Committee
President - Cindy Bennett
Ph: 0401 610 671
president@bmwmcq.org.au
R1200C
Vice President - Tony Gray Ph: 0409 493 605 vpres@bmwmcq.org.au
R1200GS (The Grey Ghost)
R60/6
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
Editor - Duncan Bennett Ph: 0458 293 569 editor@bmwmcq.org.au Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro
Records- Greg Gaffney Ph: 0411424 219 records@bmwmcq.org.au
R1200RT
Tools/Service - Chris Bramwell
Ph: 0427 480 811
tools@bmwmcq.org.au
K1200GT
Regalia - Mario Grossi Ph: 0422 133 131 regalia@bmwmcq.org.au
R1200RT
Dealer Liaison - Don Grimes
Ph: 0411 601 372
R1200GS; K1300R
Sub-Committee Roles
Clubs Australia - Paul Hughes
Training Representative - Julian Davis
Club Details
This Issue - July 2024
On The Cover
Jurgen and Merv’s magnificent machines at the June Service Day at Jimboomba.
Duncan Bennett Editor’s Report
What’s in a name? That which we call a Chiko Roll by any other name would smell as god-awful.
Looking through the BMWMCQ member list, and yes we have that and thick dossiers on all of you right back to when you were born in a public hospital or first opened a Dollarmite account, the trend in names is interesting.
The most popular name for members is David, we’ve collected 11 of those along the way. Even accounting for weird spelling (if your name is Steven, I assume people named Stephen are your mortal enemies) it wins. Paul comes in second with 10, no weird spelling has been developed by those purists. Ian and “I carry a spare i, just in case” Iain are equal second, then we’re back to the Graeme/Graham no-it’s-spelled-the-other-way-your-honor in third.
A surprise for the blokes is that we are well represented in the top 10 QLD baby names list for 2023. We don’t have an Oliver, that’s been popular for a long time so surely one owns a BMW by now and should join, but we do have a Henry, William, Leo, Charlie, and Jack. Loads of potential BMWMCQ riders being still being bred up.
The BMWMCQ ladies are in the Critically Endangered or Extinct in the Wild categories of Threatened Species. Not only do we not have any members with the same name, none proudly stand with the Willows, Harpers, and Islas in the top 10 QLD baby names. “Thank heavens” I’m sure they all say.
Anyway, for someone whose name means “dark-skinned warrior”, and has about as popular a name as Adolf, I mean come on people, are our memories really that short, discussing names is not a great idea. Better to talk about motorcycles, but googling “dark skinned BMW motorcycle warrior”just confuses the AI:
Duncan
Submissions
for the next Journal close 25th-ish July
Cindy Bennett President’s Report
We are well and truly into winter now, and we recently enjoyed a 10 day escape to the Kimberley which was a lovely break, although unfortunately no riding on that trip.
Our month of Club events started strong with the Service Day and even though it may not have been as well attended as others there were some new faces and of course the sausages were popular. Chris Lancaster baked some delicious biscuits and brought them along, I am still dreaming of them and have hassled Chris for his recipe!
The Monthly Club led ride to Kilkivan Hotel by Richard de Groot was well attended and a really fun day. I grew up near Eumundi and there were some roads we went on around there that I hadn’t been on. The morning tea stop at Carters Ridge was a highlight, what a hidden gem the Hub Café was. My savoury scone was to die for, and the coffees came quickly. Kudos to Richard for a top day.
A reminder for the Ride to Zero sessions we have scheduled, these are getting rave reviews and there are plenty of places available. You can also “bring a friend” which means they take advantage of the Club funding to do the training, and the cost for them is a mere $50 - bargain!
This month marks the start of the new German Dinner experiment. Each month we will alternate a southside and northside dinner, this month was Bavarian Blue at Wellington Point, attended by 7 fun loving southsiders.
I am really looking forward to the July events including Christmas in July, ably organised by Richard Price and of course the Frigid Digit camping weekend on the 27/28 July. Ben Nazzari has taken the reins this year to assist Gary, so pack your tent, winter woollies and BRING IT ON!!
Cindy.
BMWMCQ Club Events for JULY 2024
Date Start Event Details Contact
Thur 4
July
7:30pm Club General Meeting
Geebung RSL Club, 323 Newman Road, Geebung QLD. Meals from 6pm President
Sat 6 July 6:00pm Christmas in July O’Mara’s Hotel, Stanthorpe Organiser - Richard Price
Sat 13
July
Wed 17
9:00am Monthly Coffee Morning Pitstop Cafe Mt Mee
July 9:00am Mid Week Ride Meet Dayboro 8:30 for 9:00am departure
Fri 19
July 9:00am Ride to Zero Register via link on Facebook or Club website - cost only $50
Sat 27 to Sun 28
July 8:00am Frigid Digit Mystery Weekender - camping Meet at Mt Coot-tha see below for further info!
Wed 31
July 6:00pm Northside German Dinner German Biergarten 7 Dickson St, Wooloowin
Events Coordinator
Events Coordinator
Training Rep - Julian Davis
Events Coordinator
Events Coordinator
The 25th Frigid Digit will be held at a cold mystery location on the weekend of 27 to 28 July. Meet at GXF8+4M2 (Google Maps), Mt Coot-tha on Saturday morning 8:00am. Meeting spot is on right hand side heading up to the summit lookout on Scenic Drive.
Self-catered BYO dinner (and warming beverages!) for a true “blue” camping weekend.
Thur 1 August 7:30pm
BMWMCQ Club Events for AUGUST 2024
Geebung RSL Club, 323 Newman Road, Geebung QLD. Meals from 6pm
Saint Jude
Jimboomba (Just off Mt Lindesay Highway)
UPCOMING EVENTS TO PUT IN YOUR CALENDAR
Ben Nazzari Events Officer’s Report
Hiall,
Winter has finally come, and the weather has been generous to us regarding our club outings and events. Last month’s calendar was an exceptional one in which I partook in the majority of the rides and gatherings.
The Club led ride in which Richard De Groot led was an absolute cracker of a ride, a lot of roads I have never been on before and the destination to the Kilkivan Hotel for lunch was a highlight as well as the ride home through Goomeri and Yunta then down the D’Aguilar hwy to home. Thank you Richard for a memorable day.
The Mid-Week ride in which David Harvey led us from Blacksoil to Heifer Creek campground via Gatton for morning tea was another cracker of a ride, excellent weather and great company. Thank you, David, it’s always a pleasure riding with you mate.
The Coffee morning @ the Pelican Cafe Welly Point was another great meet up. Absolutely stunning views and great food with even better company. The people who turn up to these event’s make my job so easy because I know each and every one of them appreciates what I do which in turn makes me love what I do.
This year will be my second attendance at the Frigid Digit and my 1st @ organising this Crowdpleasing event in which Gary Bennett has handed over the reins to me to take on and carry it forward. I have ridden and driven a lot of km’s so far to make sure I have accomplished all the criteria for such a legendary ride to a mystery destination.
Life gets busy and we all have commitments we need to attend to so I had better sign off and get moving.
Please be safe and stay upright
Regards, Ben.
Frigid Digit 2004 (Stanthorpe), photo provided by Gary Bennett
Tony Gray Vice President’s Report
The VP has been MIA for the past 2 months while OS in part taking in the TT on the IOM. Confused with the use of acronyms? Well we are not alone as the use of acronyms gets out of hand judging on what I have just read in the latest RACQ journal. How many of these vehicle related acronyms do you know? FCA, BCA, SEA, ISLA, DAW, LVDA, BVM, HBA, IFS, SCC, LFA, RVM, SVM, PDW, PCA, RCCA, SPA, RSPA, ROA, MCB - no I am not going to expand you will just have to read the RACQ journal or look at the owners manual of the latest incarnation of a 4 wheeled vehicle. I drive a 22 yo Commodore that only has ABS and as modern bikes also have this device I do understand that one.
Now back on subject - the past 2 months Jane & I have been swanning around Europe (at least a small part of it) centred on the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy races - there you go, acronyms explained. I have written about the IOM TT in a journal story so have a read if you are interested in going to this iconic event. We spent 10 days on the IOM and explored Paris, Spain, Portugal, Guernsey & the English Midlands for the rest of the time. There is great riding to be had in Spain & Portugal and the BMW GS (damn acronyms) still rules as it does in England. In my humble opinion Mother England has just got too congested to be enjoyed on a bike or car for that matter. England has a population approaching 70 million who get squeezed into an area appreciably smaller than the Northern Territory. Is it any wonder the road network cannot cope.
Now back home I cannot wait to get back and enjoy this beautiful winter weather on our, not too congested, roads. Yes we have bumps and potholes but we are very lucky to have what we have so get out and enjoy it while we can.
Tony
Geoff Hodge Secretary’s Report
BMWMCQ April General Meeting Minutes 6 June 2024
Venue:
Geebung RSL
Meeting Opened: 7:30pm
Apologies
Minutes of Previous General Meeting:
Mario & Fiona Grossi, Michael & Ann Ahlberg, Tony & Jane Gray, Les Fitzpatrick, Ron Durkin, Craig Brennan, Paul Hughes, Paul Maguire, Charlie Brown, Peter Ferguson, Matthew Leitch
Accepted: Julian Davis
Seconded: Darryl Gowlett
Number of Attendees: 38
New Members (Name & MC):
Boden Matthews K1600GT & CE 04, Incy R1250GSA & R100GSPD & Suzuki GS1000, Karl Hurst K1200GT & Yamaha CX500
Visitors: Keagan, son of Jay Webb.
Treasurer Report: As per Treasurer report.
Editor Report: Editor away for work. It was noted that the current editor team have done 50 Journals to June 2024.
Secretary Report: Nothing to report, NSW Club magazines only post items rec’d.
Records Report: Records Officer not in attendence.
Events Report:
Monthly ride to Kilkivan Pub - Richard de Groot leading.
• Redland Bay for Coffee morning.
• German club dinners Bavarian Blue Wellington Point and German Biergarten Wooloowin alternate months.
• Xmas Party 30 November Hervey Bay Boat Club
• Ride 2 Zero 16th June & 19 July upcoming dates
Training Report: Investigating First Aid training courses - details to be advised.
Regalia Report: New ordering system implemented. Have ordered stubbie holders. Check the Regalia pages for price and ordering changes.
Dealer Liaison Report: 1300GS selling well 34 sold so far at M&W. 1300GS auto TBA. On sale; R1250 / 850 GS / S1000. Coming soon R12 / R18 heritage.
Tools Report: Service Day went well, lower numbers but had a couple of members of Gold Coast Club attend.
Vice President Report: VP currently away in Europe, enjoying IOM
President Report: President has new bike! R1250GS (factory low) - enjoying so far.
Clubs Australia Report: AGM was held and Paul H sat in via Zoom for 2 days, report to follow but Bailey Gifford new Bikes Chairman. Thanks to Paul for taking the time to attend this meeting as CA Rep for BMWMCQ.
General Business: Richard Maher is re-enamelling an early club badge to original colours.
Meeting Closed: 8:25pm
Darryl Gowlett Treasurer’s Report
G’day Everyone,
Well, well, well. I’ve been somewhere. I went to Melbourne to celebrate my aunty’s 99th birthday. She doesn’t want to see in the centenary. But alas, due to my per poor personal time management skills, I flew down. But I did ride the bike to the airport. Only $10 per day in Carpark 1.
The regalia, the 100yr books, and the Cane Toad Rally, have all been paid out, with only the donations to the RFDS and the Mount Perry Development Board outstanding. We can’t finalise this yet as we’re still awaiting some payments from the local businesses.
Ciao, Darryl*
* The rest of Darryl’s Report and a discussion on the content are on page 42.
Greg Gaffney Records Officer’s Report
Beautiful riding weather and a nice club ride to Kooralbyn today. I still wish to replace my front Michelin Road 6 GT tyre. Everybody has this tyre on back order! I have a spare Michelin Road 5 GT at home with about 50% tread and is about 5 years old. I’m not sure if I could find someone to fit it legally however considering its age.
Cheers, Greg
Welcome to New Members:
Gordon Walker, ROBINA, R18 First Edition, R18 Transcontinental
Steve Ramsay, NEWPORT, Ducati Multistrada S Touring
William Thompson, SURFERS PARADISE, R18 Classic, Honda Africa Twin
Nothing to do with Records, but everything to do with Regalia. Gary Bennett’s helmet and K bike being used to showcase a Long Helmet Sticker.
When traffic control and the constabulary see one of these on your helmet, they’ll wave you through.
At least I think they do. Just need someone to try it.
Chris Bramwell Tools Officer’s Report
TTheClub Service Day will be held at Rob Wynne’s place at Jimboomba on 24th August. Rob Wynne’s place starting at 0900 - 0930.
Location: 61-63 Saint Jude Circuit Jimboomba (Just off Mt Lindesay Highway) Note: some GPSs require the suburb to be “Glenlogan”.
Members attending can do bike servicing and with Bill Luyten’s help you can use the GS-911 to carry out diagnostics check on your bike. The test takes about 20 minutes. Sausage sizzle and drinks will be sold to raise funds for the RFDS (Royal Flying Doctors). Adding this Service Day are Home Made scones, jam and cream 2 scones with coffee Tea or soft drink $5.00 also for RFDS, so dig deep and bring your appetite.
The GS-911 diagnostic tool is probably the most valuable tool we have in our inventory with the amount of electronics on modern BMW bikes. To see what the GS-911 functionality has to offer for your bike, check out this website link:
https://www.hexgs911.com/function-chart/
Don’t forget about the club’s new tools:
• LambdaKing Mk II - Air Fuel Ratio
Tuning Meter
• Sniff Stick for use with the LambdaKing Mk II
Two new manuals were recently purchased and a Haynes R1200 repair manual:: F800 - Complete coverage of BMW F650, F700 & F800 Twins (06 - 16)
R1200 Liquid- Cooled Twins - R1200GS*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:
• SynchroKing - Carburetor & Throttle Body Balancer
$50 deposit (refundable) for GS911. Tools and spares can be picked up or brought along to the next meeting or Club ride. tools@bmwmcq.org.au or
Mario Grossi Regalia Report
regalia@bmwmcq.org.au G’day all.
“BE PREPARED, AS YOU NEED ONE OF THESE READY FOR THE ANNUAL FRIGID DIGIT”:
Come and see me at the Geebung RSL to pick up a Beanie in Blue or Black at our next meeting on the 4th July 2024 and also check out our full range of Regalia.
We have some exciting new stock items that I will be bringing along that you can all look, feel, touch and buy direct from the floor or place your order with some shirts and vest available for you to try on for size. You can also accessorise with our range of Beanies, Caps, Bucket Hats and Bags.
Thank you all for your feedback that I have been able implement to “twirk” and “tweek” to fine tune some of the ways we can improve on the way we do this stuff.
I can officially announce that we will also have Stubbie Coolers as a new product launch being released at the Geebung RSL. Here is the artwork that will be on the new release:
Ride safely and enjoy the journey.
Mario
Regalia Collection Set of 6 ....1 x Large Patch, 1 x Small Patch, 1 x Key Ring, 1 x Small Round Sticker, 1 x
Regalia Ordering Methods
Regalia is ordered through: regalia@bmwmcq.org.au or call Mario on: 0422 133 131
Method 1: Bling Your Own Wardrobe
You can get a BMWMCQ logo embroidered on your own shirt (or underwear, no-one but Mario needs to know). Purchase the item, call/email Mario, and drop it off at a General Meeting or contact Mario for the best way of getting the item transferred.
Method 2: Use the Inta Net
Click on the links on the previous page, or if you want something different, go to linked website (link below), and note supplier, item number and size and colour and send details to Mario via email or contact number.
Note: Shirts, vests, and other items have the 2021 (current) logo:
Hats and other items with limited vertical space still have the old logo style:
Method 3: Bang on a Badge
Buy a big or small badge from the Regalia Officer, and iron or glue or sew it on your jacket or shirt:
Please contact your Regalia Officer for more help with options of ordering methods via email regalia@bmwmcq.org.au as Mario is standing by waiting for your call 24/7 on 0422 133 131 as long as he’s not fishing, golfing or sleeping.
ISLAND HOPPING WITH GREAT MATES
JEGJun2024
We flew this time when we would usually ride
We saw all the bikes and nearly cried It was the Isle of Man TT no less
Just being there was great, we must confess Mates, Jacqui & Peter, kept “home fires” burning
While we sat watching bikes twisting & turning
Wintry winds, sea fog, showers and sun
Anxiously waiting to see the bikes run
At Bungalow, Hairpin and Parliament Square
The riders reached speeds we would never dare 10 days on the Isle with its magical feel
Ramsey, Douglas, Kirkmichael and Peel
Next we travelled to a smaller isle
With roads so narrow they were nearly single file
Where my great-great-grandma was said to be born
History so rich in recent times & long gone
Closer to France than the British Isles
Nothing but water for miles and miles
With our UK mates, Peter & Di
We arrived with warplanes painting the sky
Guernsey Day put on a fabulous show 4 fun-filled days we were on the go
Last but not least was back to the UK
The biggest isle of our “island hopping” stay Mates, Peter & Di, kept us entertained
For 2 weeks straight it never rained
Warm sunny days with cool fresh starts
Quaint olden towns with “High Street” marts
Museums of cars, motorcycles and planes
Thatched roofed houses in country lanes
Such a great adventure doing what we like
So very different though without our bike
SAVE THE DATE!!! The details for the 2024 BMWMCQ Christmas Party have been set, and we are heading North to Hervey Bay this year!
Date: Saturday 30 November
Time: 6:00pm to 11:30pm
Venue: Fraser Room, Hervey Bay Boat Club - Buccaneer Drive, Urangan
Menu: Christmas themed buffet $40 per head for 2 courses
To book: Stay tuned for a booking link on our website coming shortly...
Accomm. nearby: Ramada by Wyndham
Boat Harbour Studio Apartments & Villas
Break Free Great Sandy Straits Resort
Up WitH Garmin?
IBy Gary Bennett, Member #509
If you are fed up with
BASECAMP
Then read on…
f you are tearing your hair out using Basecamp there is an alternative. It’s the Harley Davidson route creation tool that you can use online. No downloading is necessary, it has comprehensive maps for the whole world and is similar to use as Google Maps but with the ability to export a .GPX file.
It can be found at this address: maps.harley-davidson.com
When the screen opens up, click on “create” at the top of the screen. Add a start point, including State and Country. The state and country are only necessary if the address or business could also be found outside Australia.
It will show the shortest way to get to the destination, you can drag the route to the way you want to get to the destination the same way you do when using Google Maps.
Once you are happy with the route, click “save ride” in the top right-hand corner, then give the route a name in the panel that popped out on the left side of the screen, then “Save Ride” at the bottom of that panel. You can “export GPX” at the top right of screen to your desktop.
From the desktop you can load it onto your Garmin or email it to anyone.
If you have Apple CarPlay, just email it to yourself, open the email on your phone and send it to “Scenic or Waze” apps to navigate.
Your hair should grow back once you stop using Basecamp!
Ed: Wow. Just wow. As many know, I like a touch of dirt with my coffee. To test the HD maps, I tried to create a route that I know is extremely difficult to do in Basecamp without creating a heap of waypoints and loading a non-Garmin map. The HD maps is incredibly easy to use, searching for locations is like using Google Maps. It does assume you are riding a Harley, and that you aren’t Million Dollar Bogan, so it will obviously draw the fastest route. But unlike Garmin where you have to create waypoints to force it to take the road you want, you just drag and drop the route onto the road you want, which automatically makes a waypoint.
It got close - it still doesn’t want to take un-named tracks. But best of all for dirt people - you can do the route entirely in satellite view so you can see that the roads actually exist. In Basecamp I would have to use Google Earth to check, a lot of time wasted. And best of all, loading the map onto your GPS keeps the route you’ve planned, not the one Garmin decides you should do.
I can feel my hair coming back in thicker and stronger......
By Tony Gray, Member #3905
ISLE OF MAN TT without a bike (REALLY!!)
The Isle of Man TT Festival is the pinnacle of Motorcycle racing in the original purest sense - racing around the houses and between the hedges. This was our fourth trip to the Isle of Man but our first without the ‘Gray Ghost’ our beloved R1200GS. It would be very different, but would we be disappointed? We were about to find out.
This year’s European trip was a (short for us) two months so not financially or practically viable to ship the bike so every other means of transport was engaged. We are extremely lucky in having friends who live on the Isle of Man so a major part of the planning was taken care of - accommodation. On previous trips we have stayed at our friends home on the west coast outside of the town of Peel and away from the TT Mountain Course. They have since moved to a converted Church just outside of the town of Ramsey and just a short walk from a major viewing place on the course - Parliament Square.
Here is a brief geography lesson for those not familiar with the Isle of Man. This is a small island some 33 miles long x 13 miles wide with a coastline of approx 90 miles (yes they still talk imperial). The Mountain Course for the TT is 37.75 miles long and occupies a large portion of the centre and north of the Island. During TT fortnight (one week practice, one week racing) traffic and life on the IOM is totally disrupted.
2024 saw the biggest attendance since covid and may well have been the biggest since the bumper centenary year in 2008. Final visitor figures were not available at time of writing. The Ferry service, the IOM Steam Packet Company, transported 13,500 bikes to the Island but there were many more that came in the back of vans or transporters. Visitor numbers were nudging 50,000 which blows out the resident population of 85,000. You must book your passage 12 months in advance - we couldn’t even get a walk-on ticket 3 months out so had to fly in from Manchester and every plane was full.
Viewing spots are many around the course and free of charge unless you choose one of several temporary grandstands erected for the event. You may prefer to view from one of the many pubs on the course but will need to pay for your pint. Over the years we have watched from a number of great positions apart from paid grandstands - we have our preferences but it depends on what sort of experience you are chasing? There are very high speed sections where the bikes pass in a blur of speed and noise and that is exhilitrating but may get a bit numbing. Tighter sections where you can observe cornering techniques are good and then you have to consider the amenity - some places are remote with just a toilet for creature comfort while others like Ramsey gives full access to the town shops and pubs. The other major consideration is whether you sit on the inside or outside of the course. There are only a few overbridges (pedestrian only) where you can cross the course. One Australian woman
this year was fined about $1500 for crossing the closed course - she incorrectly assumed the course was open after the Course Marshal car had passed.
If you do not have your own transport then there are bus services that run around the Island but these are curtailed during race or practice times. There is also a scenic electric train service between Ramsey and Douglas that is unaffected by the races. This stops at Laxey where there is another electric rail service that climbs Snaefell the highest mountain where you can view from the Bungalow or Verandah - note it can get very cold up there as we have experienced on a couple of occasions.
We arrived on Friday, the last practice day, with racing programmed for five days being Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday. The rest days are planned to allow for rider recovery & machine maintenance as well as providing a spare day when races are deferred due to weather or accidents. This year the rest days were required due to inclement weather but fortunately there weren’t any very serious accidents. Consider this when thinking about rider recovery. There were 8 solo and 2 sidecar races on this years’ program. Many of the team and sponsored riders had entered in all 4 solo classes being supertwin, superstock, supersport and superbike/senior (same bikes different name). Each class had 2 races. If the rider completed their full program they would race 31 laps of the 67 km course over a week - that is almost 1,900 racing kms where any mistake could be your last.
So how did we go getting around the course without the Gray Ghost? In all we moved between five different places either by walking from Ramsey which gave access to the Hairpin & Stella Maris*, May Hill & Parliament Square and the Bungalow accessed by the Mountain Rail. I had also walked up to the Gooseneck from Ramsey for the Sunday Parade lap but that is quite a climb.
*Stella Maris is a private home just below the Ramsey Hairpin where the owner generously opens his property (as well as a toilet) for the enjoyment of the spectators. This is typical of what we have experienced on every one of our trips to the IOM. The Island people are very welcoming.
With that many bikers from so many countries all squeezed into pubs, cafes, viewing spots you could reasonably expect some grief - we have never witnessed or heard of any disturbances - another example of the essence of what the IOM is all about. People with a common bond in motorcycles enjoying what they lovemotorcycle racing in it’s purest form. Long may it last.
B is CU it rid E
The FAMOUS Maggie and George Biscuit Ride will be held at Jubilee Park, Tenterfield on Sunday 11 August from 10:00am. Peter Todd is again coordinating the event with Maggie, and has organised a dinner on the Saturday night at The Tavern, Tenterfield at 6:00pm for those who are staying in town that night.
This is an event not to miss, Maggie’s biscuits are a wonder to behold and ever so delicious. Just BYO cup, hot water and spoon and join the fun.
By Scott Sandquist
The Editors met our guest contributor Scott Sandquist last year on the Ultimate South America tour. Scott and wife Gina are currently touring Europe 2-up on their BMW R1200 GSA. Scott is from the USA which explains his “tire” spelling - but we didn’t want to change a word in his very unique take on the journey!
I’m a motorcycle tire. I’d like to tell you my life story. It’s a rather short story as far as time goes but it’s its a pretty good story nonetheless.
My life began in Sweden on 30 September 2023. My twin sister and I were mounted on a 2017 BMW R1200GS Adventure. We left Sweden shortly afterwards and headed south.
We would stop along the way and sometimes I would talk to the other motorcycle tires parked next to me. They had all sorts of different lives. The wear they displayed told the story of their lives.
Some were new borns and still had the little nubbins showing. They were just excited to be in a group. Others had really wide chicken strips. These guys were envious of the sport bike tires that were worn to the edges. The sport bike tires knew they were doomed to a short life. Some of their lives would end long before their tread was gone. The ones I felt most sorry for were the ones that were old but still had lots of tread. One tire actually showed signs of dry rot. I peeked at his manufacturer’s date and saw that he was 12 years old. I asked him what he’d seen in his lifetime. He said “Not much, just local roads and an occasional trip to the dealer for an inspection”.
One day another GSA was parked next to me and the tires were unique. It was obvious that they weren’t old but it appeared they were almost at the end of their life. The tires were knobbies and there were chunks missing and cuts and gashes. There was a plug in the rear
t HE tir E s tal E
that had obviously been there for a while.
I was so curious. I wanted to hear the story. I asked l, how old are you, where have you been? He explained that he was only two months old, about 3,000 miles and had spent his entire life off road. He told stories of rock gardens, hill climbs, long desert runs, creek crossings and mud, lots of mud. Even though he looked rough, he sounded happy and content with the life he had lived. I had no idea what lay ahead for me and my sister.
Scott & Gina. Motorcycle tire abusers.
We continued South through Europe and eventually arrived at the beaches of Normandy. I could feel the emotion of my rider as he experienced this holy place. After this we headed North and boarded the tunnel train to the UK and quickly turned North to Scotland.
Scotland was my first taste of true twisties. We ran the entire length of the famed North Coast 500 around the Scottish Highlands. I remember one day it was raining and we were climbing. I could see the snow falling in the hills above us. As the elevation increased, the temperature
t HE tir E s tal E
dropped. When it reached 34 degrees (1 degree C), we stopped and contemplated the risks and rewards of continuing.
My rider had faith in me and we continued. I could see the shininess of the pavement begin to dull. Just then we crested the summit and began to descend. The temperature slowly began to rise and the shininess returned to the pavement. At this point the ride began a series of tight turns on rough roads barely wide enough for one vehicle, let alone two. I had never leaned so far and worked so hard. As the rain stopped and tempo increased, I felt my temperature rise. It was a beautiful thing. I remember it so well. It was my first time!
After that we headed South through Wales and I got the full experience of country lanes, blind corners and brutal potholes. It was fun, I felt I was coming in to my own and looked forward to telling my stories to the other tires.
Just as I was really starting to enjoy life, on 6 Nov, 23 at the age of 37 days it stopped. I had only travelled 4,480 miles. I was placed in storage in London. This was a prison for motorcycle tires. Even though it was a controlled environment, I could feel my life slipping away. I wasn’t alone. There were many tires there with me. There were tires mounted on antique motorcycles that were over 20 years old and had only traveled a couple hundred miles. There were other tires like me just wondering how long it would be until we were free again, if ever!
Five months later, on 4 Apr 24, I heard the voice of my rider. He had returned. I was so happy. He immediately performed maintenance on the bike, adjusted my pressures and off we went. I have never felt so happy as I was that day. I knew at that point, I would have the opportunity to live my life.
As we loaded the luggage, I remembered how much of a load I was going to be carrying. With rider, passenger and all the associated gear,
we were at the limit. I didn’t mind a bit. This was my life and I was happy for the abuse. The next day we traveled to Portsmouth, UK and boarded a ferry for Santander, Spain. There was a large group of motorcycles and we all spent time telling our stories. I was surprised to hear that most of the other tires had also spent time in storage. It was then that I accepted this cruel reality of a tire’s life.
When the ferry docked and we were ready to disembark, we all wished each other a safe journey and everyone yelled “Keep the Rubber Side Down”.
We headed inland and up into the Picos de Europa mountains where I experienced my first true mountains. They were beautiful, the snow caps rising above us so majesticly. We continued on to the West and arrived at the border of Portugal.
We zigzagged back and forth on a Southerly course towards the Mediterranean. We visited the Western most point in mainland Europe at Sagres. From there we followed the Mediterranean Coast to Gibraltar. We boarded another ferry across the strait of Gibraltar and landed in Tangier, Morocco.
Our week in Morocco was scary and exhilarating. The traffic and roads were chaotic. The Atlas Mountains were incredible and so dangerous. The desert was so remote but it seemed like no matter how remote we were, there was always someone standing on the side of the road.
After our return to Spain, we headed North. Not directly North, we intentionally sought out the twistiest roads we could find. Spain was a motorcycle tire’s paradise. A place to raise your temperature and scrub your edges.
When we got to Northern Spain, the Pyrenees were on the itinerary. We proceeded across the border into France and travelled
East through the French Pyrenees. These roads were at a whole different level than anything I had ever experienced. I had never worked so hard in my life and I could feel the effects on my performance begin to decline as my side lugs began to wear away. The sharp descending switchbacks were brutal.
We visited Andorra. What an incredible place with beautiful roads, beautiful mountains and lots of interesting motorcycle tires. After Andorra we headed South again back into Spain. We stayed near the city of Barcelona.
The day after we arrived in Barcelona we went to an event. I didn’t understand what was happening. As we approached the event I saw more and more motorcycles. This was crazy! I couldn’t comprehend what was happening. I guess there was about 15-20 thousand motorcycles parked in this field. I have never talk to so many tires in my life. We were at the Moto GP of Catalunya, Spain.
At this point, I realized I was different from all the others. My bike had a US plate. All the others were from Europe. There were a lot of bikes that had traveled from France and some came from Germany, Belgium and Netherlands. But I felt kinda special.
After three days of that craziness, we returned
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to the Pyrenees and headed East towards the Alps.
On 31 May it was raining and we were on some of the twistiest roads of my life. I was only 8 months old and had only been on the road for three months. I had traveled 11,000 miles through some of the most beautiful motorcycle roads in the world.
While we were in the mountains, I could feel my pace slowing. I wasn’t as sure of myself as I usually was. After we reached the flat lands, we entered a traffic circle and I slipped. I had slipped before but not like this. At that moment, I knew I had reached the end of my life. On 1 Jun 24, my life ended.
As I sat at the dealer waiting to be removed, I talked with the other tires around me. Some were brand new and mounted on new bikes. They listened so intently as I detailed the life I had lived. I can only hope they have half the life I got to live. When I was being removed from the rim, I wasn’t sad. I was proud of the life I had lived. You see, it’s not about the miles in your life, it’s about the life in your miles. Keep the Rubber Side Down!
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By Liezel Samuel, Member #4412
Launceston to Saint Helens
Werode on lovely curvy roads, passing the Legerwood Carved Memorial Trees sculpted into various scenes of World War I. Not wanting to back-track on the same roads we did the day before, we decided to follow the shorter route indicated on the road signs to the Ralphs Falls in the Mount Victoria Forest Reserve. Before long, we were on Mount Victoria Rd for a 20 km stretch of tricky (especially when you have a pillion) gravel road, dependent on road signs, as neither the Garmin nor our phones had
any reception.
Grateful to have arrived safely at the small car park, we needed a comfort break before heading to the Falls. Our search for toilets at the Ralphs Falls BBQ Shelter across the car park proved fruitless, (who builds BBQ facilities without toilets?), so off we went, bundu-bashing to each find a discreet little spot in nature. With our bodily needs taken care of, we started off on the track to the Falls, only to discover the public toilets playing hide and seek about 25 metres from the car park!
We crossed paths with a friendly young couple who alerted us to look out for a Copperhead snake just below the lookout platform of the falls. We spotted the fella (he had a black head, not copper), happily having a morning nap. Afterwards, we visited St Columba Falls, one of Tasmania’s highest waterfalls at 90 metres, disgorging an astounding 200,000 litres per minute in winter.
Walking track to Ralphs Falls
We reached Binalong Bay late afternoon and snapped some photos of the red rocks before heading to our overnight destination at Saint Helens. Our walk along the waterfront revealed many fellow strollers licking yummy looking soft-serve ice-creams. Unfortunately, we once again met Tasmania-time. The unfriendly fastfood worker refused to serve us ice-cream, pointing out it they close at 6pm on Sundays. It was 6.01pm. ☹
Our attempts that evening to secure a spot on a Wineglass Bay cruise within the next two days were unsuccessful. Flexible travel plans only sometimes work in your favour, so we booked accommodation for the next two nights Swansea.
Wineglass Bay and Port Arthur
We travelled up and down the winding Mount Elephant pass, and luckily did not plan a coffee stop at Mount Elephant Pancakes, as it was closed. The beautiful rocky shoreline took us to our coffee stop at the Sealife Cafe in Bicheno where an enthusiastic Melbournian biker extolled the virtues of Turton’s Track over the Great Ocean Road, promising a less congested and more thrilling ride. We’ll save our verdict on this recommendation for later.
Next on the agenda was a visit to Wine Glass Bay. The 30 minutes steep climb up to the Lookout with its beautiful views was well worth the effort.
Wineglass Bay Lookout
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The ride to Swansea was pleasant, with a noticeable uptick in traffic compared to our previous tranquil routes. The two-night stay provided a day for our washing to dry in our sun-filled room while we enjoyed a lovely ride down to Port Arthur. At 9am the sun provided a beautiful sparkle on the water across Coles Bay. We stopped at Eaglehawk Neck, Tasmans Arch, Fossil Bay Lookout, and Maingon Bay Lookout along the way. We considered exploring the Port Arthur Historic Site, but it was a bit late in the day, and we headed back to Swansea, where we capped off the day with a peaceful walk on the jetty after dinner.
I was thrilled to have spotted four echidnas in just two days. Unfortunately, I can’t provide photographic evidence like our esteemed editor, who has his camera mounted on his bike, ready for action. Every time I saw an echidna, I was too slow to get my phone out of my pocket, and the roads were too narrow to safely stop or make a U-turn. So, you’ll just have to take my word for it—those echidnas were real!
Ed: I have the same problem with unicorns Liezel. I saw a herd of them on the Neurum Road near the Kilcoy Motocross track a few weeks ago, but by the time I’d stopped taking hallucinogens and got the camera out they’d flown away.
Swansea to Kermandie
The 6am Valentine’s Day sunrise from our thirdfloor window was nothing short of breathtaking. The plan was to kick off the day early, ride to Kettering, catch the ferry, and explore Bruny Island before heading to Kermandie.
Well, that was the plan… until I had a showdown with the stairs on my way from our room to the GS. Spoiler alert: the stairs won. Despite my protest that I only needed a Band-Aid, the hotel receptionist swooped me into her car and whisked me to the May Shaw Health Centre around the corner. She seated me on a wooden bench outside the door, conjured up a COVID
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test, and enthusiastically shoved the stick up my nostrils. Luckily, the friendly doctor on duty came to see what the commotion was about (no other patients in sight) and rescued me into the safety of the emergency room. In no time, I had: - a tetanus shot, - strapped left ankle, - numbed head, - two stitches on my forehead, - a hand full of painkillers, and - directions to a good coffee shop.
If you’re going to have a clumsy moment in Australia, Swansea is the place—they’re fully equipped to patch up (mis)adventurers like me and even throw in some caffeine advice for good measure!
We skipped Bruny Island and headed straight to Kermandie, near Port Huon where we spent a laid-back afternoon watching the boats on the Kermandie River. The Kermandie Hotel, with its English countryside charm and friendly staff, provided the perfect end to a not-so-perfect start.
Southern Tasmanian Wilderness
Painkillers facilitated our lovely walks at Tahune Adventures. First up was the AirWalk to the Cantilever platform, 50 metres above the riverbank, which provided great views of the meeting of twin rivers Huon and Picton. We continued the 3km walk to the swinging bridges (the first 100 metres long, the second 62 metres long), crossing these two rivers.
After our tranquil walks in blissful solitude, navigating the congested roads of Hobart was anything but pleasant. However, we managed to get across unscathed and soon found ourselves ascending the 1,271m high Mount Wellington, rewarded with spectacular views of Hobart.
For the next two nights, we stayed at Hatchers
Richmond Manor. In true country style, our room was decorated and furnished as if the seventies never ended, and it appeared housekeeping hadn’t visited in about a decade. At least the bed was comfortable and the bedding clean.
On the 100m bridge - thank goodness I lost those extra kilos before this trip
Richmond
Still recuperating from my tumble, we spent a leisurely day exploring the historical town of Richmond. Our first stop was Old Hobart Town, a charming model village (1:16 scale) depicting 1820 Hobart.
We decided to skip the Richmond Gaol, despite its claim to fame as Australia’s oldest intact gaol, built in 1825 and one of Tasmania’s bestpreserved convict structures. Instead, we visited
St John’s Church, built by the gaol’s residents, and completed in 1837.
We wrapped up our day relaxing on the green grass of the Coal Riverbank, next to Richmond Bridge, circa 1823. This historic bridge, Australia’s oldest still in use, provided a picturesque backdrop as we watched Chinese tourists enthusiastically photograph the meandering ducks.
Richmond Bridge
Richmond to Strahan
We took Middle Tea Tree Road to dodge Hobart’s congestion, a scenic choice with beautiful creeks and lakes along the way. Our coffee stop was at Lake St Clair, shortly after crossing Derwent Bridge. Fun fact: Lake St Clair is Australia’s deepest freshwater lake, plunging to a depth of 167 meters.
As is typical in Australia, kangaroo roadkill was a common sight. Sadly, Tasmania added wombats, echidnas and even a Tasmanian Devil to the list of unfortunate road victims we saw.
I managed the fairly easy walk to and across the Franklin River swing bridge. It was heartening to read about how the Franklin River area was saved from being dammed for hydroelectric power in the 1980s.
Another beautiful, easy walk from the Lyell Highway took us to the Nelson Falls and a handy U-turn by Huw allowed me to take photos of Lake Burbury from the Bradshaw bridge.
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Our host in Strahan sent us a text warning there was no fuel available in town, and to fill up before arriving. We rolled into Queenstown around 5pm and were surprised to find only one service station, which apparently took a half-day approach to work, closing at noon. Luckily, there was an “after hours” pre-pay option, though the disgruntled mutterings of other customers didn’t inspire confidence.
Huw calculated we’d need about 15 litres. With no option to select a dollar amount, we prepaid $33.15. As if on cue, the pump stopped at $27.00 after dispensing a meagre 12.21 litres. The tank was still thirsty, but the pump was done with us. We had officially joined the club of disgruntled customers, adding our own chorus of complaints about the sneaky pre-pay system.
The lovely bends on the Lyell Highway more than made up for our fuel fiasco. Adding to our delight was the charming chalet we stayed in, complete with a family of rabbits frolicking on the lawn. It was like stepping into a pastoral postcard. The local café served the biggest, juiciest hamburgers we have ever had – a welcome feast after we skipped lunch.
For the record - a week or so later, when I checked the bank account, it turned out we were only charged $27 for our fuel in Queenstown.
Nelson Falls
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Hopefully, the other grumbling customers discovered the same and realised they weren’t cheated after all.
Gordon River cruise
Even though the weather was overcast and gloomy, the scenery was still stunning, especially during those rare moments when the sun broke through the clouds. The walk at Heritage Landing was beautiful, with majestic trees that have stood for hundreds of years.
We then had a guided tour of Sarah Island, Tasmania’s oldest convict settlement and reputedly one of the harshest penal establishments in Australia’s history. Flogging was a common punishment, and there were over 180 escape attempts from the island between 1822 and 1833.
We finished off the day with the delightful “The Ship That Never Was,” a live professional theatre production that has been performing in Strahan since January 1994. The play tells the dramatic and hilarious true story of the Great Escape from Sarah Island. The cast has only four members, with the rest of the characters played by audience members. It was the perfect blend
of history and humour to end our day.
Strahan to Burnie
We travelled through beautiful landscapes with our first stop at the highest point on Belvoir Road (930m). My legs and feet were stiff from the cold ride, but Huw helped me up the 200m rocky road to the Black Buff lookout for a view of Cradle Mountain and the Vale of Belvoir in its foothills.
Next, we ventured to the Philosopher Falls, which treated us to the stunning Tarkine rainforest and fungi that looked like they belonged in a fairy tale. The 210 steps at the end of the track took us only halfway down the waterfall. It appeared the previous track, which took you to the base of the waterfall is no longer maintained or accessible and was blocked off with two mosscovered branches.
We called it a day after the walk, as we had to get to Burnie to have my stitches removed. The cute little rabbits in Strahan now seemed part of the Tasmania scenery, and we saw many more along the way and in Burnie while having dinner.
End of part 2
A truck taking up more than its fair share of Tasmanian road
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 at the monthly meetings for those that live locally – so get your details in!
Some happy snaps of the events held during June!
Crows Nest lunch.
Richard holds his “speak no evil” companion with his thumb in its carotid artery. It spoke very little evil, even when Richard ate someone’s chips.
June Club Led Ride. Richard DG assembling the crew for the briefing (left) and stopped for morning tea at Hub Cafe, Carters Ridge (above)
RIDE TO ZERO
• The BMWMCQ and our partner organisation (SMART Rider Academy) have received a subsidy of $17,500 for training!
• First training courses started mid-May and will be a mix of weekday and weekend sessions at Mitchelton.
• $50 investment per rider, the rest of the cost will be covered by the training subsidy.
• Register via the link on the Club Facebook page or website.
By Duncan Bennett, Member #4171
Those who saw/remember the hilarious Ferris Bueller’s Day Off may recall the scene where the kids are trying to get into a very fancy restaurant for lunch. Using the old technique of selecting a name from the reservations book with the same number of guests, they go with Abe Froman, who unfortunately turns out to be the Sausage King of Chicago. I was reminded of this at our recent Service Day by looking over at the BBQ and seeing our very own Sausage King of Jimboomba at work; Tools Officer Chris Bramwell.
A good turn-out of people interested in motorcycle maintenance, but once again their numbers were overwhelmed by people interested only in the Sausage King’s product.
R90S heading to the table
A celebrity bike was in for some lovin’ - President of the BMW Gold Coast Club Steve Bryant’s gorgeous R90S was having some issues. A crowd gathered. Sausages were consumed.
Richard Maher first tries the ol’ “throw a leg” technique. Didn’t work then, doesn’t work now.
Chris telling the photographer to step away - his Service Sausages demand a calm and safe space.
Guru Tony Malone calmly eats his sausage before fixing all R90S problems.
Steve’s
and
A rare roundel on the R100CS
Bill and Darryl “helping” Geoff with his magnificent R100RS
Cindy getting a Michelin Star on white with onions
Steve’s R90S getting Dr Malone’s diagnosis
Steve
Cindy enjoying a calming beverage
ClUB traininG sUBsidY
YBMWMCQ TRAINING COURSE SUBSIDY
our 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 June 2024 reeligible June 2027.
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.
The Training Course Subsidy can be used to offset the mandatory $50 cost of the upcoming Smart Rider training, with the QLD Govt funding the rest - simples!
Rod
Serling voice-over:
t Z on E - “ it ’ s not Fair
BMWMCQ club member Chris Robertson is on the University of Queensland’s Animal Ethics Committee, who meet once a month to consider proposals of projects involving animal’s, ensuring the welfare of animals in such projects. The committee meet at the UQ farm at Pinjarra Hills on a quiet Wednesday in June. Being a nice day even though weirdly it is in Black and White, Chris rides his R100RS out there.
John, one of the vets on the Committee sees Chris and his BMW which leads to some talking:
“BMW eh?” says John. “My brother just got his landed in Perth yesterday from Spain.” Chris raises an eyebrow, and indicates to John - please go on. John continues:
“He was on holiday in Spain and stayed at a farm BnB (or whatever passes for a BnB in Spain)* and he was walking around the barn area and spotted an old motorcycle and sidecar in the corner of the barn. He saw the farmer and said what’s up with the bike?”
The farmer (looking a little like Sancho Panza) says; “Ah that old thing, my father stole it from the Germans during the war near Paris, and rode it back to Spain. We never use it.” Do Do Do Do music playing in the background.
John then says; “My brother offered to buy it. He got it for 200 Euros and had it sent to his home in Perth.”
Cut-away scene - Chris looking up quizzically with things running through his mind:
1. He got the bargain of a lifetime (WWII side car outfit R 75). That never happened to me thinks Chris. It’s not fair.
2. The Spaniard sold him an old Ural outfit and he got taken.
Chris doesn’t notice that he has started salivating and he desperately wants to know more, clutching John’s sleeve and refusing to let go. He is intrigued by this little discussion. John agrees to talk to his brother and give Chris details, he says he is going to restore it. And so begins the horror - Chris and everyone he tells the story to become obsessed with finding old R75’s.
Chris wants this. Very badly. But don't we all?
*A slur that prevented the episode from being played in 1961.
Some snaps from the June Ride to Zero session at Mitchelton. Eddie and Karen (above right) trying to figure out how to get back through the Brookside shopping centre to find their motorcycles, was it left past Lowes Menswear or into the wilderness past Laubman and Pank?
Thanks to Julian Davis our Training Rep and Smart Rider Academy trainer for the pics.
By The Editor, Duncan Bennett
When we took on the position of Editor in September 2019, it was because a true super hero of the club in Dave Hepburn had passed away. Dave had been a prison guard, dealing with some very tough customers over a long career. I assume the BMWMCQ was easy for him compared with that, and he could always get us to do whatever he wanted due to a powerful and calm personality. He never stepped back when he believed the good ship BMWMCQ needed a firm hand at the tiller, and as Editor his Journals didn’t pull punches.
Cindy and I have been incredibly fortunate, and as Committee members have never had to lay down opinions on club issues in our 51 Journals. The Journal should be apolitical, and focus on the Objects of the club. Objects is capitalised, because they become very important shortly.
Our 52nd changes that due to some Facebook posting during June, which many members (including me) can’t read or contribute to. So the Journal is the only way I can communicate my opinions following a lot of reading and research....
The Story So Far...
The Christmas party was a premier event in the club calendar when we joined. I can’t remember how many were at our first down at Evans Head RSL in 2015 or 2016, but it was a lot. Huge effort was put in for decorations. Over the past few years it has deteriorated, with less opportunity to have our own space and decorations and more mixing with the public and less people attending. Our membership has grown over the same time period - how could this be?
The Constitution
The BMWMCQ Constitution is on the website and can be read by anyone, usually those who have had their Netflix subscription cancelled and for whom YouTube isn’t working for some reason. Like most legal documents, if you have to read it, there’s trouble. But bear with me.
The Constitution is based on the Queensland Associations Incorporation Act 1981. This
a ro BU st C onstit U tion
provides the legal framework for clubs such as ours, and allows for us being in the same room as Australian Tax Office officials without having to make eye contact.
Key things about clubs such as ours are:
• We are not for profit. Of course we make money as anyone who glances at our bank balance in the Treasurer’s report will see, but it isn’t treated the same as a business making a profit, because;
• We can only spend money on the Objects of the club and general club expenses. We can’t go down to the casino and put it all on black. Unless that was an Object....
• We are not a charity and there is no requirement to give any money to charities even though we donate heaps to the RFDS. Charities also have to spend their money on the objectives of their association, but have less freedom - if they don’t spend their money and start to build a big balance, they can get into trouble.
Treated as Objects
So what are the Objects of the BMWMCQ? In my opinion, they are a powerful statement of what we stand for:
The objects for which the Association is established are to increase the enjoyment of motorcycling by:-
(1) Improving the opinion of the Public towards motorcycling in general and associated matters particularly through:-
(a) Careful, courteous, considerate riding at all times, especially when riding with the Association.
(b) Rendering assistance to all road users in difficulty.
(2) Improving the service and availability of spare parts for BMW motorcycles in Queensland using the advantage of united effort.
(3) Decreasing maintenance and running costs by mutual assistance on mechanical problems.
(4) Organising tours and outings.
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(5) Affiliation with other associations where such would be of mutual benefit.
Those who have made it this far, and I know that by now you are statistically likely to be a rescue Shitzu abandoned by its owners, will note Objects 3 and 4 are highlighted. These are the most relevant in the current debate, of course club members get a discount at M&W’s so (2) is likely covered. 1(b) yes we’ve all ridden past Don on the side of the road, sorry I was looking at the deciduous trees on the other side, of course I would have abided by the Constitution if I’d seen you.....
Section 28 (10) - the Objects are selected to play
I’ve been critical of Section 28 (10) for a long time. It is a bog-standard clause for clubs, but ours is a single sentence of 184 words. I recognise that back when it was written, legal document language was very different, so it was written in accordance with the times. No worries. It still has all the important standard elements which are reasonably simple if the legalese wording is reduced:
1. The income and property of the Association shall be used and applied solely in promotion of its objects and in the exercise of its powers.
2. No portion shall be distributed, paid or transferred directly or indirectly by way of dividend, bonus or otherwise by way of profit to or amongst the members of the Association.
3. Remuneration can be paid to any officers or servants of the Association or to any member of the Association or other person in return for any services rendered to the Association.
4. Payment or repayment can be made to any member for out of pocket expenses, money lent, reasonable and proper charges for goods hired by the Association or reasonable and proper rent for premises let to the Association.
No.1 confirms that we can only spend money on the Objects of the club.
No.2 I believe causes the most confusion. It could perhaps be read that if we put on a Christmas
party, the hire of a room is a dividend or bonus by way of profit paid to members of the club who attend. However, dividend or bonus by way of profit is very specific language, and it says we can’t divvy up the Club profits at the end of the year because of this clause.
No.3 covers the club for services. For example, if a member was providing a commercial service, such as developing the website or doing club IT, this allows the club to pay them for it.
No.4 is the crux of the matter. We can pay for things that fall under the Objects of the club. There are a multitude of examples here - the Regalia Officer uses their credit card to pay for approved regalia so can be paid back. The Records Officer can buy stamps and envelopes to send out membership material, and can be paid back.
Most importantly for the Christmas party, payment can be made for goods hired by the club or reasonable and proper rent for premises let to the club
The Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission have a far clearer statement than Section 28 (10):
The assets and income of the organisation shall be applied solely to further its objects and no portion shall be distributed directly or indirectly to the members of the organisation except as genuine compensation for services rendered or expenses incurred on behalf of the organisation.
The Debate
The Christmas party is the major event in our calendar that has suffered, because getting exclusive and free rooms at that time of year is becoming difficult without going a long way out of town and nowhere near the coast.
The Committee voted on paying $500 for a room hire in Hervey Bay for the Christmas party back in May. Only one committee member voted no, based on the argument that the club should not pay for anything that all members do not benefit from, and that to do so is illegal, criminal, and immoral. All of those words have been used in
the debate, just in case my writing reputation leads you to think I’m adding flavour and spice to a dry topic.
Implying that volunteer Committee members may be acting illegally, criminally, and immorally has been a powerful tactic, because it is very effective in getting Committee members who don’t understand the content or intent of the Constitution to back down. That was me for a long time. But then I read the Constitution. We also need to apply objectivity rather than emotion.
Net Zero
Net Zero doesn’t mean we donate money to build more wind farms, but that the club doesn’t spend or make any significant money to provide goods or services to members.
Net Zero is an approach that works very well for some things, especially regalia. For example, the club buys 100 thingos at $5 per thingo, and sells them to members at $5 per thingo. It doesn’t really matter if it takes 3 years to sell all the thingos, as they are low value items.
Net Zero starts to struggle when it comes to the costs for buying tools or a GS-911 or hiring a room for a Christmas party because realistically those costs cannot be recovered from the tiny number of members who use the tools or the small number that attend the Christmas party.
But Objects (3) and (4) of the Constitution come to the rescue, and give the Committee the authority to buy the tools and hire the room.
One for All and All for One
The counter argument is that Net Zero or at least very close to it must apply to all expenditure, and that unless all members have a share of the expenditure it should not be made.
Rather than try to state the counter argument, the remainder of the Treasurer’s monthly report on page 11 gives a good summary:
You’ll have noted that we’re now advertising the Christmas party in Hervey Bay and that tickets to this illustrious event are $40. The Committee has voted to maintain this price,
a ro BU st C onstit U tion
but I, as the keeper of the accounts, have requested that we charge more to cover costs. The meals are costed at $38 each, but the hire of the venue is another $500. Usually, we don’t get 50 Members to these events, and some that go are not even Members, so the upshot is that 240+ members are subsidising a party for the other 40 members + partners. In all my 40 years at this Club, including as President for three terms, we have never deliberately paid for outgoings that not all Members can, or will, attend. There’s a fine line between providing ‘things’ for Club activities and providing a party for less than 20% of the membership. I vehemently requested the Committee put the fees to $50 to offset the rent, but they strenuously decided to receive a freebie. This is not the first time such an issue has occurred, but as all committee meetings are held away from the General Membership, and to keep the peace at general meetings, I have, until now, remained silent. If this is acceptable practice I expect the Club to pay for my meal and pick up my bar tab at General meetings.
I know we have lots of money in the bank, but it’s not ours, and we’re not allowed to give it to any Members. It’s there for the benefit of all Members, and whilst the Management Committee has been honoured with it’s caretaking, it cannot abuse the privilege. Even if I’m in the minority, am I wrong?
I have consistently asked the Committee to conduct a Special General Meeting to let the Members decide if substantially subsidising events that they know will only attract less than 20% of the membership is acceptable, if not illegal, but they have denied this request. They have agreed to conduct a Special General Meeting to update the Club Constitution to align it with ‘today’ speak, but they feel the issue of event subsidies should be kept behind closed doors.
As there’s a few days left before the magazine goes to print I’m sure other Members of the Committee have time for a right of reply. I don’t believe they will, but I just hope they don’t censor my report.
a ro BU st C onstit U tion
Management By Committee
The Managament Committee must approve all expenditure by a simple vote, which is what happened in this case.
We recognise that a bankrupt club is a useless club, so of course financial restraint is very important, and also recognise the efforts of the Treasurer to build a strong bank balance. But we also need to look at the Treasurer’s arguments:
1. 240+ members are subsidising a party for 40 members and partners.
• The Club funds are not the member’s investment portfolio. If the Club were to be wound up, the members don’t get their money back. The Club funds are be applied to the Objects of the Club. Tours and Outings are very much Objects of the Club. Events are everything.
• Tools are even worse using that argument - 240+ members are subsidising specialty tools that maybe 5 members use. But Object (3) allows us to spend money on useful tools that members could not otherwise get access to.
• Many of us are members of other clubs. I am a long term member of the Hawthorn Football Club. Their object is to play football. But they don’t not play football because they see that some of the 80,000-odd members are unable to attend a game. No club can possibly function (and grow) with that sort of restriction.
2. The Committee strenuously decided to receive a freebie... it cannot abuse the privilege.... if not illegal.... they feel the issue of event subsidies should be kept behind closed doors.
• The Committee of course did no such thing, but emotive and aggressive language has been such a successful tactic to frighten Committee Members that it has become the core of the Treasurer’s argument.
• What the Committee did do was follow the
Constitution, and except for the Treasurer voted yes (1 vote wasn’t received) to spend $500 on hire of a room under Section 28 (10) for an Object of the club - Section 2 (4).
3. Even if I’m in the minority, am I wrong?
• Yes.
4. I have consistently asked the Committee to conduct a Special General Meeting...
The Rules in the Constitution can be changed at a Special General Meeting under Section 21, or under a Special Resolution at an AGM.
The Secretary can convene a Special General Meeting when;
• Directed to do so by the Committee;
• On the requisition of the proposed change with reasons in writing and signed by not less than one third of the Committee or not less than 10% of members;
• To propose an amendment to the rules.
Three-quarters of members present at a Special General Meeting are required to vote for the proposal to get a change.
So one Committee member cannot ask for a Special General Meeting to be held because they lost a vote.
The major issues with the desired Special General Meeting are;
• What is the proposed change to the Constitution? That we take Tours and Outings out of the Objects? Nothing has been submitted in writing, and so obviously has not been signed by not less than one third of Committee members or not less than 10% of members.
The End is Nigh
There is always a safety valve for the Club. At next year’s AGM, the current Committee will retire, and a new Committee are elected.
If the membership decide that the current Committee are indeed acting criminally, illegally, and immorally, we can be easily removed. But until then we will follow the Constitution.
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A very Presidential conveyance -
By Cindy Bennett, Member #4170
Ihave recently acquired a beautifully kept, very low kilometre 2 year old R1250GS (factory low suspension) from a friend in NSW who is now no longer riding. My maiden Club ride on her was the June Monthly Ride to Kilkivan, ably led by Richard de Groot. I had the honour of being TEC - a role I enjoy as there is no pressure of riders behind and I can relax and enjoy the scenery.
Since hiring a 1250 GS low suspension last year in Tasmania, I have coveted this bike as it is simply the most comfortable, powerful and great handling machine I have had the pleasure to ride. And now I own one, still pinching myself at my good fortune.
So, what will I use this bike for? Long trips will be the bread and butter and also volunteer runs for Blood Bikes of course. It will come into its own when the Tigers are shipped off to the USA early next year and it will then be a negotiation on who will be riding it – Duncan will need a commute bike and the R1200C while a fun bike to ride is a bit sketchy in the wet with the lack of ABS.
What I love most about it is the perfect balance, when riding along it does not feel like a bike with a kerb weight of 250kg. The low down weight does, I find, assist in cornering and with my personal nemesis “The U-Turn!” I am signing up for a second Ride to Zero training course so I can do attend on the 1250GS (took the Tiger last time). Watch out U-turn circuit, I am coming for you.
BMWMCQ BOOK EXCHANGE
NEW BOOKS AVAILABLE!
Race to Dakar
Extreme Frontiers
Charley Boorman
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
Australia Motorcycle Atlas
Captain W.H.L. Watson
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
Right - Richard Maher’s restoration of an historic Club badge belonging to the late Phil Beaumont
