Licola ���������������� ��������� Sunday 9th �January 2011
|
Damir
Djikic |
Honda
CBR1000 |
Marty
Thompson |
Kawasaki
ZRX1200 |
|
John
Rousseaux |
Honda
CBR1000 |
Mark
Copeland |
Kawasaki
ZX10 |
|
Chris
Tran |
Honda
CBR1000 |
Cliff
Peters |
Kawasaki
ZX10 |
|
Misho
Zrakic |
Honda
CBR1000 |
Brett
Chambers |
KTM
LC8 1195 |
|
Ben
Warden |
Honda
CBR954 |
Dave
Mann (1st ride) |
Yamaha
FZ1 |
|
Pina
Garasi |
Honda
CBR600 |
Henry
Wright |
Triumph
675 |
|
Kurn
Bridgeman |
Honda
CBR600 |
Marc
Marais |
Triumph
675 |
|
Rob
Zivanovic |
Honda
CBR600 |
Cindy
Lee |
Suzuki
GSXR750 |
|
Steve
Mudford |
Aprilia
Supermotard 550 |
Paul
Archbald |
Suzuki
GSX650 |
Marty wrote this article for the
Kawasaki Owners Club he also rides with � Ed.
My
best mate Dangerous Dave managed to gain a leave pass for Sunday, so had
organised to come with me on a ride to Licola with the Melbourne Sportsbike
Riders, the club I ride with regularly as the VIC KSRC'ns tend not to be to
active of late� including me. Oops!�
Dangerous Dave had just fitted new hoops to the 170+ HP R1 engined FZ1
which he had built and was looking to maximise rear tyre wear while at the same
time minimising front tyre wear. To our enjoyment, he gave all of us several
displays of controlled front wheel lofting throughout the day. More on that
later.
Also
joining us for a half day, was my next door neighbour Paul, on his GSX650F.
Paul, however, was only to ride to Moe with us, before turning for home, work
calling in the afternoon.
We
departed my place at 9.45am and jumped straight on to the Monash Freeway for
the 15 minute jaunt down to Berwick where the meet point was. Upon arrival we
were greeted by an additional 16 bikes. The weather forecast was predicting the
odd shower, but mostly clouds, so with that in mind, I asked Dangerous Dave to
make sure he packed his rain suit. (Past rides have determined that if Dave
brings the rain suit, no rain will fall, but if he doesn't, then we usually get
wet!)� Unfortunately, Dangerous Dave made
the decision not to bring it. Thankfully, I noticed that Cliff on his ZX10 had
brought his, so I crossed my fingers in the hope that the same Karma would
apply.
We
all rode away from the meet point a few minutes after 10.00am and slabbed it
down to the Tynong turn off and back-roaded it over to Longwarry North where we
picked up the Jindivick Road up to Neerim South. Already the throttle jockeys
appeared, with several attempting to achieve WOT in top gear!� For Paul my neighbour on his GSX650, it was a
baptism of fire, with him never having ridden with a group who ...err �pressed
on �so well!
We
rode through Crossover from Neerim South and then down onto the Old Sale Road
and into Moe for morning tea. Here Henry and Paul took off back for Melbourne
via Noojee with the rest of us continuing on to Tyres for a fill up. With it
being 200+ kms return from Tyres to Licola, it was important that everyone
refuelled here.
It
was at this point which Muddy on the 550 Aprilia had to utilise his 5 litre
fuel container stored in his backpack to make it into Tyres for fuel. I think
he may have also topped it up at Licola again to make it back. The thing is a
weapon in the turns, but it does have a mighty small tank range.
From
Tyers we rode out through Toongabbie and Glenmaggie and turned right on to the
Licola Road.� Three kms further on we
came across a stricken CBR1000, which had decided to have a little lay down.
Christian had been caught out with a fast change of direction, had run a little
wide onto the negative camber of the road, right in the middle of a slippery
shiny patch and down went the Blade. Damaged rear sets, front wheel and various
other bits meant the bike needed a tow truck. After making sure Chris was OK, I
threw him onto the back of the Rex and we continued on to Licola. The big Rex
handled the pillioning duties like it handles just about every other situation
I put it in �perfectly! You guys all look at the old Rex with its steel frame,
twin rear shocks, and conventional forks and brakes, as an antiquated dinosaur.
But the truth is, I and all the other ZRX riders out there know a secret which
you guys and girls don't! ZRX's rock! I might stick some race compound tyres on
it one day and see what sort of impression of a real sports bike it can do!
At
Licola, Chris had to spend half an hour on the phone to the insurance company
arranging for the bike to be recovered. Dangerous Dave and I hung around while
he did that which allowed the rest of the group to continue on back to Tyers.
Although 30 minutess behind, we had the benefit of not needing to corner mark,
so we played a little catch up and arrived not too long after the main group. I
dare say poor Chris had a baptism of fire being on the pillion perch of the Rex
with the Licola Road dishing up some of its infamous stutter bumps mid-turn,
which, with the additional 80kgs on standard suspension, taxed it to it's
limit. Several times we had a few movements across the road. I am not sure
whose winky muscle did more work, Chris' or mine! But I suspect more so Chris!
:lol:
After
another refuel and some refreshments and lie swapping, we continued on. Back up
to Tanjil Bren, across to Icy Creek and Noojee for the breakup. It was here
that I swapped Chris onto the back of Ben's `blade for the trip back across
town to Richmond where Ben would drop him home. I felt for Chris and was excited
for him, all in the same breath. Fear, as I knew he would be inducted into the
Ben Warden School of extreme pillion lean angles and excited too, as I knew he
would learn a lot about tyre confidence, lines and being smooth.
It
was now 5 pm and Dangerous Dave and I were running a lot behind schedule, with
both of us about an hour later than we had told the brides. So, with that in
mind, we departed the main group at Noojee and took the fast way back to town,
via Neerim South, Jindivick and Longwarry onto the freeway. I walked in the
door just after 6pm, with a dual cab Hilux 4X4 being the radar fodder and
sitting on about 140 gazelles all the way down the freeway!
Marty Thompson