Since it was the end of school holidays combined with Anzac day, Angus and I thought it was a good opportunity to have a last ride on the mountain before it closes for winter on the 1st of May. Craig Martin was coming down after work and another mate Chris Curtis was also riding this weekend who I was keen to catch up for a ride with. I used to ride cross country at Lake Parramatta with Chris but have not ridden downhill with him.
We left home about 430pm and had a quick trip being a Thursday, stopped for the obligatory Maccas, this time at Goulburn and then stopped again at Cooma to clean the windscreen and stretch the legs.
Slight rain had activated my rain sensing wipers smooshing all the bugs that we ran into on this balmy autumn night to the point that it was becoming difficult to see properly. It was 28 deg.C when we were stuck in some traffic on the M7 and about 20 deg. C when we got to Goulburn at about 7pm.
I wanted to have good vision for what I knew was waiting for us on this unusually hot night as we approached our destination of Kosciusko National Park. In fact we didn’t have to wait that long as the first roo jumped out on us somewhere between Berridale and Jindy.
From then on it was like a video game, Angus was spotting for me calling out roos in the darkness of the paddocks and ones lurking in the shadows on the side of the road. Then we hit Penderlea and all hell broke loose with deer running everywhere. I slowed down untill we got into the park proper where the terrain was too steep on either side of the road for them to be a menace.
We made it to Thredbo safely in the end and went to sleep about 11pm. I was woken about 4am with heavy-ish rain.
I got out of bed at about 630 to re-check the weather, the rain had eased but the BOM forecast didn’t impress me so I took a few photos and turned on the laptop.
Not the best thing for mountain biking.
I can see a Cascades breakfast coming on !
Mid Morning Update
The mornings weather didn’t improve but the rain did reduce to a slight drizzle
We were worried the weekend was a write-off however I was assured by Craig Martin that the rain would produce some “hero dirt”So we headed to Cascades and had breaky as expectedAs an experiment I wanted to attempt a blog update via mobile deviceBeing Google affiliated Blogger does not support the browser on my iPhone – kel surprisSo I used my work phone a Samsung Note running Android and it was an absolute pain in the arse and made my breakfast get cold. Long live Windows. I will need to get a Microsoft Surface.
Eggs Benedict is my weakness …..as are pancakes for Angus
No bikes on those lifts
We finished off breakfast and went over the bridge to check out VT. ( Valley Terminal)
There was no one in sight, the first person I bump into is Old Mate the chef from Avalanche Cafe, cheery as usual. Then we walked up to the lift concourse and again it was empty so it was back down to the bike shop to talk to Dan.
I asked about the track conditions and luckily enough he had just ridden and opened the Flow track. He said it was a bit greasy in parts but OK. I immediately purchased a new back tyre a Maxxis Minion DHF 26 x 2.5 57 DUR (nice and sticky) since mine had been given to me by cousin Dibble about three-quarters of a decade ago and had gone hard like a piece of chewy from under a school desk and all the centre knobs had ripped off. The new one had the consistency of brand new bubblegum, just what the doctor ordered.
We headed back to the van and fitted the tyre and geared up. The rain had abated and the track had a chance to dry out a bit so we we looking forward to a ride. The temp was still cool as there was no warming sunlight, even so we dressed lightly, Angus re-attached the bottoms of his MX pants and I put on some Skins and a thermal T-shirt under my DH jersey, summer gear basically.
In the end it wasn’t that cold and from time to time we were encapsulated in the clouds which saturated us in a fine mist.
A few runs necessitated a re-fuel so back to the van for some home cooked health food 😉
After lunch the sun came out and we set up the GoPro on the chest mount.
Every time I use the GoPro it involves a bit of experimenting to get the angles right and it always seems to be pointing at the ground. It is hard with the chest mount to get the aim right particularly since your body position changes when you bend over etc if affects the view angle. The fish-eye lens also makes things look further away and if you are following someone riding a bike or skiing you have to be right on their back-side to get good video.
This one is an old Hero2 HD and takes video in 1080P at 30fps and 720P at 60fps so I’m not about to upgrade in a hurry. However, I was talking to some Thredbo locals in the pub last night and one mentioned that the Hero2 is fish-eye and the newer ones have a normal lens that doesn’t cause that problem. I don’t really want to upgrade, notwithstanding Angus’ cheap $99 Jaycar GoPro copy gave up the ghost so he may inherit mine if I deem a better device is required for this type of filming.
I need to edit web website settings to allow larger uploads so no videos on this blog at the moment
Thredbo – Anzac Weekend 2016 Scroll down for latest posts
Since it was the end of school holidays combined with Anzac day, Angus and I thought it was a good opportunity to have a last ride on the mountain before it closes for winter on the 1st of May. Craig Martin was coming down after work and another mate Chris Curtis was also riding this weekend who I was keen to catch up for a ride with. I used to ride cross country at Lake Parramatta with Chris but have not ridden downhill with him.
We left home about 430pm and had a quick trip being a Thursday, stopped for the obligatory Maccas, this time at Goulburn and then stopped again at Cooma to clean the windscreen and stretch the legs.
Slight rain had activated my rain sensing wipers smooshing all the bugs that we ran into on this balmy autumn night to the point that it was becoming difficult to see properly. It was 28 deg.C when we were stuck in some traffic on the M7 and about 20 deg. C when we got to Goulburn at about 7pm.
I wanted to have good vision for what I knew was waiting for us on this unusually hot night as we approached our destination of Kosciusko National Park. In fact we didn’t have to wait that long as the first roo jumped out on us somewhere between Berridale and Jindy.
From then on it was like a video game, Angus was spotting for me calling out roos in the darkness of the paddocks and ones lurking in the shadows on the side of the road. Then we hit Penderlea and all hell broke loose with deer running everywhere. I slowed down untill we got into the park proper where the terrain was too steep on either side of the road for them to be a menace.
We made it to Thredbo safely in the end and went to sleep about 11pm. I was woken about 4am with heavy-ish rain.
I got out of bed at about 630 to re-check the weather, the rain had eased but the BOM forecast didn’t impress me so I took a few photos and turned on the laptop.
Not the best thing for mountain biking.
I can see a Cascades breakfast coming on !
Mid Morning Update
The mornings weather didn’t improve but the rain did reduce to a slight drizzle We were worried the weekend was a write-off however I was assured by Craig Martin that the rain would produce some “hero dirt” So we headed to Cascades and had breaky as expected As an experiment I wanted to attempt a blog update via mobile device Being Google affiliated Blogger does not support the browser on my iPhone – kel surpris So I used my work phone a Samsung Note running Android and it was an absolute pain in the arse and made my breakfast get cold. Long live Windows. I will need to get a Microsoft Surface.
Eggs Benedict is my weakness
No bikes on those lifts
We finished off breakfast and went over the bridge to check out VT. ( Valley Terminal)
There was no one in sight, the first person I bump into is Old Mate the chef from Avalanche Cafe, cheery as usual. Then we walked up to the lift concourse and again it was empty so it was back down to the bike shop to talk to Dan.
I asked about the track conditions and luckily enough he had just ridden and opened the Flow track. He said it was a bit greasy in parts but OK. I immediately purchased a new back tyre a Maxxis Minion DHF 26 x 2.5 57 DUR (nice and sticky) since mine had been given to me by cousin Dibble about three-quarters of a decade ago and had gone hard like a piece of chewy from under a school desk and all the centre knobs had ripped off. The new one had the consistency of brand new bubblegum, just what the doctor ordered.
We headed back to the van and fitted the tyre and geared up. The rain had abated and the track had a chance to dry out a bit so we we looking forward to a ride. The temp was still cool as there was no warming sunlight, even so we dressed lightly, Angus re-attached the bottoms of his MX pants and I put on some Skins and a thermal T-shirt under my DH jersey, summer gear basically.
In the end it wasn’t that cold and from time to time we were encapsulated in the clouds which saturated us in a fine mist.
A few runs necessitated a re-fuel so back to the van for some home cooked health food.
After lunch the sun came out and we set up the GoPro on the chest mount. Every time I use the GoPro it involves a bit of experimenting to get the angles right and it always seems to be pointing at the ground. It is hard with the chest mount to get the aim right particularly since your body position changes when you bend over etc if affects the view angle. The fish-eye lens also makes things look further away and if you are following someone riding a bike or skiing you have to be right on their back-side to get good video. This one is an old Hero2 HD and takes video in 1080P at 30fps and 720P at 60fps so I’m not about to upgrade in a hurry. However, I was talking to some Thredbo locals in the pub last night and one mentioned that the Hero2 is fish-eye and the newer ones have a normal lens that doesn’t cause that problem. I don’t really want to upgrade, notwithstanding Angus’ cheap $99 Jaycar GoPro copy gave up the ghost so he may inherit mine if I deem a better device is required for this type of filming. I had to chop the footage into two segments to upload it due to 100mb limit
So a storm came through on Thursday afternoon and persisted into the night, it lifted Steve’s tarp and pull pegs and we had to scramble to secure his site.
The onshore nature of the weather event straightened the predominantly south swell and allowed some size and power to make its way around the headland and produce some waves at the point.
The kids had an early surf, we usually pack up and leave on Friday afternoon but we decided to stay till Saturday so we thought we do some tidying up and let some water get under the waves.
We headed down for a surf mid morning and were pleasantly met with double the swell we had experienced most of the week. It was about 3ft plus producing head high sets. Emma and I went out for a surf whilst a mate went for a swim.
After a few waves I noticed he had swam out to the point to watch the wave action. I paddled over and asked if he wanted a go on my board as my arms were getting tired from all the paddling I’d done this week and since the larger waves were breaking further out I needed a break. I had a swim as he surfed.
It was a beautiful day to be floating in the warm ocean, sunny, blue sky, crystal clear water, fish were appearing in the waves, sea birds were diving and catching fish. There were seagulls chasing a bait ball and fish striking it from below. I kept my eye on it as it ebbed and flowed behind the waves.
Then a helicopter appeared, the one that passed by every day over the beaches, an unmarked Robinson, I had assumed it was a sight seeing operation until it stopped and hovered for a while behind the break. It got lower, spun around, had another look and moved up and did the same again.
This isn’t good, that was no sight seeing joy-ride, they were shark spotting!
A few guys paddled past and mentioned the chopper and I joked about the close proximity of the bait ball and that if the water turns red and my hat floats by it was a shark. I was used to this situation ; bait ball comes in, seagulls land on the water, fish strike from below, potentially attracts the attention of sharks so Lifeguards/Lifesavers go out in IRB to investigate and hit shark alarm if warranted. No shark alarm no panic I thought.
Just then a Lifeguard paddled past and says “get out of the water, the chopper has spotted a shark”. I immediately head for the reef where there are submerged rocks and stood on one about knee deep in the water. I got my mates attention and told him what was happening, then yelled at Emma to attract her attention and gave the danger and return to shore signals. The guard had enough to do as there was no shark alarm sounding at all so he had to paddle to the end of the point to alert the surfers whilst the other guard closed the beach by dropping the flags and getting all the swimmers out of the water from the flagged area.
At this point we were back in the shallows and identified ourselves as Lifesavers and got a bit of a de-briefing from the Lifeguard. The Chopper had spotted a 2.5m “sea creature” 80m from shore, that was deemed to be “threatening” and advised the Lifeguards to “GET EVERYONE OUT OF THE WATER NOW”.
The local Police arrived and took over the management of the situation. They and the Lifeguards watched from the upper level of the club with binoculars for about 30mins or more trying to make a risk determination. Meanwhile the instant crowd had dispersed due to lack of excitement or the necessity for a latte or kale shake.
It was like the holidays were over and the punters had all gone back to Newcastle or Avalon. Only a few surfers, the Lifeguards, the Police and us remained at the patrol tent watching the ocean for signs of the critter. We listened inintently on the conversation between the Police and the Lifeguards. It was a bit like “buggered if I know” and “if you think it’s OK we’re Ok with it” and the cops were gone.
The Lifeguard then turned to me and I asked “Beach open?” He had hardly said “Yep” and I was of and running down the steps to the rocks, ran over the rocks and paddled out to the break and had the best session of the holidays getting some head high sets from the point to the beach, then across the flags in a nose ride section.
Here is the link to the Ripcurl site where you can replay the surf session
My already too tired arms hated it but I would not give up, the conditions were good for about 2 hours then the incoming tide started to reduce the wave quality to the point that all I thought about was beer.
I paddled in and since my arms were like noodles and the tide was coming in, as you can see from the GPS tracking on the satellite image, I just floated up the creek so I didn’t have to carry the board as far.
With a total of 23 waves in 2 sessions and the added excitement the day brought I slept well that night and did not bother surfing on Saturday.
We packed up camp and left at lunchtime and we were back in Sydney by nightfall with another Crescent Head adventure under our belts.
Thursday April 14th
There was a small wave at the Point on Thursday so we all paddled out to the Club House break again as this was the only place that was not crowded.
I took out my 7S Superfish XL that i have had for a few years now as mentioned in my Blog where I demoed the Isaac Fields model longboard ( see link below)
It is a great board for an old guy like me. It has a lot of foam in it with its step-deck design and performs well enough like a short board for me.
I got a few waves but I didn’t have much luck getting anything good in the 1ft slop we had to deal with. I persisted for about half an hour and after a lot of paddling I got only 2 crappy waves.
This is a great watch that Jenny I bought me for my birthday. It is where all the satellite images come from overlayed with the wave and paddling data. You can sync the watch to your phone or PC and then upload your surfs to the Ripcurl Cloud and Facebook. There is a website where you can share them and all the stats. You can also follow other surfers and see their sessions. Here is a link to the one of mine. http://searchgps.ripcurl.com/#/logbook/following/5710234e5001c00c24bb12a6 As the satellite picture shows I went all the way back to the campsite and swapped boards.
When I got back to the beach Jenny was at the club house again with the camera.
This time I was my on my 9’8″ and managed to get a few more waves.
In the afternoon Jenny went up to the skate park to take some shots of the kids
Wednesday April 13th
The lack of waves again made us go swimming, IRBing and SUPing.
Jenny had a ride in the IRB with Cynthia
Connor and Alan took the boys out for a ride on the ski-biscuit then the others all had a turn
Steve caught some waves near the flags and jenny waded out with the camera to take a sequence of shots that I made into a video.
Ron and I did some more IRB training, we went down the the corner again where the waves were bigger and I actually had a go at driving in the surf zone. An IRB has a tiller control not a steering wheel and a twist throttle like a motor bike, however it is all in reverse. (I always thought those IRB guys were a little backwards LOL 😉 This means to turn left you push right and vice versa and to speed up you twist forward and to slow down you twist backwards the opposite of a motorcycle. So we were in the surf, a wave comes in, Ron says “Go Go Go” and points right towards the shore. I turn left (towards the wave) and shut off the throttle instead of accelerating, had a panic attack and the next thing you know we are surfing an IRB backwards down a 4 foot wave. We then spin around. I’m driving but end up at the front so we almost nose dive, Ron yells “QUICK GET OUT” so I bail, calm as ever he takes over, does a spin and picks me up. I take over again and drive back like nothing happened !!!! I think I need a little more training and practice before taking on the surf.
Harley and I both had a go on my Naish 9’6″ SUP
Big Al took out Steve’s SUP sans paddle to catch a few waves. He said “It was thooper thanks for athking”
Tuesday
With a further drop in swell we had breakfast and hung around the camp site for a while then we all went for a swim.
High tide was around 1pm so after having lunch we let the tide go out a bit and headed to the point for some fun waves.
Jenny sat in front of the club house on the picnic tables with her camera and big lens. She had forgotten the tripod and used the table to steady the 500mm Sigma lens required to get a better photo from that distance.
I brought down 2 boards, my Stand Up Paddle board, an 11 foot Bennett and also my 9’8″ nose rider log just in case there were some decent waves.
Angus took out my 6’8″ 7S Superfish XL as his little board would not like the conditions. It is a bit big for him, hence the weird body position. I will need to teach him to ride it like a long board rather than adopt the “poo-dance” stance.
Emma commandeered my Myerhoffer 9’2″ hybrid mal / short board and attached her GoPro. Her 6’2″ short board would also not cut it on such a small and weak swell. This is a board designed by Thomas Myerhoffer a renowned Swedish innovator and designer who created such things as helmet compatible ski-goggles, Flow rear-entry snowboard bindings and funky chairs.
Harley also had his GoPro and was getting a lot of waves but also struggled with the swell size and power.
Steve had been practising his pop-ups, the action of jumping up on the surfboard in one fluid motion rather than the 3 step process of one knee then the other then standing. He wanted to come out to the point and get a wave there as most of the waves on offer at the beach break were white-wash and went straight. He was keen to get a ride on a “green-water” wave.
Connor and I helped Steve get in position and he picked up a few waves He got a few himself on both his 9′ BIC mal and my SUP.
Charlotte took out Emma’s Race mal and Big Al had Steve’s 10 foot BIC and got one or two.
Monday Arvo Update
Ron and Allan put the IRB in at the boat ramp and brought along a ski-tube and a ski-biscuit to tow the kids along behind the boat.
Everyone was keen to have a go and “The Twins” Alex and Daniel, Will, Charlotte were waiting in anticipation. At the same time Connor, Emma, Harley Angus and myself had returned from a surf.
Jenny was there as usual behind the camera.
Before hooking up the biscuit for the kids, Ron and Connor took a few people for ride in the boat.
Will and Charlotte went out with Ron
Then Alan and Connor had a go. Al was having a ball and kept calling it “Bay Watch”
Ron was keen to take me down the beach and do some unofficial IRB training.
Being the Club’s IRB Captain he has a lot of experience and interest in the operation of IRBs or Rubber Duckies (for those who dont know IRB is an acronym for Inshore Rescue Boat).
This IRB is his own personal boat retired from service by the club which he uses to take the boys out on the lake etc. Connor has his boat licence and also has a great interest in boating having secured a job in a marina.
They are designed for rescuing people within the surf zone and have sharp turn handling and the ability to outrun the waves.
I started my IRB Crew Course at Dee Why, the surf club we all belong to however due to other commitments I was unable to complete it. Working on Patrols and running Water Safety at Nippers meant that I was familiar with IRB operations. I had helped launch and retrieve them many times and also had helped change motors. As Water Safety Co-ordinator one aspect of my position is to control the IRB via radio but due to Surf Life Saving rules I could not crew or drive the club’s IRBs until I had the correct qualifications.
I received a run through on the correct body position and foot placement in order not to be thrown out of the boat and we set off.
We went out through the channel and were met by a small wave which we jumped over. Woo Hoo – not a jet-ski but I could see where this was going!
As mentioned the surf was fairly small at the point, however due to the direction it was coming in to the bay further down the beach the waves were considerably larger so Ron set a course across the bay to the middle of the beach which was more open to the ocean swell.
Once there we ran along the backs of some waves which Ron explained was the safest position in the surf-zone as being almost on top of one wave meant your are the farthest possible distance away from the next incoming wave.
Part of the job as IRB crew is to assist the handling of the boat by leaning in and out of the boat, in as you turn left and out as you turn right. I felt a bit like a monkey in a side-car outfit on a motorcycle. Practising this involved some tight figure of eight turns.
We then proceeded into the surf proper. Being on the ball and having the ability to read the surf and the drivers mind helped me stay in the boat. I was really starting to get this IRB stuff.
When jumping waves or crashing through them the crew member has to get their weight over the front of the boat, almost in the foetal position, to prevent it flipping over backwards. It also helps you stay in position using the foot straps and rope handle otherwise the wave could was you onto the drivers lap!
After some fun outrunning waves and jumping white-wash it was my turn to drive. I elected not to put us and the boat in danger by entering the surf zone. I figured that we were too far away from anyone, had no radios, and would incur the wrath of the local Surf Life Savers ( who would have to rescue us) if anything went wrong.
I drove back across the bay to the creek mouth and asked if I could bring the boat in to shore this time. Ron advised to run up on the back of the wave in front of us and “easy as she goes” bring the boat up to the beach avoiding swimmers and board paddlers.
They then loaded up the inflatable ski biscuit and took the kids for some fun
Monday
At about half tide the beach break north of the flags starts to link up with another bank producing a nose ride section close to the beach.
So rather than fight for 1 footers with a million grommets on short boards and their dads on Stand Up Paddle boards, I thought this break would be perfect for honing my skills on the 9’8″ nose rider which is my largest board apart from the Stand Ups.
With its tucked in nose, wide hips and tail-rocker its an easy board to nose ride but also a bit harder to paddle, but the weight of the thing gives it some momentum, once moving it just glides onto waves.
As I started to paddle out I noticed Connor paddling in from the point who said it was crap (as I expected!) and had too many people to which I replied lets go down the beach a bit.
Being school holidays and very busy it is nice some times to just get away from the crowd and have a break to yourself.
We paddled north past the flags and saw Emma on her race mal and we all went to have some fun on the aforementioned break. Harley and Angus soon joined us as well.
The set waves seemed more frequent there as it was catching a bit more swell than the point. Connor and I were sharing the set waves and a few dads were pushing their kids onto the smaller ones. We had to do a bit of navigation around these punters who, along with all the grommets and grom-ettes, dont paddle out of the way when they clearly see you coming on a wave. The only people who did were two mums riding mals who obviously appreciated that when standing on the nose of the board its a bit hard to steer around people.
Anyway, I was able to break my record of number of waves per hour this holiday at about 12 per hour or one every five minutes.
When we had had enough we walked back to the creek mouth and Ron had brought down the IRB again.
editors note
I will do another update and post some IRB photos after a swim – its hot and i’m hungover
Jenny took a million photos and i will write up something about the IRB
There is no surf today and its windy so I may not have a day 4 blog except for this unfortunately
Sunday
The surf was a bit smaller on the incoming tide today so I took the larger 9’8″ Barry Bennett “Isaac Fields Model” out to the Clubhouse break which I surfed until the higher tide kicked-in and forced me out of the reef, relegated to the beach break with holiday makers I caught a few waves with my mate Steve and then headed back to the van for a second breakfast.
After Breakfast we put the IRB in for a bit of fun. Ron took the kids for a spin and then Alan and I got in with him filled with trepidation. We jumped a few waves for a while and then he let me have a drive and since I have a boat licence and its a private vessel, it was all kosher. I may now be enticed to do my crew course and thenmy drivers certification so I can get in the boat whilst on patrol.
Saturday Arvo Update
After the surf I was invited to check out Crescent Head’s new Surf Life Saving Club.
The old club was one of those iconic sandy beige-coloured surf clubs with a smelly old brick and tile toilets / change shed from the 60’s behind it.
Last year they had demolished the old one and had commenced construction of the new one and I was intrigued to find out what it would look like upon completion.
The new one is an architecturally designed modern building with a smelly old brick and tile toilets / change shed from the 60’s behind it.
Excellent views, commercial kitchen upstairs, kiosk outside, however not much storage for the equipment.
Saturday
On the first day of our annual autumn holiday at Crescent Head we were met with an early morning high and 2 foot surf so we waited for the tide to turn and then headed out to the Clubhouse Break. The board I chose was the 9’2″ the smaller of my 2 Barry Bennett “Isaac Fields” Models
After reviving my interest in motorcycling by purchasing a Royal Enfield (see previous blog) , and being asked by Angus “Don’t you already have a motorbike in the shed and…. CAN I RIDE IT !!!!! ? ” I decided to restore my old trail bike which has sat in the shed under a shower curtain since the 90’s.
HISTORY
The bike is a Maico which like the Royal Enfield is a marque steeped in history.
Founded in 1926 by Otto and Wilhelm Maisch, Maicowerk A.G. made road bikes and scooters but were most famous for their high-powered motocross and cross-country bikes of the 70’s and early 80’s.
Maico went bankrupt in 1983 and a new company was formed by the sons of Wilhelm Maisch , Peter and Hans called Gebruder Maisch (Maisch Brothers), hence the GM prefix in the model numbers and GMStar brand on the seat which distinguish it from a “real” Maico.
Before I purchased the bike I had been a Honda fan having bought my first bike second hand, an 83 XR200R and quickly upgraded to a new 1985 XR350R and started competing in Enduro races.Back then I was a skinny 19 yr old weighing in at about 65Kg on a bike that was twice my own mass.
I
With lots of weight, not much power and pogo-stick suspension I quickly was persuaded by the German riding crew from Hawkesbury MCC that I had to ” Go German or Go Home”. At that stage European bikes ( Husqvarna, KTM and Maico) were miles ahead of the Jap bikes especially in Enduro.
This was the motocross bike, the Enduro had different gearing and a head light & tail light.
Maico manuals and brochures list the bike having an Ohlin shock rather than the White Power that I have so it is possible that I have one of the pre-production models.
Not many of these bikes were produced, I read on one forum that only 100 were made. I knew about half a dozen people who had one of them in Australia back in the time. I assume most of them are dead and buried ( there was one mentioned on the forum ) It also mentioned the existence of another pre-production model. Maybe its mine that they were alluding to ????
The new model was a bit of a break-thru as it had massive suspension, excellent handling, front and rear disc brakes and an exhaust power-valve that gave grunty off the throttle bottom end torque like a four-stroke. From the specs I gather it had 17HP off idle and 49HP at 8000rpm.
As you can see from the above specs the bike had an outstanding power-to-weight ratio 100kg( 220LB) and 49HP = 4.4LB / HP
I wished I had a 500 – but my arms would be 6 inches longer now trying to hang on !!
Here’s me back in the day
So I purchased the Maico some time in 1986 and rode Enduros on it for a few years and then as things change and people move on, I lost interest in competitive riding but over the years managed to go for the odd social ride however eventually I ended up simply not knowing anyone who owned a dirt bike anymore and I gave up 🙁
The bike developed a problem with the hydraulic brakes and hence did not pass rego the next year and then due to neglect over time the master cylinders seized and it was all put in the “too hard basket”.
INSPECTION
I dragged it out of the shed dusted it off and assessed the damage. I knew the brakes needed a complete rebuild and were my worst nightmare.
After all, the brakes were the cause of the demise of the bike in the first place and if they could not be fixed it was a show-stopper, even if I managed to get the bike to “go” it was no use unless it also “stopped”.
Front suspension – fork legs rusted, needs fork service Rear shock – don’t want to think about it Chain – seized, wear pad and roller rotten Front sprocket – broken tooth and worn Air filter – foam disintegrated but the cage was intact I removed the spark plug and it was black and oily Opened the radiator and its contents were clean and green Checked the gearbox oil and it looked water-free Plastics looking a little worn and sun faded Electrics – fingers crossed Engine – cranks over OK Tyres – rock hard rubber Exhaust pipe – needs dent removal and welding
I have some schrader valve (tyre) fittings from an earlier repair that you weld to each end of the pipe and after heating up with an oxy set you pump and pressurise the pipe to blow out the dents
The old home-made bash guard needs some TLC along with the pipe
Riding gear – 80’s style and too tight, waist 32″ but still fits my 36″ butt
Ok things don’t look that bad in the “Go” department – still worried about the stoppers though.
After talking to some people I thought I would take the plunge and try to start it
I used some mower fuel as it is richer in oil and started it up briefly just so I knew it ran.
Phew !!! – off to the intamanet
RESEARCH
Found some local sites/forums and came acrosshttp://www.vmxunlimited.com/which listed some of the parts I needed and some that I might need in the future. Gave them a call and got some good advice from Les and also some contacts for servicing.
I decided to concentrate on the brakes and found http://www.burtbrosautomotive.com.au/ who rebuild brakes and after a quick chat bundled up my parts and brought them over. Troy arranged a quote for the master cylinders and callipers to be refurbished and some new hoses and fittings.
Whilst I was waiting for the brakes I thought I would investigate all the other parts required and decide on a plan of attack since I did not want to spend money on frilly-bits if the brakes were totalled and I was back to square-one. I also did not want to replace anything that was not absolutely necessary as until I rode it I would not know if the bike had any other serious problems…..Like a bottom end bearing or piston ring etc.
REBUILD
To get the motor running properly it needed an air filter so that was the first investment.
Uni-Filter had a filter in stock and still have the pattern if they need to make more.
Next the oil and coolant needed to be replaced and after dumping the murky gear box oil I thought I better open the clutch cover in case coolant had leaked into it thru a gasket or the water pump.
There was a little rust on the top of the clutch plates just where they were exposed to the air but no signs of water ingress as all of the gears etc were fine.
I also drained the coolant and it looked good too – no rust or oil to be seen
After buying some Loctite RTV silicone to make a gasket I re assembled the motor and mixed up some fuel prepared to start it up. It ran OK, a bit smokey but it revved cleanly and idled once warmed up. So that’s another test out of the way but I still won’t know if the thing is any good till I get it on a track.
I got the call from Burt Bros. that the brakes could be repaired but custom seals had to be made and it would take a few weeks. I went about fixing the second group of items needing attention to actually ride the bike.
I removed the rear wheel and cleaned out the chain adjusters and spacers waiting for the calliper to return before completing the rear end assembly.
I replaced the front sprocket as it was worn out and had a broken tooth (sounds like me)
Lucky Maico used the same shaft as KTMs and the sprocket is an off the shelf item $35
I had a spare chain but before I could fit it I needed to replace the chain wear pad and roller which were not available locally and could not be seen on either the UK or Canadian Maico sites. I went down to Motor Cycle Accessories Supermarket and looked around their plastics dept. as they had heaps of UFO gear which was stock on the bike.
I picked up a pair of fork gaiters $30 and some UFO headlight straps $15 and a UFO chain guide from an XR600 for $50.
Turned it upside down since Maico runs the chain and kick-starter on the opposite side to other bikes and it sort of fitted but due to differences in the shape of the swing-arm I had to “take to it” with my electric hand planer. After making a jig to hold it I was able to remove the too-thick bits so it had clearance for the roller and fit the swing arm properly.
Next I needed a roller so I went and saw Jason from ESS Boardstore who had some second hand skateboard wheels but unfortunately they were too large in diameter even though the bearing etc fitted – I quickly discounted turning them down on a lathe as I could see a wheel comming out of the chuck and being implanted in my forehead. DOH!
By fluke I needed some motor oil for Angus’ bike and when I went to DHZ’s factory to pick it up I noticed on the shelf next to the oil an assortment of chain rollers!!! Only $10 ea.
So the drive line was ready but I could not install the rear wheel properly untill the brakes came back.
BRAKES
I got the call that the brakes were fixed and after picking them up I went about installing them ASAP as they were the last thing “stopping” me (yes sorry bad pun) from riding it.
I fitted the rear calliper first as that would facilitate installing the rear wheel and chain etc
Then I went about installing the master cylinder and hose and completed the rear end assembly and refitted the chain then needed to bleed the brakes ……ARGGGH!!!!
I could not manage to get any pressure at all and then I noticed the fittings were weeping indicating a leak. The problem was the copper washers were too large in diameter and were fouling the recess where the brake line fitting screws in.
I dropped in and saw Steve from http://www.bandrbrakes-castlehill.com.au/ and he sorted me out with an assortment of washers and some circlips for the brake pad retainers. It turns out he is an MX rider himself and was very helpful with advice and well wishes.
The smaller washers did the trick and after a few phone calls and some advice from Troy and Mick from Burt Bros I finally managed to get pressure on the rear brake.
Next was the front. I installed the calliper and master cylinder and started the bleed process and again had issues with the washers but knew what to do this time as I had got some some extra washers from Steve just incase.
Once the pads started to bite I thought I will do a rolling test and then start it up and have a bit of a ride around the back yard WOO HOO its running…..But my joy was short lived.
I got some more pressure happening in the front by continuing to bleed the brakes but noticed that the lever hit the bars so I went and adjusted the position of the master-cylinder on the bars to get better purchase and a complete stroke and I knocked the plastic inspection window out of the master cylinder !!!!
Fluid pissed everywhere and I just stood there mouth open for a few seconds while my damaged brain processed the information and realised what I just did.
The thing was brittle yellowed plastic with S.F.A. chance of glue working on it especially since it was held in with an o-ring which would prevent the two bits sticking back together.
Then my natural reaction kicked in and I started chucking tools and kicking the dog.
At this time of the restoration, after spending two days bleeding the brakes, I just wanted to put the bike on a trailer and take it to the tip
IT WAS FRICKING RUNNING 2 MINUTES BEFORE ..NOW ITS STUFFED AGAIN
All that work down the drain and I still did not know if the bloody engine worked properly.
No riding today….sent the family off to Surf Life Saving Nippers training and packed the tools up.
I got a beer out of the fridge and forgot about motorcycles for the rest of the day.
Sometime during the night after lots of beer I had a brain wave. I had used a product before to repair surfboards and other broken things called Selley’s Aqua Kneed It – a water proof epoxy putty.
Sunday morning was the Bennent Board Carninval at the beach but it was 4ft plus solid onshore and I knew the outcome. I passed on Nippers and sent the family off to the beach without me once more and got on the Enfield and rode down to bunnings. Walked to the adhesive aisle and after discounting any araldite or expoy glues which may not stick to the plastic anyway I found what I needed – Selleys Metal Kneed It.
It said – “repairs radiators engine parts fuel tanks etc – can be machined or drilled etc”
So without getting my hopes up I roughly fashioned a plug for the mastercylinder fluid level inspection window and moulded it into position and went and watched telly for an hour.
I mounted the master cylinder on the bike again filled it up with brake fluid and “Hey Presto” no leaks – BULL SHIT !!!!!!! I could not believe how easy was that…..I was kicking myself
Why the hell didn’t I do that yesterday ? – I was too pissed off to think straight and consequently did not take any photos of the disaster either.
So I quickly bled the front brakes and packed up all my gear, rang the missus and found that as suspected the board race was off as Warringah Council closed the beach.
They returned home in time for me to load the bike on the trailer and head to Pacific Park.
TEST RIDE
We arrived at the track with only a couple of hours riding time since it was almost 4pm
I unloaded Angus’ bike and whilst he geared up I unload mine and started them both up.
I left Jenny to supervise Angus and Emma on the beginners track and I took off to do some laps on the flat track.
The bike felt good but I did not push it as god knows what’s been going on inside the motor.
After a few laps I came back and assessed things and oiled the chain. For some reason the air valves on the from forks were letting oil out and it sprayed all over me which its probably due to the fork oil thinning over time. Some tyre valve caps did the trick.
A fork service is next on the to-do list along with installation of the fork gaiters I purchased.
I have already spoken to Allan from http://www.maw.com.au/ at Castle Hill about doing the work since he is also a Maico owner having a 70’s motocrosser and a Bultaco. The front brake still felt a bit spongey and scared me approaching a few fast corners. Another factor is that there was some scale on the fron disc and I may have bought pretty hard sintered pads which I may swap to the rear to save drag-wear which happens from touching the pedal with your foot by accident etc.
Everything else seemed OK so I just went and rode it for a while and then took the kids for a ride out to the back tracks where they had not ridden before.
It was good to finally be able to ride the bike again after over a decade and it was certainly good to go riding with the kids – can’t wait for Emma to get her bike.
Clutch hands
Emma all pimped out in her new riding gear on Angus’ bike
Angus leading the way
I turned to the left, whilst Angus and Emma, being experienced went right
So even though there is alot to do on the bike I am very impressed that I was able to get it running again after so many years in the shed.
The plan is to attack the front forks asap and then some tyres followed by new bars and grips then look at the electrics and lights so I can attempt to get it re-registered again.
CREDITS
Thanks again to
Les from VMX Unlimited (Mainly Maico) Troy and Mick from Burt Brothers Steve from B&R Brakes Allan from Motorcycle Accessory Warehouse Ben from MCAS Auburn
for the advice and great service in helping me get it going again.
After reviving my interest in motorcycling by purchasing a Royal Enfield (see previous blog) , and being asked by Angus “Don’t you already have a motorbike in the shed and…. CAN I RIDE IT !!!!! ? ” I decided to restore my old trail bike which has sat in the shed under a shower curtain since the 90’s.
HISTORY
The bike is a Maico which like the Royal Enfield is a marque steeped in history.
Founded in 1926 by Otto and Wilhelm Maisch, Maicowerk A.G. made road bikes and scooters but were most famous for their high-powered motocross and cross-country bikes of the 70’s and early 80’s.
Maico went bankrupt in 1983 and a new company was formed by the sons of Wilhelm Maisch , Peter and Hans called Gebruder Maisch (Maisch Brothers), hence the GM prefix in the model numbers and GMStar brand on the seat which distinguish it from a “real” Maico.
Before I purchased the bike I had been a Honda fan having bought my first bike second hand, an 83 XR200R and quickly upgraded to a new 1985 XR350R and started competing in Enduro races.Back then I was a skinny 19 yr old weighing in at about 65Kg on a bike that was twice my own mass.
I
With lots of weight, not much power and pogo-stick suspension I quickly was persuaded by the German riding crew from Hawkesbury MCC that I had to ” Go German or Go Home”. At that stage European bikes ( Husqvarna, KTM and Maico) were miles ahead of the Jap bikes especially in Enduro.
This was the motocross bike, the Enduro had different gearing and a head light & tail light.
Maico manuals and brochures list the bike having an Ohlin shock rather than the White Power that I have so it is possible that I have one of the pre-production models.
Not many of these bikes were produced, I read on one forum that only 100 were made. I knew about half a dozen people who had one of them in Australia back in the time.
I assume most of them are dead and buried ( there was one mentioned on the forum )
It also mentioned the existence of another pre-production model. Maybe its mine that they were alluding to ????
The new model was a bit of a break-thru as it had massive suspension, excellent handling, front and rear disc brakes and an exhaust power-valve that gave grunty off the throttle bottom end torque like a four-stroke. From the specs I gather it had 17HP off idle and 49HP at 8000rpm.
As you can see from the above specs the bike had an outstanding power-to-weight ratio
100kg( 220LB) and 49HP = 4.4LB / HP or the same as a McLaren F1 GT Supercar.
I wished I had a 500 – but my arms would be 6 inches longer now trying to hang on !!
Here’s me back in the day
So I purchased the Maico some time in 1986 and rode Enduros on it for a few years and then as things change and people move on, I lost interest in competitive riding but over the years managed to go for the odd social ride however eventually I ended up simply not knowing anyone who owned a dirt bike anymore and I gave up 🙁
The bike developed a problem with the hydraulic brakes and hence did not pass rego the next year and then due to neglect over time the master cylinders seized and it was all put in the “too hard basket”.
INSPECTION
I dragged it out of the shed dusted it off and assessed the damage.
I knew the brakes needed a complete rebuild and were my worst nightmare.
After all, the brakes were the cause of the demise of the bike in the first place and if they could not be fixed it was a show-stopper, even if I managed to get the bike to “go” it was no use unless it also “stopped”.
Front suspension – fork legs rusted, needs fork service
Rear shock – don’t want to think about it
Chain – seized, wear pad and roller rotten
Front sprocket – broken tooth and worn
Air filter – foam disintegrated but the cage was intact
I removed the spark plug and it was black and oily
Opened the radiator and its contents were clean and green
Checked the gearbox oil and it looked water-free
Plastics looking a little worn and sun faded
Electrics – fingers crossed
Engine – cranks over OK
Tyres – rock hard rubber
Exhaust pipe – needs dent removal and welding
I have some schrader valve (tyre) fittings from an earlier repair that you weld to each end of the pipe and after heating up with an oxy set you pump and pressurise the pipe to blow out the dents
The old home-made bash guard needs some TLC along with the pipe
Riding gear – 80’s style and too tight, waist 32″ but still fits my 36″ butt
Ok things don’t look that bad in the “Go” department – still worried about the stoppers though.
After talking to some people I thought I would take the plunge and try to start it
I used some mower fuel as it is richer in oil and started it up briefly just so I knew it ran.
Phew !!! – off to the intamanet
RESEARCH
Found some local sites/forums and came across http://www.vmxunlimited.com/ which listed some of the parts I needed and some that I might need in the future. Gave them a call and got some good advice from Les and also some contacts for servicing.
I decided to concentrate on the brakes and found http://www.burtbrosautomotive.com.au/
who rebuild brakes and after a quick chat bundled up my parts and brought them over. Troy arranged a quote for the master cylinders and callipers to be refurbished and some new hoses and fittings.
Whilst I was waiting for the brakes I thought I would investigate all the other parts required and decide on a plan of attack since I did not want to spend money on frilly-bits if the brakes were totalled and I was back to square-one. I also did not want to replace anything that was not absolutely necessary as until I rode it I would not know if the bike had any other serious problems…..Like a bottom end bearing or piston ring etc.
REBUILD
To get the motor running properly it needed an air filter so that was the first investment.
Uni-Filter had a filter in stock and still have the pattern if they need to make more.
Next the oil and coolant needed to be replaced and after dumping the murky gear box oil I thought I better open the clutch cover in case coolant had leaked into it thru a gasket or the water pump.
There was a little rust on the top of the clutch plates just where they were exposed to the air but no signs of water ingress as all of the gears etc were fine.
I also drained the coolant and it looked good too – no rust or oil to be seen
After buying some Loctite RTV silicone to make a gasket I re assembled the motor and mixed up some fuel prepared to start it up. It ran OK, a bit smokey but it revved cleanly and idled once warmed up. So that’s another test out of the way but I still won’t know if the thing is any good till I get it on a track.
I got the call from Burt Bros. that the brakes could be repaired but custom seals had to be made and it would take a few weeks.
I went about fixing the second group of items needing attention to actually ride the bike.
I removed the rear wheel and cleaned out the chain adjusters and spacers waiting for the calliper to return before completing the rear end assembly.
I replaced the front sprocket as it was worn out and had a broken tooth (sounds like me)
Lucky Maico used the same shaft as KTMs and the sprocket is an off the shelf item $35
I had a spare chain but before I could fit it I needed to replace the chain wear pad and roller which were not available locally and could not be seen on either the UK or Canadian Maico sites. I went down to Motor Cycle Accessories Supermarket and looked around their plastics dept. as they had heaps of UFO gear which was stock on the bike.
I picked up a pair of fork gaiters $30 and some UFO headlight straps $15 and a UFO chain guide from an XR600 for $50.
Turned it upside down since Maico runs the chain and kick-starter on the opposite side to other bikes and it sort of fitted but due to differences in the shape of the swing-arm I had to “take to it” with my electric hand planer. After making a jig to hold it I was able to remove the too-thick bits so it had clearance for the roller and fit the swing arm properly.
Next I needed a roller so I went and saw Jason from ESS Boardstore who had some second hand skateboard wheels but unfortunately they were too large in diameter even though the bearing etc fitted – I quickly discounted turning them down on a lathe as I could see a wheel comming out of the chuck and being implanted in my forehead. DOH!
By fluke I needed some motor oil for Angus’ bike and when I went to DHZ’s factory to pick it up I noticed on the shelf next to the oil an assortment of chain rollers!!! Only $10 ea.
So the drive line was ready but I could not install the rear wheel properly untill the brakes came back.
BRAKES
I got the call that the brakes were fixed and after picking them up I went about installing them ASAP as they were the last thing “stopping”me (yes sorry bad pun) from riding it.
I fitted the rear calliper first as that would facilitate installing the rear wheel and chain etc
Then I went about installing the master cylinder and hose and completed the rear end assembly and refitted the chain then needed to bleed the brakes ……ARGGGH!!!!
I could not manage to get any pressure at all and then I noticed the fittings were weeping indicating a leak. The problem was the copper washers were too large in diameter and were fouling the recess where the brake line fitting screws in.
I dropped in and saw Steve from http://www.bandrbrakes-castlehill.com.au/ and he sorted me out with an assortment of washers and some circlips for the brake pad retainers. It turns out he is an MX rider himself and was very helpful with advice and well wishes.
The smaller washers did the trick and after a few phone calls and some advice from Troy and Mick from Burt Bros I finally managed to get pressure on the rear brake.
Next was the front. I installed the calliper and master cylinder and started the bleed process and again had issues with the washers but knew what to do this time as I had got some some extra washers from Steve just incase.
Once the pads started to bite I thought I will do a rolling test and then start it up and have a bit of a ride around the back yard WOO HOO its running…..But my joy was short lived.
I got some more pressure happening in the front by continuing to bleed the brakes but noticed that the lever hit the bars so I went and adjusted the position of the master-cylinder on the bars to get better purchase and a complete stroke and I knocked the plastic inspection window out of the master cylinder !!!!
Fluid pissed everywhere and I just stood there mouth open for a few seconds while my damaged brain processed the information and realised what I just did.
The thing was brittle yellowed plastic with S.F.A. chance of glue working on it especially since it was held in with an o-ring which would prevent the two bits sticking back together.
Then my natural reaction kicked in and I started chucking tools and kicking the dog.
At this time of the restoration, after spending two days bleeding the brakes, I just wanted to put the bike on a trailer and take it to the tip
IT WAS FRICKING RUNNING 2 MINUTES BEFORE ..NOW ITS STUFFED AGAIN
All that work down the drain and I still did not know if the bloody engine worked properly.
No riding today….sent the family off to Surf Life Saving Nippers training and packed the tools up.
I got a beer out of the fridge and forgot about motorcycles for the rest of the day.
Sometime during the night after lots of beer I had a brain wave. I had used a product before to repair surfboards and other broken things called Selley’s Aqua Kneed It – a water proof epoxy putty.
Sunday morning was the Bennent Board Carninval at the beach but it was 4ft plus solid onshore and I knew the outcome. I passed on Nippers and sent the family off to the beach without me once more and got on the Enfield and rode down to bunnings. Walked to the adhesive aisle and after discounting any araldite or expoy glues which may not stick to the plastic anyway I found what I needed – Selleys Metal Kneed It.
It said – “repairs radiators engine parts fuel tanks etc – can be machined or drilled etc”
So without getting my hopes up I roughly fashioned a plug for the mastercylinder fluid level inspection window and moulded it into position and went and watched telly for an hour.
I mounted the master cylinder on the bike again filled it up with brake fluid and “Hey Presto” no leaks – BULL SHIT !!!!!!! I could not believe how easy was that…..I was kicking myself
Why the hell didn’t I do that yesterday ? – I was too pissed off to think straight and consequently did not take any photos of the disaster either.
So I quickly bled the front brakes and packed up all my gear, rang the missus and found that as suspected the board race was off as Warringah Council closed the beach.
They returned home in time for me to load the bike on the trailer and head to Pacific Park.
TEST RIDE
We arrived at the track with only a couple of hours riding time since it was almost 4pm
I unloaded Angus’ bike and whilst he geared up I unload mine and started them both up.
I left Jenny to supervise Angus and Emma on the beginners track and I took off to do some laps on the flat track.
The bike felt good but I did not push it as god knows what’s been going on inside the motor.
After a few laps I came back and assessed things and oiled the chain. For some reason the air valves on the from forks were letting oil out and it sprayed all over me which its probably due to the fork oil thinning over time. Some tyre valve caps did the trick.
A fork service is next on the to-do list along with installation of the fork gaiters I purchased.
I have already spoken to Allan from http://www.maw.com.au/ at Castle Hill about doing the work since he is also a Maico owner having a 70’s motocrosser and a Bultaco.
The front brake still felt a bit spongey and scared me approaching a few fast corners.
Another factor is that there was some scale on the fron disc and I may have bought pretty hard sintered pads which I may swap to the rear to save drag-wear which happens from touching the pedal with your foot by accident etc.
Everything else seemed OK so I just went and rode it for a while and then took the kids for a ride out to the back tracks where they had not ridden before.
It was good to finally be able to ride the bike again after over a decade and it was certainly good to go riding with the kids – can’t wait for Emma to get her bike.
Clutch hands
Emma all pimped out in her new riding gear on Angus’ bike
Angus leading the way
I turned to the left, whilst Angus and Emma, being experienced went right
So even though there is alot to do on the bike I am very impressed that I was able to get it running again after so many years in the shed.
The plan is to attack the front forks asap and then some tyres followed by new bars and grips then look at the electrics and lights so I can attempt to get it re-registered again.
CREDITS
Thanks again to
Les from VMX Unlimited (Mainly Maico)
Troy and Mick from Burt Brothers
Steve from B&R Brakes
Allan from Motorcycle Accessory Warehouse
Ben from MCAS Auburn
for the advice and great service in helping me get it going again.
Upon purchasing my new Royal Enfield motorcycle I was given a years subscription to the RECOAINC in other words the Royal Enfield Club of Australia. The Club meets once a month at an inner city pub and usually arranges a monthly ride.
Due to timing of buying the bike and Fathers Day Fun Night commitments at Cubs I had missed the August and September meetings but was invited along on a club ride.
Having never been in a motorcycle club before I wasn’t sure what to expect but went along with an open mind and thought if anything I would get some more miles on the bike and a bit more experience in road riding.
I was to meet the group around 900-930 at McGrath’s Hill McDonald’s as the rest of the group were starting at Sydney Park in St Peters near the Royal Enfield Dealer Motociclo. I got there early and had some breakfast. There were heaps of bikes around but I could not identify any Royal Enfields. Eventually a guy on a Harley(Peter) turned up who was there to meet up with Bruce the NSW President and do part of the ride, and another guy from up the mountains (Doug) who was going to ride to the Jenolan turn off and head home. They were staring to wonder where the rest of the group was. I thought, maybe no-one showed up in the city or someone broke down etc….?
Oh well if they dont show I’ll ride up the mountains with these two guys and then drop in and see my mate Jim who has a Triumph and go for a quick ride out to Bathurst or somewhere with him if he had time.
Shortly after they turned up a few at a time and after introductions and a coffee etc we took off for the mountains, through Richmond and up the Bells line of road.
Photo courtesy of Doug (taken from the Enfield Forum)
We pulled over before Bell for a break and to let everyone know we were going to turn off at the Causeway and go to MT Vic.
The two big Enfields Mike’s Carberry 1070 V-Twin and Doug’s 1968 Interceptor 750 Twin
The two big super bikes that “tagged along” can be seen behind the red Carberry Kevin’s BMW S 1000 RR and Pauls Kawasaki Ninja 1100
In this picture you can see my bike and all the junk I brought and Alistair’s bike on the right with no saddlebags and him with only a small back pack for the trip.
I was the newbie and not experienced in motorcycle touring and as such I had 2 panniers and a set of saddle bags and I seemingly found myself continually opening and closing the bags, looking for things and either getting things out or putting things away every time we stopped.
I am now tempted to remove my pillion seat ( Jenny refuses to ride on the back anyway )
That way I wont be able to run panniers or saddle bags and wont be able to take anything “on the bike”. Not only does the bike look cleaner the less room you have the less crap you can bring.
I think a leather tool roll and a puncture repair kit should do it and I’ll run that slime stuff in my tubes so I don’t have to carry a spare one.Then a back pack with some undies and a toothbrush should be sufficient for an overnight trip.
We’ll see next trip whether I’ll be eating my words but the clean look of the bike is a big incentive ! Note – UPDATE – the pillion seat is now off along with the saddle baggage !!!!
Next we went through Mt Victoria and down Victoria Pass to the Full Throttle Cafe and had some morning tea.
They had delicious home made pies and “motorcycling themed” burgers etc.
Peter and Pat look at Peter’s 2006 Harley along with Alistair’s very tidy Enfield
Notice the Suzuki on the roof
Next it was off to Jenolan Caves, a road side sign informed us of fallen trees and since the wind was gusting during the Blue Mountains leg I knew what to expect as we turned south. Fortunately we passed an SES truck and 4WD on their way out so we assumed the road would now be clear, along the way the road itself was littered with gum leaves branches and sawdust – a tell-tale sign of the SES’s good work, with many fallen trees visible on the roadside.
We didn’t stop long at Jenolan as we wanted to get to Taralga before it got too late and the roos came out and / or it started to rain.
We left Jenolan via the back road to Edith and then to Oberon where we had a beer at the Royal Hotel and those who needed to re-fuelled their bikes too.
I put on another thermal top and some inner thermal gloves and debated whether I should put on my wet weather gear as the sky was looking ominous.
Sure enough on the Oberon-Taralga road it started to rain slightly, Roger stopped to put on some rain gear ( washing up gloves over woolly thermal inners and a nylon over jacket) and at one point we pondered whether we heard sleet on our helmet’s visors. I pulled over too since we were the last two riders of the group. I decided to soldier on in my jeans but took the opportunity to un-drink which made me slightly more comfortable.
By the time we got to the pub we were freezing, I could not feel my knee caps and all I could think was I’m glad I bought a full face helmet for this trip and looked at those with lexan screens with envy. After finding our rooms and dumping our gear Roger needed to have a shower to thaw out but I decided a beer by the fire was the go as my knees were damp.(well that was my excuse)
We were met at the pub by Stewart and his wife Terry from Bowral and Mick and Helen from Bungendore along with Gary also from Bungendore.
After sufficient re-fulling we made our way to the dinning room and had dinner after which some retired to bed and others adjourned to the pool room.
The 9am ETD in the morning gave me time to take some photos as I am an early riser I had a shower, a cup of coffee and some toast (provided at the pub’s self serve ktichenette) and headed out to take some photos of the town with Mike.
Enfields only this end
Taralga Hotel Est 1876
The Pub was built in four stages by the looks
The original front section in 1876
The rear section in stone in 1911
The grey painted brick section on the left probably 50’s or 60’s etc
and the Cafe styled beer garden outdoor area with storm clears more recently
Post office apparently made in 2580 !!!
Daredevil Photograher
Lookout a car!
Baaa
Cute little bank
Art Deco RSL Club
Anti-Queues Shop
We left Taralga and headed to Goulburn for breakfast, after ditching the Bakery as it was too busy we ended up at the Green Grocer Cycling Cafe which was a hybrid of a up-market bicycle shop, a green grocer and a cafe (which took up most of the floor space). Hanging above the counter was a carbon frame ticketed at $9500 “can I have a hamburger with egg and a can of coke” “would you like fries with that?” “no but I’ll have that carbon frame and a kilo of carrots please …..do you take AM-EX?” After another excellent feed we headed off to the Southern Highlands and said good bye to the Bungendorians. We went along Mountain Ash Rd to Bungonia then back to the Hume for a short while to Highland Way to Tallong Wingello Penrose to Bundanoon
Bundanoon Railway Station
The last stop for the whole group
After a quick break at Bundanoon the group split as from here people headed toward their final destinations via different routes.
Bruce and I decided to continue through the Southern Highlands and onto the Camden Valley passing through Exeter, Moss Vale, Bowral, Mittagong, Yerrinbool, Bomaderry, Yanderra, and a final stop at Bargo for a drink and un-drink and to take all our thermals off etc as we were approaching sea level and it was getting warm.
As we were talking Ian, Roger and Alistair turned up and asked “how did you guys get in front of us?”
Turns out Stewart (a local) took them on a more scenic route but I cant recall which way they went.
So the five of us left Bargo, Ian departed the group first then Roger and Alistair peeled of towards the M5’s direction, Bruce lead me through Tahmoor Picton Razorback Camden Park and then to Narellan where we made our way back via Camden Valley way to Cowpasture Rd then to Ferrers Rd to Eastern Creek.
From there we went along the Great Western to the Prospect Hwy then to Seven hills and said our goodbyes as he detoured to Baulkham Hills as I crossed Winston Hills home to Northmead.
What a trip !
Thanks again to all the guys for making it such a memorable first Royal Enfield Club trip.
Sometime in July, I did a job in the inner-west and was passed by a bike that I had not seen before “in the flesh”. It was in military spec so I assumed it was old, it had a single cylinder motor with wartime Harley Davidson looks about it. I followed the bike for a while in the traffic, along South Darling St, across the harbour and lost it about Falcon St.
I have always had an interest in choppers but had become more interested in recent years after watching the American Chopper series, I even bought a classic cruiser push bike with similar looks to the Enfield – black frame with chrome bars / wheels / etc, springer seat and full mud guards as there was no way I could afford the $50k required for a custom Harley. I considered other classic styles of bikes, Triumph, old BMWs even Ural but it was still out of reach. A friend of mine has a 2005 Triumph T100 Bonneville and I always thought I’d like to get a similar bike one day if I had the money. I had heard of the Royal Enfield brand before and knew a bit of the history (well, enough to know it was originally British but then made in India) They originally made guns and then bikes and went broke like BSA, Norton et al with the Jap bike revolution. So I went on the Internet and started investigating out of curiosity. I had no idea they had been revamped, were imported into the country and available new here as I assumed the bike I saw was a private import and old.
The Enfield seemed to “tick all the boxes” – Classic look and feel, affordable, not too powerful, easy to ride, customisable, no work compared to buying an old bike.After a couple of visits to the local dealer Motociclo who were great I eventually went on a test ride. No brainer – within a month of seeing one I had one!
The bike has modern features like electric start, electronic ignition, electronic fuel injection, a twin piston front disc brake, modern performance road tyres, side-stand and roll-over cut outs and lambda sensor/catalytic convertor etc. However it retains some traits of yester-year ; Drum rear brake, 80mm/120mm suspension, no counter balance shaft in the motor, spoke wheels with tube tyres.
All in all a great way to be conveyed from one place to another in a timely fashion without rushing
Sometime in July 2012, I did a job in the inner-west and was passed by a bike that I had not seen before “in the flesh”. It was in military spec so I assumed it was old, it had a single cylinder motor with wartime Harley Davidson looks about it. I followed the bike for a while in the traffic, along South Darling St, across the harbour and lost it about Falcon St.
I have always had an interest in choppers but had become more interested in recent years after watching the American Chopper series, I even bought a classic cruiser push bike with similar looks to the Enfield – black frame with chrome bars / wheels / etc, springer seat and full mud guards as there was no way I could afford the $50k required for a custom Harley. I considered other classic styles of bikes, Triumph, old BMWs even Ural but it was still out of reach. A friend of mine has a 2005 Triumph T100 Bonneville and I always thought I’d like to get a similar bike one day if I had the money. I had heard of the Royal Enfield brand before and knew a bit of the history (well, enough to know it was originally British but then made in India) They originally made guns and then bikes and went broke like BSA, Norton et al with the Jap bike revolution. So I went on the Internet and started investigating out of curiosity. I had no idea they had been revamped, were imported into the country and available new here as I assumed the bike I saw was a private import and old.
The Enfield seemed to “tick all the boxes” – Classic look and feel, affordable, not too powerful, easy to ride, customisable, no work compared to buying an old bike. After a couple of visits to the local dealer Motociclo who were great I eventually went on a test ride. No brainer – within a month of seeing one I had one!
The bike has modern features like electric start, electronic ignition, electronic fuel injection, a twin piston front disc brake, modern performance road tyres, side-stand and roll-over cut outs and lambda sensor/catalytic convertor etc. However it retains some traits of yesteryear ; Drum rear brake, 80mm/120mm suspension, no counter balance shaft in the motor, spoke wheels with tube tyres.
All in all a great way to be conveyed from one place to another in a timely fashion without rushing
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