Who’s News                July  2007

The MSTCV Home Page accumulated 513 hits during July, about the same as last month. Total visits are 36,935 since April 1996.  I have added a PDF of the itinerary and changed the members’ access password. Recommended reading: the Corner Marking System Explained, given the recent foul ups. Note: with the recent Club name change, now official, we plan to change the web page URL to www.melbsportsbike.net.au It is not working yet.

Seen at the Mark’s Place on Thursday 7th June: Ben and Julie Warden, Ian Payne, Dave Ward and Bronwyn Manifold, Trevor Harris and Barbara Rolfe, Ron Johnston, Jacinta Thomas, Paul Southwell, Breht Emmerson and Elizabeth O’Neil, Chris Pointon, Peter Philferan and Lyn Duncan. 15 people

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 one or more days of a weekend event scores 3 points for leading, 3 for rear riding duties and 2 points for participating.

The count has started again for the year 2007/8 ending at the 2008 AGM in May.  Top ten totals after 3 months are: Ben Warden (28.5), Ian Payne (24.5), Dave Ward (16), Paul Southwell (16), Cameron Stevens (15), Trevor Harris (10), Misho Zrakic (9), Ron Johnston (9), and Geoff Jones (6).

Welcome to new member Peter Jones riding an R1. He signed up on the Rawson (Thompson Dam) ride, his third tough ride. On the first ride he endured 20 km of dirt and thought it was the best ride he had ever been on. The next two rides were miserably wet and cold and foggy, yet he was back for more, hand in pocket forking out the readies at the end of his “initiation” period.  Clearly he fits in well with the other die-hard social misfits.  We wish him many happy rides with the Club.

Front Cover: Thompson Dam (Rawson, Sunday 15th July) in the fog and cold. From left to right: Cameron Stevens, Misho Zrakic, Ian Payne, Ron Solomon, Peter Jones and Dave Ward. Ben Warden behind the lens. Paul Southwell out of shot.

Email from Peter Weyermayr: A new baby boy was added to the Weyermayr family today (27th July) at 1.30 pm. Joshua William and Liz are both doing very well. He was a healthy 3.995 kg and 53.5 cm long. Liz will be at Dandenong Hospital for another day or so before she will come home.

Email from Ron Johnston received 25th July:  Hello Ben, just a note to explain why I didn’t get to the ride on Sunday! I rode out the drive, onto the road, and gassed it. Next thing I know, I am on the deck. Aaagh! Picked myself up, could hardly stand up, went over and turned key off and had to sit on the gutter. Agony! Tried to get up but had to sit down again.

Stuart, from across the road, rushed out to see what happened, and picked my bike up and put it in the garage. I managed to hobble inside and get my riding gear off and have a look at my foot and right leg. Not pretty! Leg was blown up like a balloon, skin torn from calf, inside, foot going black and killing me. Could not put any pressure on it at all.

Julie took me to Maroondah Hospital where the doctor had it X-rayed and said the injury was consistent with a fractured bone, but the x ray didn’t show anything. He put my leg and foot in a splint and gave me crutches, and sent me home. Monday I had to ring up for an appointment for a CT scan, which I had yesterday which showed there was a clean break in the bone that runs down the middle of my foot, with 2 or 3 broken bits floating on the end of the bone that goes towards the ankle. I am waiting to hear from the Orthopaedic department this week to see what they are going to do with my foot.

At present my leg and foot are blown up like a balloon and they can’t do anything until the swelling has gone down. The good thing is, the bone is broken. I am out for 6 weeks, maybe 2 months depending on what the Orthopaedic surgeon says. 

Back to the bike: I have got Bridgestone 002 Racing tyres on it; fatal in the cold weather. When I gassed it, the back end let go straight away, to the right, then a big high side and I am on the deck. I travelled a whole 30 foot from my driveway on Sunday’s. Damage to bike: “minor cosmetic”. Exhaust, right hand engine cover, rhs fairing and indicator lens, handle bars are bent?, rhs mounting bracket bent back, brake pedal, mirror. Thats all on visual inspection, I am unable to do anything to the bike until I can walk again, so I will be off the road for about 3 months at this stage.

SMS received from Allan Zimmer 9th July: Not renewing membership due to loss of use of right arm in motorcycle accident in March (10th…Ed)  Thanks to all in Club for fun rides. Allan Zimmer. Talking to Allan confirms that he was collected by a 4WD head-on resulting in damage to his arm which may result in it being amputated.  Allan, ever the fighter, is investigating motorcycles with controls suitable for one armed riding. He has recovered from other minor injuries though still has no recollection of the incident.

Routine maintenance on Ben’s hard working Honda CBR954 this month included a new left hand side fork seal. A genuine seal cost $32 from Peter Stevens (I was in a hurry) and 1 litre of 10W fork oil cost $16. Fitting the seal $40 – by the man with the special tool. He said “Watch this!” as he proceeded to clasp a $100 purpose designed bush (which wraps around fork leg) and then proceeded to pull the seal into place by hand in a few seconds. Brilliant! While kicking goals I floated the idea that whether the fork oil was 460 ml or 510 ml per leg didn’t seem to make any difference to ride quality. He said, yes, that’s right, the fork oil level only controls the air gap which only comes into play under full compression. The air gap acts like a non-linear spring with the pressure rising rapidly because it is a volume. The idea is that soft (standard) springs have a small air gap (lots of oil) so that they don’t bottom out.  Running stiffer springs – to get the ride height correct – allows less oil to be run resulting in a more linear travel at near full compression – resulting in a more compliant, softer ride.  Brilliant!  I put in the 460 ml and enjoyed the ride next day.

Melbourne Cup Long Weekend Road Trip, November. The plan is to ride into NSW and visit the south east coast and Snowy Mountains via all the good roads. We intend to stay in a different location each night.  A proposed itinerary would Sat 4th –Tue 6th with the possibility of leaving on Friday night. 

Day 1 might be Orbost Pub with Whittlesea leave heading for Mansfield, Bright, Mt Hotham and Omeo Highway (670 km). Day 2: head for either Bombala/Adaminaby/Towong pub accommodation picking up the Canne River Highway, Kiah Road, Eden, Cathcart, and Snowy Highway.  Third night: Mt Hotham lodge accommodation via Cabramurra, Elliot Way, maybe Thredbo loop, Jinjellic, Murray Valley Highway, Granya, Bright Hotham.  Last day Mt Beauty, Mt Buffalo, Tawonga Gap, Happy Valley, Mansfield, Yarck.  Put $100 in to the Club coffers to secure a spot asap.  Near new tyres essential. Will be booking accommodation in the next few weeks.