ITINERARY OCTOBER 1985

6^th BENDIGO John Arrowsmith leading

9.00 KBCP

13^th PORT CAMPELL Hans Wurster leading

9.00 KBCP

10.00 Laverton

20^th BONNIE DOON Gary Young leading

9.00 KBCP

10.30 Yarra Glen

26^th MOVIE NIGHT “BACK TO THE FUTURE”

Forum Cinema, 154 Flinders St. (Cnr. Russel St.),

Starts 8.00pm Cost: $7.00ea ticket

Meet in Cinema Foyer 7.30pm

Contact Social Sec. (819-3040) before sat. 19^th to

Book seats.

27^th LORNE Les Leahy leading, see enclosed article for pre

9.00 KBCP ride information

EDITORIAL

CENSORED

KEITH

The next three STAY UPRIGHT courses to be held in Victoria will be at the PHILLIP ISLAND circuit on:

* * * TUESDAY 5^TH NOVEMBER * * *

* * * WEDNESDAY 6^TH NOVEMBE * * *

* * * THRUSDAY 7^TH NOVEMBE * * *

Each program will commence at 8.30am and finish at 6.00pm. Lunch will be included in the cost of $105.00 for each rider.

Theory and practical sessions will be alternated throughout the day to develop skills in Braking, Cornering and Advanced Defensive Riding. Highly skilled instructors will teach you how to better ride your own motorcycle. There will be plenty to learn, whether you have been riding for ten months or ten years, and you will have tremendous fun doing so. Just ask people who have been through a STAY UPRIGHT program!

Fill in the application form below, include your deposit of $20.00 and return it to: 9 ESCABON GROVE, FRANKSTON 3199. Make cheques or money orders payable to:-

STAY UPRIGHT MOTORCYCLE TECHNIQUES

If you have any enquiries contact me AH’S on 03 789 3680 or write to me at the above address.

Regards

Blythe Osbourne

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NAME:........................................... DATE OF COURSE:..................... /../...

ADDRESS:.................................... MAKE OF M/CYCLE:.....................................

........................................................ MODEL/CAPACITY:......................................

........................................................ EXPERIENCE:.................................. YEARS

POSTCODE:...............

PHONE:BH................ AH............

SIGNATURE:................................

HAVE YOU INCLUDED YOUR DEPOSIT?

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COMMITTEE WAFFLE

The Committee proposed Christmas camp is at TOWANGA this year. It would be a fend for yourself affair, as far as booking vans, but the council keeps some vans and sites free for overnight visitors, for those who would like to just drop in for a short stay.

At the November meeting, apart from drawing of THE RAFFLE, we shall be having a guest speaker – Bertram Cadart.

SOCIAL SCENE

November 16^th & 17^th DIRTY WEEKEND. Bookings and monies are now being received by our Master of Ceremonies (Vince Green). With only 30 places booked you had better be early if Port Campbell is any indication of the popularity of these outings.

NOTE: bring your friends, this is not exclusively MTCV members and at $14.00 a head you couldn’t ask for better value.

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WHO’S NEWS

Firstly Hi to all you PLEBS out there in member ship land.

Ben Bend’em has the answer for all you people who don’t know what to do with your hands while carrying on a conversation.

‘And if I can’t catch ‘em with my FJ, then it’ good luck to them’

CHANGE OF ADDRESS

As of this date your editor in chief resided at the following abode....41 BRADSHAW ST ESSENDON 3040 ph. 337 9881

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WHAT TO TAKE ON CLUB RIDES 3.10.85

The Puncture:

Tubeless tyre: If you get a puncture in a tubeless tyre, the tyre will go down slowly, and the handling will be adversely affected. After determining the site of the wound, two options are open: to inflate the tyre with a can of Finelec (or equivalent), or to use a plug.

Two weeks ago on the Breakfast Ride I scored a puncture in my rear tyre, an as new Pirelli radial. I filled the tyre with a small can of Finelec I was carrying (not expecting a puncture, but hoping to see Ross Bradsaw and return it to him, albeit a couple of years late!). it gushed out the hole and was useless. Vince then sealed the gash using a tubeless tyre repair kit consisting of a needle, rubber plugs, glue and carbon dioxide cannesters.

Now last week at KBCP, Tony Gustus had a puncture in his rear tubeless tyre also. He plugged it first, and air leaked past the plug. He used Finelec to complete the repair. So a case can be made for using either Finelec or plugs, or both together.

A puncture in a tube tyre is more of a problem. Replacing the tube implies you carry a tube, and sufficient tools to remove either the back or front wheel from the frame, and tyre levers to remove the tyre (assuming you have broken the bead, ha, ha) to allow you to remove the tube. The other alternative is to take the wheel down to the local bike shop. Chances are we are half way along the Mt Sabine fire track, and how many bike shops open on Sunday anyway? Though I remember big D and company changing a tube at a Sports Day once.

Inflating your now repaired tyre:

BMW riders carry a BMW hand pump. Finelec inflates the tyre, but you need a monster can to inflate radials to 40-44 psi. One small can is not enough, though it may be enough to allow you to ride slowly to a service station to put more air in. The CO2 canisters are okay but still don’t put sufficient in. Tony carries an engine pump tube which screws into a spark plug recess. The motor pumps up the tyre for you.

Low and High speed crashes:

Human side: any bike has a tendency to break certain items when dropped. So if your Z1300 snaps a spark plug every time it falls off the centre stand, then you need to carry one (at least). My 550 sheds blinkers. Engine covers tend to get holed, and leak oil everywhere. Usually engine bars (if able to be fitted) pay for themselves. Levers bend or snap, making the bike unrideable. Cables get ground away, or stretch, or snap. The classic position to carry spare cables is taped to the original ones. Know your own bike and know what it may need to get going again. If it is unrideable, you’ll need a tow rope. Or the RACV.

Chain final drive:

Chains stretch, break, wear out sprockets, and need constant lubrication and adjustment. Whatever tools you need to adjust the chain at home, you should carry on the ride. If the chain breaks (unlikely, but it has happened to me on a club ride) you’ll need a split-link of the right size. Dirt bike riders tend to carry a few spare links and a chain-break. Once the chain has stretched sufficiently to be sloppy on the rear sprocket, even though it has just been adjusted, then it is time for a new one. Obviously a bad tight spot means the chain has reached the end of its useful life.

Chain lube: I have tried a few including Castrol and some Australian made stuff, but have settled on PJ1. I put it on whenever the chain looks dry, e.g. at the end of a dirt road or half an hour in the rain, or after X number of km. I have generally ignored people who say you have to put it on the inside of the chain so that it is thrown outwards. This theory is fine for heavy grease, but the lubricants these days go on like water and squirt right through the chain anyway. In 42,000km the 900 has gone through 1 chain (28,000km) and 1 front sprocket. Chain lube lasts 10-20,000km.

Tool kit: appropriate good quality spanners, hex keys, and screw drivers suitable to your machine; a piece of wire, a pair of pliers, duct tape, knife, spark plug, tyre pressure gauge, fuses of the right rating.

Miscellaneous items: sun glasses, suitable clothing (which you could write a book about), ear plugs, and anything I have forgotten.

Where to carry all this equipment: Apart from tank bags, panniers, fairing compartments, clothing pockets, tail sections, and under the sea, there are not many places. Sticking things on the inside of your side covers can be effective.

The idea is to be a little bit self sufficient. Ultimately we are responsible for ourselves. It just happens that when travelling with the club we are in good, dependable company. a measure of security is afforded. Let’s try to be a little less reliant on others.

Ben (GPz900)

LORNE (GOOD DIRT)!

“You’ve got to be kidding”, they all said “there isn’t any dirt on the way to Lorne.

Quite right, but then you’ve probably never been to Lorne the way I’m going to take you on October 27^th. So here it is. A little pre-race publicity;

Take it for granted that the Sunday will be warm and sunny. We’ll make a good start going nowhere near Geelong but head for Melton instead. Once clear of the city we’ll detour onto seldom used secondary roads.

Now this is where I’ll disappoint any dirt freaks who’ve come along because they know my usual style. But I promised that this would be an introductory ride for people with big road bikes who never normally ride on dirt. So we’ll start out with minor roads which at least get you off the likes of the Hume Highway.

The bitumen I have lined up is all smooth, fast, no traffic, no men in blue, but you’ll have to play the corner marker routine to discolour the reline a little because I don’t ride fast at the front. This club is for everyone, even if you’ve only got a 250cc.

As the Brisbane Ranges appear on the horizon we soon approach our first section of dirt. Only one kilometre just to break you in gently. As you climb upward, take a good look around. Pretty spectacular huh?

Now it’s smooth cruising right down past Twin Lakes. Steady. We turn in here for the second dirt section of 6 kilometres. Take it quietly; this is the Brisbane Ranges National Park. Have a good look at this unique Australian scrub. More like parts of Queensland than Victoria. Out in that bush are lots of old gold mine shaft, because we’re about to pop up in Steiglitz via the back door. Steiglitz eh! How much do you know about the gold-fever storied of this little historical hot-bed?

Now back to those smooth, fast bitumen roads. we’ll whiz through the thriving metropolis of Maude, rush across well – worn planks of Russell’s Bridge and cruise nonchalantly down the main drag of Bannockburn.

Never been to Bannockburn before? You haven’t lived. Quietly the townships blur by. Inverleigh, Winchelsea and now the signs are pointing to Deans Marsh.

Deans Marsh? That’s somewhere near Lorne isn’t it? So that’s where we are.

Hullo. He’s turned off again. Some place called Penny Royal this time. You’ve got to be kidding. Don’t know where we’re going but it’s a hell of a nice little road.

Barwon Downs, Forrest. Say, this bitumen is really starting to wind around. Pretty funny sort of dirt ride, should advertised it as “Road racer’s Delight” Oh, oh! We’re turning into this little track thing. It’s still bitumen but it’s about four feet wide. Nice scenery though.

We’ll turn off here to Mt. Sabine Fire Tower. The forestry is all around so aspiring spidermen or spider women will have to climb the tower for the best view in the Otways.

Back on the tine road and oh, oh, again! It really has turned to dirt this time. But it’s good dirt though, just like the programme said. So get the feel of it, relax a little and take in the country side. We’re now on the dirt road equivalent of the Great Ocean Road. Only a few kilometres inland and running parallel with the coast all the way to Lorne.

Didn’t know this was here did you? And there are hundreds of other terrific places in the state just like it. All at the end of a bit of dirt road. A little bit of dirt that can open up a whole world of destinations for you and your bike.

Come along with me on Sunday October 27^th and we’ll get you started on the road to all those places.

Les R80GS.

Scientists have determined that the average time of intercourse is 4 minutes

The average number of strokes per minute is 9, making the average intercourse 36 strokes. Since the average length is six inches, the average girl receives 216 inches or 18 feet per intercourse. The average girl does it about 3 times per week, 52 times per year = 150 times 18ft = 2700 feet or just over half a mile every year. So girl, if you are not getting your half mile every year, why not let the man who gave you this card help you catch up....

HAY AND BACK

I decided it was about time I tested the Yamaha’s touring ability and now seemed a good time to do it. The first problem, limited carrying space. It was not too much of a problem really, I seem to be the sort not to carry heaps of junk, as it appears do many other tourers. Problem was solved by putting tank bag on the rack on the back, tank bag on the tank, and a duffel bag on the back seat, with me squeezed in between and I mean squeezed, no chance of a cold back. In all a total carrying weight of approx 125kg, which had to include all camping gear, food and me of course.

Next destination. Pig shooting, haven’t been for years. A quick call to a property owner outside of Hay, he said “yep come on up”.

Next problem. Tank range. Bit unknown, as magazine reports say around 200km empty. On a recent club ride the best was 125km empty. I think the throttle jammed that day! At the very worst it meant lots of fuel stops.

Left Friday morning around 7am, out through Yarra Glen, Kinglake, Strath Creek, Broadford and across to the McIvor highway then onto Echuca, Deniliquin and then to Hay. Had a quick stop for lunch, beans on toast and then headed out to the homestead. Completed around 550km’s in approx six hours. The 600 cruises comfortably at 110 to 120kms. (The 108km range was maintaining a constant 120 clicks) it’s a thirsty devil; still you can’t expect miracles considering the weight and the upright sitting position.

Friday arvo shot a few pigs. Woke around 6am Saturday and arrived home about 1pm. I had a trouble free trip, bike performed excellently, but next time an accessory 20 litre tank and a lamb’s wool seat cover wouldn’t go astray.

Craig Yamaha XT600

GREAT OCEAN ROAD. SUNDAY 8^th sept. ’85.

Arrived at KBCP at 9am with a pillion on the back (Libby). As it ws her first club ride we decided to be rear rider. Left at 9.30am, as the sun shone down upone us, heading for our first stop, Laverton. A couple more riders joined the group and we headed off down the boring Geelong Road.

Not far from Laverton we had to take a detour through Little River (no sign of the boys from the bank) as there was a gas leak and olice were re-directing all traffic. This caused problems for the group as some went in one direction and others went in another direction. Why? Apparently a policeman directed the first half of the group in one direction and when the rest of us came along, he directed us in a different direction.

When we finally meet up with the rest, we were asked which way had we come. ‘Did you go over a railway crossing?” “What crossing?”, came the reply.

Re-grouping and headed off again as Tom (K100RS) played traffic cop, telling car drivers where to go(politely we assume). Arrived safely at Anglesea for morning tea. A short stop (for us anyway) and our fearless leader yelled out “Next stop Apollo Bay”. The break was over. All riders headed off except Ben who decided to adjust his chain or something. After 10 minutes of buggerising around, he was ready to go. “Don’t worry, we’ll catch up to them”, he said as he roared off in a spray of chain lube. Ha! He may have caught up to them, but the next time we saw anyone from the group was a Apollo Bay.

The ride along the Great Ocean Road was enjoyable with good weather and moderate traffic. We arrived at Apollo Bay some twenty minutes behind the leader and after prizing Libby’s hands off the grab rail we went and had some lunch.

We gassed up and headed off along the Great Ocean Road again. Libby was a little nervous about “riding around those rotten bends again”, but left with a choice of that or walking, she decided it wasn’t so bad.

The ride back was at a more relaxed pace and we arrived at Geelong, where we broke up.

A good day and a good ride.

Rod Miskin and Libby (GPZ750)

WELSHPOOL 4.8.85

At 9.30am on Sunday the 4^th of august three bikes and riders left KBCP for Port Welshpool, with the first stop being the pickup at Hallam. Two late arrivals caught us, first as we left the car park and we were on our way.

The trip to Hallam was uneventful and we found another two riders waiting to swell our numbers to seven. From Hallam we took the Princes to Packenham then by back roads paralleling the highway we reached Drouin. We then continued south to Poowong along a picturesque country road with some nice corners and onwards to Leongatha for lunch.

After a couple of salad sandwiches and a refill of our petrol tanks, the Sth Gippsland highway was taken out of town and we continued along towards Foster. Somewhere along here our leader found a turn off and we managed to end up on some dirt roads which would through the hills fiving us a great view of the countryside, eventually we ended up back on the Sth Gippsland and at Foster, which was only a short distance from Welshpool and our final destination, Port Welshpool.

A short while later when we had our afternoon smoko, we headed out of the Port and northwards to some waterfalls where we were lucky to have Hans explain to us the virtues of K100RS’s and their large amounts of torque (or is that talk). From here we found a great dirt road (track) which wound its way upwards until we found ourselves with a truly magnificent view of Wilson’s Promontory and Corner Inlet. Then onwards along the Grand Ridge Road which goes through some large amounts of forest to our eventual emergence at Mirboo North and the road to the end at Trafalgar.

All in all a great ride considering the weather in Melbourne and the difference down south. (It was a much nicer day in Welshpool).

GEOFF VF750F

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