BMWMCQ Journal April 2023

The Committee

President- Tony Gray

Ph: 0409 493 605 president@bmwmcq.org.au

R1200GS (The Grey Ghost)

R60/6

Vice President - Paul Hughes

Ph: 0409 814 633 vpres@bmwmcq.org.au

R1200GS; F700 GS

BMW Clubs Australia Delegate

Secretary- Geoff Hodge

Ph: 0413 180 101 secretary@bmwmcq.org.au

R1200RS; R75/5, R51/3

Treasurer - Darryl Gowlett

Ph: 0438 083 996 treasurer@bmwmcq.org.au

R80GS; K100RS4V; K1300R

Events - Ben Nazzari

Ph: 0448 594 833 events@bmwmcq.org.au

R1200 RT

Editors - Cindy & Duncan Bennett

Ph: 0401 610 671 editor@bmwmcq.org.au

R1200C; Triumph Tiger 900’s

Records- Greg Gaffney

Ph: 0411424 219 records@bmwmcq.org.au

R1200RT

Tools/Service - Bill Luyten

Ph: 0438 123 747 tools@bmwmcq.org.au

R100RS; K75S; K75C

Regalia - Duncan Bennett

Ph: 0458 293 569 regalia@bmwmcq.org.au

Dealer Liaison - Don Grimes

Ph: 0411 601 372

R1200GS; K1300R

This Issue - APRIL 2023

On The Cover

Brian Floyd’s rather scrumptious fully restored R90S, ready to ride. A worthy cover shot if ever there was one. Ed

Club Details

BMW Motorcycle Club of Queensland Inc.

ABN 30 351 243 651

Address

Box 3669

Brisbane QLD 4101

particularly, by careful, courteous, considerate riding, especially when riding with the Club, and rendering assistance to all road users in difficulty.

2. Improving the service and availability of spare parts for BMWs in Queensland using the advantage of a united effort.

3. Decreasing maintenance and running costs by mutual assistance on mechanical problems.

4. Organising day trips, tours and outings.

5. Encourage and support Regional Ride Groups

6. Affiliation with other clubs/associations where such affiliation would be of mutual benefit.

DISCLAIMER

The views and opinions expressed in this Journal are those of each contributor and are not necessarily shared by the Editor, management, and / or membership of the BMWMCQ. The Editor reserves the right to refuse any advertising or delete any material which could be considered or interpreted as questionable, libellous or offensive, without consultation.

Soon-ish!

Well the real editors (the Bennetts) are firmly entrenched in the South American landscape, haveing reached the “end of the world” at Ushuaia. By everything I have read they are having the time of their lives. the trip is barely getting going with many fascinating places and wonderful riding yet to be had.

Meanwhile this bunny is sitting here for much longer than they would scratching my head as to “ how the hell do you change that”. We will muddle through but I can firmly advise this editors gig is not a run in the park. How the hell they have managed this for over 3 years is outstanding. This edition we have the second half of the presidential trip in the South Isand of NZ. Of course a fabulous blog from the Bennetts on the trip so far and many other fabulous articles. Enjoy reading. I just wish it was me riding SA.

Paul

Just to prove there are BMW’s on this trip, a 1250 HP parked up in Ushuaia with interesting travelling van. The rider is from FNQ, as a possible BMWMCQ convert. Below bikes at Argentina border crossing waiting to cross. Photo’s Cindy Bennett

NEXT MEETING: Thursday 13th April

CommittEE rEports

Tony Gray President’s Report

Welcome to the Club’s 66th year of operation and to my third as Club President. I sincerely thank those of you who placed your trust and support in me at the AGM to guide this great club for another year. We have a new face on the committee in the form of Ben Nazzari who has taken on the very important Events coordinator role and an old face has returned for another year in the form of Bill Luyten in the Tools role. We welcome back Paul, Darryl, Geoff Hodge, Greg, Don, Cindy & Duncan and bid farewell to Mark, Donna and Geoff Hamon who did not seek re-election. Thanks to you all for the work you did to make 2022 another successful year for the club.

This year is going to be a real cracker with the 100 year celebrations in September being a highlight. Paul Hughes received tremendous support and encouragement from BMW and Clubs Australia when he attended the AGM of Clubs Australia recently in Melbourne. Queensland will hold centre stage for the centenary celebrations - no pressure at all lol. We will need the whole club to support our two signature events being the dinner at the RQYS in Manly and the bike display in Brisbane’s CBD at Reddacliff Place. We will need bums on seats, bikes in the display and many willing workers to help spread the load. I know we can do a great job of this, we have many talented and gifted people within our ranks. If you own a BMW that might be a little different from the norm or know someone who does, an older model or rarely seen model then pass on the details to Gary Bennett who is maintaining a register of bikes for the celebration display. Our goal is a minimum 100 bikes for the 100 year centenary.

My other major focus this year, and that of the State Government, is road safety and in particular motorcycle safety. This should be something we all care about and take very seriously. Paul Hughes and myself have both been working closely with State Government representatives from TMR and QPS and other affected road user groups as they strive for ideas to stem the alarming increase in motorcycle fatalities and serious accidents in Queensland. We all have a part to play so remember to RESPECT EVERY RIDE whenever you take your bike out of the garage. Keep your skill levels up with rider training (don’t forget the club subsidy scheme), keep your bike in top condition and always ride to the road conditions. There are still a lot of very damaged roads in Queensland and our favorite roads in northern NSW so take care and expect the unexpected.

We will look to once again put on a calender of events from coffee stops, mid week & monthly rides, mystery rides, weekend rides and our really enjoyable cane-toad rally. With a great variety of ride and social events we hope to attract you all along to enjoy the company of like minded people to at least one event this year. If you are a new member or even a new rider then introduce yourself to the ride leader or committee member in attendance and you will be welcomed and looked after. There will always be a committee member at every event. If you are a bit nervous or unsure about attending an event for the first time then give me or one of the committee a call beforehand and we will ensure your first event is as relaxed and enjoyable as possible.

Don’t forget we are always looking for ride leaders for mid-week or monthly club rides and pictures and stories for our journal which is always a great monthly read. Take care out there.

Tony

BMWMCQ Club Events for APRIL

2023

April 7:30pm Club Monthly Meeting Geebung RSL Club, 323 Newman Road, Geebung QLD. Meals from 6pm

Thur

Sat 15 April 9:00am Coffee Meet-Up Little Trees Brew House, Samford Events Coordinator

Wed 19 April 9:00am Mid Week Ride BYO Lunch TBA - Ride Leader Needed! Ride Leader - ???

Sun 23 April 12:30pm Monthly Lunch Ride Maryvale Hotel, 47 Taylor St Maryvale Events Coordinator

Fri 28Sun 30 10:00am Cane Toad Rally Mt Perry - see flyer in this Journal Gary Bennett

EXTERNAL EVENTS 2023

BmWmCQ 2023 EvEnts CalEndar

BMWMCQ Club Events for MAY 2023

Paul Hughes Vice President’s Report

Welcome to another Club year. This looks, for intentional purposes, a busy one. Certainly is for me at the moment.

Obviously the major event will be the 100 YEARS OF BMW vehicles celebrations in September, but there is an awful lot of things on before and after that. Next up is a huge event The Cane Toad Rally, a signature BMWMCQ event . Dont miss it. A great weekend.

BMW Australia is very enthuiastic in regard to our planned festivities for the two Septmber events and is fully supporting us in several ways . Something to remember and be conscious of when dealing with them.

Road Safety iis at the forefront this year as well, with the Clubs on-going involvement in the TMR Ministers Advisory Task Force. The imporatnce of this can not be over stated. The club is at the pointy end of assisting and advising on important road safety aspects and changes, to help keep our members and all motorcyclists safe. Will keep you posted on any new developments as the occur.

Ride Safe and Ride often

Paul

Thanks Jodie for the pic of bikes at the recent Vintage Motorbike Show, Kilcoy

CommittEE rEports

Darryl Gowlett Treasurer’s Report

G’day Everyone,

Shock! Horror! See what happens when you don’t turn up to an AGM. You get elected. And I still don’t have a new motorbike. I should’ve run for President.

Lots of memberships in this month as is the norm for February/March, and the usual outgoings. The $92 was three year’s worth of Cane Toad Rally name registration, which has prudently been maintained to stop heretics and splitters from stealing it. And the term deposit showed a bit of gumption this past seven months providing nearly 2.5%.

Speaking of the Cane Toad, it’s on again at the end of April, and Gary has promised sunny, balmy weather for perfect riding conditions so dust off the touring suit, clean the cobwebs out of your sleeping bag, and hit the road to Mount perry. Don’t forget to bring a super thong.

Ciao, Darryl

BMWMCQ General Meeting Minutes – 16 March 2023

Venue: Geebung RSL

Meeting Opened: 8:20 pm (after the AGM)

Apologies: Cindy & Duncan Bennett, Donna Wiltshire, Darryl Gowlett, Bill Luyten, Chris Lancaster, John Eacott, Mal Cremer, Charlie Brown.

Minutes of Previous General Meeting: Accepted: Geoff Hamon

Seconded: Rosi Johnson

Number of Attendees: 32

New Members (Name & MC): Nil

Visitors: Joe Ryall - BMW R1200RT + Moto Guzzi 1200

Returning Members: Nil

Treasurer Report: As per AGM Report

Editor Report: As per AGM Report

Tools Report: As per AGM Report

Regalia Report: As per AGM Report

Records Report: Currently 260 financial members.

Events Report: As per Calendar

Secretary Report: Correspondence in: Post Office Box Renewal, Annual Return Forms for Office of Fair Trading.

Dealer Liaison Report: As per AGM Report

Clubs Australia Report: As per AGM Report

Vice Presidents Report: As per AGM Report

President Report: As per AGM Report

Geoff Hodge Secretary’s Report

CommittEE rEports - mEEting minutEs

General Business:

Ron Durkin report on the KRR where he won Long Distance Award.

Tony Malone has his R100CS running again.

Some cabins still available for the Frigid Digit Rally.

Assistance required in running the CaneToad Rally at Mt Perry.

Peter Allen has returned home after 4 months in Hospital following his Motorbike accident.

Frank Hills request for more led rides in the events program.

Greg Gaffney advice on how the number of financial members fluctuates on a daily basis as renewals become due. A lot in March.

Gary Bennett bought to notice that Greg Gaffney has completed 7 years in the Records Role. Well done & congratulations Greg.

Closed: 8:45 pm, next meeting 13 April 2023

Hola,

Club regalia es muy importante. At our first monthly meeting in 2015 I recognised just how importante it is - and now I sit here in Buenos Aires in a BMWMCQ polo having ridden into the city in my sweaty BMWMCQ Ice Tee. Out the front of the hotel are two suspicious motorcycle police on BMW F750GS bikes, I just point at our logo on my shirt and suddenly the barriers are down, and photos are being taken. BMW bueno. Let’s be proud.

Cheers

Duncan

What all seasoned travellers are wearing in the balmy autumn Argentinian weather before heading off to five o’clock cocktails, ably assisted by the 80kmh winds.

Duncan Bennett Regalia Officer’s Report

We welcome back Bill Luyten to the Tools Officers role. A big thanks to Geoff Hamon for all his great work over the last year. Bill will continue on with that work.

• Compression gauge (cylinder pressure)

• Steering head bearing puller and seating tool

• Gearbox output flange puller

• GS-911 Wi-Fi Diagnostic tool (Wi-Fi and USB Version)

The following tools and manuals are available for loan from the club. Contact Bill to book their use.

• GS-911 3 pin Diagnostic tool (for older bikes)

• Tyre Pressure Monitor Sensor (TPMS) tool

• Enduralast hall sensor tester

Repair Manuals

The Club has various Repair Manuals available to borrow, mainly for older bikes.

Tools for loan

There are special tools available including the GS-911WiFi and 3 pin diagnostic tools.

Special Tools

• 34mm socket for rotating crankshaft

• Twinmax electronic carburettor balancer (Twin BMW engines)

• Vacuumate (electronic synchronisation of throttle valves up to 4 cylinders)

• Clutch alignment shafts (3 sizes)

• Brake bleeding tool (suction bleeding via the brake caliper)

• Compression tester

Club Tool Loan: $50 deposit (refundable) for GS911. Tools and spares can be picked up or brought along to the next meeting or Club ride.

Contact Tools Officer: tools@bmwmcq.org.au

Bill Luyten Tools Officer’s Report

Gary Bennett at the Mid-week Ride

CommittEE rEports

Greg Gaffney Records Officer’s Report

We had bit of a quiet turn out at the Service day this month. It was a bit hot that day however we had plenty of drinks and Geoff Hamon organised a great BBQ lunch. Certainly, the highlight of the day, for me, was Brian Floyd’s beautifully restored Daytona Orange R90S. This brought back some wonderful indelible memories of my 1976 Smoked Grey R90S.

records@ bmwmcq.org.au

Greg New Members:

Brod Adams, WAKERLEY, S1000RR, R1100S

Lisa Potter, EIGHT MILE PLAINS, R1200GS, R1250GSA

Paul Sloman, NEW AUCKLAND, R1200RS

Joseph Ryall, NEWSTEAD, R1200RT

Bruce Allen, BELMONT, Kawasaki z650

A very pleasant Coffee Meet up at Sea Salt and Vine

Lady Shirts

2LPS - $32

polyester

Bloke Shirts

2LCP - $33

7LPI - $33.50 100% polyester

Repels French Bulldog slobber!

ICE Tee - $26 Cotton

As worn by Joyce Hyperbaric-Smyth!

65% polyester

210 - $32 35%

2CP - $34

65% polyester

Gender Neutral Hats & Bags

buggerintheDRC!

AH695 - $17

Bucket Hat

Sandwich Design (with trim)

AH715 - $16 Bucket Hat. Not all that gender neutral.

7PIP - $36 100% polyester

As worn by Liam Neeson in Taken!

ICE Tee - $26 Cotton

AH230 - $15 Cotton Cap. Cooler than a beanie.

Ladies Vests $48.00 Non-Ladies Vests $48.00

Yeah,youdon’tneedawarm headinQLDnow.Abitsweaty evenforrappers!

100%

Wool

Beanie

100%

Club order form for shirts, bags and hats

Send this form to daniel@goldstarembroidery.com.au or call Daniel on 0403 150 857

Name: ___________________________Email address:_________________________

If delivery is required an additional fee is charged. Delivery required Yes or No:______

Delivery address: ______________________________________________________________________

A minimum 50% deposit is required before the order is started. Payment in full is required if Gold Star Embroidery is to organise delivery. An invoice will be emailed after the order form is received.

Shirts/Vests order:

Bags order: Bag product name

Swiss

Headwear order:

Product code number

Cap AH230 - $15 each

Bucket Hat Sandwich AH695 - $17 each

Bucket Hat AH715 - $16 each

Wool Beanie AH742 - $17 each

Cotton Beanie AH770 - $17 each

There are also heaps more colours, styles and fabrics available through Gold Star Embroiderycheck out the website at goldstarembroidery and call Daniel - he knows all about BMW regalia!

Ben Nazzari Events Officer’s Report

FirstlyI would like to start by thanking Paul for aproaching me for the role as events co ordinator, to say i was chuffed would be an understatement. And to all who voted me into this role,thanks.

To those who don’t know me or I haven’t met as yet, allow me to give you a rough idea of who I am. I’m 53, married to a wonderful lady Kelly, who supports everything I do and the decisions I make. My motto has always been it’s better to ask for foregiveness than permission and I’m sure if you ask her, she will tell some doozies lol.

We have 3 boys with all having wonderful partners and are doing well in life, and we have recently become grandparents so that’s definetly a milestone for me.

I will endeavour to take this role seriously and do what is asked of me to fulfill this role, but also have a lot of fun along the way. I’m easy going and very approachable so please do not hesitate to approach me with any ideas or concerns you may have regarding mid week rides or coffee, lunch rides etc.

Finally I am looking forward to meeting all of you who participate in the rides and events in the coming months.

Kind Regards

Ben Nazzari (Rustic)

Now why would anyone want to drink water ( naturally) when American Honey is available.

Photo of Gary Bennett and Peter Ferguson presenting a framed copy of a poem by Charlie Brown titled “ The Cane Toad”

GRAY GHOST’S NZ TOUR 2023 Part 2

Three weeks in the South then we crossed Cook Strait

Ferry delays meant we got to Wellington late With a cyclone brewing we hunkered down South of Lake Taupo in a tiny wee town

The wind was vicious & felled trees all around We woke to the news there was no power to be found We kept heading north as soon as we could In Hamilton the Gardens were very very good Glowworms shining deep in Waitomo Caves

Our guide’s Maori love song got plenty of raves

A night in New Plymouth where we felt the earth shake

Our first earthquake, for goodness sake!

The Forgotten World Highway, what a great day’s ride With Whangamomona and it’s Republic pride

Here we met Aussies, Graham & John

Who both had Velocette regalia on Would you believe how the world is so small

We all knew a guy who knew us all On to Rotorua with its thermal hot springs

A grand Tudor Bathhouse among other things

We heard from our friends that the Bay of Islands were okay

The roads were open so we got on our way

We rode through Auckland but didn’t stop

Our mission was to get to the very top Paihia was our base for a couple of nights

When we rode to Cape Reinga with its northernmost lights

It was on the way back that the bike battery died

But with a stranger’s help we could continue our ride

Some help & advice from Ian of BMWNZ

poEm

By JanE gray

He even offered to give us a bed

Back past Auckland - cities aren’t our thing

Then the Desert Road again for another drenching

Cyclone damage in the East kept us well away

So we had a great night at an old Farmstay

David & Sue were our generous hosts

Tales of their world travels with great wine toasts

We caught up with Chris, the BMWNZ Pres

He’s a great guy just like everyone says

We stayed with friends, Grant & Jane, in Upper Hutt

With plans to sail south in the morning, BUT!

The ferry was delayed yet again, of course

Both ferry companies seemed to have no remorse

We got into Picton in the rain late that night

And rode past Blenheim where we snuggled up tight

In a shipping container which was one of a kind

Accommodation was scarce, it was all we could find

Hanmer Springs, Arthur’s Pass with its viaduct

For one litre of fuel it cost over 3 bucks!

Just near Greymouth was our night’s abode

Then north to Karamea at the end of the road

At Denniston Historic Coal Mining Town

The coal train rode 600 metres down Westport, Buller Gorge & Lake Rotoiti

The sand-flies were savage although itty bitty

Back through the vineyards of Wairau Valley & Marlborough

To Kaikoura & our friends, Grahame & Gloria

Snowcapped mountains behind & seals everywhere

Then rode back to Christchurch with not a day to spare Gray Ghost was left gleaming to sail back to Oz

While we said thanks for the wonderful trip that was

Chargentina

By Duncan Bennett Member #4171

Chile & Argentina – the start of the riding!

Flights mainly on time and efficient baggage and pick-up at Santiago – tick. The big onecollecting the bikes from a customs facility near Valparaiso, tick. Four of us did the trip; we handed over documents, stood around for a couple of hours whinging about the cold and getting acquainted, then were escorted into the facility to get the bikes. Reasonably seamless after nearly 3 months; connected the batteries and Cindy’s Tigressa started first try, Storm Boy followed after a few more starter button pushes. Paperwork handed to someone who looked a bit confused, maybe actually a member of the cleaning staff, and it was off to find fuel. Remembering to ride on the right-hand side of the road we made it safely back in Santiago, an initial observation being that unlike South-East QLD drivers, Chilean drivers and riders stay in the correct lane for their speed and use their hazard lights to warn those behind that traffic is slowing down.

day involved no riding but had been given the honour of being Day 1 due to the official welcome dinner and expedition briefing.

The much-anticipated reunion

When staring at the map of South America, one can see that there are only 2 directions in the lower third one can seriously engage in –up, or down. Starting from the Intercontinental Hotel in Santiago, we chose down through Chile and Argentina, hence Chargentina. It was official Ultimate South America Day 2, the gathering

The Chargentina Route

So, who are our companions for the next 100 days?

Tour Leaders Juan Carlos (Ride Leader on a BMW F850GS) and Juan Ignatio (Support Vehicle Driver) Juan Carlos is henceforth known as JC to avoid the obvious confusion.

The rest of the group in no particular order:

• Peter, Suzuki 650 V-Strom, QLD

• Mick, BMW R1250GS Bumblebee edition, Tassie

• David and Roisin, BMW R1250GSA HP edition, FNQ

• Paul and Allana (joining him in Buenos Aires), BMW R1200GS, VIC

• Scott and Gina, BMW 1200GS hire bike due to major shipment dramas, USA

• Rex and Sally, Triumph Tiger 800XC, Tassie

• Gabrielle, VIC (support vehicle passenger) And of course….

• Cindy, Triumph Tiger 900 GT Pro Tigressa edition

2023 south amEriCa part 1

of burnt rat fur and homeless man sock, now it tastes like it should.

Day 2 commenced with what will become a well-honed routine – up about 2 hours before departure, ablution, down to breakfast, back to room, toilette, cruise around picking up random items that can be packed before realising you’ll need those again in 3 minutes, inefficiently check rooms about 30 times to make sure everything is in, and lug the whole lot down to the lobby. Just as you stagger up to a growing Bag Mountain, a bellboy will slip in and take the whole lot from you to carry the final 2 metres. Where were you mate when I was trying to Tetris the entire shambles out of the lift just now? Then our briefing from JC (Juan 1) while Juan 2 stacked the support truck, and we were away. Being a Saturday, and it being Santiago before 9am meant traffic was very light as we cruised out of the city via the efficient network of major roads and tunnels. Route 5 Sur, please sir. Traffic was a bit messy as everyone was in summer mode and were heading to wherever it was they were heading, unfortunately the same direction as us. Not much riding memory from the day, but some learnings about getting fuel, and what fuel grades were available were gained. 93 was the go-to minimum for Chile petrol. About A$2.40 per litre. Even more pricey than at home which was a bit of a nasty surprise. However, a very pleasant surprise has been the advance in servo coffee quality since our last trip in 2015; back then it tasted like an infusion

Confronting a servo as a group for the first time

Day 2 actual riding was not memorable – cruisin’ down the freeway in the hot hot sun. The destination of Los Angeles gave hope to some that they may reconnect with luggage last seen there in 1988, but it was a different LAX and we didn’t make it to the centre. The Salto del Laja was a more than adequate substitute – salto means leap and that’s what the Rio Laja was doing right outside our room. A stroll along the river, an accidental encounter with a craft beer establishment, collection of local empanada delicacies, and Day 2 was done. Day 3 was a little better; more highway until lunchtime and then the scenery began around Volcan Villarrica and the lake and town of the same name. A stop for a fine lunch of pollo (chicken) soup and chips, a wander about, and we pushed onto Pucon, with our first deep pebbly gravel challenge in the carpark of the Hotel Casa Solaria. Pucon is part of the Banff Canada and Queenstown NZ trifecta – designed

• Duncan, Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro Storm Boy edition.

Cindy, Scott and Rex readying for the kick-off

for tourists and populated almost entirely by tourists. There are plenty of places to buy grossly overpriced outdoor clothing, artisanal crafts and souvenirs, but try finding electrical tape and normal items and you’re in trouble.

2023 south amEriCa part 1

the wrong option of the carne (cow) and pollo (chicken) with sauces, a queso (cheese) fondue at the next table was looked on with envy. But spearing and lightly par-boiling pieces of meat in a pot with large lumps of celery, carrot, and capsicum for just long enough to drop the bacteria’s guard was still pretty good.

Villarrica Volcano and Lake from Villarrica town (JC Photo credit)

A wander around the small town to get the lay of the land showed it had simply gotten a bit bigger and busier since our previous 2015 visit. The beach was something else – we don’t do many landform features well in Australia and glaciers are nil stock, but we can hold our heads up high when it comes to beaches. I doubt there were too many Australians loving it amongst the huge crowd on the Playa Grande that day.

Getting the mandatory daily aperitif of Pisco Sour was no challenge in Pucon. Everywhere including children’s clothing shops could serve you a strong one. And finding somewhere to eat was likewise not difficult, but we decided to indulge in a 1970’s retro dinner favourite – a fondue. In hindsight we went for

The Lakes of Almost Patagonia

Day 4 plan was some cruising around the Pucon district, starting with a ride up to the Playa Negra (strangely way whiter than the Playa Grande) in Lagos Carburgua. Luckily arriving just before the parking payment station had been set up, we wandered along the beach and had a local explain to us in Spanish that no water craft hire was available due to the strong off-playa winds, somehow we understood even though we had absolutely no intention of hiring water craft and didn’t care. Next it was via some back road dirt with some rustic scenes including

Dastardly place for an evening of red wine and empanadas

Really coarse black sand doesn’t easily get in your togs – stretching for positives

2023 south amEriCa part 1

getting stuck behind a B Double (a two bullock wagon) to Tres Saltos – the reader now familiar enough with the language to know this means three waterfalls. We can definitely confirm two, but the third was way out of the extent of our motivation. The restaurant had two big spits going out on the deck with lamb on both, a perfect lunch and it smelled awesome. But it was for a private function so we couldn’t have any. I hope they all got lamb grease burns and were attacked by condors on the way back to their cars.

More dirt and back onto the main road to our final destination for the day – Thermas Indominto. Indomitable means unconquerable. We were up for the challenge and had brought our togs. First a lunch – a ham and cheese sandwich on the menu looked small but morphed in the kitchen to a huge hamburger and a mountain of chips. Unconquerable? We nearly got through it. Then into the change room, other patrons and staff were luckily absent when a bulky Klim riding suit and boots were being jammed into a locker by using a lot of force. Into the pools, we started in the cool end and worked our way up, like a pair of corned beefs.

Head and arms done, giving legs another 20 minutes on high

Fondued, it was a careful opening of the locker door which was bulging, back into the kit, and back to Pucon. Another epic Pisco Sour and a trip to the supermercado for cheese and bikkies and the day was complete, the last in Chile for a while.

Up early on Day 5, we went due east in the 6 degree temp to the Mamuil Malal border crossing, like most in this region very volcanic

The practice gained illegally parking the R1200C for photos pays off

Tres Saltos – lamb spit up on deck to the left

and this one sitting under the smoking Volcano Lanin. The exit from Chile was fairly smooth, not many people and just the need to hand in the infamous slip of paper given on arrival into Santiago. Within about ½ an hour we were chargin’ into Argentina at the picturesque immigration facility, once we’d received a slip of paper which was like a checklist for the border force staff. The process was a lot more crowded, a long queue for the vehicles that didn’t move much at all, but with some linguistic assistance from Juan and JC we were in. The support vehicle was inevitably a lot more difficult, but that simply meant waiting for a bit longer under an active volcano.

situation since we were last here 8 years ago. So doing a dodgy exchange of USD for pesos is essential, the official exchange rate is 200 pesos but the rate on the street is 350-360. JC helpfully brought a chap into the hotel where a small amount of paper could be changed into a wheelbarrow full of paper; the largest note in the system is 1000 pesos, about $4 Aussie. So paying for anything takes lots of paper, and wallet capacity dictates discretionary spending limits. Using cards is possible, but uses the true exchange rate and results in a spend of nearly 3 times the cash rate. The upside is that things are a lot cheaper than Chile.

That ain’t dust blowing from the summit 10 kilometres of very rough dirt road later we were onto the bitumen and through Junin de los Andes heading for lunch into San Martin de los Andes, both named in case anyone somehow forgot what that imposing mountain range to the west was called. Unsurprisingly empanadas were on the menu, so were consumed by most. We were now glued to the famous 5,000 km long Ruta 40, which starts near the top of Argentina and finishes near the bottom, so continued down to Bariloche cruising at speeds in line with the $0.60/litre Argentinian fuel prices. The traffic become a bit horrendous approaching the hotel, it appeared to the unhumble as though we were being escorted by a joyous marching crowd but it turned out to be a slowly walking protest and nothing to do with us. First things first after getting into the hotel, Argentina hasn’t improved the currency

Laughing hysterically as someone’s Italian wallet exploded after being stuffed with $20 USD worth of pesos

Day 6 was all about the Chico circuit, but only after dropping the first laundry of the trip and finding an old classic place in town we’d seen back in 2015. Still there, the marketing team hadn’t managed to convince management that the branding could possibly take a different direction if they were planning to expand

2023 south amEriCa part 1

internationally.

Try launching thisbrand in Australia. I dare you.

The famously fancy Llao Llao Hotel (which used to be a 7 star establishment) was a target, Cindy and I had tried to get in back in 2015 for a coffee with no success, but JC sweet talked the security guard into letting us in, maybe assisted by a dearth of $2000/night paying punters since Covid. The staff were surprisingly welcoming to people not in any way dressed like true clientele, and soon we were ensconced in the lounge. Recognising that this was our only opportunity, I ordered a trout empanada and Cindy a special hotel chocolate alfajores the size of two of the old kid’s favourite Wagonwheels.

Chico Circuit better than a Chico Roll

Back onto the road like we now owned it, it was the loop with some of the clearest and most amazing scenery, before back to the hotel and preparation for the evening. One of Bariloche’s premium carne restaurants in a country famous for carne was the plan, so those with doublewide elastic-waist pants and tracky dacks had them laid out in readiness. At 7:30pm we were in the queue, waiting for the very early opening by Argentine standards; 8pm.

The Llao Llao alfajores. Amusingly pronounced Alpha Whore.

Black pudding, sausage, lamb, steak, ribs. Sally in stage one – frenzy cutting

Doors didn’t actually open until 8:10pm, but it was worth the wait. Seated, several cuts were ordered, and then relentless plates started to appear. They never ended, as soon as 3kg of carne was consumed, out of the kitchen it would reappear. Eventually (about 15 minutes in) we were frightened to touch anything because it would have a re-in-carne-tion. Okay maybe they won’t notice a small black pud missing. Oh lord they did – here comes another wooden platter. “Elegant Sufficiency!” someone moaned, their pants parting like the Red Sea in Exodus 14:21, but without any chance of Egyptians drowning in a zip-up.

Day 7 was the start of Patagonia although we didn’t realise it at the time. Up at 6am, casual breakfast, away by 8:30am. Due south out of Bariloche which was easy, and down through the lakes the same as since Pucon, suddenly trees started to disappear. The lunch plan was complicated – we would meet with the last north-heading Compass Patagonia Explorer group for the year at the turnoff to Butch Cassidy’s old digs, have the luncheon, then go back to the turnoff to meet the final group member Scott who had not been seen since Santiago due to his bike being held hostage in Miami by US Customs. Scott had been escorted in two days from Santiago by Tomas, a Chilean BMW GS Trophy riding champion. Speed was of the essence. All went smoothly from our perspective, rolling into the Butch Cassidy property in a huge crowd. Lunch and meeting with the other riders, a great group, they had done it really tough with some of the worst winds for years. All we could tell them was it was going to be easy from here on, except for the traffic.

but the years of horrible stories certainly had us sensitive to anything above a stiff breeze. Esquel was a nice town, but classic Argentina with lots of restaurants who open for the early-bird pensioner specials at 8:30pm. Queenslanders have normally died well before then, but luckily we found a craft beer bar who served enough free peanuts to keep us going until a 9pm supper back at the hotel.

Butch’s place

Back up the road for the Scott reunion, it was down into Esquel. The wind wasn’t too bad

Patagonia at last

The warnings had been coming on strong about Day 8 for a while; we were heading for the town where paper picnic napkins have the lowest take-up on Earth – Perito Moreno. The wind heading to the lunch stop at Rio Mayo was just brutal – 80kmh. And as we could really only travel North-South and the wind could only travel West-East, we were unlikely to become friends. Lots of physics studies and vector analysis made it more bearable; motorcycles are designed to head into the wind but the side force made it important to try to get the head pointing into the apparent wind direction about 15° toward the wind to stop the buffeting. Rio

Mayo lunch was planned as a picnic out of the truck, but wasn’t going to happen, the wind even in town was just nasty and Cindy was blown over on her bike at the servo, so inside a restaurant for shelter and very nice salads and chips. Back on the road, the true challenge of Patagonia’s winds became apparent; stopping is truly scary and needs a lot of planning. As we had a nearly straight on head wind in one section, I decided to pull over and take a photo of the barren landscape. The bike wasn’t quite straight on into the wind, which was coming in slightly from the side-stand side, so leaving it was considered a really bad idea and photos were taken pushing against the side. Then a glove got loose. Within a few seconds it was 50m away. Thinking through it, this was simply a fusion of Sophie’s Choice with a bit of Sisyphus boulder rolling thrown in. Both just went for it, so I did the same and raced for the glove hoping a gust wouldn’t happen, and it didn’t. No dramas.

days. We pulled in at the Bajo Caracoles Hotel at around 9am. Not open. Okay we’ll wait with the other 50 people hoping for fuel. 10am rolled around, owners presumably still asleep. Eventually there was no choice with the clock heading for 11am, we had to press on. Although while there we did see the EV charging point that was put in for Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman’s “Long Way Up” that they did on electric HD’s. Has not been used since!

Duncan’s good choice to run for it after initial poor decision making

Day 9 started like all other Day 9’s except this one was in the Hotel Americano in Perito Merino. Plan for the day, unknown by those who weren’t paying much attention, was a station. Estancia in the local language, a farm rather than a train parking spot. The scenery was a bit like South Australia around Pimba but with topography; zero trees but some hills and mountains in the distance. The weather was good and the wind had died down, so the main issue was getting enough fuel over the next few

The remains of Ewan and Charlie’s Long Way Up EV charging station

Cindy had decided on a cultural foray into the local cholcoate bars and vowed to try a different brand every day – not hard to do! While craft beer (IPA’s, pronounced IPAS like it isn’t an acronym) remained a firm staple for a certain male member of the Bennett family. Eventually we reached a turn-off. The first official gravel of the trip, around 40km into the Estancia. Patagonia gravel is a bit variable like most, but commonly river gravel is used; this is like 1” roundish rocks, and can be a bit skatey. The trick is to get into a rut which is free of

pebbles, and get some momentum going, say 60kmh plus.

2023 south amEriCa part 1

seats cold, and a bit damp from some overnight rain. The start was delayed by ½ an hour – we had 40km of gravel to get to the main road, apparently with some clay which could get slippery, then 50m of bitumen, then the last remaining Ruta 40 gravel section of 73km. JC decided to lead from the back in case there were dramas, so Scott with Gina, Rex, and I (the only one with a working GPS) were tasked with opening the piste.

Marketing team working with a 1960’s school atlas

I found 75kmh to be about perfect so even when occasionally ploughing into the piles of loose marbles it was easy. Those that had trouble were usually travelling slowly – the conundrum of fear of crashing at speed versus making it difficult, and so more likely to crash. Regardless, only one minor off and all pulled into the Estancia OK.

Classic Patagonia landscape

The Estancia was a beauty. Situated in a river valley between mountains of river pebbles, there were horses, cows, and sheep. And cats. Lots of cats. A walk up onto the mountain of river pebbles gave great views, before we were escorted back to the Estancia by a one-eyed cat. Dinner that night was another epic meat extravaganza washed down with a few reds, and sleeping well as a result. Up for Day 10, it was cold. Bloody cold. Ice on the motorcycle

Carlos the one-eyed cat relaxing before guiding us safely back the the estancia

We had a ball, the road was a lot easier than the previous day except for a straight just before the tiny section of bitumen. Confusion reigned – were we supposed to stop there? No was the consensus, we were supposed to meet up at a viewpoint over a lake. Tragically we missed the viewpoint, and by the time we’d figured out we’d missed it we were miles along. Never mind, keep going until we reached the end of the gravel and we found the servo at Tres Lagos. We never saw any lakes there, let alone 3. The group eventually caught up with us, and

news came that Cindy had crashed, luckily only a bruised rib - but after she’d ridden on to the lake viewpoint she’d discovered the bike was badly leaking oil so it was up on the truck.

White Tiger Down: Selfie taken in case of condor attack before being found

The weather suddenly got ugly with relentless rain as we trundled into El Chalten, or El Carlton for those about to miss the start of the AFL season back home. Dripping wet we were into the hotel, but quickly dried off and down to a local bar for a Gin Tonic (&s are not popular in Argentina apparently) and local IPAS.

Day 11 was a free day, with priorities finding the Tigressa oil leak source, finding toothpaste, finding more Gin Tonics, and getting pictures of the local scenery especially Mt Fitz Roy when it appeared through the clouds. The leak location was found – definitely the seal on the output drive shaft – so JC called ahead to our next night’s stop at the large town of El Calafate, hopefully one was available there. More Gin Tonics were found, and we got some teaser quick glimpses of the mountains.

No place for a Tiger

The first part of the journey had ended., with a few days of raw tourism coming up. The only major downside was a leaking bike, but the prognosis was hopeful and the chances of finding more Pisco Sours and Gin Tonics was good.

Stay tuned for part 2…

Meanwhile - lots of these in South America. Need to do some YouTubin’ and Googlin’

100 Year Dinner Celebration - Thurs 21st September

Display of Bikes - Sat 23rd September

Thebike display will be run by our club at the central location of Reddacliff Place in Brisbane. We are looking for suitable bikes from all years and all models to display at this special event to celebrate this enormous achievement of the BMW brand that we all love to ride.

Do you have a bike that is suitable? If it is an older BMW (60’s or earlier) and it is completely assembled, presentable, registered or not, we want to hear from you.

If your BMW bike is from the ‘70’s up to latest models and is in good visual condition, special or a rare model, we want to hear from you as well.

We have a target of one hundred bikes, to display an example of as many different models as possible. A selection process will be undertaken from the applications and consideration will given to bikes that fit the above criteria as well as bikes with high kilometres or extraordinary travel achievements.

To nominate your bike, send the following details to bmw100@bmwmcq.org.au:

• What Model it is.

• Year of Manufacture.

• Total Km’s Travelled.

• Longest Journey Travelled.

• A Photo.

We want one of every BMW! But do we want this R100R Bobber? Could cook a nice lunch under the tank though...

BMW started production of the BMW R 32 in Munich in 1923. That is definitely worth celebrating!

To see the Promotional Video for the the events celebrating click on the Link below:

https://vimeo.com/796122577

**SAVE THE DATE** There will be a BMWMCQ hosted dinner event to commemorate 100 years of BMW Motorcycles as a warm-up to the Bike Display, to help us celebrate this milestone in style!

When? Thursday 21st September

Where? Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron, Manly

Details to follow shortly!

a g lan CE B a C k to y E st E ry E ar

In 1979 the Cane Toad Rally was only 1 year old and the Editor that year was John Klumpp. John Designed a Board Game based on the main Motorcycle Rallies in Australia at that time and published it in the April 1979 Journal. I have added a bit of colour to it to make it a bit easier to follow.

Gary

By Tony Gray, Member #3905

We left Part One of NZ South Island with Tony and Jane at Queenstown where they certainly packed a lot into their stay…

Our journey south from Queenstown took us along the eastern shore of Lake Wakatipu then across rolling farming country before turning west and stopping for a coffee in Mosssburn. Jane had just been commenting on how few bikes we were seeing when we saw a Triumph being fuelled up across from where we stopped. Tony and Triumph joined us for coffee and although a Kiwi from birth he has lived in WA for the last 40 years. He keeps the bike with a mate in Invercargill and punts it around on his regular visits. Remembering the trouble we had to get our VTNZ Warrant of Fitness, I was amazed when Tony said he had been riding his bike around unregistered and without a WOF. He was pulled up by a country copper and having told him he was very naughty, allowed him to register the bike and get a WOF in a country garage without a fine!

As we stood outside the cafe two black Harleys pulled in and joined us for a chat. Brad & Julie hailed from Bulli south of Sydney so I assumed the Harleys, carrying NZ plates, were rentals. No, they had bought them in Auckland and were touring NZ for seven months before shipping the bikes to the UK for a full European tour. They had sold their printing business and their coastal home and were now going to enjoy the rewards of their hard work. To show what a small world it is, their business was next door to the construction company offices of one of my long term bike riding mates, and they had worked together as well as being involved socially.

a ride up to Milford Sound where we parked next to a V75 Moto Guzzi.

For us it was into Te Anau where we had a day off bike enjoying a tour of Doubtful Sound then

Grant & Jane hailed from Wellington and were headed to Invercargill like us. They were meeting friends who were participating in a National Vintage Bike Rally over the National Holiday long weekend celebrating Waitangi Day. The predicted rain started as we were having coffee, the first real rain of the trip, so we suited up and rode back to Te Anau.

I had a couple of recommendations for our ride down to Invercargill, the first being a cafe at Orepuki, strangely called the Orepuki Beach Cafe. Unfortunately our coffee pangs did not last that long as we pulled in earlier at Tuatapere which just so happens to be the sausage capital of NZ. We just had coffee and shared a cheese scone but the French couple next to us tackled a plate of sausages & fries. They said the sausages were good. When we did eventually get to Orepuki there was a V75 Moto Guzzi in the carpark. We had a good chat to Jane & Grant and mentioned the second recommendation we had which was to divert from the town of Riverton to the coastal point where, on a clear day, there are

great views of Bluff below Invercargill. We went there together and the advice was spot on with great views as well as an attractive beachscape on another picture perfect day.

We then tracked off to the Southland Vintage Car Club premises where a Vintage Bike Rally was being staged. Our friends Jane & Grant had invited us along as they were joining friends who were entrants in the event.

Grant led into Invercargill and left us at ‘Classic Motorcycle Mecca’ - the now world famous motorcycle collection of one man. Too much for

An interesting side note here - the family group that Jane & Grant were supporting were second & third generation family members riding the old bikes once ridden by their Father/Grandfather who had been a motorcyclist all his life and raised his family in that tradition. He attended all of the NZ rallies and now at least one family member still attends every rally on one of his bikes in his memory. A great family tradition. There was a great array of bikes on show from pre WW1 veterans, Vincents, Nortons et el as well as a few Beemers. There were also quite a few beautifully maintained vintage cars. When the entrants set off on a timed reliability trial we headed out to Bluff (not ‘The Bluff’) about 20km south of Invercargill. When we last visited in 2014 I had sent Jane up to the lookout alone as I was not going to leave the R1200RT we were riding for fear of it getting blown over in

this story but it is a great museum but not the only one to view in Invercargill.

E Hayes Hardware store has a lot of Burt Munro memorabilia as well as some very interesting vintage and more modern bikes on free display. Imagine how long you would spend at Bunnings if they had that on offer? There is also ‘Transport World’ a car & truck museum that we did not have time to visit. Next morning it was still very hot as we headed out to Oreti Beach where Burt Munro used to take his Indian for shakedown runs and where races are now held during the BM festival. We were very surprised at how many Kiwis take their 2 wheel drive cars down onto the beach. We resisted the temptation.

the severe winds. This visit could not have been more different with calm winds under a baking sun. The views to Stewart Island (the most southerly part of NZ) and along the coast are very impressive.

We bade farewell to Invercargill and followed the Southern Scenic Route towards Dunedin through the rugged coastal region called ‘The Catlins’.

they were all happily doing beach things and left the roads relatively empty.

The sad part that somewhat detracted from the experience was that the road in many places had literally started to melt. If you remember the section of failed bitumen on the western side of Mt Glorious that had to be replaced then you will get the picture.

The name is derived from an old sea captain who ‘purchased’ a large tract of land in the area from a Maori Chief in 1840, a month before the Treaty of Waitangi was signed. The road twists, dips & turns in and out of little beach bays that were jam packed with cooking Kiwis on this Saturday of a long holiday weekend. Fortunately

After a couple of slides on the jelly the pace was reduced and classic lines thru corners replaced with whatever was still solid. It was still a fun ride but we were quite happy to get into our digs on the Otago peninsula outside Dunedin and cool off.

We had arranged a catch up here with fellow club members Rob & Kym Steer who were on a self guided tour of the South Island aboard a K1600.

A great night was had. We explored the Otago peninsula which has some beautiful roads running around the coast but a soft hand is

required as its restricted to 40kph so relaxed mode.

not as bad as expected. The rain continued off & on but had pretty much cleared by the time we got to Fox Glacier for the night stop. Next day it was clear again and we continued north past Franz Josef Glacier,

Dunedin itself is the most Scottish of NZ’s cities with a statue of Robert Burns dominating this city of impressive cathedrals. After a quick look around town we set off for a region we had not covered previously - the Central Otago. The landscape across central Otago is anything but what you expect in NZ.

The road however is sublime with a seemingly never ending rolling 75/85 posted sweepers.

There were strong winds however that kept us honest. We finished the day at Cromwell which sits on the man made hydro Lake Dunstan in an area than now supports vineyards & stone fruit orchards.

With some trepidation we were preparing to cross to the west coast via Haast Pass - our trepidation was fueled from a message from our friends Grahame & Gloria who had passed that way a few days earlier. They had experienced the worst winds in their riding memory and they had ridden throughout South America that is

Cape Foulwind boasts a NZ seal colony but that is not where it derives its name. Dear old Capt Cook gave it that handle during his Voyage of Discovery when he struck foul winds off the cape. It could also attract some foul language as the adjacent Westport had the most expensive fuel at $3.05/l for 95. Now that first fuel in Christchurch at $2.50/l seemed cheap. Oh how the big fuel companies condition and manipulate we poor motorists.

The Buller Gorge between Westport and Nelson is another of my favourite and well remembered South Island Roads.

It is a major Highway but that is hard to believe as it has several permanent single lane sections, including bridges, and carries a lot of double trailer trucks. The courteous driving habits of the NZ truckies allows this all to work smoothly as they invariably will pull over at the first

renown for its high winds (note to editors - avoid the re-fried beans!). As we entered the steep canyons of the Haast Pass we saw the heavy rain clouds ahead so suited up and met it head on. It was indeed windy with, at times, heavy rain but

Hokitika, Greymouth, Punakaiki, Cape Foulwind and Westport.

very late arrival into Wellington but plenty of time

opportunity to let traffic pass - never see that back home. Nelson itself is a top place to stay with access to the Tasman Peninsula to the N-W via the infamous Takaka Hill. That road is an absolute cracker with some incredibly tight turns - think of the highway heading south out of Queenstown Tasmania to give you some idea. This is the only road in and out of the Tasman Peninsula so again carries all of the heavy truck traffic.

Our last day on the south island had been extended as our planned 1pm ferry was cancelled and became a 6.30pm departure so a

to explore the many bays of the Marlborough and Queen Charlotte Sounds.

These tight and twisting mountain roads had been severely damaged in previous rain events and had yet to be repaired. Care was required but the views were reward enough. We relaxed at Picton after almost 3 weeks and 4,000km of some of the best riding country in the world. We had been very lucky with the weather but that was all about to change as we looked to the North and an approaching Cyclone. To be continued…..

Service Days at Rob’s Place

SERVICE DAY 18 MARCH 2023

By Tony Gray Member # 3905

The March Service Day was held in the middle of an Autumn Heat Wave - the thermometer inside Rob Wynne’s shed indicated over 36C so little wonder we were feeling hot. Despite the numbers being down there was a lot of work done on bikes ranging from an airhead to an S1000R which is rarely seen at a service day. The usual suspects attended along with some new faces which is great to see. Thanks to Rob Wynne for his hospitality and the use of his BIG Shed and to Geoff Hamon & Greg Gaffney who manned the BBQ. This was Geoff’s last service day as club Toolman so thanks for all of your work over the past 12 months Geoff.

Introducing……Club Mileage Awards

Have you clocked up 100,000km, 200,000km or more on one bike?

To celebrate the epic achievements of these milestones, the Club will be issuing Mileage Award Medallions and Certificates to those who qualify. It can be for any make and model of bike that has reached these impressive kilometers in your ownership, and must still be in your ownership.

To nominate your bike, email our Secretary, Geoff Hodge on secretary@bmwmcq.org.au with:

• Photo of the bike or you with bike - this photo will feature on your certificate so a good quality photo will enhance the certificate

• Where and when purchased and mileage at time of purchase

• Photo of the odometer to show the kilometers.

Presentations have started at the monthly meetings – so get your details in!

JOHN EACOTT’S 4TH K1600 GT PURCHASED ON OCTOBER 3RD 2017. IT REACHED THE MAGIC 100,000KM ON JANUARY 19TH 2020

BMWMCQ TRAINING COURSE SUBSIDY

Your club encourages all members to continue to improve as a rider and offers a financial incentive to foster greater uptake in rider training. A broad interpretation of training has been adopted to include First Aid Training and Traffic Accident site safety management. The intention of the subsidy scheme is to not only improve the road craft of individual members but also to enhance the safety and enjoyment of club runs and events for all participating members.

These are the simple rules to qualify for a subsidy:

1. Every financial member is eligible.

2. Subsidy is limited to one in three years for each member eg subsidy February 2022 re-eligible February 2025.

3. Subsidy provided in the form of a $50 reimbursement after course has been completed and invoice presented to the Treasurer.

4. The applicant must present details and receive approval for the intended training course from the Club Secretary prior to the course being undertaken.

There you have it, an incentive to help to make you a better and safer rider. If you undertake a course please let us know your thoughts on the success of the course, positive or negative.

Tony Gray - President BMWMCQ

GO2 PATAGONIA THEY SAID, YOU WILL HAVE FUN THEY SAID!

By Margreth Van Aartsen, Member #4496

Nic often will stop and take some photos along the ride, there sometimes just isn’t time or an appropriate place to stop. This prompted me into looking for something I could use myself, either mounted on the bike itself or on my helmet, in order to be able to capture moments from behind the handlebars.

Likeour intrepid editors, we have recently completed a trip through Patagonia with Compass Expeditions. While Cindy and Duncan continue their South American tour, we will await their write up of all the adventures. I have no doubt their translation of the Wild Patagonian Winds and fist sized marbles you have to navigate on ‘The Damned 73 km’ of Ruta 40 will be much more detailed than my attempt.

This piece includes a visual teaser though. The photos were taken with an Insta360 GO2 camera and this is my very non-technical review of this newly purchased tech-toy.

As you do these days, the search for a suitable camera started online. My criteria were relatively simple – I wanted something small and easy to use. Something that was 1) going to be light and compact to take along on travels, 2) not look like a massive rock sitting on my helmet or bike and 3) was able to do video and still photos at good quality.

These searches led me to the Insta GO2. At that time I had never even heard of the brand but I was immediately fascinated by the size of the camera, being not much bigger than your thumb. So, the next steps of research ensued, including more googling and many YouTube reviews… needless to say, I was impressed enough and into the shopping cart it went. I am very happy with my purchase; it was ticking all the boxes I wanted ticked and it is relatively easy to use.

As some of you may know, I have come into riding only later in my life. As a pillion I loved sitting on the back having the freedom of clicking away with the camera on the go. Now that my husband and I both ride, I quickly realised that there was hole in our photo documentation of our trips. Though

My review will be touching on things from a user perspective, focusing on what I find positive, the short comings or “good-to-knows” prior to purchasing. I am by no means a tech guru nor an expert in photography (being very much a happy snapper). Therefore, I will leave the techreviews for the experts who have done them to death and are out there on the Interwebs for you to pursue, should you be interested.

The first thing to clarify is that this is not a 360-degree camera. The brand name ‘Insta360’,

makes for the confusion. They actually produce several different types of cameras and their 360-degree camera is the ‘X’, with the latest update being the ‘X3’. These seem to become quite popular amongst video bloggers.

what you have first, it may be interchangeable. For example, handlebar mounts used for old cameras might be compatible with this camera, as the screw-on fittings seem to be standardised. It was specifically compatible with some of Nic’s old GoPro mounts.

I deliberately steered clear of the 360-degree camera. The main reason is that I wanted something simple and the 360-degree cameras are not only a bulkier thing to mount but the footage seem to require quite a bit of editing afterwards to create a useable video. I am not planning to become a video-blogger and to me, this seemed overkill for what I wanted.

The GO2 comes in two sizes, a 34G and 64G, referring of course to the storage capacity. The camera comes in a small charge case which is very handy, as you can quickly re-charge your camera on the go, for example when you stopped for coffee or lunch, as it takes only 35 minutes to recharge in its case. Having used it at length in Patagonia, I have only needed a recharge on the go when shooting HD-video, in other settings the battery seems to last quite well.

There are a multitude of settings you can use, like HD video, slow-motion, timelapse, hyperlapse and there are a variety of photo settings as well. Therefore, this little thing quickly becomes a good all-rounder on a trip, even for shooting off-bike activities. It has a wide-angle lens, able to really capture the vastness of the beautiful landscapes we often ride through. It is waterproof, so no need to worry if it starts raining. The camera’s horizon stabilisation is excellent, which means you can mount it either vertical, horizontal or neither, the footage will be the same.

The box it comes in includes a variety of mounts. Before you purchase any add-ons, be sure to check

After purchasing mine, I played around with a few mounting positions on the bike itself, but found that having it mounted on the helmet was the best option for me. I was not keen on sticking things on my helmet, nor was I wanting to put all my faith in the 3M stick-on mounts, though they might probably be fine. So, instead I purchased a TELESIN chin-mount. It fits securely with Velcro straps, making it easy to transfer from one helmet to another, should you want to. You do have to make sure to really pull the straps tight though. The mount fitting is universal and I secured the camera with the standard action screw-on mount that came in the box. At about 30g, you don’t even know it’s there. It’s in easy reach to quickly push the snap button on the go. Having survived 90km/h+ side winds in Patagonia, I can attest to the sturdiness of this set-up. ‘It ain’t goin’ nowhere’. You do have to make sure to firmly tighten the mount screw. Trust me, you know it’s not tight enough when you click the snap button and you push the camera angle backwards, thereby ensuring excellent footage of your nasal cavity.

Of all the settings at hand, I have only used three on a regular basis to date. The quality of the HDvideo is excellent and, in my opinion, comparable to the well-known GoPro. In the HD setting you have the extra benefit of ‘flow state stability’, making for very smooth footage. The HD video does chew up a considerable amount of battery and storage fast. On HD setting you can take about 10 minutes of video on the 34G. At first, I thought this is useless but 10 minutes of footage is actually quite a bit. I would reserve this for videos of rides in twisties or scenarios where there is a constant change of scenery. To save storage, or on longer rides, I really like the Hyperlapse (Timeshift) option, this allows you to capture longer stretches without depleting the memory in one go. The video quality is not as good as HD but still plenty good enough for detailed recalls of the fun. Taking footage directly into the sun is not great due to lens flare. There are addon filters you can buy, but I have not investigated

these. I find this not to be a critical issue, as you just need to be aware your footage won’t be great and not waste too much of your video filming directly into the sun.

when your camera is connected to your phone it won’t have connection with your hotels internetwifi, should you be relying on this for connection to the outside world while traveling.)

No product is perfect. The following are not necessarily negatives, but are good to know prior to purchasing.

I quickly realised that taking any form of video when riding through the vast open planes of Patagonia is a waste of time. There simply isn’t enough detail or variation to make for interesting footage. In these scenarios, taking the odd single snap-shot on the fly is a better option. You do have to be aware that it takes a second from pushing the button to when the photo is actually taken. So, the camera is really good for capturing landscapes and the surrounds. When going at 100kph, don’t expect a detailed capture of the odd lama next to the road; for those you are still better off stopping and taking a proper still shot.

Setting up the camera is relatively easy. There are a lot of step-by-step guides on the internet. I also relied on recommendations from the internet and YouTube tutorials to choose the resolution settings for the photos and videos. Once this is set up and you have played with the settings a little in the comfort of your own home, it is all quite straight forward and the camera becomes a simple click and play/shoot device.

The camera has a great interface with an app on your phone. The app allows you to set up some of the device settings, which is a little less fiddly than having to do it on the camera itself. The camera interfaces with the phone app via direct wifi (not Bluetooth), making it easy to preview your footage, download it to your phone and/ or delete immediately what you do not want. The app also allows for very easy editing of your footage prior to exporting it to your phone. The exported footage will be in a ready to use and share format. (On a side note: be aware that

The first thing to be aware of is that the GO2 does not have a preview screen. You can preview a live image via the app on your phone, if you want to make sure your camera angle is set up properly. For use on the bike, I have not once done this. Given the wide-angle lens you are almost guaranteed a good shot. On any given trip, when viewing your photos at the end of the day, you might find on some days the angle is a bit low and other days a bit high and by day 3-4 you pretty much figured out the correct angle by just eyeballing it. The GO2 has two trigger settings; a single tap and a double tap. You can easily customise what you want this to be in your app. I have it currently set-up as single tap = still photo and double tap = hyperlapse video. However, if you find yourself wanting another combination it can easily be changed on the go via the app. You stop the video recording by clicking the trigger button again. You can also set it up in the app to automatically switch off after a certain amount of time, this is handy as it will prevent you using all your data if you accidentally forget to click it off or find yourself in a gnarly situation, unwilling to let go of the handlebars to click it off! (For example, holding on for dear life through those marbles – that is if you found a safe window to actually tap it on to record the evidence!)

Engaging this on/off button can be a bit confusing at first, as you have no way of knowing if the thing

is recording or not. There is no light or other visual warning to help you out, if mounted on the bike itself. The camera does give off a little vibration, which you can feel when it’s mounted on the helmet, so that is helpful. However, at high speeds and with a lot of wind noise, I find that these vibrations are often not that obvious. With a little practice you do quickly get used to the feel of the button click, even with a glove on. I found the only ‘stuff-ups’ I’ve had was thinking I switched off videoing but didn’t. The other thing is not to forget to format the camera the night before, to make sure you have a clean slate every day.

different snippets. Hopefully a future update will bring the Studio version on par with the app.

Be aware that the files are large. If, like me, you get a bit trigger happy when visiting new places and also use your phone for taking photos when off the bike, you will find that also exporting the GO2 files to your phone will quickly use up your storage if you are on a trip that is longer than a week and half. This means you need extra storage to download your footage, especially if you are planning to only edit things by the time you get home. Good to know is that the files are in a RAW format, when downloading the files directly from your camera onto your laptop. HD videos generally get downloaded as two files (one low quality for preview and one high quality for editing). The photos download in a fish-eye format, and therefore are not ready to use, as they are when downloading them in the app. There is an editing program for the laptop called Insta 360 Studio. The problem with this is that the interface is not as user friendly as the app; I had to refer to several online tutorials to help me out with some technical workarounds and export glitches, requiring specific settings. Secondly, the current version does not have all the editing features that the app has. This is rather frustrating, for example you cannot compile one video by merging a whole lot of

There are work arounds for this, because the files are in a format that can be edited in other types of photo and video editing programs, should you wish to do so. My work around for it is to simply use my Apple iPad as my “go to” device for editing and downloading my footage, keeping it separate from my phone. The Insta360 app is so easy to use and on the iPad the image is obviously a little easier to view. Once you have set up your preferred viewing settings, the photos are pretty much ready for export. You can choose to edit them in the Insta app or in your photos-app once exported. Video editing within the app is self-explanatory and super easy. It allows you to speed up/ slow down footage, easily merge different videos, add (free to use) music etc. The app also features an AI editing option to create videos. I have not played around with this yet, but suspect it might be more useful applying it to the 360-degree videos. There is also a feature to easily take a snap-shot from your video. I have found this particularly useful, as I often find that some of the videos are pointless to keep, but this allows me to easily take a still shot of the key feature in the video, automatically saving it as a single photo to your photo library.

In summary: If you are looking for a small, easily transportable and easy to use camera to capture your adventures, I can highly recommend the GO2. It is such a fun little thing which you can easily stick in your pocket and take anywhere. I have even used it with the cap-clip on some hikes. My advice would be that, whatever you purchase, make sure to play around with it on some non-critical rides first and mount it in different settings to find what works for you. It only takes a few rides to figure things out. It is totally worth investing in something like this if you are keen to have some awesome visual documentation of your adventures. Happy snapping!

MAINTENANCE TIP - LOOK UNDER THE SEAT

By Tony Gray, Member #3905

Itakepride and get a great deal of pleasure from servicing and looking after the Gray Ghost - our 2007 R1200GS. We have covered close to 240,000km on her during our 13+ years of ownership. Yep I think I know her pretty well. She has only ever had one failure on the road during that time and that was a blown seal & collapsed bearings in the final drive many years ago. I lay the blame for that failure at the feet of BMW as the spec for those models was 230cc of oil in the FD. The spec was subsequently revised down to 180cc and I have never had another problem. It would appear that the original 230cc built pressure in the FD that was too much for the oil seal to withstand. Fast forward to February 2023 and Jane and I were returning to our motel from a day trip to the northernmost point of NZ’s North Island at Cape Reinga. It was late afternoon and we stopped at major roadworks still 50km from ‘home’. We got the green light to go after a 5 minute wait, I fired up the GG, moved five metres then everything went blank. Nothing, zilch, not even an indicator light. I pushed the bike to the side of the road in a safe area and lifted the seat. The battery connections were both tight but the (12 month old) battery was DEAD as a Dodo. What had happened was the rider seat support bar (metal) had somehow bridged the battery terminals dead shorting the battery. This had created enough heat to melt the nylon webbing straps of the tank bag where they touched the bar.

A good bloke and fellow biker by the name of Brent pulled up in his 4x4 and offered to help. After I advised that the last rites were to be administered to my battery he took off home and returned 10 minutes later with a smaller AGM battery that he had removed from his Kawasaki Cruiser. I connected the new battery, fired up the GG and returned to our Motel after much thanks to Brent who refused any payment for the battery. He said it was a bit undersized for his bike so he had replaced it recently with a more powerful battery. What a champion. I had to put a 2x1 pine block under the battery strap to safely secure the smaller emergency battery. We were able to get a proper sized battery the next day in Whangarei with advice from our good friends from the BMWMC of NZ.

I am totally in the dark as to how the bar could have bridged the battery as there is clearance

below the bar, the battery was still securely strapped into position, the bar was not bent or deformed in any way so it remains a mystery. If anyone has a bright idea (pun intended) please let me know and put me to rest. The Guru of all things electric, Les Fitzpatrick, told me that he held concerns that such an occurrence was a possibility so insulates the metal bar and puts additional rubber under the bar on his GSA. This little wood duck will do likewise henceforth and

I suggest you do similar if you have one of these models.

Tony

The February mid-week ride was very capably led by Michael Ahlberg and tail-ended by Ann. Around 10 bikes rode on some scenic Sunshine Coast Hinterland roads over the 150km in ideal weather conditions - unlike the previous few days. A BYO lunch was enjoyed at the Glasshouse Mountains Lookout where a curious goanna joined in the fun. Thank you Michael and Ann!

Clubs Australia at BMW Mulgrave Head Office

Merv desperately trying to convince Mark why he came on a mid-week ride with dirty wheels.

For thE airhEads

https://www.mmmsbmwboxerworks.com.au/

Below is a link for the Wedgetail Ignition Systems Australia FB site. https://www.facebook.com/wedgetailaustralia

Here is a link to a short and sweet and of course educational video from Mark - how do properly adjusted tappets feel? Watch the video and find out!

https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=6p4Q6CHfFIA&t=1s

Confirmation has been received that BMWMCQ Members are eligible for a 10% discount on accessories at Morgan & Wacker. Customers are required to show proof of membership at the time of purchase!

& BmW supports

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Need your BMW motorcycle serviced? We can also help ensure your pride and joy stays in top nick. Northside Motorcycle Tyres and Service has the latest software for BMWs enabling us to re- set service reminders, and assist with diagnostic testing and component testing making it more efficient to solve any problems with your bike. Log book servicing which won’t void your warranty. Book in for a BMW motorcycle service today with our expert team and you can be confident that Your pride and joy is in good hands.

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Planning on hitting the road soon? Stop by our showroom to check out our great range of tyres, luggage bags and riding gear to suit Adventure or Sport Touring.

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But perhaps more importantly, be prepared before you head off! Book in for your FREE safety inspection report. This simple check can mean the difference between a hassle-free ride versus getting stuck on the side of the road with no phone coverage a long way from the nearest town.

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1955 onwards) • Accessories • Australian Agent for Hepco & Becker Luggage

and Crash

End of the road

By Cindy Bennett, Member #4170

What is it about roads that go to the furthest most points of the world? They definitely hold wonder and a bit of a challenge. Since going from the top to bottom of Africa in 2017 and then going to the most northern point in North America - Prudhoe Bay, Alaska in 2019 the bug has bitten to be able to conquer the rest of these bucket list rides. But first to tackle Australia (well

This month a big one of the most southern road in the world was ticked off with the Ruta 3 ridden into the Tierra Del Fuego National Park south of Ushuaia, Argentina.

We could go no further south by road in the world – unless you could somehow tackle Antarctica.

So, what next? Of course Europe beckons and Nordkapp in Norway is a big one which a few of our Club members have done and it does sound absolutely amazing.

with Covid we couldn’t do much else!)

During Covid breaks in 2021 we firstly went as far south in Australia as we could, on the mainland to Wilson’s Promontory, Victoria and then in Tassie to south of Cockle Creek.

The most southern European point is a bit contested and it seems it is either Gibraltar or Gavdos Island south of Crete in Greece - could be an interesting ride doing both!

Lucky we have booked a Spain, Portugal & Morocco trip in 2024 which coincidently visits Gibraltar.

Now to start planning for Nordkapp!

In August 2021 we were lucky to get in the trip to Cape York with the fabulous Ellwood Tours. Standing at the sign at the top of Australia is a big moment, especially given the challenge of getting there from Cairns on the DRZ400 bikes which were more capable than these 2 riders ever will be!

Cindy

BMWMCQ BOOK EXCHANGE

NEW BOOKS AVAILABLE!

Race to Dakar Charley Boorman

Extreme Frontiers Charley Boorman (Racing Across Canada)

What If I Had Never Tried It Valentino Rossi (The Autobiography)

The Road to Mali Craig Carey-Clinch

No Room for Watermelons Ron & Lynne Fellowes

A Motorcycle Courier in the Great War Captain W.H.L. Watson Australia Motorcycle Atlas

With 200 Top Rides (6th Ed) Hema Maps

Overland Magazines - issue #’s 11; 19; 21; 22; 25; 26; 27; 28 and 29.

Adventure Bike Rider - issue #’s 44; 46; 51 and 53

The Touring Motorcycle Jeff Ware & Kris Hodgson

BMW Twins Mick Walker

BMW Boxer Twins Ian Falloon

BMW Motorcycles Bruce Preston

A Century of BMW Manfred Grunet & Florian Triebel

The BMW Story - Production & Racing Motorcycles Ian Falloon

Bahnstormer - The Story of BMW Motorcycles LJK Setright

BMW Company History

1972

BMW Munich

Berry on Bikes - The Hot 100 - Steve Berry

2UP and OVERLOADED

2 x On Tour with Compass Expeditions DVDs

The initiative is being overseen by Jane Gray and you can communicate with Jane via email at:

library@bmwmcq org au

Arrangement can be made with the librarian to pick up & drop off at the monthly General Meeting or other arrangements can be made