Who’s News                August 2009

The Club web site at www.melbsportsbike.net.au accumulated 651 hits during July, up 70 on last month. Total visits are 53,191 since April 1996. The counters on the other pages after another month indicate that the 2009 Calendar page took 584 hits (total 4120 since 28th October 2008) and Great Roads totals 136 hits (total 1522).

Seen at the Social Sip at Mark’s Place, Thursday 2nd July:  Ben and Julie Warden, Rob Langer, Ron Johnston, Trevor and Barbara Rolfe Harris, Kate Stewart and John Rousseaux, Peter Feistl, Dave Ward, Tim Emons, Tony Raditsis, Ha Du, Lyn Duncan, Ian Payne, Chris Pointon, Peter Weyermayr, Cameron Stevens, Peter Philferan, Renzo Cunico, Dennis Lindemann and Paul Southwell.

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 is for the 2009/10 year ending the ride before the 2010 AGM in July. After one month, the top ten count is Ben Warden (8), Ha Du (8), Ian Payne (7), Pina Garasi (6), Dave Ward (6), Dennis Lindemann (6), Paul Southwell (5), Cameron Stevens (4) and  Cliff Peters (4).

Front Cover:  taken at The Cross, Mt Macedon, last Sunday.  Back row: Tony Stegmar, Robert Matricciani, Pina Garasi, Misho Zrakic, Mick Bosworth, Dave Ward, Paul Southwell, Cameron Stevens and Rob Langer. Kneeling: Ben Warden, Ha Du, Cliff Peters, Dennis Lindemann, Ian Payne, Willem Vandeveld and Fiona Denny.

Kurn Bridgeman is now “weight bearing” and he can at last drive.  He has a number of medical aids he now wishes to dispose of to a good home. Call him on mobile 0405-197-248 if you fit the bill.

Paul Southwell has recovered well from his latest altercation with the physical limitations of gravity and momentum. With the proceeds from the insurance write-off he has acquired a near new 2008 CBR1000 with only 1100 km on the odometer. It may have started out yellow but it is now adorned in his traditional black and silver livery. Welcome back Paul.

Lyn Duncan is downsizing the stable by selling a couple of bikes. I have known Lyn 15 years and she is meticulous with her maintenance and, being such a light weight, gets incredible life out of consumables such as chains and sprockets, brake pads, etc.  She is a gentle rider as well.  What this means is that the motors may have high kms, but the amount of work they have done is only about 1/3 of that indicated. Her thousand is sweet as, and could be a very economical way to upgrade capacity. Both bikes are bargains, whatever the price.

  • For Sale: Black Suzuki GSXR1000 K1, 100,000 loving km, one lady owner. New steering head bearings, new Michelin Pilot 2CT front and rear, Tobi Steering Damper, regretful sale. RWC. Offers.
  • For Sale: 2008 KTM 450 EXCR, 4700 km, 7 months rego., $9,000  

Lyn can be reached on mobile 0407 122 742.

Email from Henry Wright (Triumph 675 crash, Hill End ride) 6th July:  I phoned the bike shop and they said “difficult to tell without seeing it,” but almost certainly a write-off. I was thinking about the repair cost, but it’s likely to be a bit high. I need an instrument cluster, front guard, flyscreen, headlight, brake lever and gear change lever. The RH fork also has a star pattern sort of impact mark on it where it hit the frame. The tank is quite marked and dented. I would think about just fixing it myself but without the steering lock fixed I don’t think I will ever get a roadworthy.  I am thinking about taking the money and buying a second hand bike which I can insure with third party for a while.

Email from Dennis Lindemann to MSR Google group 13th July after his CBR600 crash on the Mt Worth National Park ride. It took a while took get the bike started again, but except for a broken windscreen and tailpiece, nothing superglue can't fix. My leg, on the other hand, is still quite painful. Should be alright in a couple of days though. Thanks to everyone for helping me out...much appreciated!

 

Who’s News cont.                August 2009

Email from Henry Wright 15th July Well insurance companies are interesting creatures. After first saying my bike was repairable I asked how they were planning to fix the broken steering stop on the frame. After ‘re-evaluating’ they then said the bike was a write off. Now we are going through a painful procedure of new for old replacement, except that prices have risen since I bought my bike and I want to upgrade to the R model. They are trying to quote the difference between what I paid for standard bike without accessories versus the R model with accessories at this years inflated price! Confusing? No kidding. Will keep you posted but hopefully I will be back on some kind of bike in the near future.

Email from Henry Wright 31st July Well finally the insurance company coughed up the money and so I am getting a new bike! I thought long and hard and in the end I realised that there was almost nothing I didn’t like about my old bike, except that it could have had adjustable suspension and better brakes. Fortunately Triumph had the same idea so I am soon to be the proud owner of a new 2009 Street Triple R. In matt blazing orange. So just like my old bike but with fully adjustable suspension and radial brakes, and very, very orange!

I pick it up tomorrow so after a bit of running in I should see you guys again soon!

Interestingly enough my old bike is to be sold through Fowles auctions (http://www.manheimfowles.com.au/) as a repairable write-off so if someone has a sharp eye they could pick it up pretty cheaply. OEM Parts + welding the steering lock worked it out to be $3500 to fix it. Engine has only done 9000km. Frame, forks and front wheel were undamaged. Most of the cost is in the new instrument cluster ($1900 alone!!). I don’t know when it will be listed.

It has been a bit of a bad month for minor accidents as well. Ha Du’s 600 side stand sunk in the soft earth and toppled over, smashing the fairings good and proper. By the time you read this the bike should be back on the road. Ben’s fault; an expensive lesson. See “Unscheduled Maintenance” for more info.  Similarly, Misho Zrakic popped a mono outside Kreuz Tune and went over backwards causing significant damage including destroying the front wheel. Hence his bike has been out of action for a few rides – where he is two up with Pina on the R6.  All fixed now. He was a bit embarrassed, but if that is the worst that ever happens in life, he is going well. Just so he doesn’t feel so bad, I told him one of my embarrassing moments: entering a booze bus queue about 50 metres behind my crashing GPz900 on St Kilda Rd outside the spire. Even the cops laughed at me.

Club Christmas Camp, 26-12-2009 to 1/1/2010. The Mt Buffalo Caravan Park are now sending out reminders to regulars to confirm their bookings. Telephone 5756-2235 to join other members on powered or unpowered camping sites or to book a cabin. Let Ian Payne know if you want an unpowered site and for what period.

It has been a bit of a bad month for minor accidents as well. Ha Du’s 600 side stand sunk in the soft earth and toppled over, smashing the fairings good and proper. By the time you read this the bike should be back on the road. Ben’s fault; an expensive lesson. See “Unscheduled Maintenance” for more info. 

Similarly, Misho Zrakic popped a mono outside Kreuz Tune and went over backwards causing significant damage including destroying the front wheel. Hence his bike has been out of action for a few rides – where he is two up with Pina on the R6.  All fixed now. He was a bit embarrassed, but if that is the worst that ever happens in life, he is going well. Just so he doesn’t feel so bad, I told him one of my embarrassing moments: entering a booze bus queue about 50 metres behind my crashing GPz900 on St Kilda Rd outside the spire. Even the cops laughed at me.