BMWMCQ Journal July 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, Tiger 900

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, R100GS

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

R1200GS; R1150 Rockstar

Regalia - Duncan Bennett

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

Dealer Liaison - Don Grimes

Ph: 0411 601 372

R1200GS; K1300R

This Issue - July 2023

Club Details

BMW Motorcycle Club of Queensland Inc.

ABN 30 351 243 651

Address all correspondence to: The Secretary PO Box 3669 South Brisbane QLD 4101 Monthly meetings are held on the first Thursday of the month at the: Geebung RSL Club 323 Newman Road Geebung A Club Ride

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.

Jon Reid’s spectacular Gatton view and of course his K1600 only enhances it!

Cindy & Duncan Bennett Editor’s Report

Backinto the seat kept toasty warm by Paul, firstly a very very big thanks to him and also to the BMWMCQ supporters as we all know how much of the Journal relies on our committee and members. Luckily for our future travel plans we now have Plan P as our more than capable stand in Editor!

Naturally you’ve all been reading of our adventures over the past 4 months, and if not expect to hear us droning on about some of the less exciting bits once we have you cornered at any one of the upcoming BMWMCQ events. We can describe a salad we both had in Rio de Janeiro in minute detail, trust us, so you’d better start reading the back copies.

The world is out there again, in our travels Covid seemed like the Bubonic Plague - something that happened long ago. Cuba was the exception as they still suffer from the US embargo and tourism is almost all they’ve got apart from spanking cigars and some tidy rums, so they were doing it tougher than their normal very tough level of tough. So if you’re thinking about doing some travel like many of us have been and are, really nothing to stop you. Send some photos and an article or two while you’re doing it before we have to write a lengthy tome about that Rio de Janeiro salad to fill up space.

Will see you out and about.

Duncan & Cindy

BMWMCQ Regalia on display in Panama and the rumoured and top secret R1300GS engine at NASA in Houston.

CommittEE rEports

Tony Gray President’s Report

We are on the downhill run towards our major celebrations for the centenary of BMW Motorrad - it will be less than 3 months by the time this journal hits the airwaves. Those three months will disappear very quickly - just like a favourite old saying ‘Life is like a roll of toilet paper - the closer you get to the end the faster it runs out’.

The two sub-committees organising the Dinner and Bike Show have been very busy but there is still a lot of work to be done. We have now added a third event being the bike display & parade laps at Morgan Park Raceway on 20 September. That will be run as a club mid-week ride event but we need an early commitment from club members so we can give the organisers an idea of expected bike numbers.

The BMWMCQ is leading the country in regard to the centenary celebrations and that is recognised by BMW Group Australia whose General Manager has accepted our invitation to attend. We are also looking to have some other special guests so these events will be occasions to be remembered.

These events are being staged to recognise a milestone for BMW Motorrad but they will be forever embedded into the history of this great club - one of the longest running BMW Motorcycle clubs in the world. You, our members, are vital to the success of these events so if you are still pondering your involvement then now is the time to commit. Put yourself down for the mid-week ride to Morgan Park, book your place at the table for the celebration dinner, nominate your bike for the bike display, we would love to see you all to at least one of these events. If you have a desirable BMW model that is not currently running or registered then still put your details forward - there will be the opportunity to accommodate trailered vehicles so do not hold back on that account.

If you are traveling from Interstate or Intrastate then what a wonderful time to visit the great South-East. As well as these three organised events we are looking to stage some led rides on Friday 22 September taking in some great rides around the region that only a local knows.

On the home front I have been busy rebuilding an R1100GS for the Bike Display. Possibly it was this dedication to another bike but the Gray Ghost decided to spit the dummy and play up, requiring more than a little bit of attention herself. You can read about part of her woes elsewhere in the journal along with many other great stories that members have contributed. It is opportune to thank Paul Hughes who has again done the bulk of work to compile this journal before Cindy & Duncan return from their overseas sojourn and reacquaint themselves with the luxury of the editors chair. I doubt they will have any resistance prying the editorial mouse from his sweaty palm before he himself heads off south on a very well earned ride & rest recovery. Thanks Paul.

Tony

A couple of Jane’s NZ pics from this year and their past trip on a hire bike. Look at that sky!

BMWMCQ Club Events for JULY 2023

2023 EvEnts CalEndar

BMWMCQ Club Events for AUGUST 2023

Datee Start Event Details Contact

Thur 03 Aug 7:30 pm Club Monthly Meeting Geebung RSL Club, 323 Newman Road, Geebung QLD. Meals from 6pm

Sun 06 Aug 10.30am Maggie’s Biscuit Ride Storm King Dam (see advertisement in this Journal)

Sat 12 Aug 9.00 am Coffee Meet-up Lighthouse Cafe Cleveland

Sat 19 Aug 10.30am Sunny Coast Brunch Sweethearts Cafe Eudlo

Wed 23 Aug TBA Mid week ride BYO Lunch TBA

Sun 27 Aug 12.30 pm Lunch Ride Goombungee Hotel

Tue 29 Aug 6.15 pm German Club Social Brisbane German Club

RIDE MEETING POINTS

President

Events Coordinator

Events Coordinator

Events Coordinator

Events Coordinator

Events Coordinator

Events Coordinator

Paul Hughes Vice President’s Report

By the time you read this, I will be riding down south to see my son, Hunter, in Melbourne. I certainly hope we have a mini heat wave for that trip!!!!!. For those hoping that might be the end of me… bad luck I will be back soon. I welcome back our intrepid travelling editors from the South American sojourn. They were greatly missed. The Journal is now back in their safe hands. I have actually learnt to enjoy the editing role but it will be nice to sit back and read the “professionals version” again. I take my hat off to Cindy and Duncan for the amazing amount of work they do each month to turn out a fabulous first class publication. Also thanks to ALL those who have helped me stumble through in the temporary role. Articles and photos are the essence of the journal and without all your efforts there would be nothing to publish. Please keep supporting your journal into the future.

Riding at this time of the year is simply a god’s gift. Dry crisp weather just makes it so pleasurable and so much fun. Time for you all to get out and join in some club activities. Xmas in July is a favorite and back again and along with the much anticipated Frigid Digit fills July’s calendar out. Of course Maggie’s Biscuit ride in early August should not be missed. See you all at Storm King Dam.

The 100 Year Celebrations are in full planning mode with less than 3 months to go. The dinner is booking up so please get onto the club website and reserve (and pay) for your seat at the table. The boys organising the display are in full swing and it promises to be very special. BMW Motorrad is very involved and is enthusiastic about the celebrations as a whole. The events planned will showcase BMW and our club to a wide audience. Make sure you’re involved. Ride safe and ride often.

Cheers Paul

Ron the Obvious deciding which motorcycle to ride home from the Ruptured Budgie.

CommittEE rEports

Darryl Gowlett Treasurer’s Report

G’day Everyone,

What a difference a month makes. Been nowhere, done nuthin’. Couldn’t even make the GM!! On the bright side, there’s plenty of things I could do that I haven’t done yet. Very promising.

Membership was the big input this month, and another 8 punters signed up for the 100 year celebratory dinner, taking the total to 37. Otherwise not much to discuss.

Until next month, ciao,

Darryl

Geoff Hodge Secretary’s Report

BMWMCQ General Meeting Minutes – 1 June 2023

Venue: Geebung RSL

Meeting Opened: 7:30 pm

Apologies: Cindy & Duncan Bennett, Michael & Ann Ahlberg, Steve & Rosi Johnson, Graham Healey, Darryl Gowlett, Chris Robertson, Paul Maguire, Anita Wyndham, Ian Sayce, Mark Mustchin, Donna Wiltshire

Minutes of Previous General

Meeting:

Accepted: Charlie Brown

Seconded: Paul Hughes

Number of Attendees: 28

New Members (Name & MC): Nil

Visitors: Nil

Returning Members: Nil

Treasurer Report: Apology. Report in Journal. No questions from the floor.

Editor Report: Looking for member stories by 15 June as Paul is travelling once C&D return from overseas to the Editor Chair. President thanked Paul for his dedication in maintaining the high standard of the journal during C&D absence.

Tools Report: Next Service Day confirmed for Saturday June 24 at Rob Wynne’s place outside Jimboomba.

Regalia Report: Nil

Records Report: Currently 274 financial members with 9 new members in May.

Events Report: Mid week ride leader Richard Maher. Sunday ride leader Tony Gray. Rider briefing at 9am at BP Blacksoil with departure at 9.15am. Expect 345km ride over country roads. Upcoming events:

6 July - Christmas in July at Kingaroy, Richard Price.

29 July - Frigid Digit, mystery location, Gary Bennett, Graham Healey

6 August - Maggie’s Biscuit Ride to Storm King Dam, Peter Todd

Secretary Report: Nil

CommittEE rEports

Dealer Liaison Report: EOFY sale with GS 750 $2,000 off, GS1250 Rally $3,500 off. Five year warranty on all new sales. Ray Owen Classic did not attract many bikes this year but clashed with the very well attended DGR and the Ruptured Budgie Rally.

Clubs Australia Report: Centenary Dinner & Bike Display: BMW to bring R1800 & R9T anniversary models.

Vice Presidents Report: NTR

President Report:

Still looking for more bikes to register for the Bike Display. There will be a section for BMWMCQ members separate to the selected bike display so get your bike nomination into Gary Bennett. The club has accepted an invitation for a bike display & demonstration laps at Morgan Park Raceway at the Qld Early Motorcycle Road race C’ships on 20 Sept. Prior nomination will be required. Do not use MAYBE when commenting on event attendance. Yes or No only. Maybe will be treated as No.

General Business: Richard Maher had bike parts & accessories donated by a club member - make an offer. All proceeds to RFDS.

Closed: 8:25 pm, next meeting 6 July 2023

The bucket (prounced bouquet) hat was voted as the prime piece of clothing for the South American trip, and was always within reach in Cuba and Texas where the temperatures were well over 100°F in the old measure. Do yourself a favour. Might be time to swap over to the warmer gear for the next little while though.

Duncan Bennett Regalia Report regalia@bmwmcq.org.au

The BMWMCQ bucket hat and polo in front of one the three, yes three, tanks claimed to have been used by Fidel himself to sink a US ship during the Bay of Pigs invasion.

Back in the editor’s chair reviewing Cindy’s work and keeping warm with the AH742 Beanie and Vest (Non-Ladies).

Bill Luyten Tools Officer’s Report Service Day

The Club Service Day was held at Rob Wynne’s place at Jimboomba on 24 June.

About 30 members met up at Rob’s to enjoy a bit of discussion on their bikes, a bit of maintenance and a use of the GS911 diagnostic tool. Thanks again goes to Rob for providing the great shed and barbeque. Thanks also to Chris and wife Nola for helping our with the BBQ.

Sausage sandwiches and drinks were sold raising $110 for the RFDS (Royal Flying Doctors).

To see what the GS-911 functionality has to offer for your bike, check out this website link: https://www.hexgs911.com/function-chart/

Repair Manuals

Two new manuals were recently purchased: F800 - Complete coverage of BMW F650, F700 & F800 Twins (06 - 16)

R1200 Liquid- Cooled TwinsR1200GS*1170cc*13 - 16 *R1200GS Adv*1170cc*13 - 16 *R1200RT*1170cc*14 - 16

*R1200RS*1170cc*15 - 16 *R1200R*1170cc*15 - 16

Various other repair manuals are 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 carburetor balancer (Twin BMW engines)

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

• Clutch alignment shafts (3 sizes)

• 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)

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

• Tyre Pressure Monitor Sensor (TPMS) tool

• Enduralast hall sensor tester

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

• Compression tester

Club Tool Loan: Tools and spares can be picked up or brought along to the next meeting or Club ride.

tools@bmwmcq.org.au

Bill Luyten 0438 123 747

CommittEE rEports

Ben Nazzari

HiEveryone, Last time I finished off the Journal I was going for the midweek ride to Maroon Dam then heading to Newcastle to see my Parents. I headed off from lunch and went out through Rathdowney, turned right then over to Tenterfield. Absolutely great ride, road conditions were very dodgy but no dramas and arrived at 4.30pm. Stayed at the Jumbuck Motor Inn and the guy was fantastic, put me in a room where the bike could be parked at the door undercover. Highly recommend the place.

Events Officer’s Report

day for a ride and another reminder just why I love to ride, especially the RT, love this bike it performed faultlessly and cruises all day at the speed limit and super comfy, it will be sad to see her go but I do need to finish the GS.

The ride home was uneventful until I hit a pot hole and blew a fork seal and buckled the rim.

Found another rim on Gumtree but it didn’t come without its own drama, it had a broken disc bolt that needed to be removed so I thought oh yeah no drama’s I can do that. LOL yeah right I tried everything in the book to remove this bolt and let me tell you it almost ended up in next door yard, to say I was frustrated would be an understatement. That night the GM was on, I spoke to a couple of members that day about said bolt but to no avail. I arrived at the

Arose early the next morning to 6 degrees, packed the RT and headed off, hand grips turned on and neck sock fitted, warm as toast. The temp didn’t hit double digits till I hit Murrurundi. But saying that the view was sensational and the weather was clear and sunny so I was not going to complain at all.

Brekky stop at the Guyra bakery in the main street always a stop whenever I’m on the New England and saying that I would 9 times out of 10 travel on that road rather than the Pacific Highway. Didn’t stop for lunch, just fuel and drink stops along the way and arrived at the Parent’s place at 4pm. Another great

meeting and once the formalities were done with, Paul told me to speak to Chris. After the meeting I had words with Chris and he introduced me to Les and Kelly. Les then kindly offered to help and said he was busy on the Friday but how does Sat morning suit? I said definitely, thanked him and organised to pick Chris up on Sat morning on my way to Les and Kelly’s place.

Picked Chris up with his load of tools to help the cause, drove down to Yatala and down Les’s driveway to find him sitting outside his work shop with a big grin on his face which made me feel comfortable to be there because let me tell you, I have never nor will I ever take anyone for granted. Les and Kelly were kind enough to open their house for me and help me with a problem

in which I could not fix. After we chatted and got sorted, I grabbed the wheel out of the boot and into the workshop we went. Les got right to it and within an hour or so he had it ready to go so he showed me and Chris around, told a few funny stories and I was ready to head off and get out of their way and Kelly calls down don’t go anywhere, I have morning tea on the way down.

By this stage I was overwhelmed with the generosity of this couple I had only met a few days before at the GM and here I was being treated like family and I absolutely love it, I could not have thought I would be treated so kindly and for this Les, Kelly and Chris I THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart it really meant a lot to me and Les you can be rest assured I will pay it forward in mountains mate. So on that note I will leave it there till next month and continue enjoying the ride and sourcing out some great locations for rides coffees and lunches.

Till then stay upright. Regards Ben.

Editors Note: That spirit is what this club is all about. Helping each other when needed. Thanks Kelly, Les and Chris.

CommittEE rEports

Greg Gaffney Records Officer’s Report

Whatglorious whether we had in June. I have missed a few rides recently due to some other commitments. I’m looking forward to going to the club lunch at the Roadvale Pub. I have been there many times in the past because I had a good mate who lived just down the road from the pub. Unfortunately, my mate Fred passed away last year.

New Members:

Lindy Midgley, RIVERHILLS, F800ST

Ron Hess, CLINTON, G650GS

Ian Thompson, MOFFAT BEACH, R60/6

Mark Mustchin on his recent trip North with Mototrek at Sky Window lookout in Eungella National Park

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I need to be sure now It sounds just what I’d like Please tell me you’re selling A classic motorbike !!

CHristmas in JUlY IT IS ON AGAIN

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BOOK ROOMS DIRECT WITH OASIS MOTEL WHO ARE HOLDING ROOMS FOR US.

PHONE 07 4162 2399. MORE DETAILS ON FACEBOOK PAGE AND CLUB EVENTS WEB PAGE.

The Bikes from Brazil

By Duncan Bennett, Member #4171

Youwouldn’t think so but riding into huge sprawling cities with insane traffic is perfect training for the adventure motorcyclist. We’d been getting a bit of practice since our first exposure in Buenos Aires and the entry into Brazil. Extreme slow speed riding with intricate clutch, throttle and brake control – Patagonian gravel, a piece of cake. With little bikes weaving between the clogged cars; we just sit and try to stop cars, buses, and trucks entering our surrounding force field, using our tractor beams to clear a path and recover any of the fleet who become separated. We’d bypassed Sao Paulo via Paraty, now it was Day 37 and the unmissable Rio de Janeiro was the destination. Unremembered, it was April 1st and Allana took the opportunity to announce that according to their website there was no Wifi in our Rio hotel, waiting until the hysterics, wailing, and beseeching of various deities was at a fever pitch before mentioning it was April Fool’s Day. Well played.

Brazil doesn’t do siesta-time like Argentina so the ride was going to get us in about lunchtime, a mere 250km. Started out OK through the picturesque coastal winding road into the precity re-group, then very slow moving clogged traffic which went for a couple of kilometres. Just before we got to the breakdown/crash causing the cloggage, a scooter rider appeared from nowhere and started discussions up the front with Ride Leader Supremo JC. Next thing we knew we were following the scooter rider. Wild intercom speculation between Cindy and I; did the scooter rider just cruise the clogged freeways looking for foreign riders in groups to lead in for a fee? Had he smiled winningly at JC and applied the Peter Allan curse – When a scooter rider smiles at me I go to Rio, de Janeiro, me-oh-my-oh we’re in trouble-o. Onto the more pleasant unfreeways and heading to the coast, the scooter rider took us through a toll booth and the winding streets, and then peeled off when we eventually got to the famously distracting Copacabana beach along the South Atlantic.

At the Copacabana U-Turn

We arrived Triumphantly (especially those of us riding Triumphs) into the Hotel Regina in Flamengo, and after a few dramas trying to get the bikes up the brutally steep ramp, ensconced ourselves. Was the mysterious scooter rider paid to divert people to the heady sights of Copacabana we asked JC? No, it was an off-duty policeman who had seen that we were heading in via a road lined with homeless, and

The Bikes from Brazil

tHE

BiKEs From Bra Zil - part 4

there was a serious risk that we’d be attacked for our possessions while clogged in traffic. He’d even paid our tolls for us, a truly saintly man who JC said just disappeared when we reached Copacabana, completely safe there as long as we kept our eyes shut.

The hotel was in a top place, laundry and supermarket and drinking and dining options are all that are required to satisfy the motored cyclist. And cats apparently, with word quickly reaching Cindy’s ears that a community volunteer run “Cat City” was located in a nearby park. Bad luck, it was too late and we’d have to wait for Day 38 afternoon to experience that highlight. Day 38 morning was the Rio de Janeiro tour, sans Cat City, our guide a very knowledgeable native whose grandparents had left Poland for the New World in the early 20th century. Firstly the cable car up the Sugarloaf rock with its spectacular view, early enough to beat the crowds.

development here. In the olden times journeys between suburbs that now take minutes could take days, unless it is peak hour in which case it still takes days. The suburbs reaching onto the steep slopes are an engineering wonder.

Up the Sugarloaf

The hills around Rio city aren’t soft and friendly, no firing up the D9 for a new housing

Nervous passengers advised to pick their seating side carefully when landing in Rio

Down from the Sugarloaf, it was into the bus and up another even more popular bit of rock to see Christ the Redeemer. There was a Palm Sunday service going on in front which left less room for the scantily dressed Padre-distracting selfie flock than normal, but in Brazil nothing will put them off.

Impressive concrete Jesus’ (Jesii?) out of the way, it was onto more important sightseeing – Cat City. This is the stuff of nightmares for most human beings, cat-crazy middle-aged ladies the obvious exception. The City is set up like Rio and the outside areas with up-market condos on a verandah out of the weather, a slummy under-verandah world, and villages and estancias out in the rural areas where yeoman cats were seen building simple yet comfortable lives on small acreage plots. Probably not quite as focussed on hard work and helping other community members as the Pennsylvania Amish but they seemed to be getting along okay.

Day 39 was leaving Rio, concerns that the traffic would be dangerous and scary didn’t match with reality – it didn’t take long at all and was done at high speed. The objective once again was simply to avoid Sao Paulo while

tHE BiKEs From Bra Zil - part 4

retreating from the furthest east we would get on the continent. A very nice hotel in Campinas was the target, again a big day of over 500km and into endless corn and sugar cane fields.

This day was probably as close to riding in Australia as any of our previous days – more traffic and better roads aside and the occasional weird thing like the Statue of Liberty, it was servo lunching just like at home. On the subject of food – Brazil is the buffet capital of South American and did we enjoy some beauties, the best on days when we would arrive early into a town and hit the buffet then back to the hotel room groaning under the weight of superb meats of every variety (chicken hearts were even one selection!) not to mention the desserts (postres), a favourite of Cindy’s.

Yes that seems perfectly normal

Day 40 was a continuation, another big day of just over 600km. These days seem long but average speeds are whatever you want them to be – no highway police yet discovered anywhere so far on the trip. Toll booths every 50km or so and police checkpoints cause some slowing, and in Brazil we actually had to pay tolls rather than scoot through a free moto lane or around the end of a boom gate. Speed cameras were common, and a rumour started that each hefty indiscretion was recorded against our number plate which we of course had given to customs when we entered Brazil. That rumour moderated behaviour somewhat, Brazil posted speeds drop dramatically for a variety of mysterious reasons and one can find oneself drifting along at 140kmh through an unpopulated 60kmh zone. Maybe I will just be arrested rather than fined?

Girl in pink making a late charge for Mary Magdalene’s position while retaining her TikTok account

The three socio-economic classes of Cat City –condos, dark underworld, healthy acreage

tHE BiKEs From Bra Zil - part 4

On the subject of snacks, the morning tea stop was still working its way methodically through the endless selection of chocolate treats available, with each country adding more of a range to challenge Cindy.

We ended up in a motel on the highway in the outskirts of Presidente Venceslau, bikes parked right outside the room, even more like Australia. Over to the truck stop and loaded with snacks and drinks, there was only one place where a gathering could occur – up on the hotel second floor relaxing while watching the trucks trundle past.

Charades ice-breaker chocolate. Three words.

All that commuting had a well deserved end-point on Day 41 – Bonito. Another very large nearly 600km for a grand total of 1,700km in 3 days, and no brown grass sighted, a very lush agricultural world. Rain started during the final run in, and the red soil started to take on the appearance of clay, so some careful riding was undertaken when crossing spots where trucks had dragged wet mud onto the road.

Southwestern Brazil scenery

Bonito, which means beautiful in Portuguese, is actually a town of varied appearance. The main street has had a makeover with high end shops, but the backstreets look a bit too eu natural for posting on Instagram. A bit more foundation is required for the pot-holes, but we made it to the resort

A very rare South America event – Cindy being stopped

2nd floor blowout, note Cindy’s half water bottle wine glass

tHE BiKEs From Bra Zil - part 4

without getting lost. Minor drama awaited at the resort with my 1 litre water bottle discovered to contain 1 millilitre while the remainder was sloshing around in my top-box, luckily nothing electrical had been marinated. Considerately festooning everything outside the room to create a slum atmosphere, it was to the bar for the welcome drinks; we were in town for 3 nights. Tragically the resort didn’t provide meals other than breakfast, so off into town to find the supermarket with Gabi and Roisin – typical of the Brazilian facilities it was huge and contained everything except cold white wine. A glitch with the eftpos system left 1 hand-held machine to deal with 10 registers and about 100 customers on Good Friday eve, but an older gentleman who was clearly legally blind motioned all 4 of us into his very short queue as we were deserving of priority.

Thoroughly waterlogged and smiling, it was back to the estancia for lunch, and listening to the large red-legged seriema birds making a hell of a racket.

The only possible explanation is that the gentleman assumed we were all autistic

Typical of priority queues, by the time some aged idosos had paid for the weekly shop with their wheelbarrow full of low denomination coins, we saw people who hadn’t even entered the supermarket when we swapped queues out loading their cars. Never mind, we were on holidays. Day 42 Good Friday was an excursion out to Rio Mimosa estancia, we were told we were doing walks with intermittent bathing. That’s pretty much what happened, we donned bathers and suitable footwear, and got into a bus which took us to the Rio. After a steep descent, the day consisted of short walks between about 5 waterfalls which are growing due to the high calcium and magnesium content of the water.

Rio Mimosa falls

As if simply to demonstrate that Rio Mimosa wasn’t a fluke, Day 43 was a trip out to another river, this one sourced from freshwater springs bubbling up through sand and therefore ridiculously clear. Snorkels and wetsuits were provided and came with a snorkel fitting and use instruction session in a pool. Once satisfied that we could use the snorkels and hopefully be trusted not to clean them by spitting in them like someone with 50 years experience of doing that did, it was a long march to the river. The fish were large and numerous, and it was a pleasant float downstream before a long march in squelching wetsuit boots on slippery boards to get back for a late lunch.

tHE BiKEs From Bra Zil - part 4

Here fishy fishy

A big Easter Saturday dinner was held at a local restaurant, unlike Australia nothing closes over Easter and in fact it is a time for getting out on the town, there were people everywhere. Usual huge meal with beers and wines and then back in a taxi whose driver thought we’d said our hotel was in the Amazon, even we knew he was going wrong once he’d left the lights of Bonito far behind. With the fare at stake, he turned around once we’d clearly enunciated the resort name, and the wild fantasies of being held hostage in the Brazilian outback were soon quashed.

No restaurant in the hotel, no wine, and only American beer, so off to the Supermercado. It was bloody enormous and we thought we were in some sort of Brazilian Costco, everything was in bulk. So beer and wine and cheese and bikkies and salami in bulk later, we reached a language stand-off at the check-out. We initially guessed correctly that we didn’t have a membership rewards card, the checkout lady didn’t need a Rhodes Scholarship to figure that one out, but the next series of questions involving getting the supervisor whose English was worse than our Spanish and seemingly focussed on my beer bottles had us all just looking at each other. They eventually just gave up and let us pay.

T-Rex trying to attract a truckie’s attention to the enormous egg she’s laid, beat that

Day 44 was again a necessary big day back through the endless rich agricultural plains to Navirai, a city literally laid out like a spider’s web. We were like those annoying flies that bumped around the outer edge of the web without getting stuck, we never got near the centre.

Over the line on our third continent

Day 45 was the last day of Brazil. We had to push south quickly to get into Foz, many including Cindy and I had a tyre change planned and Cindy had a service besides. We were into Pico Motos at 3pm, and within 2½ hours it was all done, just amazing for 7 bikes on a Sunday. The price of the tyres (Michelin Anakee Adventures for both Tigers, and most of the BMW’s) blew the hair back though; Brazil imports them so charges huge duty, over $1000 per bike for a set that would cost $600 in Australia so hopefully they’ll last a while.

Out of Brazil border crossing on Day 46, back to Argentina. Through the Brazilian side formalities, it was over the river to the Argentinian side, then back again to the Brazilian side as I’d left my gloves on my top-box and someone said they’d seen gloves on the bridge

tHE BiKEs From Bra Zil - part 4

but only picked one up. Fortunately recovered both but now at the back of the queue, it was nevertheless quick getting back into Argentina for the umpteenth time. Clutching the pieces of crucial paper without which leaving Argentina with the motorcycle is awkward, we headed to a servo to get fuel. Arriving with about ½ of Brazil because they all cross over to get very much cheaper fuel, we had to push on past several with enormous queues until we were on fumes and there was no choice.

Lunch was at the San Ignacio Mini ruins. Not really mini, it was very large with impressive stone buildings, and had been set up by the Jesuits in the late 17th century on the Parana River in Spanish territory which was within the Paraguay region at the time.

Maxi church at San Ignacio Mini

Continuing on down the river, we got past the last big dam and into our stop for the night at Ituzaingo, a resort town on one of the small arms of the river as it splits, this arm a mere 1km across and with nice golden sandy beaches. Armed with a ridiculously large 972ml beer bottle, we strolled the beach until it was time to go and lie down while doing so was still voluntary. Back down to the beach for a glorious sunset, it was into the casino next to the hotel to exchange USD for Pesos as we were back in the land of cash only. We were also back in the land of siesta, with nothing open until after 6pm and severe difficulty getting a meal before 8pm.

The Tigresa with very expensive new shoes

Was nearly another one getting back across the road

No piranha in the Parana

tHE BiKEs From Bra Zil - part 4

Day 47 was a ride across the Chaco plain, only 450km though so we could reach our destination of the Las Curiosas Resort just south of Avia Terai for a late lunch. Initially curious as to where the bloody entrance was because the GPS tried to take us into a camping ground, once found it was very spread out with about 100m spacing between all the buildings. Checking in was a bit of a challenge, no-one on reception could speak English so communication was via arm waving, pidgin Spanglish, and Google translate. I said Bennett, mi esposa (wife) would be entering the building directly. The young lady asked via Google translate was I in a man - man marriage? No, married to a mujer, but Peter and Mick who were sharing a room would be along shortly I replied via arm waving and louder Spanglish. Fortunately mi mujer came in the door at that moment, allowing me to present credentials. A picnic lunch and then heavy application of air conditioning as the Chaco is notoriously hot and humid, then a light dinner with choice Argentinian wines and more showing off to the staff how close me and the mujer were saw out the day.

Goodnight to the Three Tigres

We were just about to leave on Day 48 when what sounded like a male koala trying to intimidate a rival was going off just behind our room. A quick check up in the trees showed it was a howler monkey family, not something you want if trying to have a sleep-in. Another +600km ride for the day, but at least we’d reach the destination of Salta and the road for the first 450km was nearly dead straight, no holds on the average speed. I think the highest recorded speed on the GPS was reached on this day; 182kmh and could have been more but there was very slow traffic moseying along at 120kmh who blocked me.

Climbing up into the hills was a relief, the humidity and temperature dropped off a bit although the internal temperature went through the roof when our GPSes decided

Las Curiosas suite came with a handy interrogation room

Rex sailed past on his Tigre so missed the opportunity

tHE BiKEs From Bra Zil - part 4

to give us a choice. Inevitably we made the wrong choice and ended up riding though 7,000 intersections, our riding companions had been in the Wilson Hotel for days by the time we arrived. That evening we had a dinner and gaucho (Argentinian stockman) show, which started late as per Argentinian tradition and was a bit like church without an order of service. After the gaucho dancing a popular local band came on and played for a while, apparently finishing with a huge encore number to huge applause, then the lead singer would make a long and involved speech about something, ask where everyone was from, and then start again. Eventually we realised it could go forever, so bolted at midnight during another long and involved speech.

a money exchange chap and like all other originally Spanish towns, the exchange action was in the main Plaza. Exchange chaps are easily recognisable by being the dodgiest looking characters, with a big bag full of Argentinian pesos that he changes for one US$100 note. We then decided that as the bikes had hit every insect living and working on the Chaco plain, we’d use our new stock of pesos to give them a wash. Off to an Auto Lavandera down the road, we swung the bikes onto the empty wash pad, and out came the attendant. This was probably the only time on the trip we’ve had a total communication vacuum; he was there, the high pressure cleaner merely needed turning on, the bikes were ready, we had money, why wasn’t he saying or doing anything? Whenever he threw in the odd short sentence it didn’t help. After 5 minutes of pointing at all the available building blocks of a successful Auto Lavandera business just sitting there waiting, we gave up and left. Speculation settled on it being his siesta, and the few cars parked around being before us in the queue, as we think he might have said mañana at one point. Luckily we managed to find another willing to make a return on investment just around the corner.

Day 49 was a free day in Salta, so we wandered about, found the museum with the child mummies who had been sacrificed on a nearby 5700m mountain, and went for empanadas at the encouraging sounding Patio del la Empanada. Then it was off to find

Cindy getting in close with the popular Big Unit Gaucho

Empanadas with tomato sauce and a cheeky house red

tHE BiKEs From Bra Zil - part 4

Day Halfway (50) was a very short 150km. For the first time in a while the road leaving Salta was relentlessly winding and climbing and narrow, unluckily for the newly washed bikes and the rider enjoyment it was raining heavily and very misty so being able to see anything was a real challenge. A servo stop to dry out and have a coffee, then it was via some quickly drying and very picturesque country complete with cacti onto the destination – Purmamarca, or Permanent Marker for those of us who struggled with the Spanish town names.

A picnic lunch out of the truck at one of the tour’s best hotels so far, Los Colorados Cabañas Boutique, and JC asked if we’d like to take a ride up toward the Chilean border to get some nice views. A warning was given – the top was at 4200m so well into thin air, but this didn’t put many off. When I later said that this was one of the best rides of my life I wasn’t joking, it had the trifecta of incredible scenery, a first class and amazing winding road, and perfect weather.

Near the top looking down over a truck drama on the corner

Back down to collectively rave about the afternoon, a wander into town to get the essentials of beer, wine, and giant empanadas to take uninvited onto Rex and Sally’s huge balcony saw out the day. Several trips back to the room to pile on more clothing gave us a taste of the sudden climate change we’d experienced in 150km, and the gasping for air climbing back to the hotel from the town gave us a taste of what we could expect in the coming weeks in the high country. But we were heading into a region that hosts some of the most spectacular sights and the days of long straight roads was mainly complete.

Afternoon’s ride plan

Sun sets early in Purmamarca

The next day, the first of the second half of the trip, 51 in case that wasn’t clear, we left the Argentinian comfort zone and crossed into a new one for us – Bolivia. But you’ll have to wait until August to hear about that.

Hotel Permanent Marker

THE 14th ANNUAL MAGGIE BISCUIT RIDE

STORM KING DAM

NEAR STANTHORPE

SUNDAY AUGUST 6th 10.30 am

PETER TODD IS ONCE AGAIN, WITH MAGGIE, ORGANISING THIS ICONIC EVENT. SOME ATTENDEE’S WILL STAY IN STANTHORPE ON THE SATURDAY NIGHT AND ENJOY A GROUP DINNER AT OMARA’S HOTEL (7pm). OTHERS WILL COME DOWN JUST FOR THE DAY. IF YOU ARE GOING TO STAY ON SATURDAY NIGHT, IT IS RECOMMENDED TO BOOK SOME ACCOMMODATION EARLY AS STANTHORPE IS VERY BUSY THAT TIME OF YEAR. JOIN IN THE BISCUIT FEAST AT STORM KING DAM ON THE SUNDAY MORNING. YOU ONLY NEED TO BRING YOUR CUP, SPOON AND SOME HOT WATER. THIS EVENT IS ALWAYS VERY WELL ATTENDED. DONT MISS IT.

sErviCE daY piCs

JULY 2023

The June Service Day at Rob Wynne’s workshop at Jimboomba was well attended by all accounts with President Tony reporting that some new faces (and BBQ chefs) were in attendance and some actual work on bikes was also carried out amongst the chin-wagging. There is a screwdriver which was left at the previous Service Day if it is yours send Tony a message.

drama on t HE ar C ti C t U ndra

By Michael Ahlberg, Member # 4331

With this recollection I’ll share my experience with one of the more dangerous aspects of both driving and riding. It’s not to start a debate, but simply my experience and opinion, just take it or leave it.

Touring Europe in 2017 on the R1200 GSA, was slightly more ambitious than last time on our Harley. Four months and about 8,000 more kilometres. After touring around from London, Paris, Spain, Portugal, Morocco, France, Italy, Greece and all the small countries on the Adriatic peninsular and the rest of east Europe we were finally in the Swedish Arctic and then the Norwegian Arctic. So many memories and such awesome roads and nature areas. As always, Ann as pillion, was taking thousands of pictures every day. We were carrying 4 months of luggage including tools, camping gear and souvenirs, etc. The Arctic road was straight, levelled and with good sealed surface, so much more comfortable than the many hundred km rough gravel and road works in Alaska on the Harley towing a trailer.

Distraction comes in many more forms than you realise; checking your dash, with all the fancy trip computer readings, rear vision mirror (straining to see who’s behind you for instance), the GPS, reading road signs, checking awesome views and much more. We’ve all experienced it. Just at the split second when we take our eyes away from looking ahead, something sudden happens up ahead and we have to emergency brake, or worse. Today would be such an ominous day.

I noticed what I thought was a patch of snow down from the road to the left. Looking close, it’s a white Stag Reindeer, so I signal Ann to take a photo. Note we’re travelling on the right side of this narrow elevated road. My attention was diverted for less than 2 seconds, and the Reaper was smiling.

Picture the Arctic, with no trees or bushes just the tundra ground cover. The road is elevated with sharp drops each side. The gravel road shoulder is less than two feet wide, then dropping right down. It was a perfect ride and no traffic, well except for that sedan some 80 meters ahead of us. We’re doing between 80 and 100 kph. What can go wrong? Well, only the most dangerous cause of crashes (IMHO), namely Distraction.

Two reindeer were climbing up on the right embankment, almost already on the road. The car in front of us had hit the anchors to a stop at an angle, with another reindeer also on his left, and was blocking my way straight forward. It was stationary about 30 meter ahead of us as we’re doing 80-100kph. Heavily loaded where to go? in the split second we had? There was a gap on the right between the car’s rear right fender and the closest reindeer, but it looks too narrow and along that ‘less than 2 feet’ gravel shoulder. Still with no options I went for that gap and without slowing. We zip through like in a mad action movie, and got past before the gap closed and without hitting anything, talk about Angels.

drama on t HE ar C ti C t U ndra

I’m still on the gravel narrow shoulder at speed but slowly reduced my speed, to get back across the bitumen edge in a controlled way. Then I stopped and felt like throwing up. We both had the feeling. Right then, I wanted to abandon my bike and call for a taxi or something, never to ever ride again.

Distraction dangers should of course not be new to any of us. It’s just that 99.9% of the time, it just ends with a curse or scare, right? Well please take this away from my story. Limit your distractions whether in a car or on a bike. When checking your rear mirror thinking “Is that George behind me, looking closely” or checking the dash info, GPS or reading that road sign, then LOOK TWICE, rather than more than 1.5 seconds, or three times if you have to. If you’re in Wales (you know those long road signs), pull over and stop to read the road sign. Of course it varies with speed and circumstance, but never take your eyes from where your going for more than 1.5 seconds. Look twice or several if you have to. Enough times and you could get caught out.

BTW the entire North Cape several story complex, 80% hidden inside the cape bedrock, is a great place to visit. Tourist shopping, Museum, Chapel, Movie, Restaurant, Viewing platforms and much more. Sitting by the window with a white table cloth, local fresh Salmon and a Chardonnay, looking right down to the arctic waters, good memories. It was so much more scenic and enjoyable value than Prudhoe Bay (Alaska).

Norway will always be the 1st mandatory destination when in Europe.

100 Year Dinner Celebration - Thurs 21st September

Display of Bikes - Sat 23rd September

The bike 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 please register at: Display Registration

• 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

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of BMW Motorcycles the BMWMCQ are hosting a dinner event on Thursday 21st September This will be the warm-up to the Display of Bikes on Saturday 23rd September!

Date: Thursday 21st September 2023

Time: 6:30pm – although there is a lovely bar area if you arrive earlier for a drink

Cost: $60 per person for a sit down dinner with share table style dining

Venue: Royal QLD Yacht Squadron, 578 Royal Esplanade Manly QLD 4179

Nearby accommodation:

Manly Hotel (pub style) 54 Cambridge St, Manly (07) 3249 5999

Manly Marina Cove Motel (next to Yacht Club) 578a Royal Esplanade Manly (07) 3348 1000 Or check out AirBnB listings in the area.

BOOKINGS LINK: LINK TO DINNER RESERVATION

Display - Saturday 23rd September 2023

This event will be run by the BMWMCQ at Reddacliff Place in the Brisbane CBD.

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 be given to bikes that fit the above criteria as well as bikes with hi gh kilometers or extraordinary travel achievements. These considerations do not apply to newer BMW’s.

If you are interested in applying to show your bike, please use the link below to view the Video, full Celebration Plans and the Application Form. www.bmwmcq.org.au or email for further enquiries: bmw100@bmwmcq.org.au

By Pam Tunney, Member # 4679

Haveyou ever looked out over a spectacular view, walked through a dense rainforest or encountered some majestic natural scene and been totally awed and inspired? Well this is how I felt most days on our recent Tasmanian riding adventure.

To be honest, this trip started out as a warm-up for our next big ride (Transamerica’s starting in July 2023 - in fact as you read this we will be underway!). It was a way to try out some new equipment, find some gravel roads to further hone Len’s skills, a test of our cold weather gear and our endurance. On this Tassie trip, we planned to be riding 7,500kms in a month, which would be the equivalent of how many kms we would be covering on the TransAm trip per month. It turned out to be an amazing experience in its own right and one we want to repeat as soon as we can. It had been many years between trips to the Apple Isle and the memories of how spectacular it is had faded somewhat.

Len and I left our Sunshine Coast Hinterland home on our R1250GS (two-up) in magnificent sunshine and warmth, ready and rearing to go.

Averaging around 580kms per day, we headed to Geelong via the Newell Highway to catch the Spirit of Tasmania - this time on a day crossing. The bike was more than well accommodated down in the car deck, as were we in the comfortable recliners that we had booked. While whiling away the many hours on the voyage, we discovered that we could buy National Park passes on board the ship in advance and were well pleased that we could buy Seniors Passes for 2 years at a very competitive rate. We plan to return next year.

After having departed in Geelong at 10:30am, we docked in Devonport at 8:30pm and headed straight for the motel we had booked in advance. In fact, we booked all our accommodation in advance, factoring in rest days. Our accommodation varied greatly on this trip. On the way from Qld to Victoria, we booked simple motels - figuring that we really just needed a place to rest our heads after a long day on the bike. When we hit Tassie, we had booked a mix of B&B’s, pubs, old-style hotels and self-catering houses. There is so much accommodation and so much variety available including camping if you can or feel inclined to carry the gear on your bike! Our itinerary leads us westward to start with, with a stop en route to Stanley in the wonderful little town of Penguin. I just knew we were going to love Penguin even before we arrived. Any town called Penguin just HAD to be rather wonderful. It didn’t disappoint - a lovely little seaside town with a great covered market (the Steampunk stall was definitely my favourite) and the coastline beautiful. Earlier we had taken a detour to investigate Leven Canyon. What incredible views and wonderful old forests full of tree ferns! In Stanley, we had hoped to see penguins, but sadly it seems they had only just stopped coming ashore to mate, nest and raise their young.

Throughout the trip, we set ourselves the challenge of finding and navigating some gravel roads in preparation for the Dalton Highway in Alaska. We eventually rode 6 different sectionssome up to 100km and all of varying degrees of

a tastE oF tassiE

difficulty. I have to admit to being a bit daunted by one of these roads which had a sign at the start warning that it was suitable for 4 wheel drive vehicles only. Well, we were no 4 wheel drive, but put the bike into Enduro mode and it can go anywhere. This particular route was a little more challenging than others, but no more potholed, corrugated, loose-gravelly or waterlogged than many we have encountered on previous rides.

The ferry crossing after a gravel road through the Tarkine and then across the Pieman River at Corinna took us on the smallest ferry we have ever been on. Absolutely no problems getting on and off with the bike. It was actually rather exciting!

by walking shorter distances and promising ourselves longer walks on rest days and when we come back again in the car. This trip was all about the bike.

We are both keen bushwalkers, however one of the challenges we encountered on this trip was navigating how we were going to do reasonable walks (often with steep ascents) in our heavy motorbike gear. We do carry helmet locks, so we eventually landed on locking our jackets onto the bike and leaving our helmets to lighten the load on our bodies. It was getting colder at this point, so sometimes we needed our jackets for the warmth. We often compromised

Our walk in Cradle Mountain was one such case - a shorter walk around a section of Dove Lake was nonetheless magnificent. We were quite amazed by the changes to the entrance to Cradle Mountain National Park since we were last there with its enormous visitor centre and the huge improvement the shuttle buses provide to the natural environment by restricting cars, buses (and bikes) from entering the park itself. We saw a wombat here and later when we were in Lake St Clair, we had the immense pleasure of watching an echidna saunter through the outside decking on the visitor centre.

Wildlife features heavily in Tassie. Sadly, all too often dead on the road. I can honestly say Tassie has to be the road kill capital of the world and of course on the bike you can often smell it way before you see it. We saw dead quolls, wombats, pademelons, wallabies, possums and even more devastatingly a couple of dead Tasmanian Devils. Many roads have severe speed

restrictions from dusk till dawn but sadly it seems to have little effect.

the end of the short forest walk was incredibly inviting. Apparently the caves are full of ancient indigenous artefacts and rock paintings.

The west side of the island is undoubtedly our favorite. We spent many days investigating here - feeling reluctant to leave it for a 3 day stay in Hobart. We did enjoy revisiting Salamanca Place and the markets on Saturday, Battery Point and Sandy Bay but after the magnificent wilderness and ancient forests, we were not sorry to be leaving the traffic, crowds and general busy-ness of a larger city again.

Lake Pedder and the Gordon Dam were next on the agenda. It rather amazed us that the first road into this area needed to be built in 1964 in order to construct the Gordon Dam which opened in 1978.

Our room at the Lake Pedder Wilderness Lodge provided a magnificent view of the lake. We took another gravel road to lead us to Junee Cave in South West National Park. The forest here was stunning, featuring the largest tree ferns I have ever encountered. It almost felt like a dinosaur was about to come crashing through the forest. The caves have an incredible 30km system, sadly only open to speleologists but the entrance at

We had been looking forward to our visit to Bruny Island since we first decided to go to Tasmania. The ferry ride over was no more than 20 minutes long and incredibly cheap - only $6.70 for a bike, a fraction of the cost of taking a car over. We had decided to stock up on food for the 2 night stay here, having heard that there was limited supermarket access so we were loaded to the gunnels with all of our gear and enough food to get us through. This turned out to be a bit of challenge as our accommodation was on a very wet, slippery, gravel road at the top of a hill and we had added significant weight by the time we stocked up on sufficient wine and beer to get us through. As soon as the bike was parked on an angle that we felt comfortable with, the heavens opened. And it didn’t stop for the next 24 hours. We fed the fireplace to warm us up and stayed in - lots of movies, games, reading etc. Amazingly this would be the only really solidly wet day we would encounter in the 4 week trip. Once we hit the eastern side of the

a tastE oF tassiE

decommissioned and is a museum, is incredibly knowledgeable and gave us (as the only visitors) a very detailed and interesting insight into the early days of hydro in Tassie but most particularly this site. Well worth a visit for sure.

island, our focus changed. We moved from the wilderness to rugged coastlines and excellent seafood. Visiting the Port Arthur area (not the actual site this time as we had recently tackled Auschwitz/Birkenau in Germany and felt that we had experienced enough of man’s inhumanity to man), it really got me thinking about the impact this environment would have had on the first internees at Port Arthur. What would they have made of this incredibly stark and craggy coastline, the weird and wonderful flora and fauna (including Thylacine which would have been in abundance), the climate?

On the dock awaiting loading onto the Spirit of Tasmania for our overnight crossing, we met a group of 3 Kiwis (older than us) who keep their bikes stored in Melbourne and fly over from NZ from time to time to tackle a new route in Australia. They were incredibly loaded with massive amounts of camping gear. I asked them if they had enjoyed the camping - they hadn’t camped even once because it was too cold! Still they looked impressive.

Len had really wanted to visit the historic first hydroelectric power plant at Waddamana built in Tasmania in 1916. The road to access it was gravel, but a great last dirt road on this journey. I have to admit to being a bit reluctant - power plants are not usually high on my list of ‘must-sees’ but I was proved so wrong. The guy who oversees it now that it is well and truly

In total, we rode 7,700kms, 6 gravel roads of varying difficulty, and saw a very large amount of Tasmania in our just over 3 week visit. The coldest temperature we rode in was 4°C. We will be back next year for sure for another hit of Tasmanian wonderfulness.

FUE lin G F r U strations

By Tony Gray, Member # 3905

For only the second time in her 250,000km life the Gray Ghost returned home in shame on the back of a Tow Truck. The previous occasion it was a collapsed final drive bearing and seal on a club run in Goomeri in 2017. This time it was another club ride to Tumbulgum but she only made it half way up Mt Tamborine before expiring with suspected fuel starvation.

When I got her home and connected up my GS911 diagnostic tool I was not surprised to have a fault code indicating Electric Fuel Pump supply system faulty. I removed and drained the fuel tank and extracted the pump which worked perfectly on the test bench. There was no other problem with the various hoses, all electrical connections were clean, no crushed wires, the injectors were a bit grubby but cleaned up nicely and the gauze filter on the inlet side of the pump was clean. So it was head scratch time. Could it have been dirty fuel which was a fresh load from our local Caltex?

When I reconnected the tank and put in some fresh fuel she ran like a charm EXCEPT there was now a fuel leak from the hose quick connect from the scavenge pump on the RHS of the bike. There is only one O ring sealing this connection and they are known to swell and fail after being removed and exposed to the air. Simple I thought, new O ring and back on the road.

Not so fast! New O ring installed and she still leaked. Now the Gray Ghost was still fitted with the plastic quick connects on this line and also the take off line above the fuel pump. These plastic fittings have a lot of critics but I cannot complain with the trouble free life they have given to this point.

I decided to bite the bullet and replace both of the connections with (expensive) plated brass fittings from Munich Motorcycles. OK if you are contemplating this upgrade then here are my experiences with my 2007 R1200GS. Different models will vary slightly:

• It is easier to work with panel work removed. Also remove the fuel sender unit from the top of the pump as it obstructs getting a good angle with an open ended spanner on the hex fitting of the male connector.

way. Clamp the fuel hose just below the end of the fluted section of the connector. This has the effect of opening up the hose slightly. Use the larger screw driver blade as a wedge to open up a small gap between the end of the hose and the shoulder of the fitting. Once this opening has been made, work the ball end of the Allen key in under the hose and force separation from the fluted fitting. I used the ball end rather than a flat bladed screwdriver to eliminate the risk of puncturing the hoseor your hand if it slips.

Tools:

• 19mm open end spanner, 4mm & 6mm flat bladed screwdrivers, 2mm ball ended allen key, multi grips, pincer pliers, hose clamp pliers.

• There is the option of using screw type hose clamps in lieu of the crimped type in which case you would not need pincer pliers. I chose to keep what was fitted - I think they look neater.

• Use the small flat bladed screw driver to pry open the hose clamps. Slide back out of the

• Grab the fitting with the multi-grips while holding the hose in your other hand - twist & pull and it will release with a pretty sudden force so be prepared. Remove the old clamp

FUE lin G F r U strations

and install a new one over the hose pipe before inserting the new brass replacement.

• Slide the new clamp up to the old position (pipe will be indented from old clamp) and crimp the clamp closed with the pincer pliers. Note how tightly clamped the original clamps are and replicate that. They are not meant to be pulled in so tight that the hose bulges.

• Repeat this process for the male and female fittings on the RHS and for the male fitting on the LHS above the pump.

• The threaded female fitting above the pump can be unscrewed with the 19mm spanner after first making a pen mark to how this fitting is aligned. The new fitting should align with this mark. Note the metal reinforcing ring stays in place. When I removed mine the ‘well’ in the housing was full of debris from the old thread gel. I carefully removed all of this with cotton buds then used a workshop absorbent towel to ‘wick’ up all of the fuel that contained small particles of residue. You want this area clean and dry before installing the new fitting. The kit I got came with a small tube of thread sealant and instructions:

• Apply the thread sealant to the new fitting and leave stand until tacky - about 30 minutes. Screw in the new fitting by hand - it should go in easily - if you feel any resistance then back it out and start again. Remember this is a metal thread going into plastic so a high risk of cross threading unless installed gently and carefully. Nip up with the 19mm spanner by about half a turn after finger tight - this should align approx to the mark you made from the old fitting.

Now go and have a beer as you must wait 24 hours for the thread gel to set before turning on the pump.

LABOUR OF LOVE

“It’s just a machine,” no doubt some say “Plastic, metal & rubber at the end of the day”

“It’s not worth fixing, it’s getting old”

Blasphemous words that send him cold

That’s no way to treat a faithful steed

In its hour of darkness, its hour of need With a quarter of a million kilometres together

Through every sort of terrain & weather

Trying to find an explanation

A lengthy process of elimination

Hours & days of a labour of love

He & his bike go hand in glove

It might take time but there’s no doubt

The loyal Gray Ghost will be out & about

There’s still life yet in our grand old girl

She’s taken us so far around the world

Building a Richthofen 750 or the creation of a Franken R75/6 Part 2. Starting to look good and we have lift off!!!!

By Christopher Robertson, Member #243

Nothing like a positive title, bit like a TV advert - little bit of truth built around hype! This part will cover the rear drive, rear shocks, “rear set”, gearbox and flaring. However, not all goes as one would want and we come across some unusual problems. (If you want to have a look at an R75 race bike from the period refer to this site - Butler & Smith).

Firstly, let’s catch up with more perspective navel gazing. Now hopefully following on from the first Part and this Part 2, the Reader will gather two underpinning concepts associated with this project. The first, conception of what you are doing (planning, direction and objectives wise) is as equally as important and significant as the execution of said planning, direction and objectives.

Secondly, now with regard to execution part, you cannot undertake such a project without special tools. Now with respect to this last point, tools for old BMWs are still available from Dan at Cycleworks. But these are not just reproduced factory tools, they are modified tools based on experience, that work brilliantly and reliably. They are very helpful.

Further, to digress even more, I have neglected to acknowledge in Part 1, that short of winning the lotto, we budgeted around $20k (hopefully less) to do the project. But the spondoolies were not just sitting there in the bank, it would have to be accumulated and spent over time, requiring the most monetarily efficient, responsible and available way to get there. (i,e. getting it past the missus who is an accountant).

Yet one must note with justifiable skepticism that such an approach really contrasts completely, after buying readily available bits and pieces in the UK (outlined in Part 1). This exercise, which I had reasoned at the time, was a “Get them while they are there,” option and executed under the watchful eye of the missus, within highly sensible and frugal cash flow guidelines.

Now there is are pros and cons to this approach. Pro – yes, the parts were cheaper –especially when you look at current costs. Con,even more parts of quality or better specs have become available. In fact, if one takes a deep breath and look around the motor industry as a whole there are currently an amazing number of parts, if not whole vehicles, available for many Internal Combustion Engineered (ICEs) vehicles. Four more points that need to be highlighted:

1) All bearings on the bike, engine or otherwise, would be replaced - regardless;

2) All bolts, where feasible, would be replaced. Usually with the normal BMW Allen head hex head, of stainless quality. These were usually purchased through Northside Fastners;

3) All alloy was cleaned by using soda. I simply took a kerosene gun (air compressor type), and brought baking soda from the supermarket and used that;

4) Reasoning that even though BMWs of the era tend to be over-engineered in places, the fact they are now old and you are going to put more horsepower through it, nothing should or could be left to chance.

Rear Drive:

The BMW motorcycle rear drive of an airhead is by its very nature and integral unit that can be removed and refitted very easily. In fact, at the track during the 1970s ratios were changed by actually changing the rear drive as a unit, rather than individual gear box ratios. Much quicker! Now I would like to draw a distinction between the diff as a unit to remove and refit and actually overhauling the unit. Now upfront, undertaking and replacing elements of the rear unit is not a job I would recommend for the amateur at home. Fortunately (for me at least) my brother has a garage and despite his complaints (which were many and ongoing) we managed to overhaul the unit.

Refer to photos 1 and photo 2. These photos show how badly the crown wheel splines where worn. Both splines and drive rings were replaced along with the bearings, seals and gaskets. All parts efficiently provided by Munich Motorcycles (MM). The unit was then fitted to the frame.

New shocks for racing and “rear sets”: These were provided by Flat Racer. These shocks are English made Hagons, model 2810 adjustable and are preset for my weight, for a series R75/6. It will be interesting to see how they perform given the long wheelbase of the bike. I see now they are around £274.99, but you are offered chrome or black springs. The rear sets (rear sets are the footpegs, rear bake and gear change linkages) are a combination of incorporating Tarozzi foot pegs and pedals and Flat Racer’s own linkage system. They are positioned on the rear footpeg mount and in the instructions, they warn of the incompatibility with the kick start mechanism. Refer photo 3.

Gear box:

Parts for the gear box were supplied by MM. While Moorspeed and Motoren-Israel offer great gearbox modifications for racing, we decided to stick with the standard box for now. (Read here, missus won that battle on spending). You will of course require some tools from Cycle-works (as discussed above) to successfully complete the task of overhauling the gearbox. Overhaul parts came from Bruce at MM. As a tip do not forget to change the nylon gear change selector bush for a metal type roller, if you are going to give it hard full-on use. Regardless, I had to do some modifications and there are three points to this gearbox work worth noting. Please refer to Photo 4. The first concerns removing the kick start, as mentioned above. Photo 4 shows the internals of the gear box that were removed. Finally, a weight saving. Now we are then faced with the question of what do we blank the rear cover off with (where the kick start shaft came through)? Maxbmw has new covers both for kick start gearboxes and non-kick start bikes.

Further, now if you look closely in our instance, the photo discloses the clutch pivot on the rear cover has already been repaired once before, but this looked ok or at least good enough to get it on the track for a while, until it really broke and forced my hand to my wallet. (second win to the missus). A new cover is $330.99 US. Likely by the time I get it to us, we would be looking at between $550-$600 (Aus) - ouch. Also remember in the first Part an objective cited was to use

as many of the original parts as possible. Anyway, the clutch pivot repair looked good and in lieu of refitting the shaft only, we looked for a far cheaper weight saving option. Besides nothing would sound as good as boasting to the memsahib that I had saved even more money on the project. Yet no blanking grommets or plugs of the right size could be had. Damn!!! A few nights later I was trawling, as we all do, through Ebay and found a group called Core Plugs International. They had exactly the size we needed. A steel plug was quickly ordered it and it arrived ok. You see it inserted in the picture. It has been fitted with sealant as a precaution and is of the “tap to expand” type plug. Issued solved.

Now the second point is, as you will see ringed in photo 4, the addition of a gearbox breather instead of a speedo cable. This came from Motoren-Israel.

The final point is that the gearbox, once soda blasted, then cleaned, is (as will be discussed with the front struts in the next Part) coated in a protective 2k Urethane Clear. Whether this was a good thing to do or not the jury is still out. Time will tell. For a comparison, I did the gearbox, but not the final drive – let’s see how they look in time.

Fairing:

Please refer to photo 5. I must have had an epiphany early on, as I notice the invoice for the fairing kit is dated December 2014. Hell, time bloody flies! We purchased it from Fibreglass Specialties in Garfield (great place to live if you love cats), Arkansas the USA, the total invoice being $729 (AUS) including shipping and handling an incredible $15.00!

If I remember at the time, I decided I did not want a full fairing and such smaller fairings were not all that common in the market place. (Again, this highlights the pros and cons made above, buying early means cheaper, but the choice is limited). While it comes with all the windscreen hardware, including a drill bit, you have to make up the brackets for holding the fairing, which I have yet to do.

In fact, looking at the Fibreglass Specialties site, I am not so sure they do motorcycle fairings anymore as they seem to be into model aircraft parts. You could always contact them or try Flat

Racer - but note the prices. Time, I think, I molded the parts I have for the fairing in case one breaks something on the track!!! To be perfectly honest here, I am still mulling it over whether I actually use a front fairing…watch this space…as I will discuss in a future Part regarding the instruments I am using. For amusement, I have included a photo of the bike’s old fairing. (Refer photo 6).

Next Part: 3 Steering head, front end, front brakes and other bits and pieces… Thanks, and hope you enjoyed it. And as we say “…much, much more pain and enjoyment to come…”

1. Old splines you could shave with. How close was I to shearing these off prior to taking the bike of the road in the 1990s?

2. New drive splines, along with new brake shoes.

3. All in place at the rear, including the R/H ‘rear set’, and shocks. Tyre at this stage is an old one (must be near 30 years old), just there to making working on the bike easier.

4. Rear of the gearbox, with circles highlighting the blank over the kick start shaft external outlet and the new breather.

5. Fairing kit as a mockup on the

6. The old fairing that came with the bike, but not on the bike. Best described as “aerodynamically challenged.”

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 kilometres 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 kilometres.

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

Mal Cremer receiving his 100000 km award from Tony during the June mid-week ride

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

A GLANCE BACK TO YESTERYEAR

A collection of Photos from the past, courtesy of Gary Bennett

Bob Taylor our first Life Member

K100 release Morgan and Wacker 1983

Members at the Lions Road Sign 1980

Gary Bennett on past member Bruce Underwood’s R90S at Bathurst 1977

By Tony Malone, Member #67

Living at North Ipswich I really like it when the Sunday ride leaves from the BP Blacksoil, and a gathering/start time of around 09:00hrs means that I can rise at a reasonable time, make my breakfast, do my washing-up etc. and arrive in good time. And so it was on 4 June 2023, when President Tony Gray was to take us via many roads to the Rathlogan Olive Grove & Shed Cafe for lunch.

Joining the Warrego Highway from Mt. Crosby Road I met Tony on the road, riding his Eddie Lawson replica Kawasaki; the mighty Kwaka! I always loved the Superbikes, and the exploits of Eddie and others (including that Kiwi Graham Crosby who is still in the business in New Zealand, who I saw riding the Yoshimura Z1-R at Surfers Paradise Raceway around 1980). In the old days, Kwakas Ruled!

Not only that, but the Z1-R followed in some ways the innovation of BMW with the R90S. It was generally the Z1000 with changed (and radical for the time) bodywork, with a bikini fairing. Some changes helped the performance, but otherwise many parts were interchangeable. But back to BMWs.

We gathered at Blacksoil, with lots of friendly chat and new and returning members to speak with. I think that there were 3 R/RTs including mine, and about 10 to 15 riders (including only one pillion). Tony explained that his G/S was having some problems, and so he brought his Kawasaki. He had it at the Cane Toad as well, so I presume he bleeds green. As we lined up to leave, I realised that behind the Kwaka we were ducks in a row; hence my name to this article.

Corner marking kept the group nicely in order. Taking the Brisbane Valley Highway led us to Marburg and across to Rosewood, taking the road towards Rosevale only to turn left to cross the Cunningham Highway to Harrisville. What was Mackaway’s Café (a favourite of many) has become a bakery. There is still the nice table and courtyard to eat, but the menu has changed. And what a choice of sweet things! Along with the usual pastry expectations was a beetroot muffin. I was told that these taste great, and will be taking a trip back sometime to try it out. Speaking to a couple of locals while waiting in-line for service (it is very popular) I spoke on the Fat Cow series that the ABC made at the local pub. Tony announced 5

minutes to leaving, and we were back on the road. 2 more joined our group at this point.

We followed the back ways that I usually follow when riding to the tablelands, and Tony then took us around the Wyaralong Dam to Beaudesert. It was then onto the road to The Lost World, which the Scenic Rim Site tells us “is a gem offering the chance to disconnect from modern life and engage with nature.” It certainly is nice country, taking us past Darlington Park (which was the intended site of a motorsport raceway, pondered by Tony Stephens after the closure of Surfer’s Paradise in around 1988. Local Government and politics interfered, and which a lot of preparatory work was done it was never finished). In any event it is really nice country to ride through, and the mist on the mountains made me think of the Hobbit and the Misty Mountains Song, and also of Led Zeppelin (which I was able to play to myself on my downloaded music – what motorcycling has become!)

Back on the Mt. Lindsay Highway and right at Rathdowney towards Boonah soon had us climbing the steep driveway through the olive grove. Entering I saw that there was a 4WD ahead of us, and so I climbed as slowly as I could as people like this can often chose to stop on the one lane road to admire whatever they want to look at, with disregard to those following slipping clutches etc. We do not all have automatics! However we reached the top without incident, and I found a place to park on reasonably level and firm ground, and out from under the towering gum trees (with loose branches!)

I have been here a couple of times before, one following a Gary Bennett Frigid Digit at Mt. Barney. It has a really nice gift shop, and wonderful food and service. There are a number of tables to sit around, and no-one was cramped. Tony had done a good job. Realising that there was more than one Tony, I tried to place my order in using the name “Poor”, a play on the name “Rich” which Richard had used at Harrisville. It did not work, and I became “Poor Tony”, much to the amusement of others.

And then it was time to leave. Rather than doing this as a group, we made our own choices. Remembering that we came as ducks in a row, we now separated and I knew that ...........I amAlone

By Tony Gray, Member # 3905

Hands up everyone who has dropped or misplaced something that would then require the investigative skills of Sherlock Holmes to unearth? All of you? Yes, just as I thought. Now given this is a fine motorcycle journal so I will not bore you with instances where your partner has reorganised the Westinghouse and you are left standing looking into the abyss of an open fridge unable to see the Yogurt that is now on a different shelf in full view. No, I am talking serious motorcycle stuff.

A recent occurrence has caused this train of thought which I will get back to later but first a delve into history. Jane and my first house had a double carport behind a high fence but with a concrete slab that must have been laid by a troop of chimpanzees.

Its surface could be compared to Rocky Balboa’s face at the end of the last round of the self-titled movie. Yes it was rough. My Ducati had a clutch actuating system involving several rods & ball bearings - a very Italian solution to a simple engineering exercise. Upon reassembly the clutch lever pulled straight to the bar - something was wrong. One ball bearing, about 6mm diameter had gone missing. This was the sequence of forensic investigations undertaken to find that missing ball:

• Visual inspection - zilch.

• Female visual inspection of the area - double zilch.

• Go over the area with a magnet - triple zilch.

• Sweep the area and sieve the grit through a mesh filter - Quattro zero.

• Go where no man has gone before and vacuum the area then sieve the contents - I GIVE UP.

Head in hands I had to cry enough but lived in hope that it would somehow turn up but all hope was lost when we sold the house and moved.

Fast forward to the Isle of Man TT races in 2012 where we were in the pits with a Welsh rider preparing his Yamaha R6 for the junior races. He was a friend of a friend and a few of us were standing around chatting while he tinkered with the R6. Oh, I dropped a nut! We all heard the metallic tinkle of metal on metal as it dropped. Must be just here somewhere? Now the pits at the TT are somewhat primitive, more akin to my

Corinda Carport

old carport but without the concrete. We all crawled around the rough square of carpet he had laid as well as the surrounding grass but no nut was found.

Now you might say forget it and put on a new nut but what if that nut had lodged somewhere on the bike where it shouldn’t? The consequences on the high speed TT circuit could be fatal. The brains trust resolved that it ‘may’ have dropped down the upturned exhaust so that was all removed and voila, there lay the recalcitrant nut.

So back to where this story began and the recent example of perierat, et inventus est!

Jane and I were with friends riding through Lismore and stopped in a shopping centre carpark. I removed my high viz yellow ear plugs and managed to drop one.

Walk around the bike - nothing. Look under adjacent cars - nothing. Move bikesnothing. How could something so obvious go missing? Returned home with another unsolved mystery. A few weeks passed and I was stripping all of the bodywork off the Gray Ghost before removing the tank to resolve a fuelling issue. I saw a flash of yellow, yes it was the errant earplug that had fallen down a crevasse between the throttle body and right hand cylinder such that it had gone unnoticed for so long. I reasoned that it would have been almost impossible to drop the plug into that tight fitting space if taking aim from close range. Never underestimate the ability of things to vanish without trace.

Now about that missing 10mm socket!

The forever missing in action 10 mm socket

By Tony Malone, Member #67

To take you to the beginning of this story, I had seen a classic black (an iridescent metallic very dark green, paint code 506) BMW R100CS in the paddock at Surfers Paradise Raceway sometime around 1984. It was owned by Dr. Greg Hunter, who hailed from Northern NSW at that time. He might have been an old boy of my high school (Marist Rosalie, where one is his brothers, John was a class-mate), and I envied him owning this beautiful machine. Classic Sport said it all, quite redolent of the R90S. Around September 1985 I decided that I really wanted a Moto Guzzi Le Mans. I lusted after the MkIII, and so the MkIV was surely better? Shaft drive, large fuel tank, and not Japanese. I had a look down at distributor Phil Beaumont’s, and be damned they had given her a 16-inch front wheel. It looked awful, but beside it in the showroom stood a 1981 BMW R100CS, with the features of the Le Mans, but with a 19-inch front wheel. And her Teutonic charms easily outclassed the fiery red-blooded Italian.

Phil was happy to let me have an extended test on this machine, having 18,000km on the odometer, provided I left him with a bank cheque for the purchase price ($4,900.00, he remembers that to this day). At the start the image seemed to hide shortcomings. After owning Japanese 4s (1979 Kawasaki Z650C3 and then a short time with a 1981 Suzuki Katana 1100 – what a machine – and trying what I thought must have been a wonderful evolution from the 650, a Z750, only to be somewhat disappointed) I was used to things that red-lined at about 9,000RPM. Push-rodded 7,200-7,400 was not much, and on Moggill Road just past Grandview Road (I remember it well) I worked out that this thing must have a modest top speed; quick calculation indicating that would be just under 140kph! In frustration I nudged the gear lever, only to find out that there was not 1 but 2 gears to go, and fifth (top) gave about 30kph/1,000RPM. She was not as slow as I thought, and the wonderful torque and driving force suited my riding style. (I learned much

later, in the NT of course, that she would hold an indicated 190kph without concern, but the fuel she gobbled taught me that about 140kph was better!) She steered, she was comfortable, and she looked really good. My ride along the Burringbar Ranges when that was the main Pacific Highway cemented the deal. I called Phil and told him he could keep the cheque!

Soon after I met Ron Durkin at Morgan and Wacker in Ross Steet Newstead and he invited me to a Club Meeting at Hamilton Hall. And things have moved from there, with my membership forming the basis of many great rides, memories and acquaintances. And from that time my CS was my main means of transport. Having taken the plunge in 1988 to go racing, and joining the Motorcycle Sportsmen of Queensland to give me the membership to do so, I raced her at Lakeside and Bathurst (1989). I took her touring; I used her on many types of roads (very little stopped her progress) and I rode her most every day for over 20 years. I broke the wheels going to the Off-Centre Rally to WA in 2000, but repaired her to get to the Rally on the Saturday, only to have the gearbox input shaft fail on the Barkly Tablelands! I understand that RACQ ultra assist (of which I was fortunately a member) had her trucked back to my home via WA (her first, and probably only round-Australia trip). She had done a lot of work (about 420 or 520,000km) and really needed a freshenup. And then someone gave me a ride on their R1150RT, and time changed! Tarp over the CS, and I intended to rejuvenate/improve her later on. It never happened (and the battery went flat). I kept paying registration, as it might be hard to get a roadworthy (braided steel brake lines, welded wheels, and other questionable “innovations”).

And there she sat for about 20 years. Late last year something happened and I needed a project. Having purchased a workbench at a Laverda Concourse under the Story Bridge (that long ago) I thought that I could put the CS up on that and get to work. After many hours and dollars (along with the new battery, which is really all she needed to run again, and hoping to have her ready for the 2023 Distinguished Gentlemen’s ride) I got her back on the road, changing the less expensive classic registration

to single seat. And I became a distinguished gentleman, riding one of the true classics. This is where I get to the point of this story. I decided to take a trip to Bribie Island to see a mate who lives there to show him she was back on the road. Filling at Kilcoy I remembered that on some of my trips of late out past Nanango I have seen signs to the Murgon-Kilcoy Road. Thinking back, this must have been via the Jimna fire tower, and so I decided to take that path. You see I was on a machine that recognised few obstacles (where the cast plasticine wheels of the later machines would not stand up to the rough stuff) and I had my new suspension to try out with 200mm front travel and 120 rear (8 and 5 inches for those who can recall measurement pre-1975) - see next month’s story on this. My project involved fitting the 40mm Dell’Orto pumpers I used when racing (they have ticklers and not a choke, I could not afford the expensive model as a racer. Neither could I work out how to adapt the standard air filter, and so used ram tubes, staying away from dirt). This, with the close ratio gearbox and 336-degree camshaft (a little more lift, but greater duration on the overlap giving enhanced mid-range power) I used to best advantage. I had done a lot of things over the years, and she could really lift her skirts when needed!

I had been on the Jimna Road before, many years ago. Approaching the Tower from Kilcoy the road becomes unsealed. I often enjoyed the ride from Montville along the Sunday Creek Forestry Road. Back then one could climb the fire tower and appreciate the amazing views, but that ended years ago and it was closed to public access. If you go by it have a look and be amazed at the length of the poles on which the tower sits (and they are spliced only once, the gondola being 47 metres in the sky!) Wikipedia will tell you more, if you have a look at https:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimna_Fire_Tower

Back to the road after the Tower; there has been a bit of rain of late which was enough to dampen the dust, but not enough to cause that almost imperceptible slowing of the machine which indicates boggy ground underneath (indicating a likely slippery and possibly treacherous surface). I was riding at about 6080kph in third gear (good for about 160kph) when

I saw a wallaby cross the road. Being concerned that one might follow the first, I rolled off the throttle. Sure enough the companion appeared, and I was deciding whether to brake, steer to its tail, or just carry on as it would be out of the way when I arrived. The problem was it looked at me (on later reflection it could be the slightly louder exhaust note which alerts animals to my presence, the later illustration of cattle being an example), and then made a U-turn to its right heading back into the scrub. Thank goodness for it remembering its road safety rules!

Not paying sufficient attention to the road I hit a drain hole across the road. The front just soaked it up, with enough force obvious to indicate all of the travel was put to work. No jarring, just smooth travel.

The lack of dust means that there is little to alert one to the approach of traffic. However you just hold your line and keep to the left, and this was enough to avoid the logging trucks that use this road. Riding along there were some cattle on the road, and past experience (and spending a lot of my youth chasing them) let me know that these animals can take fright instantly and rush in front of you. Again, they seemed to be aware of the approach of the machine (looking at me rounding the corner) and so we passed in safety. As you might realise, by now I was feeling quite comfortable on the machine, and the “suspension improvements” were paying off!

We then came to one of those tighter left turns, with the camber quite positive, but the corrugations being visually obvious. Having hit these at the pace I was carrying in the past I expected to feel the jolts through the handlebars, with loss of traction at the rear wheel as I powered through the turn (that is how you ride these older machines, a style which I had forgotten when riding those more contemporary). However, she just tracked true, the rear wheel kept contact and the front did nothing other than take me through the corner. While I might not be riding as hard as I had in the past (and I think that I was not down on pace) what I do know is that the machine just carried me through with confidence. The suspension worked, and makes an already nice ride even better.

I found my way back to the Burnett Highway and Nanango. On this ride nothing had deterred me. Clearly I had attained the outcome to which I aspired. There are quite a number of details that need more revision (the rear-set footrests are a little too far back to be as comfortable as I would like, with the ¾ solo seat giving a range of seating positions that I am yet to find most suitable to me). However, the project is coming along fine, and I know that as this is my machine and so in this quest ............I amAlone

A Distinguished Gentleman with his Companion

A Vision Splendid

An American Ford waiting to Pick-up the Fraulein?

Life, Bee in it!

And the Bush has Friends to Meet Him

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

People ask what can happen if the locating pin comes out of the front Main bearing carrier.... this bike was fitted with the early type non-slotted main bearing shell..... needless to say the top end was toast too... this is why I recommend you take the sump off at every major service.

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!

Brisbane BMW Motorcycle Specialists

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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FREE BMW Motorcycle Safety Inspection Report

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.

SHOP ONLINE FOR ALL YOUR MOTORCYCLE TYRES & ACCESSORIES WITH THE ADDED BENEFIT OF AFTERPAY “BUY NOW, PAY LATER” HTTPS://NSMCTYRES.COM 1/14 Paisley Drive Lawnton Qld 4503, Phone 07 3205 6505 Email info@nsmctyres.com

& Aftermarket

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

and Crash

By Cindy Bennett, #4170

Parting is such sweet sorrow....

Ending our 100 day Ultimate South America expedition a couple of weeks back prompted a mixed bag of emotions. The last day ride into Cartagena, Colombia in high 30’s temp with 90% humidity and slow traffic was the final challenge and I could not wait to get off the bloody bike! Heat induced thoughts of dumping it on the outskirts of the city and either setting fire to it or leaving the keys in it were very tempting but the end must be reached.

The following day’s trip to the Port in preparation for the trip home was similarly hot and miserable - but leaving my Tigresa in the shippers warehouse with plans for the following days of narcotics inspection with a camera down the fuel tank - very invasive - gave pause to appreciate the opportunity we had to undertake this epic trip and I did give her tank a fond farewell pat before catching a welcome airconditioned taxi back to the hotel.

We made some wonderful friends on this trip who we will definitely keep in contact with, we have seen the best and worst of each other and provided words of support when needed or a joke to lighten a tense moment. These riding buddies were luckily of a similar adventuresome nature and didn’t blink when a Death Road trip was up for grabs. Many tall tales were told over an end of day beverage (or 5). We will miss this camaraderie almost as much as the amazing scenery of the South American continent.

However living out of a suitcase and changing hotels most nights will not be missed - what starts as a novelty for the first 60 or 70 days became a necessary evil to complete the trip. We had one day when the support vehicle was caught up in roadworks and didn’t arrive until the wee early hours, so the practice of packing a set of clothes and a small toiletry bag in the topbox paid dividends for those of us who were doing this. For the others a good learning.

Those of us with pets and loved ones at home were also keen to get home to reacquaint ourselves, and the fantasy of doing washing whenever we wanted and sleeping back in our own bed was a definite attraction. I know that in short order I will be planning the next major expedition, all lower 48 USA states in 2025. This one will not be an organised tour, but we will catch up with all our American riding friends to point us in the direction of the best riding roads. Ride on!

A happy group of travellers! Scooter battles at roadwork delays!

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

Crossing the Equator, box ticked

Not my favourite surface to ride!