Year: 2017

About the Ballabio ... By Ross Davies   I had ridden Robbie’s Ballabio on occasions but mainly just short trips to work and back. Even on those short trips I seemed to slide forward on the seat till my nuts were on the tank. The bloody seat seemed to slope down causing me to slip forward putting extra weight on my wrists at the same time. Uncomfortable, that’s how I found it. The engine seemed to have an annoying vibration at certain rpm. Not to mention that it was a new bike and had to be ridden gently. All in all though, a pretty unconvincing ride, particularly compared to the wild ways of my Centauro. Robbie liked it from the start. She found it to be a really easy bike…

Fringe Dwelling and Wine Swilling Part Two – Heading North By Alan Lane-Richardson   In Part One, our intrepid travellers, Alan and Meredith, rode their Calis South from Brisbane via Sydney to Adelaide, and the adventures continue on the way home ... After a big night I somehow managed to keep the eyes open long enough to survive the morning whilst the troops rose and put on their riding clobber. We left Hendrik’s and headed north through a gorge that is a fantastic ride with plenty of corners and things to see. At the end of the gorge some of our party peeled off and headed in another direction leaving Hendrik, Di, Meredith and I to continue exploring. And explore we did, with a number of detours, stops and starts, before…

Fringe Dwelling and Wine Swilling Part One – Heading South By Alan Lane-Richardson   One day Darren mumbled “Al, would you like to go to a couple of rallies?” What could I say but, “Yeah, what have you got in mind?” “The Ragged Fringe is on the 10/11 September!” This got me thinking. The rally was far enough to get a feel of the road, wind in the face and to meet some like minded characters from the Deep South. It just happened that Meredith and I had a couple of week’s holiday tacked onto the weekend which meant heading to Sydney was a must. And seeing as we would be down that way, we might as well pop over and catch up with Hendrik and Di in Adelaide. Of course,…

EPA Laws on Noise Emissions By Craig Barrett Given that so many motorcyclists cross the border on runs I thought it would be useful to investigate the legal status of motorcycles in the eastern seaboard states, particularly as they can vary from state to state.  I was originally going to write about road and environment laws – and then realised just how big a job that would be.  So, to begin with, I have only looked at the Environment Protection Agency/Authority (EPA) websites for Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria, and only information about noise emissions; this was primarily because of the issue over noise emission limits in New South Wales that many of us are familiar with.  I looked for anything that directly pertained to motorcycles either by using…

The Good Oil on the Good Dirt By Jan Robinson   Finally found the perfect size billy to fit the stove, so set off at 3pm for a five day tour of Northern NSW. Me on the dirt/road bike (BMW F650GS) and he on the SV (Suzuki) sports. Dinner at Boonah and a few wrong turns meant my debut gravel road ride was in the dark. With the loaded SV skipping over the road, avoiding kangaroos and cattle we arrived at the National Park to find we’re the only happy campers. Fire and a warming port (or two) and 12 hours free of any man made noise. Slight rain as we ride out next morning, through bucolic farmland, to Woodenbong. The GS (and me) loving these rough lumpy roads. Kyogle…

Bushrangers and Underpants By Robyn - Ballabio   Well, I'm sure all of you have heard of the fabulous bushrangers’ way - the Oxley Highway to the highlands in NSW and Thunderbolts way to Armidale. It is notorious for clandestine activities of yesteryear and bloody good rides in the current ones! This little story happened in the middle of winter to two devout Guzzisti who decided to travel the fabled way. Ross had been on the lookout for one of those (getting rarer) 1000S machines - one of Guzzi's finest. Devil Rider Dougie put him onto a find at Kew in NSW so on the spur of the moment it was decided to hightail it down there on Saturday and if all good, ride the beast home on Sunday. Simple…

Nine Weeks on the Road OR How I Fell in Love with “Bertha”. (Part 3) By Michael Wilson   To summarise what occurred previously:  bikeless lad from the colonies returns to Mother England.  Meets most unattractive Honda XLV R. Relationship grows during three weeks in France and blossoms during travels around England. Attendance at international v-twin owners rally further cements bonding of man and machine. To continue…. I have had along time love affair with all things Irish. I had been once before, many years ago, but this was my first opportunity to ride the Emerald Isle. Even “Bertha” was excited as we rode onto the ferry for our four hour crossing. The Irish sea was smooth and forgiving and our crossing uneventful. Upon arrival in Rosslare I rode south…

Nine Weeks on the Road OR How I Fell in Love with “Bertha”. (Part 2) By Michael Wilson For those readers who were able to partake of the last edition you will recall that I survived an abortive Singapore take-off to arrive in the UK in one piece for my formal introduction to “Bertha”. For those who were not present last edition “Bertha”, an XLV R Honda 750, had dents on both sides of her tank, a crunchy (no, not like a chocolate milkshake) shift between first and second gear, more snatch in her clutch than you would expect to find at The Daily Planet, and was incontinent of oil that persisted in leaking through a bolt on the front rocker cover. It was certainly not love at first sight.…

To Melbourne and Back By Alan and Meredith Lane-Richardson Our plans for our Christmas jaunt, like many of our plans, came together at the last moment. We’d intended to get down to Tassie and catch up with Pat and Rosie, but as things panned out we left later than we’d intended and had to come back earlier (work, work, work)! So Tassie wasn’t do-able, but Melbourne was. So we loaded up the Cali and the Monza with all our camping gear, tools and so forth and set off. We headed off through Boonah and down the Lions road and spent the first night at Casino, testing the tent in a raging storm. Little did we know that this was to be the last warm day for the entire trip! The…

GRANITE BELT & NORTHERN NSW TRIP Dec 04 (Ross & Robyn)   How sweet it was to fire up our bikes on Friday morning 23rd and to head off on our loosely planned holiday. First stop was Laidley for a look at the town and a browse through the antique shops. Nice little place it was. Pub looks good too. Had a look through the pretty little Anglican church which is the first one built in stucco in Australia. Very sweet. Then on to Rosewood for a look, fuel, and then a quick run down the back road towards the Rosevale pub (which housed our famous Christmas Break-up). Back on the highway heading South to Cunningham’s Gap. Fortunately spotted the regulation highway patrol on the lower slopes of Cunningham’s Gap which…

STORM, 3A.M. By Hendrik Gout Adelaide is having a storm. Raindrops the size of hailstones, hailstones the size of gallstones. I suited up and went out.   The bike started first pop. I warmed it up for a minute, went out across the swollen creek where my chickens normally scratch around, and then up through Blackwood and into the Hills. From Windy Point, where the city normally lays unfolded, I could see ten thousand lights of a city sleeping, and pockets of dark where rainclouds were playing. Hail hammered my helmet while I rode around Mount Bold. It was warm, it was windy, and it was wet. And delicious.   I suddenly got tired of it, for no reason. I stopped. The rain lashed my helmet, my toes were squishy…

ACID TRIP By Hendrik Gout Good morning, boys and girls. If you all draw up your chairs and listen very closely, I will tell you a most you-knewsual story. The story of the acid trip.   It starts with an airbox. Not just any airbox, but an airbox with perished rubber return hoses which should take the condensed oil vapour and return it to the sump. Because these hoses have splits in them where they join the airbox, the condensed oil drips over the rear of the engine. This causes an unsightly pool in the basement carpark of my city office, makes the engine look as if it's not properly loved, and makes the centrestand slippery.   I've tried gunking the hoses up with glue, snot, silicon, and money, but…

Australia Day by Hendrik Gout A long time ago, before there were rabbits, cane toads, sheep, or bovines in this young and free land, Australian Day was not a rejoiced holiday. Federation changed not only architecture, but that. So with an Australia Day public holiday, the Guzzi and I went out hunting rabbits, cane toads, sheep, and bovines. We also hunted ducks, which are indigenous and delicious. The sun, as Lewis Carroll said, was shining with all its might. This meant it was hot. I like like heat, which is why I'm often in the kitchen, so I put on ordinary jeans and walking boots and leather jacket and went to Sutton. Sutton is one of Australia's most remarkable villages in that it's the most unremarkable village on the continent.…

There are Rods for Our Backs By Hendrik Gout There are rods for our backs and for our eyes, and cones for smoking and seeing. Rods distinguish shapes, cones determine colour. In the hour before dawn the rods rule - there are shapes without colour, silver and shadow, steel and coal. Time for a ride. I cable-tied the broken headlight bracket and turned the key. Two stabs on the button and the neighbour's dogs started barking. Out of Pacific Court and along the drive which skirts the coast. It's just light enough to see without the headlight. Engine not yet warm, Staintunes singing, the tide going out and silver breaking waves vanishing into black when they strike the rocks. Just as there are the Seven Seas there are the Four…

From Brisbane to Tassie By Pat Taylor   Left Brisbane on 13-12-03. Rode through the Gap on the New England Highway to Tamworth. Time for a sleep. Still in riding mode – off to Dubbo. South of Dubbo was uncharted road for me. Saw a road sign: “The Dish”. Well, I’d seen the movie so I better have a look at the real thing. Not bad at all. With daylight to spare on to West Wyong. Time to rest. 1,200k in two days. Welcome to the Mid-west! 33 degrees with a NW wind, bike and rider getting very warm. Shut down at Wagga Wagga. Hoping for cooler temperature. Only fooling myself on that one. 35 degrees, rolled into Seymour. Time to cool down for the night. Woke up with Melbourne…

The Hard Core Motorcyclist Quiz By Darren Houghton   Take the hardcore motorcyclist test to see if you actually measure up to the image of yourself that you carry in your mind. Question 1 How many years have you been riding motorcycles? a. Less that a year. Score 1 b. 1 year to 5 years Score 2 c. 5 years to 10 years Score 3 d 10 years to 20 years Score 4 e. 20 years + Score 5 Question 2 How many motorcycles have you worn out? a. None Score 1 b. One Score 2 c. 2 to 4 Score 3 d. 4 to 6 Score 4 e. 6 plus Score 5 Question 3 Does Alcohol affect your riding? a. I don't drink & ride. Score 1 b. A…