The Buxton GP Ride: 18th May 2008

by Jamie Elliott

We were greeted by strongish cold winds first thing in the morning, and they pretty much lasted most of the day. Everyone was ready to go by about eight thirty, but by the time I rounded everyone up, and let it be known the way we were going, it was about eight forty before we left the car park. Dave and Veronica turned up at the last minute, Dave using the old excuse of having just done thirteen hundred plus kilometres in the last twenty four hours.

Being conscious of the last ride I led, I made sure I was doing at least one hundred kilometres per hour, trying to stay around 110. We headed off to Gin Gin with no dramas, although we did pass an old Holden with a learner at the wheel, and with around 22-23 bikes overtaking him, he did well not to freak out.

As we entered Gin Gin, Tony and Cathy joined in, and we stopped at the servo for multiple reasons: cigarettes, petrol, drink, and breakfast? Dale had to do a slight adjustment to his oil filler cap on his Vulcan.

We cut across to the Bruce Highway via Highway 15 (I think), nice smooth roads. Too nice for another Vulcan to ignore, and off went Dasher. I went in pursuit to make sure he was OK, which he most definitely was, then we both slowed down for everyone to catch up. After merging onto the Bruce Highway, we cruised through Childers and turned off at the Buxton exit twenty kilometres out of town. It’s at this stage that, for some mysterious reason, everyone’s fuel consumption went off the charts. More than a few of us had a fun time approaching the cattle gridded train tracks mid-bend. Some people crossed them less gracefully than others, though.

Upon reaching Buxton for a leg stretch, we were approached by a local wanting to sell a motorcycle bomber-style jacket. I don’t think she found a buyer, though, most of us remembered to rug-up.

On the return trip from Buxton, things got a bit out of plan. I was cruising along, and noticed Wayne was fast approaching. Not wanting to get in his way, I sped up, not realizing I was throwing stones at him. To avoid the stones, he overtook, and I, not wanting to miss out on a free slipstream, got right behind him into HIS stones. We stopped at the BP across the highway, so some could replace the fuel that went missing on Buxton road, only to find out that Kevin’s Hyosung decided it wanted to get something inspected before going any further; hopefully something simple. So Kevin and Sandy headed home with his bike in tow. The rumour had got around that maybe Kevin’s Hyosung had sung its last song. I’m sure it hasn’t.

A fairly sedate ride through Howard led us to the Burrum Heads Hotel just after 12 PM. A few members called it a day after lunch (same old excuse about having done a thousand miles that day, or something). The rest of us did a bit of sight-seeing of Burrum Heads.

One quick game of follow the leader later, we found a place to park and enjoy the views. One guest found a shady spot for a kip. After some photos were taken, and some yarns were told, we headed for home.

Warren was kind enough to take over as ride leader as I had to stop for fuel and a family visit at Childers. Thanks Warren. Some went their own way at Childers, and the rest followed Warren. Seeing as I didn’t get a phone call that night from him, I take it things went smoothly from that point on. Approximately 320 kms were covered, as we were inducted into our first chilly winter ride.

Thanks to Tony and Loll for being tail end Charlie and Charlene, and thanks also to Wayne for filling in during the “incident” with Kevin’s beast.

Kenilworth Ride: 19th & 20th April 2008

by Tony Webber

A group of 13 members and 1 visitor on 13 bikes assembled a Quay St ready for the ride to Kenilworth. We got away pretty well on time. Roy saw us off. We went past home to pick up the camera and then out of town via Walker Street to Childers Road.

Travelling on, we turned at Logging Creek and rode to Childers via some great back roads. We regrouped in Childers and then rode on to Sexy Coffee / Servo for smoko. All the while the clouds were gathering. Would it be too wet or too cold? Who could say…we soon found out.

We were blessed with some fairly heavy showers on the way to Gympie, where we stopped for fuel. By this time a fair bit of wet weather gear was evident. Onward into the rain. We arrived at Kenilworth after a good ride but a touch damp.

We immediately hit the pub hoping for lunch, but a Redox type rally had arrived there just before us, so we had to wait for their lunch to be dispatched first. Anyway it poured down rain about this time, so the pub wasn’t a bad place to be. Jo, Tim, Mark, Stephanie and her friend met us here. By the time we were all fed and watered it was about 2.30/3.00.

A few of us decided to brave and elements and had a very pleasant ride up the Obi Obi Road to Mapleton and down to Maleny, returning via Connondale. Hardly a drop of rain.

Meanwhile the others cooled their heels in the pub or went for a wander around town or whatever.

We arrived back about 5.00/5.30 and joined the others for a few drinks and a well-earned meal. During the coarse of the evening, Kerry and John were joined by some friends from Woombye, and we met some very interesting travellers. They were riding postie bikes fitted with knobby tyres, windscreens and decked out for touring. Why? – No one really seemed to know,

Later, John won a meat tray and the ticket seller promised to turn up and cook us breakfast the next morning. He did just that. So we all ended up with a good (free) breakfast of steak, sausages, bacon and eggs. (I think the publican was taking it out of his pay).

The sun was shining as we rode off to Imbil on Sunday morning. We stopped at a lookout, (Kerry dropped her bike) and then rode on to the dam. Not a bad spot.

After a look around we headed back towards Kenilworth, planning to ride back out to Eumundi and then to Pomona for smoko. Didn’t sound like a bad plan but it sure didn’t work out that easily. We had a little bit or getting lost, a little bit of taking a wrong turn here and there and then we had a whole lot of rain and some more rain.

By the time we got to Pomona, perhaps some spirits had been dampened. We mulled around for a while and then some decided to head for home. The remainder had a feed and kicked back for a while. We then headed off and said goodbye to Tim and Mark, who went to Brisbane.

The rest of the crew rode to Matildas at Maryborough where we had a break and a chat. Not too much rain now and then off to Bundy. John A went to see Peter Bowden and the rest of us hit town about 5 o’clock.

In summary, I’d have to say things didn’t go like clockwork on Sunday, but “ya get that”.

A big thanks to Kev for being tail ender all weekend. I’m sure we’ll all look back and have a laugh about it soon.

Ride to Monduran Dam: 16th March 2008

by Jamie Elliott

I showed up at quay st. & was the first one there. first two to arrive were two guests, then slowly everyone else came in. by 20 past, we were pretty much ready to roll with a headcount of thirteen bikes. then just before we left, Angela turned upon her ZZR with some fuel cap issues that Warren tried to fix, but ended up snapping the key off in the lock. So warren stayed behind to remedy the situation, while we took off at about eight thirty two. The ride to Monduran dam was slow and steady, probably too slow for most, having changed my front and rear sprockets with different gearing, I thought I was doing 100 kph, but was actually doing 92-94. Due to the sedate pace of the majority of the ride to the dam, there were no incidents worthy of mentioning, excepting the slow guy on the red bike at the front.

After Gin Gin, Dave had been trying to get ahead to take video footage of us arriving at the dam. But I gave chase and decided to have some fun in the faster corners, only to have the bike break down continuously. At the same time I pulled over, three police cars came in the opposite direction. Maybe the Cagiva has some sort of emergency radar system that I don't know about. they must have had something else to do, as they didn't turn around and give chase to the less sedate riders that were previously behind me, and were now in front.
After that, the bike was fine, barring a couple of times later and we continued to have a fun ride to Monduran Dam. Prior to arriving at the lookout to the Dam, Peter discovered that his GSXR 1100 decided to run on three cylinders. Which doesn't run as smooth as it should at a hundred and sixty apparently.

After we all had a good break, with Harry reminiscing about the last time he was at that lookout, sometime back in the nineteen seventies, Peter went his way home, and we headed back to Gin Gin to refuel for the trip to Mount Perry for lunch. The weather was excellent, if a bit windy, the roads were pretty much ours, and we all had a great time on our way to lunch. The pretty big coiled up dead carpet snake in the middle of the road was about the only surprise, and I knew the roads should be pretty safe with 2 orange Hayabusa’s flying at us at warp speed. I arrived at the pub, to find that Vic was already there, and wondered how and when he overtook me without me seeing him. As it turned out, he wasn’t aware of the pit stop at Gin Gin, and had gone straight to Mt Perry. We had only just started our first beverage, when Warren arrived on the big KLR, in time for lunch.

The food was good, but the menu was shortened somewhat, with no buns or eggs left for us. The one overworked chicken had pumped out all it’s eggs for a local at breakfast, and ran dry by the time we got there. The Managers Choice award was given to Wayne on his new Yammy R6, dubbed “The Wasp”, which he humbly accepted before she had even announced the winner. The prize being a $15 lunch voucher.

The rain had JUST started to sprinkle as we were all gearing up to go home, but dried up completely not long after we left. Most of us stopped at the Servo, and we waited for the last few bikes to arrive, before heading home. I knew that Vic was on a quest to find some white port at the winery, but didn’t know who else was going to tag along. Seeing as I had one of the 1st aid kits with me and wasn’t sure who was at the winery, when John didn’t show up, I thought I better go find him. 4 km later I found both him and Roy heading my way.

So all in all, it was a great way to spend a Sunday. Thanks go to John Alexander for being Tail end Charlie.

No Rules Retro Ride to Tin Can Bay: 17th February 2008

by John Alexander

The suggestion that there was some dirt sections in this run didn’t seem to put too many people off, maybe the prospect of no rules was too good to resist.
We left roughly on time for a day ride to Biggenden, taking the short cut via North-South road, saving about 6 klms.

Tony and Loll baled out at this point, (they must have looked to the south). So we hit rain periods on the Woolooga Road, the damp dirt section (5klms) easy to negotiate. We tackled the Widgee road through magnificent lush dairy country, passing some brave individuals attempt to make money from a twin-screen drive-in.

A bit of a tour through the western suburbs of Gympie revealed it was not a no-rules ride after all, a gold medal performance by the corner markers ensured NO ONE GOT LOST!

So on to Tin Can Bay where those in front managed to scurry into town before the downpour. After a good lunch in an un-crowded pub most were a bit towy to roar back to Bundy.

We left a little latter, checking out the spot at the Tin Can Bay – Tuan road intersection where Norm and Alice Gibson got air-born big time when their BMW outfit went over a metre high pile of dirt, put there by the road workers to “discourage” motorists from cutting the corner.

A mostly dry ride home followed, completing 470 klms.

It was good to see all tackle the dirt sections. By including the occasional dirt road it allows us to visit new areas, instead of the well-worn norm and it improves overall riding skills.

Ride to Agnes Waters: 20th January 2008

by Kevin Cason

After arriving at Quay St car park at 8 am and finding 8 bikes waiting I assumed it would be an ordinary day’s ride, but much to my surprise people just continued to appear. The 8 soon turned to 28 then 38 and finally we departed Quay St at 8.40 am with a group of 40 motorcycles and several pillions (23 club members and 17 guests, 6 of those being from the BURP forum web site) travelling to our first stop at Baffle Creek. This destination was reached without incident or at least so I thought until it was reported that Sandra’s new GS 500 had failed to proceed at Rosedale. After leaving the offending machine at the Rosedale waste recycling centre (the dump) Sandra bravely carried on to The Baffle as pillion on Peter Hansens bike to be met by some good natured comment about the reliability of Suzuki motorcycles. The Baffle country club was a good spot to stop as it was a very humid day and dehydration an ever present danger, although I think the staff might not have agreed when over 40 thirsty bikers turned up on there doorstep at opening time. After refreshments and good conversation we left for Agnes and 1770 via a little known road connecting baffle road with the Agnes road, a recently sealed road with some nice sweeping corners for the enthusiast. I was obviously travelling quite sedately at this point as I was overtaken by several riders, perhaps the reason was that I had a pillion and had to be more responsible. On reaching or destination we rode up to the lookout and; looked out before continuing to the Agnes Waters Tavern for a very enjoyable lunch, a much needed cold drink and some good conversation. Several of the group had already departed having prior commitments by the time the rest of us left the tavern at 2 o’clock for fuel and a very relaxed ride back to Avondale Tavern. The later part of this section seemed to bring out some unusual behaviour in a few of our members. Not mentioning names of course but a certain Cagiva rider and an SV rider seemed to have a very competitive nature. Of course there was the quarter litre rider who seemed to have his ambitions mixed up with his capabilities. We stopped for our mandatory WHS drink stop and debriefing at Avondale before going our separate way to Bundy Anyhow it was a very pleasant ride with some good company and very pleasing to see so many guests turning up for the day. Big thanks to Sid for volunteering to go tail end for the day and also many thanks to Warren, Peter and Tom for staying and helping out with our breakdown at Rosedale (and yes we did eventually rescue the offending Suzuki from the dump).