THE OLD BLOKE'S BLOG
Welcome to The Old Bloke’s Blog!

Well, it's more than just a blog actually; it's a blog combined with general news, things of interest, and smaller items etc.
It is, basically, a traditional type blog of things that I've been doing that will, hopefully, be of some interest to the reader. But, as I said, it's more than that; it's also where I put items of interest that I've come across that aren't big enough for a separate article. So don't think that it's all about me! Some of it is, but it's also a newsy kind of thing, relating stories of interest, products I've discovered and so on.
It's set out month by month, going down the page - so for the latest entries, scroll down to the bottom.
For previous installments in this Blog, just scroll down to the bottom of the page and click the button there.

I hope you find it interesting!
Click here to go to the previous Blog page' covering July - December, 2013.
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JULY 2, 2014. Do you prefer left-hand corners to right-handers? I must admit that I do, and generally feel more confident executing left-handers than right-handers. (Unless I’m feeling particularly confident, in which case it does tend to even out). Well, I just read an article that confirms my preference as being quite common. Below is a quote from the article. (The photo is not from the article, by the way, it is from a friend and reader of the web-site, Noel, taken on a Snowy Ride).
“The left-hand side of a bend requires less speed than the corresponding right-hand side, simply because the radius is smaller and the overall amount of time spent leaning from vertical to negotiate the bend is less. In addition, left-hand bends are easier because they have greater space to set-up and execute, carry less apparent risk and, as a result we like them more.” It’s the “less-apparent danger” part that I feel. I have explained my preference for left-handers by saying that there is more perceived run-off and safety area. Of course that “run-off” area turns nasty if there’s a semi coming the other way, but when the road is clear you know there’s a bit more room there if you get it wrong. Conversely, on a right-hander there is no extra road, just the scenery beyond the edge of the bitumen.
The other issue, as a friend of mine can testify, is that there is more chance of being struck by an on-coming vehicle on right-handers than on left-handers.
In a strange twist, statistics apparently tell us that more crashes happen on left-handers: because we feel more confident in left-handers, we go faster in left-handers and are therefore more likely to crash. The most common crash is a lose, with the bike low-siding and sliding. That’s if we ride sports-bikes. Cruisers and tourers apparently are more likely to crash on right-handers, with the most common crash being running wide, going off the road and hitting the scenery. So there: I’m not as strange as I thought I was! If you’d like to read the whole article, click here.

JULY 3, 2014. Do you remember our question on hill-starts? Well, BMW has made that issue redundant on its latest R1200RT. The new bike comes fitted with a device called “Hill Start Control.” Like that fitted to a lot of new cars these days, this holds the brake on until you’re ready to take off, then releases the brake as you begin to move. Hill-start techniques become redundant. What happens is when you come to a stop you give the brakes an extra squeeze and the brakes then hold automatically until you let the clutch out and begin to move. The only catch is that you have to remember to give it a bit more throttle as you start to take off, to overcome the resistance of the brake until it knows you’re taking off and lets go. This resulted in the road tester who wrote the report I read stalling the bike a few times. Something you’d get used to in time though, no doubt.

JULY 5, 2014. You've probably all heard that Harley Davidson is planning on producing an electric bike. I read today that company president Matt Levatich described the bike (which is code-named “Livewire”) as “Another exciting customer-led moment in our history”. Hmm, “customer led”? I doubt it! I just can't see a whole lot of Harley owners fronting up to the factory and saying, “Listen, how about ditching the big V-twin donk and putting an electric motor in?” No, that didn't happen!

JULY 5, 2014. I've seen quite a bit of footage of traffic in India - enough to convince me that I would never ride there! But this is crazy!! Thanks Lisa Clarke for posting this on our Facebook page. Click here to see the madness. (You should be able to see the video, even if you’re not a Facebook member).

JULY 12, 2014. Another Facebook video, that should work, even if you aren’t on Facebook. Apart from being a total idiot, I don’t see why he couldn’t stop; even at the speed he was going! Click here.

JULY 12, 2014. It was good to get out for a ride today with a couple of regular (or used-to-be regular) riding mates. I say “used-to-be” because, for one reason or another – bad weather, other commitments, family dramas, a broken bike (the one damaged when the centre-stand broke) and whatever – it’s been quite a while since we’ve been out together. (The other two – who are both retired – have managed to get out a bit). Today the weather was a bit threatening – cool temperatures, increasingly strong wind and forecast afternoon rain. But we went anyway!
A route was decided on that took us through areas that might be more protected from the wind – and also happened to include some good riding roads (albeit restricted by unrealistic speed-limits!). A lunch stop at a club with a beautiful view out over the water, good food, pleasant conversation, and then a ride back home again. The wind was fairly strong at times but didn’t worry us. My thermals, under warm clothing, kept the body warm. And the afternoon rain didn’t arrive until well after we were home. It was a good day, and a welcome break from some family (health) worries. 
JULY 12- 2014. Proud Grandad moment!
My 9-year old granddaughter riding on the local motocross track. She has ridden for a while now, but usually at an unofficial off-road area.
This was at a motorcross track – not riding motocross exactly, but riding the childrens tracks around the area. My daughter says, “She has definitely got the bug now!”
The photos my daughter sent me (I just posted one, above here) brought back memories.
About 25 years ago, I was taking my other daughter around this same area on her PeeWee 50. I love this photo. She looks so tiny!
I’m on a Yamaha TY250 Trials bike, and my daughter on a Yamaha PW50.
JULY 16, 2014. It's nice when we make a difference! In March 2013 (click the link and scroll down to March 23), and a year previously, I got a group of riders together to put on a display at a local nursing home. There were a couple of former riders among the residents there who got a real kick out of seeing the bikes. One of these residents passed away recently and his family told the staff at the nursing home that he was so thrilled by seeing the old bikes there, and how it brought back memories of his early days riding a Harley, that they would like the funeral procession to be accompanied by a couple of bikes from that era, if that could be arranged. So the nursing home contacted me to see if I could arrange anything.
I'm not involved in the vintage scene these days, but I still know a couple of people from the club (Classic and Enthusiasts Motorcycle Club) that I used to belong to. So I put the word out among current riding friends and also contacted the president of the vintage club. A friendly helpful man, (who remembered me, despite me not having been a member of the club for a long time) he assured me that he would be able to round up a couple of suitable bikes. Other friends said they would take part (on modern bikes) if needed. And of course I was happy to do it, if we hadn't been able to get the vintage bikes.
It's nice to be able to help out in this family's sad time. But it also showed how much good we do when we do these kind of visits. Sometimes the smallest gestures can mean so much to someone.

JULY 18, 2014. The funeral I mentioned above was escorted by two vintage Harleys (one with sidecar) and a BSA. One of the friends of the family (who was going to the funeral anyway) went on his Triumph Bonnie. The lady who originally contacted me to ask if I could arrange some vintage bikes said that the old gentleman “would have loved it!” Great to see! So, a huge Thank You to those kind people who gave up their time for this! And also to the president of the local branch of CEMCC, who was so friendly and helpful.
I have to say that the response to help with this – from a club I haven't been a member of for many years, and people who I hadn't even had contact with for almost as long – really “warmed my heart”; particularly because it was so different to the response I received from some people from another club, my membership of which had lapsed only for a few months, when I asked for their support for a charity event I was organising a couple of years ago. Okay, so the people in that club didn't know me well, because I was a very inactive member, but the negative responses I got were a bit surprising, considering the club boasts about its friendliness and charity bent. I won’t mention the name of the club (because I’m certain these people weren’t typical of the club as a whole), but you’d know the name if I did.

JULY 26, 2014. Sales figures are in for the first half of they year, and it shows a pretty healthy picture. In over-all sales, Honda leads the way, with 12,212 units sold (although sales to Australia Post always make their sales figures look good), and Yamaha comes in 2nd with 9,034. Kawasaki was third, but a fair way behind with 5,341. Suzuki was next with 4,758.
In the road-bike category Honda again tops the sales, with, surprisingly, Harley Davidson very close behind in 2nd place. I say “surprisingly” because they are expensive machines. Kawasaki came third again here.

JULY 26, 2014. I got to see some of the new “motorcyclist safety-barriers” the NSW traffic authority is trialing in various “black spots” around the state. This was on the famous (or infamous!) Macquarie Pass. When I posted this on my Facebook page, a couple of people commented that it was protecting riders who should know better and ride to conditions. Pretty true – although the Pass is notorious for oil-spills and other nasties that can pose a threat to us. In any case, if it stops people from being mangled up against steel posts then it has to be a good thing!
JULY 26, 2014. Another motorcycle show on the tele! Yeah! Cycle Torque (the free magazine you pick up at bike shops and motorcycle-friendly outlets) is producing a TV show version of its magazine. It will go to air on the 4ME network on Sundays at 6.30pm. But you’ll have to wait a bit for it, the show begins on 7th September.

AUGUST 2, 2014. I finally got down to the new motorcycle themed The Coffee Garage today.
Located at Wandandian, which is 30km south of Nowra on the NSW south coast, It's a coffee-shop operated by a couple of guys who have been – and still are – building customised bikes. (Their bike-building business goes under the name of ARSI Motorcycles).
The building, which used to be a nursery / garden centre, is newly refurbished and looks very new. It’s clean, has a great motorcycle atmosphere, and the guys are friendly. I'll be back!
AUGUST 3, 2014. Now, these look like fun!
No, they’re not a bike; but not really a car either. Well, maybe a very odd kind of car. They look like fun though, and would be good on those cold, rainy winter’s days! Made by Toyota, and called the iRoad, they're not yet a production model, although they should be released on the roads soon. Already they've been tested by motoring press. Click here for a review of a pre-production model.
And click here for a video review of them on the road.
AUGUST 11, 2014. Another great MotoGP race this morning – until Marquez got in front and then it got a bit spread out again; as he has done every race this season! A wonderful achievement by Marquez. The racing is better when he’s back in the pack and battling, but he sure is a talent on a  bike!
Here’s a shot of the start. I hadn't really thought much about this before, but note the different legs used by the riders - some using left leg, some using right. And some using both. I wonder why? Is it to do with being right or left-handed? (That does have an effect of which leg we favour generally). And what about those who use both?
AUGUST 21-2014. This photo has been doing the rounds, including being published on the on AMCN web-site.
The photo shows Marc Marquez during a test-day at Brno. Just look at what is going on! He’s off-line, hitting the kerb, with the front wheel tucking in, and the rider himself almost totally on the ground. He is gone for all money! But somehow he recovered; such is the magic of Marquez!
AUGUST 22, 2014. We often bemoan the fact that, being a much smaller market compared with other countries, Australia often misses out on models that are sold in other parts of the world. But recently I found that the USA missed out on a few models that we got here in Australia. It came from a discussion on an owners forum where an American mentioned the Yamaha FJ1200 and XJ Seca as being two of the most reliable models ever. Someone (no, not me!) suggested the Yamaha XJR1300 as well, to which another replied that America did not get the XJR1300. This was joined by others, such as the Suzuki RG500, and Honda CBX750 and CB1300; all of which the US didn’t get either. That was surprising, when you consider the size of the American market compared to ours. (We did get all of those bikes of course). I’m surprised especially at the “muscle bikes” not being released there; I would’ve thought there’d have been a good market for those.

AUGUST 24, 2014. Today I went to the annual display day put on by the Classic & Enthusiasts Motorcycle Club of NSW at Engadine in the southern suburbs of Sydney. I tossed up whether to go by car or bike. Although I felt like going for a ride, (and I have previously ridden there, as well as driven), I decided on driving. The weather looked a bit iffy (rain had been forecast but it looked reasonably clear at home), but the roads to there aren’t exciting – apart perhaps from the option of detouring through the National Park. But having rained the day before, and with it being a Sunday, I would stay away from there anyway (the road – which shows traces of moss in places – looks a bit dodgy after rain, and there are lots of police to enforce the ridiculously low speed-limits). Also, there’s the problem of lugging riding-gear around when you get there on a bike. Anyway I arrived to find the usual display area deserted. A check with Google revealed that I was a month early: it’s not until September! What made it even worse was the fact that I have another commitment on the day that it is really on, so won’t be able to go!
If you’re in the Sydney area, and are interested in classic bikes, you might like to pencil in the proper date: September 21st. The venue is the Cooper St Reserve, which is right on the highway. 
AUGUST 27, 2014.
That’s a funny place to put a roundabout! You can’t see it? Well, it’s just over the crest of the hill, straight after a corner in the road. Look closely and you’ll see the roundabout sign off to the left.
Recently a friend of mine, who is a very experienced rider, was coming along this road. It’s a road he knows well, although it had been a few months since he’d been on it. When he last rode through, the roundabout wasn’t there. Late in the day, riding partially into a setting sun, he topped the crest of the hill to suddenly be confronted with the new roundabout. He tried to swing the bike (a big cruiser) around it, but it’s a tight little roundabout, and he didn’t make it. The bike went down and he hit the ground – hard! The result? Six broken ribs, a punctured lung, and a few miscellaneous bumps and bruises. And a written-off bike. He was doing about 40 – 50kph.
This was coming from the south. Coming from the other direction – as shown in the second picture on the left – the roundabout is more visible, being just enough on your side of the crest to make it visible as you approach.
There are streets running off to the side, so I can understand that a roundabout was seen as a means of reducing the danger where people drive out of those streets to join the main road: but they are only small, seldom-used streets, so I think in eliminating one potential danger, they’ve created a much bigger one! My friend would no doubt agree!
Now, to be fair, there are more signs on the southern approach. The photo on the left here shows the road from further back down the hill from the first one. There is a sign on the left, indicating a roundabout 100 metres ahead, and what I think is a somewhat confusing sign painted on the road. Can you see it?
The road was wet when I took the photo, so it doesn’t stand out – which it didn’t the day my friend rode along there. What’s more, the shoulder of the roundabout is not very high, so with a firm grip on the bars he could’ve probably ridden straight over it. But when you are faced with the situation and have to make a decision in a split-second, trying to go around probably seems the best option.
I know this road very well too; and I know the roundabout is there. In fact I rode through when there were big warning signs advising there was one being built, and have subsequently been through many times since it’s been constructed. So I don’t have a problem with it. It still strikes me as a dangerous place to put a roundabout though, but despite this, my friend doesn’t blame the roundabout; well not entirely. He accepts that there are signs, and blames himself as much as the dangerously positioned road structure. He makes the point that, going very slowly (there’s a 50kph speed limit through the town), you can tend to reduce your concentration because the perceived danger is much less at low speed. Familiarity with the road is another big factor – you know the road, so you don’t bother reading signs that might have appeared beside the road (or even on the road!); because you think you don’t need to; you know where the road goes. You don’t expect something like a roundabout to have been built, just over the crest of a hill, since the last time you rode there.
Again, he isn’t making excuses. And we can all argue that we should be concentrating and totally observant at all times. So had he been concentrating as he should, he would’ve seen the signs and known that the road conditions had changed. And that’s true. But can we all say that we wouldn’t ever be guilty of the same lapse in concentration? The same familiarity-induced reduction in awareness of our surroundings? As much as we would like to say we would never make the same mistake, I think if we’re honest we have to admit that it’s just possible, on a bad day, that we could end up doing the same thing – given similar circumstances and a similar lapse in concentration. We are all subject to our own failings: as careful as we think we might be, we can never claim to be 100% perfect.

SEPTEMBER 1, 2014. Here’s an interesting article on the so-called anti-bikie laws in Queensland. An interesting article and some video interviews too. It all goes to show just how ineffective these laws are at what they are supposedly intended to achieve, and how they affect the average law-abiding motorcyclist; and also they are perceived in the community.

SEPTEMBER 3, 2014.
Spotted on a ride today, at our lunch stop, was this magnificent old Indian. It's a 1947 model, and the pride and joy of its owner.
He made a couple of improvements to the bike, including fitting the twin-leading-shoe front brake from a later model, and converting the electrics to 12-volt instead of the original 6-volt.
He says it cruises happily on the highway at 110kph. A beautiful restoration!
SEPTEMBER 5, 2014. This is a video taken by a helmet-camera. It shows the awful moment when a rider was killed when he hit a car that turned across his path. (Click here).
The UK police, and the rider's family, released the video in the hope that it would make drivers (and riders) think, be more aware, and hopefully save others from meeting the same fate.
I have to say though, that there are two people at fault here - the rider was apparently doing 97mph (almost 160kph) when the car turned in front of him. Too fast! Had he been travelling at the speed of the traffic he'd been overtaking, he would probably still be alive - despite the car driver's lack of awareness. (The car driver admitted he saw neither the bike nor the car following it).

SEPTEMBER 14, 2014. A nice sunny day made it a great day for a ride. And there were lots of bikes out! At a popular biker’s café was a group of very unusual little bikes. These bikes are all Honda Z50 “Monkey Bikes.” First produced in the late 1960s, I think they are still being made by Honda. As fas as I know, they haven’t been available in Australia for a long time. But there is apparently a group of people who  restore and modify these little bikes and ride them on the road. 
One of the owners told me that there was a short window of about 4 or 5 years, from the late 1970s to early 1980s, when they could be registered in Australia. So if you’re going to do one of these little bikes you have to start with a frame from that period.
The engine was originally a 50cc 4-stroke, but all of these have been highly modified – most being bored out to around 150cc. The owners claim that the bikes will cruise at 110kph, and some will top out at 140kph. I reckon doing those sort of speeds on one of these would be a very scary experience! (By the way, if you go to my Facebook page, you can see more photos).
SEPTEMBER 19, 2014. Thanks to Rod for sending me this link. It’s a statement from the Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development, and concerns modifications to the Australian Design Rules that will eliminate the necessity to modify the rear mudguards of bikes to allow them to be sold on the Australian market. As you are probably aware, we have various rules that require manufacturers to modify their bikes to meet specific local design rules. Producing specially modified version of a product, especially for a relatively small market like Australia, is expensive, so it increases the cost to the consumer. Either that, or the manufacturer just doesn’t bother and we miss out on getting that particular model. So this is good news! And there could be more to come! Check it out.

SEPTEMBER 20, 2014. Arrr, there be mountains ahead! With lots of winding road!
And, thanks to some obliging motorists who pulled into the slow-vehicle turnout, I was able to get a clear run and go play. Some great scenery along here too!
The road runs from Bomaderry (near Nowra) on the NSW south coast to Moss Vale in the Southern Highlands. It’s a great biking road, with three mountain passes (up, down and up again).
Kangaroo Valley, with its historic suspension bridge, is along this road too.
SEPTEMBER 24, 2014. I’m feeling jealous! A friend of mine recently bought a 1975 Honda Gold Wing to restore. Being a genuine 1975 (he checked), it is the very first of the breed, and as such, quite a collectable item. He didn’t buy it as a collector’s item though; he has wanted one since he first rode one back in the 1970s. And recently he discovered this one. He hadn’t been looking for one, he just happened to come across it.
It’s not quite as good as it looks in the photo, with most of the chrome-work having rusted. The engine cases are oxidised too. But it’s mostly all there (only the exhausts are missing), and the paintwork only needs a cut-and-polish. And the price he paid was a reflection of its age rather than its collectabilit: he got a bargain!
Today I went to his place to have a look at it. I was surprised at how not-big it was. Back in the day, they got the nick-name “Lead-Wing”, and were seen as a huge heavy bike. But it didn’t seem that big. Being a naked probably helps this smaller than-it-is impression. They're still heavy, weighing 273kg dry, but with the fuel-tank mounted under the seat, and the engine being a flat-four, the weight is all down low, so it doesn’t feel as heavy as it is. The seat has that softness that was typical of bikes from that era. “This is my kind of seat!” I commented. 
The Gold Wing was Honda’s first liquid-cooled 4-stroke motor, and they over-engineered the engine and cooling system, with the result that they gained a good reputation for reliability and longevity. From the engine at least: brakes, suspension and clutch problems were not uncommon apparently.
I said I was jealous – not particularly of him having a Gold Wing, but I would really like to have a classic bike to get back into the classic bike scene. Unfortunately, the family finances are running pretty thin and there’s no money to go out and buy another bike. Anyway, I look forward to seeing it (and maybe riding it?) when it’s all done!

SEPTEMBER 27, 2014. We need more politicians like this! This is a speech by Liberal Democratic senator, David Leyonhjelm. I’m told he rides, which probably explains his view. But this would have to be the most sensible statement I’ve heard from a  politician in a long, long time! Click here to see it.

SEPTEMBER 30, 2014. For those who have a liking for the Yamaha XJR1300, the news is out that the iconic muscle-bike from Yamaha is continuing next year – albeit in a slightly different style. They've gone a bit cafe-racer with the styling, as well as producing an actual cafe-racer type edition (based largely on a Deus Ex Machina product). Mechanicals remain the same, but in the styling process the tank has been reduced in capacity by 6 litres. That's quite a lot, and would seriously affect the range. I think I could live with that, but I don't like the styling.
Okay, so I'm not a huge fan of cafe-racers (to own – they’re cool to look at!), but I think the shortened rear-end makes it look a bit unbalanced, front to back. And the naked frame at the rear – yes, very minimalist, in the way of the MT-09, but I don't really like that either. And that oval plate on the side with air-ducts that go nowhere I reckon is silly. I guess they'll call it progress. To me, the current model (no, not mine, the current one) is the best looking version ever.
The cafe-racer model is called the “Racer” and has several differences over the standard one, including clip-on bars. Hmm, I think it's a bit heavy for clip-ons!
The good news though, is it's continuing! Oh, and owners can now say their bike has, “The largest capacity production air-cooled 4-cylinder engine in the world!” That’s another way of saying all the other 4-cylinder bikes have adopted the more efficient liquid-cooling: but it’ll probably sound impressive your mates down the pub!
OCTOBER 3, 2014. Remember me mentioning that Cycle Torque was starting a TV show? You forgot and missed it, right? Well, so did I! And then I found out about a whole new series that I hadn’t of, called BikeLIfe. Except they only made 5 episodes and I’d missed all of them! Never mind, all is not lost! These shows aired on 4ME. If you got to their web-site and click on the “Auto” tab, the shows are all there for you to watch! As well as a couple of other motorcycle ones: McCully Customs TV, which is about custom bikes, and HDtv, which is all about Harley Davidsons. Their web-site is www.4me.net.au. Then click the Auto tab. 

OCTOBER 11, 2014. Another restoration project.
This was posted on Facebook by Michael, who has just bought this 1936 Norton Model 50. Great restoration project! It will be a beautiful classic bike once restored.
OCTOBER 14, 2014. I received my official entry for this year’s Snowy Ride today. For those who don’t know, the Snowy Ride is a charity motorcycle event held in the Snowy Mountains region of NSW that raises money for the Steven Walter Foundation: a charity that raises money for childrens cancer. I’ve long been a supporter of this event, although only made it down there a couple of times. This year, with our family having been touched by childrens cancer, I was especially keen to be involved. However a prior commitment on the same weekend (I’d promised to arrange and lead music for a service at the National Meeting of the Christian Motorcyclists Association) meant that I wouldn’t be able to go on the ride. But I still entered: after all, it’s the money that does the good, not my actually being there!
There’s been a significant change this year. If you know anything about the Snowy Ride, (or have read my article on it), you’ll know that there isn’t one set ride; riders are free to choose wherever and whenever they go. But there are certain suggested routes, with checkpoints along the way. Well, this year they’ve withdrawn the Alpine Way as one of the official routes on the ride: and accordingly, there won’t be any checkpoints along there. This is a very popular route for riders, but the road is very narrow and for most of the way has no centre-lines. The speed-limits are very low and the area is policed pretty heavily. In short, while it’s a great route to experience, it’s probably best avoided on this particular weekend. 

OCTOBER 16. I’ve been noticing a different postie bike delivering our mail in recent times. And, of course, I’ve been curious! Well, it seems that Australia Post have been making the change away from the iconic CT110 for a while. And it’s now come to our neck-of-the-woods. But no, Honda haven’t lost the contract, the new posties are still Hondas, but the Super-Cub 110. These are a step-through, very much in the style of the old Honda 50 step-throughs that we all remember from way back when. Those equally iconic little machines first made their appearance in the late 1950s, and the Super-Cub range is a direct development of those bikes. Not surprising then, that they actually look like those early Honda 50 / 90 models! I’ll have to try to collar the postie one day and ask him what he thinks of them. 

OCTOBER 18, 2014. “Time flies when you’re having fun”, so the old saying goes. But not so much when you’re lying in a hospital bed with a good portion of your right side in bits! That was the situation with a friend of mine, Phil Hall, who has shared a couple of articles with us on this site. On this day, 4 years ago, Phil went for a regular ride up the famous (and sometimes infamous!) Macquarie Pass. He didn’t make it to the top. Instead, he hit a truck that was on his side of the road. It wasn’t a full head-on crash (in which case he probably wouldn’t be here to tell the tale), but he hit the front of the truck with his right side; in the process, as I indicated, breaking several bones. And writing-off his bike. It took until earlier this year before he was fit enough to ride again. (He did try before this, but said his injuries still restricted his movement).
Here he writes of his experience – the accident and the aftermath. It’s a good insight into what happened, what could’ve happened, and the effects this has.

OCTOBER 18, 2014. Today I joined a group of  CMA members, and school staff, at a display they put on at a local school fete. There were around 15 bikes on display; and a great variety of machines – everything from a Harley to a Vespa. Countries of origin included Japan, USA, Britain, Italy, and Germany. Good to see all that! It was a good day.
OCTOBER 23, 2014. Just reading some details of interesting new models for next year. Yamaha have two up-coming models that should prove popular. The first is the YZF-R3, a 300cc version of the sports range that currently starts with the little YZF-R15 (150cc) and then comes in at 600cc with the R6. There’s a gap there that Honda, and particularly Kawasaki, are cleaning-up in with their sports-style, Learner-legal 300cc machines. Now Yamaha will be hoping to grab some of that action.
Also hoping to grab some action, but from the all-purpose segment, will be a dual-purpose type version of the MT-09.
In the US the new bike will be called the FJ-09 (and we’ve been hearing rumours of that model designation for a while!), but may get a different name here. I suppose that is because the FJ name in the past was used for a sports-touring bike, not an all-purpose bike.
Anyway, think more ground-clearance, but cast (not spoked) wheels, making it a competitor to the likes of the V-Strom 1000, and Triumph Tiger. And, in that guise, it may still fit the role of sport-tourer anyway, in the way that the other bikes mentioned are capable of being used as an all-rounder type bike. Looks okay, doesn’t it!
In a rather ironic twist, with Yamaha copying Kawasaki in the learner-legal sportster range, in cruiser-land Kawasaki is copying Yamaha!
The Yamaha 650 is the top-selling bike in that category, and Kawasaki want a piece of that; so they are introducing a 650cc model that will carry the Vulcan name-plate. From what I’ve seen the bike appears to use architecture from the Ninja 650 (and the engine also comes from that), so it should be a good thing! It’s quite a different looking bike to the usual cruiser style, with a parallel twin engine, under-slung exhaust, and an instrument binnacle that puts a big analogue tacho on display, with a digital speed below. I like that!

NOVMEBER 1, 2014. Today was the annual Snowy Ride. Down in the Snowy mountains region there were 2,777 motorcycles, raising money for Childrens Cancer - a cause that I have always felt very deserving, but has recently touched my family in a much closer way. I couldn't be there, due to a prior commitment (see item below) but I did officially enter (so they had my money, if not my presence!).
Thanks to all those who did enter in support of this great charity. I have friends who I know did go, so thanks especially to you! I was told that they raised around $28,000. Great work!
I heard the weather was great too. And also that the weather was lousy! Typical of the Snowy region! Some photos I saw showed brilliant sunshine, others showed cloud. The photo on the left is of some of the bikes at Dalgety. (Thanks to Noel for the photo). Around the top of the mountain it was bad, forcing organisers to cancel some of the events at Thredbo. (See the Feedback page for a rider’s description of where the weather was probably at its worst!). 
NOVEMBER 1, 2014. This weekend saw the Christian Motorcyclists Association's National Run happen at Stanwell Tops, just south of Sydney. There were well over 100 riders from all over Australia there. And when I say “all over Australia”, I really mean all over Australia! There were riders from Queensland, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania, and of course NSW. These National meetings are held in a different state each year, and this year it was NSW’s turn. I live only about 50km from the venue for this year, so for me it was a short run indeed; and for various reasons, I didn’t stay on-site, but traveled there and back each day.
Today I was involved in leading the music for a service in the morning, so I drove there, with guitar and gear in the back of the car. I play regularly at our church, but for this it was a bit different: I chose the songs, arranged the music, and did lead vocals and lead rhythm guitar. Thanks to the other guys in our “band” - which, as you can see, included another guitar (12-string), bass, banjo, and bongos. It was a good sound! And thanks to the congregation of motorcyclists who responded so enthusiastically with their singing! It was great!
Later in the morning there was a ride to a barbeque lunch, then a couple of varying-length rides heading out from there. I had planned to do my music bit in the morning, then drive back home, get the bike and ride to the lunch destination, and carry on with the longer ride from there. But I also wanted to fit in a visit to see my grandson who is very ill in hospital. What I ended up doing was driving the family in to see my grandson, returning home, then driving back to Stanwell Tops for dinner in the evening. What I missed by not going on the ride was temperature around 34 degrees and a sudden and violent storm that had torrential rain going almost horizontally! Inside the hospital I thought it was still sunny until I had a phone call from one of the riders, and then looked out a window just as the storm hit. The photos below show me doing my part (yes, that’s me on the far left), then part of the group on the ride to lunch, then the rain. Despite the horrible conditions there were only a couple minor “offs”; both stationary, with feet slipping on the wet road.
NOVEMBER 2, 2014. I wasn't involved in music at the CMA National today, so I could ride there. It was a great day! Great to again meet up with some friends from other parts of the state that I very rarely see, and meet up with people I'd never met before from far-flung areas of our big country. Plenty of good food made the event even more enjoyable!
Part of the fun was a gymkhana. One event involved the pillion being blind-folded and feeding the rider ice-cream while he negotiated a slalom course. The rider had to complete the ice-cream before finishing the run. Very funny!
Another one had the rider blind-folded! The pillion had to talk the rider to his bike, where the rider had to insert the ignition key (while wearing gloves, which made it harder to feel the slot for the key!), start up and then ride to the end of a straight course, being guided by the pillion behind. That was hilarious!
NOVEMBER 8, 2014. Take a look at this! While having a cuppa at a café in a small village today I happened to meet one of our regular readers, Chris, who told us about his Yamaha MT-01 a while ago. But he wasn’t on the Yamaha today, he was on his other bike, a 1992 Harley Davidson Electroglide.
He told me a bit about the bike, including how he is having difficulty getting anyone to work on a bike of that age if ever he needs any major servicing or repairs done, even though the bike is in excellent condition.
I went over to have a look at the bike and it is simply astounding for a 22-year old bike! It has had a few suspension and frame mods, just to improve the ride and handling, but is otherwise original.
A great looking bike, with all the chrome sparkling and bodywork looking immaculate. I love to see bikes like this! Bikes that have been so obviously well-cared for and still giving excellent service. Chris is justifiably proud of his 22-year old Harley – as indeed he should be! 
NOVEMBER 26, 2014. Here’s an interesting site I just discovered. It’s from the NSW state government and is a motorcyclist’s guide to well-loved motorcycle roads in NSW. There are 12 rides, plus one on commuting in Sydney. For each ride there is tourist information such as maps of how to get there, where you can find food and accommodation, where the scenic spots are etc. You also get crash statistics (?!). And there’s also current and predicted weather details.
All the popular rides, like Oxley Highway, Bells Line, Thunderbolts Way, are there.
I had a look through the rides and the information is all there, although I did notice one error. Macquarie Pass must have turned upside-down because the famous Robertson Pie Shop they say is located at the bottom (rather than the top) of the Pass.
Anyway, here is the link to the site.

NOVEMBER 29, 2014. Until today I had, surprisingly perhaps, only seen one kangaroo (alive) on the road while riding. That was when I was road-testing the Yamaha FZ6N. I saw him, slowed right down, and he looked at me as if to say, "That spoilt it, he's seen me!" and hopped off into the bush. I've been on many roads that are prone to kangaroos but, apart from that one, not seen another one on the road. Until today.
I was following a Mercedes van, doing about 70kph (speed limit was 80kph) along a major secondary road. Suddenly the van began slowing dramatically. I slowed too, wondering what he was doing. Then, when almost at walking pace, I saw a kangaroo on the side, facing the road. As the van slowly passed him, he turned and hopped back into the bush. Well-spotted Mr Mercedes driver!

NOVEMBER 30, 2014. Have you been watching the TV programmes? The bike ones I mean – Cycle Torque TV and Temporary Australians. They’re both on Sundays. I’ve been watching. (I record them and watch them later).
I have to say that I’ve been a bit disappointed with Cycle Torque. I have a lot of respect for the magazine, and the guys running it. The guys are very knowledgeable, highly experienced, and good journos. Their reports are comprehensive, and written for the real world, not just for riders on a race-track, which some road tests seem to be. But the TV show is different. To me, it seems they’ve sold out, to some extent anyway. They only test bikes from the manufacturers who sponsor the show (as far as I’ve seen anyway), and the reports are never too critical. I still watch it, but it’s not up to the standard of the magazine. (I think it's ending soon, actually).
Temporary Australians I reckon is still good. They cover a lot of ground in each episode, and there are some interesting segments presented. Actually I think some of the segments don’t go long enough – I often find myself wanting to see a bit more on the topic. If I have any criticism at all it’s that the show seems to concentrate predominantly on the bikie culture: not totally, of course, but predominantly. No, I don’t mean the Outlaw side, just the “bikie” type culture in general. Even when they feature group rides from a dealer, most of the riders seem to be on Harleys (or Harley-clones). I guess that’s Greg Hirst’s scene, but it would be good to see more sports-bikes, and dual-purpose rides etc. But it’s still well worth watching. (I must say though, that I still don’t like the name!).    

DECEMBER 2, 2014. I read today that Honda has passed the 300 million mark. It’s understood the production milestone was reached some time during September. They held a small ceremony recently to celebrate. The 300 millionth bike was a Gold Wing 40th Anniversary Edition. It slipped down the line at Honda’s main Japanese motorbike factory in Kumamoto, on the southern island of Kyushu.
Honda began mass production of motorcycles in 1949 with the Dream Type-D, pictured here. As the writer commented, it was a rather more modest vehicle than the Gold Wing that breached the 300 million mark. Weighing in at just 80kg, the Dream Type-D was powered by a 98cc two-stroke single-cylinder engine that produced just over 2kW of power.
After opening its first overseas plant in Belgium in 1963, the company now makes motorbikes at 33 facilities across 22 countries.
DECEMBER 7, 2014. This weekend was, apparently, the weekend for Toy Runs. There were two in my neck-of-the-woods. One local (which I haven’t participated in for years now), and one that starts from a town about 80km away, and proceeds to a small town about 20km to the north. That’s the one I always go on. It’s smaller, but well organised and has a pleasant motorcycle-family feel about it. That was on today.
Over the past week or so, a lot of the areas up and down the coast from Sydney have been subjected to tropical-like weather: days that begin warm and sunny and end up with rain and storms. Today the forecast was for more of the same: well it said “Possible showers and storm”. I thought I’d probably get wet coming home, but decided to still go. And I invited my son-in-law to come along with me on his R1.
We had a pleasant ride to the start, albeit slowed a little by slow moving cars at times. When we arrived there was the usual collection of widely varying machines – from Honda Goldwings (one pulling a trailer) to small scooters. Many were decorated with tinsel and Santas etc. (Our bikes weren’t: we just had our gifts ocky-strapped to the seats). I grabbed the camera and start snapping pics of the fancy looking machines.
The start of the ride gets broken up a bit by traffic-lights (only two sets), so it can get a bit frantic getting everyone back together again, but once in the small town (the end-point is at a bowling club on the far end of the town) everyone is back together again. The locals are out lining the footpaths and waving as we tour through the town and turn into the club.
My wife and her Mum came down to have lunch with us (my daughter and the kids were to come too, but ended up not being able to). It was a pleasant time.
Then we headed for home. By now the blue sky we’d enjoyed earlier had given way to thick black clouds, and the radar showed rain. So it was on with the wet-weather gear. For me anyway: my son-in-law had left his on the table at home.
The photo here shows my son-in law ready to ride, and me still getting into the wets.
As it turned out, we had a very brief light shower, a few kilometres of wet road, and then we were into sunshine. Choosing a longer, more interesting route back, I had to stop and peel off the wet-weather gear – I was just about cooking inside the plastic!
Another good day, that we both enjoyed.
And on the subject of Toy Runs, I read a post on Facebook that said Newcastle had 10,000 bikes on its run. That is an incredible number! Did somebody actually count them? Hard to believe there was that many; I mean that is way more than Sydney gets! But a friend in Newcastle, who has seen both and always goes in the Newcastle one, has said for many years that the run is much bigger than Sydney. But 10,000?

DECEMEBER 8, 2014. It doesn’t matter how famous you are, you’re not allowed to ride on the footpath! I read today that Justin Bieber was riding his Can-Am down a crowded street in Beverley Hills and became frustrated at the traffic-jam. So he did what any precocious young pop star would do – he rode up on the footpath; in the process almost running down an elderly pedestrian. 

DECEMBER 9, 2014. Thanks to Aussie for sending me this video clip. I also saw it posted on Facebook and shared it to my Facebook page. (So you might have seen it anyway by the time you read this). It’s the old “Wall Of Death” thing, but with a twist: this one mixes cars and bikes! Gee, it’s dangerous enough mixing with cars out on the highways, but on this??!! Take a look, it’s spectacular!

DECEMBER 13, 2014. It’s always good to visit a motorcycle-themed café. One such establishment is The Coffee Garage at Wandandian, 30km south of Nowra (or about 210km south of Sydney). (See August 2 above).
More than just a café, they also work at customising bikes, producing their ARSI Motorcycles specials. (Most of those are cruiser-ish type things based on Yamaha R1 mechanicals).
I’ve been there a few times, and it was good to get back there again today. Sitting at the tables and chairs outside, watching the traffic go by and drinking in the atmosphere (as well as a nice cuppa), was very relaxing! They’re expanding too. What was the café section will become a shop – selling accessories and clothing, as well as the occasional bike – and what was the workshop will now be the café. The workshop will take up residence in an adjoining room. What hasn’t changed is the friendly service and relaxed atmosphere. Good to see the place doing well!
DECEMBER 16, 2014. Just in time for Christmas. (Show this to your significant-other, or a kindly relative!).
A motorcycle jack that lifts the whole motorcycle up, obviously supported by two rail sections that press against the underside of the frame. I came across this in my local Total Tools shop. (Good shops those, with a huge range of stuff!). Price is $159, which is pretty good for what it is and what it does.
DECEMBER 20, 2014. Interesting the bikes you see! I saw this while at a popular bike-hang today.
It’s a Honda CB1100R. Do you remember people like Wayne Gardner hustling them around Amaroo park in the Castrol 6-hour?
The original owner rode it for a couple of years then put it in storage. The current owner eventually convinced him to sell the bike about 6 years ago, then spent a few years restoring it.
He says it is still great to ride; and still a pretty fast bike. It’s great to see such rare and iconic old bikes as this!
DECEMBER 26, 2014. Figures have been released for fines issued by police and RMS (the state traffic authority) for the period January to October. And they make interesting reading! Especially if we look a bit closer into them.
During the 10-monrth period NSW police raked in a cool $55,480,460 in fines! A breakdown of the fines is interesting.
Over 23,000 people were booked for exceeding the speed-limit by up to 10kph. This is surprising really, as there is a general tolerance of 10%, so especially if you factor in a few kph for speedo-error, you’re pretty safe at 10kph above the limit from around 80kph onwards. Although you can be booked (obviously!), and whether you do or not probably depends on your attitude and if the police officer has had a particularly bad day. Actually, I'd guess a fair number of those fines probably came from the police being lenient and booking the driver / rider for “Up to 10kph over” instead of, for example, the 15kph or so they might have actually been over. (Remember this is NSW, where they aren't as stringent about a few kms over as they are in, say, Victoria).
The next step up the ladder sees a big jump in infringements: almost 108,000 people being booked for being between 10kph and 20kph over the limit. That put almost $28,000,000 into the police coffers.
More than 34,000 were clicking along at up to 30kph above the limit, almost 8,000 were travelling at up to 45kph above the allowed speed, while 1,654 people whizzed by at more than 45kph over. The average fine, according to the figures, for that highest infringement worked out at around $2,200!
When we look at the “NSW Camera” figures – which presumably include fixed cameras and those mobile RMS units – an interesting thing emerges. In total, they beat the police-issued fines by over $20,000,000. Even more telling though, is the figure for the lowest bracket, up to 10kph over the limit. A whopping 234,547 fines were issued, raking in more than $32,000,000! That is a spectacular indication of what I hate about cameras, in particular those RMS revenue-raisers that snap your pic as you drift by at a mere poofteenth over the stated limit: there is no consultation, no consideration given to how safely you were riding / driving at the time, the condition of your vehicle and so on. Police, on the other hand, if they nab you for being a bit over will more than likely have a chat, assess your intention (were you intending to break the limit or just mistakenly drifted a bit over?), assess your standard of driving at the time and so on. In most cases, when you exceed our unrealistically low speed-limits by a small margin you will be doing so in a completely safe manner, and the police will often (not always, of course, but often) take this into consideration; whereas the cameras just detect the unlawful speed and go click-book.
For the next step up the ladder the gap closes dramatically, with over 121,000 people being booked. But here’s the interesting thing: from there on the figures are lower than the police-issued fines. Over 30kph above the limit saw only about a third of the number of fines as the police issued, and when we get to the biggie – more than 45kph over – only 359 vehicles tripped the shutter; that’s less than a quarter of the number the police caught.
So what can we learn from these statistics? With the cameras booking more than 10 times the number the police do for being less than 10kph over, but the police booking 4 times more than cameras for being above 45kph over, I think it bears out what I've always said: the cameras are just revenue-raisers and their operators not at all concerned with road / driver safety. And it shows that the police are 4 times more successful at nabbing those who are really being dangerous on our roads. Cameras just rake in millions of dollars for more minor infringements; arguably from a lot of people who are driving or riding in a completely safe manner.
One statistic that is worrying is that 30,739 people were booked by red-light cameras. Considering how few (comparatively) red-light cameras there are, that shows there a lot of people running red-lights! And that’s a worry – because you or I might be riding through the other way on the green!
Also worrying is the figure of almost 28,000 for mobile phone infringements. Now, while it could be argued that talking on a phone (in a car) is no more dangerous than talking to a passenger, or reading one of those multi-function display panels that cars have today, (apart from the fact that the driver only has one hand on the wheel – but that in itself is not illegal), anyone who texts, or even reads a text, should be fined heavily and not allowed anywhere near a vehicle or a road.
Anyway, the bottom line I reckon is that it shows the cameras (fixed and mobile) to be the revenue-raisers we all knew they were, and the police as being far more efficient in punishing those who really need to be caught and punished.

DECEMBER 28, 2014. Tips For Safe Street Riding. That’s the title of this article I found. You’ll know a lot of these anyway (or you should do!), and I’ve mentioned some myself in some of the safety-related articles on the site, but there’s always something new to learn – or even just something that you’ve forgotten to do. It’s well worth the read! And also worthwhile is checking out the comments below the article. There are arguments over suggestions made by some readers, but there’s some good stuff in the comments too. Anything that helps keep us alive out there is worth reading! Click here. (By the way, keep in mind that this comes from USA – especially when they refer to things like “overtaking on the right”).

DECEMBER 29, 2014.
“The seat was wet!” I explained to my wife. “You wet the seat?” She said. “No, the seat wet me! The seat was wet from the rain.” I explained. My wife looked out at the surrounding blue sky. “It hasn’t rained!” “Well it did where I was!” My wife didn’t look convinced.
I’d left home in wall-to-wall blue sky and sunshine. I travelled up a mountain road and as I emerged on top of the escarpment the sky looked a bit overcast, but not likely to rain.
A short time later, as I sat enjoying a cuppa in a café, the waitress looked out the window and exclaimed, “It’s raining!” “Really?” I had to look out myself to make sure. Yes, a light shower was happening: a light shower that quickly turned into a heavy shower. I checked the weather-radar on my phone. Yep, there it was – a tiny blob of heavy rain passing right above the little town where I was.
I could’ve waited it out, but I really needed to get back home. I was putting my jacket on, and about to go and grab the wet-weather gear out of the top-box, when, “Now the sun’s out!” The waitress declared. I stood in the doorway and yes, the rain had stopped and the sun was shining! Outside there was black cloud drifting away in the distance, but I thought I’d chance it not going the same way I was and left the wet-weather gear in the top-box. The bike was dripping wet, and the sheepskin seat-cover soaked. Oh well, it’s only water. I rode off.
About 5km later the road was dry; and from there on it was obvious that no rain had fallen.
It took a while for the water to soak through the thick denim, kevlar and soft-inner-lining, but eventually I felt it. And when I got home, this was the result.

DECEMBER 30, 2014. I had a browse through a bike shop in a coastal / country town today. Quite a big shop with a reasonable selection of bikes to look at, and a range of accessories. I looked at helmets, even tried a couple on. (No, I’m not about to buy one, just browsing). If you’ve read my article on buying a helmet, you’ll know that one of the things you should look for is the date of manufacture. With the better brands, like Shoei and Arai, that is easy to see; but not so easy to find on cheaper brands. I noticed a couple of Shoeis that were a year or two old. Not that unusual I suppose, but I looked further, picking up some of the less popular sizes (very small or very large) and, without looking at every one, found a few that were getting on for three years old and a couple that were over 4 years old! Now, admittedly, the shop says it does a lot more business in dirt-bikes than it does in road-bikes, but that’s still a bad situation, especially when these were helmets costing around $700 - $900!
Click here to go to the next Blog page, covering January - June 2015.