Who’s News May 2011

The Club web site at www.melbsportsbike.net.au accumulated 584 hits during May, down 87 on last month. Total visits are 68,950 since April 1996. The counters on the other pages after another month indicate that the Calendar page took 446 hits (total 17,085, down 56) since 28^th October 2008 and Great Roads 96 hits (total 4435). You’ll notice the banner at the top of every page has changed to a strip of 20 MSR bikes taken outside Heathcote (May 15^th). Thanks to Jason Wilson who stitched together seven photos, taken from the same central spot, using Photoshop.

Membership now stands at 90 (up 2 this month).

For May, official kilometres (sum of ride lengths) for the month is 1653. Official Club kilometres for the month (~people x ride length) is 25,394. The 2011 year total is 206,473 km; the average calendar yearly total is 327,813 since 2005. The people km per injury for 2011 is 206,473 km – one serious crash this year; long term it is 122,930 km per (serious) injury.

Seen at the Social Sip, Mark’s Place in Carlton on Thursday 5^th May: Julie and Ben Warden, Ron Johnston, Cliff Peters, John Rousseaux and Kate Stewart, Marc Marais, Tony Stegmar, Kurn Bridgeman, Paul Southwell, Tim Emons, Pierre Ong, Rhys Williams, Ken Wright, Ian Payne, Bill Simpson, John Willis and Dennis Lindemann. 18 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 is for the 2010/11 year ending the ride before the 2011 AGM in July. After eleven months the top ten positions are: Ben Warden (89), Pina Garasi (61), Cliff Peters (60), Ron Johnston (53.5), Paul Southwell (46), John Willis (44), Misho Zrakic (40), Tim Emons (38), Ian Payne (34), and John Rousseaux (32). The top 10 remain the same people and in the same relative order. Cliff is back riding after his hand injury, Rob Langer is 11^th on 29.5 but is now travelling overseas to England, Ireland and central Europe, so won’t be adding to his score.

Front Cover: Coalville ride (29/5) Back row: Rob Jones, Mark Copeland, Tony Stegmar, Jason Wilson, Pina Garasi, Chris Pointon, Damir Djikic, John Willis, Steve Mudford, Cindy Lee, Darryn Hutchinson. Front row: Ian Payne, Marc Marais, Paul Southwell, Tim Emons, Cliff Peters and Peter Ng. Ben Warden behind the lens. Peter Feistl digital mastery

Back Cover: Red Rock ride (22/5) Back row: Alex Nabelyaev (1^st ride), Phill Hotschilt, Marc Marais, Bill Simpson, Misho Zrakic and Pina Garasi. Front row: Peter Ng, Tony Stegmar, Cliff Peters, Richard Paulson (2^nd ride) and Tim Emons. Ben Warden behind the lens. Peter Feistl digital mastery.

The Eppalock Dam ride (Sunday 15^th May) saw a number of riders return to the fold: Cliff Peters back after Dargo rock throwing incident, Ed Simonis after Meredith booking, Duane Rafferty not seen since last year due to work commitments, Phill Hotschilt last seen on the Australia Day long weekend and Geoff Jones back from a de-gloved fingers work-place injury.

Welcome to new member Duane Rafferty who hails from Maryborough and rides a Suzuki GSXR1000. He joins an ever increasing list of country riders signing up to the MSR. We wish him many happy and safe rides and look forward to seeing him on a ride soon.

Commiserations to Steve Mudford who suffered a holed radiator (riding Raj Malhotra’s Yamaha FZ1) on last Sunday’s ride. Mirboo North wasn’t quite as far as possible away from Melbourne for the day, but it was close. As the hole was “significant” and unrepairable, Cindy Lee’s GSXR750 became the mode of transport back to Melbourne. But with only a rear cowl, maybe commiserations should be going to Cindy who felt every bump on the long two hour trip back to Melbourne.