Sanity on Two Wheels

Saturday 12 May 2017. New handguards for the V-Star

An afternoon set aside to move some furniture etc was cancelled, so I had a chance to finish a long delayed job. Taking the prototype DIY handguards as a guide, I built a new set using information gleaned from the recent windshield modification and the year or so of running the prototype guards. Here is the result:

The next job for this bike on the hand controls is to repair or replace the grip heaters. Due to a recent visit with my GP, I have become a bit concerned about the effects of the constant vibration on nerves in my hands and feet . Hopefully the tests that the GP sent me for reveal nothing more than a diet lacking in appropriate Vitamin B and the need to lose weight. Nonetheless I will be looking at aftermarket grips and footpegs that absorb a bit of vibration. We shall see where that journey takes me soon A bit about the science behind the design can be found at this link.

Wednesday 3 Mar 2017. Windshield modification

Reporting back on the windshield modification on the Yamaha V-Star. The upside down triangle duct really has helped improve the bike's rideability, especially with reduced wind noise and buffeting. Click here to jump to the full details within the page on the 'Rainmaker', although, it didn't rain at all last time.

Sunday 30 April 2017. Glen Innes - Inverell, Bingara, Inverell, Ashord - Stanthorpe

The second day of our annual KKK ride. We left Glen Innes early and took the sublime road to Inverell.

Shortly after leaving Glen Innes, we turned off to Pajero Point. Its actually properly called Sinclair Lookout but its has been renamed within our circles since Karen and I visited there some years ago in our Series Two Pajero to find a collection of Series Two and Series Three Pajeros there already. It really is a beautiful spot. We noticed that to the south-west that a wind farm has gone in. Here are some of the photos:

Breakfast at the Union Bar was terrific. I had smashed avacado, I hope that doesn't offend our current Federal treasurer. Then off to Copeton Dam, pictures below:

Through the back roads and into Bingara. A lovely small town. One of us had an embarrassing moment he he tried to dismount his bike before putting down the side stand. A right turn at Bingara and the off the main focus for the ride for me, The Myall Creek Massacre Memorial. There is too much to say and understand about this site that I have yet to comprehend and even if I did, I doubt that a blog is an effective vehicle for this. If you are interested in learning more, please take a read of this website: www.myallcreekmassacre.com. I do ask that you ask yourself, how much of Australia's history have you not been taught. For now, here are my photos of the walk to the memorial:

After the Myall Creek Massacre memorial, it was back roads through Ashford and up to the Bruxner Highway, across to the New England and back to Nick and Mary-Jane's place. Dinner at Ballandean Tavern. At a roadside stop, may battery decided to give Nick's jumper leads a trial, they were found to be just fine. At this stage it looks like a short in the right-hand grip heaters, an easy fix for next week sometime. Once they were disconnected and the bike restarted, the battery charged over the next hour or so. The Bruxner Highway was pretty fantastic and is certainly worthy of another ride sometime in the next year or so.

Sunday morning was a Mary-Jane cooked breakfast special, loading up the bikes and heading home via our separate ways. Plans are afoot for next year's ride but I can't help but wonder how the long weekend in October may pan out. We shall see.

Saturday 29 April 2017

OK, the annual KKK ride was on. Kuhl-Kleidon Klan, not the other mob. Peter, Kerri, Mark and myself were joined by Nick, who together with Mary-Jane, own the property at Stanthorpe that we regularly visit, Nick has a highly modified BMW R80, which is quite an engineering feat. A lovely bike indeed. He plans to take the bike to South America solo for one year, leaving in October this year. Mary-Jane has assured us that it will not be a day over one year.

Our first day's ride plan was simple. Peter, Mark, Kerri and I met at the Caltex Roadhouse just outside of Warwick and then picked up Nick on the way past Stanthorpe. A pleasant ride down the New England Highway to Glen Innes. Accommodation at Fossicker Caravan Park, dinner at the Glen Innes Services Club, which has a wonderful dining with a view to an early start the next day. Here we are at the caravan park

Wednesday 22 Feb 2017. Baroon Pocket Dam / Lake Baroon

The last six weeks have been full of the 4 H threats to regular rides: Heat, humidity, housework and home renovations. This week has been a break in the weather and the home and house stuff is reasonably squared away for now and so today I took an opportunity for a small ride of back roads to and from Baroon Pocket Dam. A great place to have a sleep under the trees. There are two picnic / day use areas, the southern one has a short walk to a lookout over the dam spillway and the northern one has a number of picnic tables and amenities. The area is not just important to modern society, it holds a special place for the First Nations people of the region as well.

Tuesday 10 Jan 2017. Just some updates

Karen and I have been on holiday in New Zealand for a few weeks; what a wonderful place to visit. In the months prior I have been for a few rides but haven't had the time to write them up. I also have undertaken a bit of work on the Yamaha V-Star and Suzuki DR800, so if you are interested, go to those tabs and have a bit of a read. Both are working very well at the moment and are great platform for both riding and tinkering. To improve the performance and functionality of these bikes, given the restraints of their age and keeping costs down, the last two years have been fairly rewarding and satisfying with these two.

Governors Chair ride, Saturday 15 Oct 2016

This is the view from Governors Chair, a short ride or drive from Boonah. The view includes Lave Moogerah, Boonah and extends all the way back to Brisbane.

After this ride I noticed the Suzuki was leaking more oil than normal. Looks like the O rings for the oil cooler have failed and need attention.