Loch                                       Sunday 27th  July 2008

 

Ian Payne (rear rider)

Honda CBR1000

Peter Jones

Yamaha R1

Paul Southwell

Honda CBR1000

Cameron Stevens

Yamaha FZ6

Richard Marek

Honda CBR1100XX

Cliff Peters

Suzuki GSXR1000

Ben Warden

Honda CBR954

Misho Zrakic/Pina Garasi

Suzuki GSXR750

Dave Ward (leader)

Honda CBR600

Tim Emons

Suzuki SV650

Ron Johnston

Honda CB400F

 

11 bikes, 12 people

 

Weather: occasional rain and hail, roads wet, generally cold.

After getting my licence back last Wednesday it was great to be back on the bike. It really hasn't been a problem without a vehicle as the time went quite fast particularly as the weather has not been so flash in the last few weeks. As this was my first ride back and I was scheduled to lead, I felt I should do a pre-ride the day before to check out the conditions, and to get back on the pace!

Saturday was a sunny day so I was disappointed to hear the rain early Sunday morning. As I rugged up for the day I thought not many people would turn up. How wrong I was: there were 12 people on 11 bikes. I soon realised it wouldn't be a short day.

Ian Payne offered to go rear rider as he was scrubbing in new tires. The crew were ready to take off by 10.15am. The first stop was Loch about 110 kms away. We headed off via the freeway and then turned off at the Nar Nar Goon exit. The weather was still not the best, keeping everyone riding together until the corners started outside Longwarry.

Just outside Loch, the few patches of dirt left by cars and tractors leaving their driveways kept me on the look out as well as gravel and the slippery roads. Cameron caught me about 20 kms from Loch and we had great pace till the end, his tyres hooking up a lot better than mine in the wet.

A fuel and cuppa stop and the talk of Cliffy getting his new bike next week, the mighty ZX10R.  Green of course! And heaps of BLING parts to go with it. (Must be trying to keep up with Misho, the King of Bling!)

From Loch we headed towards Korumburra via back roads going through towns such as Kernot, Glen Alvie and Archies Creek. The roads now were dry and fast. I learnt here that Peter Jones had a slight oopsy in the dirt corner marking on the side of the road; not a lot of damage.

In to Korumburra we go for lunch and a heavy dose of sunshine to warm us up. Ben was taking notes of tyres on each bike – see separate article. I'm changing the rear this week: I got 2,500 kms out of an ex-race tyre which I consider very good. I will replace it with a Michelin Road 2 I acquired second hand with only 150 kms on it.

After lunch we headed towards Warragul. I had Cliff on my tail until the rain came - hailstones and very heavy rain all the way to Warragul. The roads were very slippery with a lot of water running across making it very interesting to say the least. Everyone got through okay and the rain stopped by Crossover allowing the ride to move quicker again.

Cameron gave me a wake up call outside Jindivick ensuring a brisk ride to Longwarry North where we ended the ride. Word got through that Tim had run over a Scottish terrier with both wheels, lucky to save the bike. The little horror coming back for more, attacking the next rider coming through!

As soon as we took off our helmets it started to rain and hail again. Peter J, Paul S and myself were off like the start of the Suzuka 8 hour race, trying to beat the downpour. We were only in it for a couple of kms before it stopped. We all had a great run through the traffic reaching home by 4pm. 320 kms Berwick to Longwarry North. 420 kms door to door.

Thanks to everyone for coming. Hope you enjoyed yourselves. 

 

Dave Ward