we may have trouble getting out as the track degenerates to bog holes north of the homestead. They had to winch their way through that morning.

The next day feeling refreshed, we negotiated the bogs without trouble and proceeded to the last river crossing. You know who blasted through in usual style and I followed for the mandatory dunking this time pinning myself under the BM in 2ft of water. Tom came to the rescue and lifted the bike off; we began pushing it to the opposite bank. A couple of yards on, I stumbled and pulled the bike down on the other side and pinned the other leg. Thus showing my versatility and proving that practice makes perfect.

From here on things got progressively easier with only a couple of steep climbs and descents, like say the “Shortcut Track” near O’Brien’s Crossing which had become the norm rather than the exception.

By 12 o’clock we were having lunch on the footpath outside a care in Myrtleford. Thus ending one little Xmas jaunt that I will never forget.

Keithy & Tom.

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