February 2005 Who’s News  2004

 

I received this email from Jean-Yves Avenard (11th March). “I won't be able to participate to any trip for a while. I crashed at Philip Island racetrack two weeks ago and severely damaged my ankle and right hand. I was on the track with Olivier Jaque, Troy Bayliss, and Wayne Gardner. Such a perfect day. After turn 8 and 9 I was too much on the left side (ready for the very much on the left 10 corner) and I hit the side ways, lost control: and fell at 200+km/h.  (At the Hayshed I’m guessing, a very fast corner … Ed.)

 

Luckily I was wearing full leathers, boots, etc. so my skin is pretty much intact. The medics totally cut open my boots and leathers. I woke up in Alfred Hospital after a nice helicopter ride (which I missed!). My ankle now has two plates with about 12 fixing points and 8 screws. I also snapped the ligament between my thumb and hand on my right hand. The bike was a prepared one. It only incurred minor fairing damage. It was the lucky one... I will be off the road for a while... everything is good otherwise. Cheers, Jean-Yves.”

 

The MTCV Home Page took 280 hits during February and has taken 23, 245 since April 1996.  The complete itinerary to May is up. The pressure is on to reinstate the photo page after about 700 shots of Tassie. Note NEW SOCIAL SIP venue. All future Social Sips will be held at the Homestead Inn, corner of Grant St and Queens Parade (top end of Smith St), North Fitzroy, Melways Reference Map 2C, Reference 3E. Note: we will be in the Bulletin Room – off to the right as your walk into the bistro area. It offers views to the street and bikes parked on the footpath.

 

Thursday 3rd March Social Sip. Spotted at the Whitehorse Inn were: Pete Weyermayr, Nigel Hellyer, Wayne and Joanne Nimmo, Craig morley, Martin Hastie andLyn Duncan. 7 people, significantly lower than usual with 18 active members away in Tasmania.

 

Thursday 10th March Social Sip II. Spotted at the Homestead Inn were: Pete Weyermayr and Liz Oliver, Bruce Saville and Kerrie Hose, Jacinta Thomas, Ian Payne, Paul and Jo Southwell, Lyn Duncan, Martin Hastie, Ben and Julie warden, Dave Moore, Ron Johnston, Peter Rykenberg and Peter Feistl. What started out as a Committee meeting expanded into a get together of the returned Tassie Tigers which then turned into all members. The object was threefold: have a Committee meeting, swap Tassie digtal photos and view on laptop, and three, check out the suitability of the Homestead Inn as a future Social Sip venue. The food was good, the prices very reasonable when compared to the last pub we visited, bike parking good, location fairly central and close to major freeways. The general consensus was that it was suitable.

 

ANZAC Ride Day Long Weekend to Eastern Creek, Fri 22nd till Mon. 25th April. Initial thoughts at this stage are to travel to Sydney and Eastern Creek on Friday, do the ride day on Saturday, and then drive south to the Snowys late afternoon, ride around the Snowys on Sunday, then head home on Monday. This is still the plan a month later. Expressions of interest should be directed to Darryn on mobile 0408-402-588 or email him at [email protected].

 

I caught up with Craig Morley during the week. He has been quite ill spending 10 days in hospital battling pneumonia with various allergic reactions leading to complications. He is still off work recuperating – give him a call on 9775-7429. But he has been busy: last weekend he was spannerman for Dave Nimmo, son of members Wayne and Joanne Nimmo, on the Hayabusa. Dave was racing at Winton is the first Sandringham Interclub round for Preston Motorcycle Club racing a Honda grey import VFR400. In his first race ever he was leading by a half a lap (after 1 lap, according to Craig, who was screaming his lungs out with excitement) when the throttle cable snapped. After getting help from the previous owner and last year’s championship winner to modify the return throttle cable to do the job, he was back in action after one race, entering five or six races getting 5th, 6th and 7th places, enough to earn him the novice trophy of the day. His times: 1.09s, were 4 or 5 seconds off the fast guys, but still quick. Craig said he was sliding front and back everywhere. Well done Dave.

 

Also seen at the same Winton Interclub race meeting was former member, Ray Walker, campaigning his RGV250, coming second overall in his class. It is good to see Ray back riding.

 

Craig’s Honda CBR929 is in at the bike shop. After 12,000 km his clutch has failed – “a total disaster area” according the mechanic, who thought the bike engine was lucky not to seize. Craig had been doing a ride day at Phillip Island. With moving addresses, Craig missed the factory recall back in 2001 for a modified clutch basket to remedy the problem. Honda will replace/fix under warranty including new oil and filter. That is excellent support. In the interim, Craig is building a WR400 Supermotard to play with. He has been talking to Rhys Williams (KTM620 Supermotard) regarding wheels, etc. Now he has two bikes that have trouble keeping the front wheel on the ground! Fitted with Pilot Powers, it should be a weapon over the Reefton.

 

I received an email from Sarah Rykenberg. Her husband Peter (TRX850) rode with the Club and they were regular Social Sip attendees. She explains their absence with the following diary entries: Sept 11 - wedding at Edinburgh Gardens, North Fitzroy; Dec 21 - birth of Elise Michelle Rykenberg, 9lb 1oz; Jan 5 - move to 161 Holden Street, North Fitzroy. Renovating two houses. Congratulations on all accounts. The new Social Sip venue is just around the corner – hopefully they can drop by.

 

Rod Miskin, a member in the early 80’s, sent me pictures of his latest foray. He was a chauffer at the F1 Grand Prix a week ago driving the eventual race winner, Fisicella, around. He was pretty excited.

 

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 1 or more days of a weekend event scores 3 points for leading, 3 for rear riding duties and 2 points for participating. After 10 months, the top 10 scorers are: Ben Warden (80), Ian Payne (54.5), Ron Johnston (50), Paul Southwell (48), Robert Langer (36), Martin Hastie (34), Trevor Harris (31), Peter Weyermayr (27), Nigel Hellyer (25), and Renzo Cunico (21). No movement amongst the top 10 other than for Martin to swap places with Trevor. Joel Haley has moved up the list to be on 20 points after many rear rides thanks to Megan.

 

Bruce Saville hasn’t been riding much. He has a minor operation to remove a painful cyst up his   Being a bus driver and sitting down all day may have aggravated the condition. We wish Bruce a speedy recovery. To ease the recovery and help pass the time he has acquired a new car, a Jaguar racing green Mazda MX5 with low km. He has been up the Reefton Spur harassing the bike riders. Another interesting hobby of his is “bus spotting”!  While driving the school kids around he uses the camera in his mobile phone to capture buses of interest. Bruce declares himself to be “a new man”, no doubt the result of meeting Kerrie Hose, a lecturer at Deakin. We wish Bruce a full and speedy recovery and look forward to seeing him back riding.

 

I received this email from member James Melford on Monday 14th March: Hi Ben, I hope the Tassie trip went well. I was thinking of all you guys down there. I've managed to sell my VFR at the 11th  hour; a guy is coming to pick it up next Thursday. We fly to Boston the following weekend. I've already got my heart set on a Blade when we return ;-) Will catch up with you guys in 18 months. Thanks for the great rides so far. Cheers, James.

 

Bill Wee sent me this email on the 7th of October, 2004. Would any Club members be interested in attending the MotoGP in Malaysia next year? A three-day grandstand pass only costs approximately $18 Aus. and the return airfare is about $750 Aus. Accommodation in a three star, air-conditioned hotel in the middle of China Town would cost about $35Aus per night, twin share. Food would be about $2.50 per meal. Sounds like a fantastic deal. For more information contact Bill via email at [email protected]  So far Paul Southwell, Ian Payne and Paul Grosser have indicated their intention to join Bill – 1 week’s duration is the plan. It could be big!

 

Front Cover:  Twelve of the 18 Tasmanian crew outside Strahan village Accommodation (a pub) waiting for the putty to cure on Danny’s holed radiator. Front: Ian Black, Ern Reeders, Ben Warden, Jason Peters; Middle: Rob Langer, Danny Hawker, Cliff Peters, Ron Johnston; Back: Dave Ward, Bronwyn Manifold, Dave Moore and Ian Payne. Peter Feistl is behind the camera. Paul Southwell was off getting his fork seal replaced.

 

Tasmania Trip Incidents: Cliff crashed his GSXR1000 on Sunday, bike minor cosmetic, Cliff cracked/broken scaphoid – but only diagnosed once back in Melbourne, currently in a plaster cast.  A series of mechanical failures including: Julie’s Magna boiling water out of radiator – replaced thermatic fan; Danny Hawker, holed ZX10 radiator – fixed with putty; Ron Johnston’s Bandit’s muffler bracket broken – welded up; Dave ward – puncture – bought new tyre; Paul Southwell’s 954 blew a fork seal – replaced by bike shop. Two nights in Somerset, 3 nights in New Norfolk, 2 nights in Kettering and 1 night in Devonport/Launceston for 5 people who stayed an extra night. Day trip over, night return. Highly successful trip, accommodation not perfect, but excellent value.