Walhalla 2^nd May, 2004

Honda CBR929 Ben Warden (leader) Yamaha R1 Geoff Jones (rear rider)

Honda CBR929 Pete Weyermayr Yamaha R6 Joel Haley

Honda CBR54 Liz Oliver Buell 1200 Nigel Hellyer

BMW R1200GS Rob Langer 7 bikes, 7 people

Ron rang me on the Saturday full of the flu, sounding dreadful. He wouldn’t be leading the Walhalla ride. That was fine by me as I was itching to go for a ride after having missed a couple of Club rides. Not that I thought it would be much of a turnout with gale force winds, rain and hail forecast.

After having to refuel up en-route and then negotiate a gold commodore staking out the median strip near Stud Road, I arrived right on the dot, quite surprised to see so many faces. In fact, Allan Zimmer was also there on his (?) new ZX10R, but just to wish us farewell. He was off riding with mates.

Rob was on his new R1200GS, 30 kgs lighter than the 1150, and up in torque and power. It certainly looks different – smaller tank, skinny steel frame, huge hollow rear axle, slimmed down drive shaft casing. Still very high and gangly looking. Rob noted it felt a little different, with quicker steering geometry counterbalanced by the weight up high. It tended to fall into corners, but was easier to change directions. Rob lasted till Noojee before heading back home – but I am getting ahead.

Of course Joel and Nigel were there again, undeterred by the promised foul weather, totally hooked. Nigel’s Kawasaki GPz1000RX had been traded on a Buell, the warped disks on the RX proving the last straw. The lack of weather protection failed to remove the grin on his face throughput the day. It is a sterling effort commuting from Carlsruhe (near Kyneton) to the various Club pick up points each Sunday.

With Geoff Jones appointed rear rider, we set off down the Freeway, Noojee for morning tea. We left together but it wasn’t long before the traffic lights split the group. Allan had warned us of the likelihood of increased police activity with the reopening of the Bairnesdale rail link. Sure enough there were plenty of people at each of the small stations (Bunyip, Longwarry) we passed by, running parallel to the Highway, now back together again.

A fierce west tail wind reduced wind noise to a minimum but a sharp eye on the speedo was required to maintain some sort of respect for the speed signs. The sky was overcast and grey, but no rain, though it never appeared far away.

At Longwarry we headed north across the Princes Highway and around the swervery to Labertouche, Jindivick and Neerim South. Then onto more back roads and around through Neerim East. Nigel was on the gas and regularly shared corner marking duties with Pete. A quick blat down the hill, the wind now a strong crosswind, buffeting the bike mid-corner. The tyres felt grippy and I felt confident.

We ordered salad rolls at the Noojee Milkbar and then headed off to the ablution block. It was very cold, but more comfortable now sheltered from the wind, and still no rain. Geoff noted that he is about to accept handover of his new house in Gisborne after a final walk through on Tuesday, but he still hasn’t sold the Melton family home. And the market prices appear to be falling. Looks like son Ben will live in the new house for a while until Melton sells.

Heading for Hill End the roads were mainly dry, whatever moisture about not penetrating the leafy canopy. Pete was on the gas and I was now struggling with the front end, not knowing why. After catching me, we worked our way through the tight twisties – much better going in this direction as the blind corners are on the right hand side and you have two lanes width visibility – and you are generally climbing. As it opens out it gets bumpier and I started to push the front tyre hard in the 55 km/h corners, suspension working well. We were up this way a month ago and it all felt familiar.

After 50 km of uninterrupted twisties (where else would you get that?) we did a quick left right jiggle and picked up the Yallourn North Road, an unusual road offering high speed sweepers in a very hilly environment. I counted seven power stations as we slowly coasted down into Yallourn North, visibility excellent, smoke plumes highlighted against the dark cloud back drop.

On to Tyers for giant salad rolls and fuel. It was only 70 km since the last stop but given there is no fuel at Walhalla or Rawson (Erica has some), better safe than sorry, the Buell an unknown quantity.

It is a ripper logging truck road up to the Walhalla turnoff, real tyre shredding stuff, the road wide and fast, mainly through forest. Then the tricky, unforgiving twisties into Walhalla, parking not such a hassle this time. Again Pete passed, my front end disconcerting. I managed to keep up, cars holding Pete up.

A relatively short stop while I ate the second salad roll, it not having turned to colslaw, despite Pete’s dire predictions. And then it dawned on me. I squeezed the front tyre – pudgy. I squeezed Pete’s – noticeably harder. Out with the new Emergency Kit double action pump (thanks Marty), 30 or 40 pumps and another 4 psi. Fixed! I wouldn’t have to fit another front tyre for at least another couple of rides!

Back out the tight twisties, looking out for Geoff and Cameron’s corner, bike steering much lighter and quicker, confidence rising. Sheltered by the trees, road dry, I pushed harder, in the groove, man and machine as one. This is what I had missed: corner after corner, obscure roads, the occasional ute towing dirt bikes, no cross roads, undulating sweepers with lots of variety and no tricks.

At Moe I felt the best part of the ride was over and the rest of the trip would be less pleasant. We ran parallel to the highway through Trafalgar and Yarragon before the relief of the Lardner loop back to Drouin. Liz followed closely for quite a way. The wind had turned south and was cold, rain threatening, roads requiring a greater degree of concentration and care.

It was about 100 km to Drouin where we regrouped and nominally finished the ride, the option of the Highway appealing. Even so, we rode as a Club back to Bunyip before rejoining the Highway for the bleak ride back into Melbourne, copping a shower around Packenham. But by Dandenong the road was dry again, the traffic moving surprisingly briskly.

Official ride length from Hallam to Drouin 320 km but home to home closer to 490 km. Pete and Liz home around 4.30pm and me before 5pm. We made excellent time throughout the day, Pete particularly happy with the ride and route. Thanks to all who attended.

Ben Warden (Honda CBR929)

p.s. The bike survived a decent run with a “new” stator which had failed a couple of weeks earlier when I was riding around the Snowy Mountains with cousins and friends (9 bikes, 1 Cadillac, 2 MGBs, a Datsun 300Z, 22 people). At the time, I swapped batteries with a guy on a 954 every 150 km or so, disconnecting the headlight. It happened about as far away from home as possible – Dalgetty – near Jindabyne on Day 3 of a 5 day and 2800 km trip, the week after Easter. And somehow I had become the bike group leader.

A multimeter across the battery terminals by the friendly Berridale motor mechanic confirmed my suspicions. Only 12 Volts, should have been 14.5, meaning no charging. Stator, again.

Given that the stator was “only” 30,000 km old – rewound this time last year just after Tassy trip, there may be room for negotiation with Small Coil. But I couldn’t wait the two weeks for the rewind and sourced a near new second hand one from HRC – none at the wreckers – and fitted it myself, saving plenty in labour. (New $480, rewind $180 last time.)

Before the trip I also replaced an original (110,000 km old) leaky fork seal and the fork oil in both legs on a lazy Easter Saturday afternoon. And I required a rear tyre that would last 3,000 km, a stressful thought as Rhys will understand (having to buy a new tyre) ending up with an Avon Azaro, at the right price. It has done 3000 km now and is down 2 mm and seems to be wearing very well, grip excellent.

In a few months (7,000 km) it will be time to re-oil the rear shock.