BMWMCQ JULY 2019 JOURNAL by BMW MOTORCYCLE CLUB QUEENSLAND

JULY 2019

www.bmwmcq.org.au

OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE BMW MOTORCYCLE CLUB OF QUEENSLAND INC. Established 1958

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OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE BMW MOTORCYCLE CLUB OF QUEENSLAND INC.

The Committee President- Paul Hughes Ph: 0409 814 633 President@bmwmcq.org.au 1200 GS / 700 GS

Vice President - Richard Maher Ph: 0415 111 454 vpres@bmwmcq.org.au R 1150 R

Secretary - Tony Gray Ph: 0409 493 605 secretary@bmwmcq.org.au R 1200 GS (The Grey Ghost) R 60/6 Treasurer - John Eacott

Ph: 0428 383 826 treasurer@bmwmcq.org.au 2017 K1600GT 2016 R1200GS Tripple Black

Editor - Dave Hepburn

Ph: 0422 080 524 editor@bmwmcq.org.au R 1200 RT

Records- Greg Gaffney Ph: 0411424 219 records@bmwmcq.org.au R 1200 RT & R 90 S Events -

Ph: events@bmwmcq.org.au

VACANT Regalia -

Ph: regalia@bmwmcq.org.au

VACANT

Tools/Spares - Bill Luyten Ph: 0438 123 747 tools@bmwmcq.org.au R1150 Rockstar - R1200 GS LC

This Issue - JULY 2019 Contents:Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Committee Reports . . . . . . . . . . 5 BACK TO THE BUSH OCTOBER . . . . 6 SEERVICE DAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 General Meeting Minutes. . . . . 10 ON THE ROAD RECOMMENDATIONS. 11 CLUB RIDE POKER RUN . . . . . . . . . 12 ANNUAL BISCUIT RIDE. . . . . . . . . . 16 POSTCARD FROM ALASKA. . . . . . . 17 BMWMCQ CHRISTMAS PARTY . . . . . 21 IN SEARCH OF A GURU . . . . . . . . . . 22

RESTORING NEW LIFE. . . . . . . . . . 26 20th FRIGID DIGIT . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 FOR THE AIRHEADS . . . . . . . . . . . 29 BMWMCQ Supports. . . . . . . . . . . 34 ADVERTISING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 BMWMCQ Events Calendar 2018. 36 Cupla Adverts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 CAMPING WEEKEND. . . . . . . . . . . 40 AUSTRALIAN SUPER BIKE CHAMPS. 41

Advertisers

Morgan and Wacker - Back Cover TeamMoto - Front Cover

Caloundra Motorcycles Cafe2U - P.28 Good Wool Store - P.32 Munich Motorcycles - P.32 Northside Motorcycles - P.34

On The Cover We made it to the top of Alaska! Slightly dirty and very cold but a totally awesome ride. Duncan is now riding the spare 1200GS due to an unfixable tyre issue with the 800 (not that he’s complaining!) another week of riding Alaska yet to go. Can definitely recommend it as an epic riding destination! Cindy and Duncan Bennett

Sub Committee

• Dealer Liaison / Advertising - Don Grimes Ph: 0411 601 372 • Forum Moderator - Garry Hilton

Club Details BMW Motorcycle Club of Queensland Inc.

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

Address all correspondence to: The Secretary PO Box 3669 South Brisbane QLD 4101

4. Organising day trips, tours and outings.

ABN 30 351 243 651

Monthly meetings are held on the first Thursday of the month at the:

Geebung RSL Club

323 Newman Road Geebung A Club Ride is usually held on the first Sunday after the monthly meeting. BMWMCQ AIMS The objectives of the BMWMCQ are to increase the enjoyment of motorcycling by: 1. Improving the opinion of the public towards motorcycling in general and associated members particularly, by careful, courteous, considerate riding, especially when riding with the Club, and rendering assistance to all road users in difficulty.

3. Decreasing maintenance and running costs by mutual assistance on mechanical problems. 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. WEB SITE Visit: www.bmwmcq.org.au

JULY 2019

Dave Hepburn

Editorial Editor’s Report

nother month slips into obscurity, I get a month older, the world progresses another month but is none the wiser for it and life continues nonetheless. Sounds so bloody boring and then I look back on the Clubs activities past and the activities in the future and I can smell the Roses once more. Looking forward to our lunch ride to Palmwoods tomorrow, should be a great day. The magazine was looking a bit skinny round the middle of the month when I started to set up pages for the July Journal but my call for assistance was taken up by Tony Gray who has provided great articles covering a variety of interesting tropics. Cindy and Duncan have been having a great old time in Alaska and I look forward to Duncan’s stories when they get back. Cincy provided a short vignette to wet our appetite for all things freezing cold and Alaskan. June and July has hosted a significant number of our members to overseas holidays and motorcycle trips: David Whale, Sebastian Wale, Mary-Jane and Nick Hese, Cindy and Duncan Bennett, Steve and Meredith Herpich, Michael Ahlberg and partner to name but a few and through the wonder of modern media we have all managed to live a little vicariously via their photos and texts about their daily activities. I have come to the conclusion that travel overseas involves 90% food, alcoholic beverages and 10% actual looking at the sights. This month’s journal ran to 42 pages. Have a great month in July and I will no doubt see some of you on club activities and excursions during the month.

Stay safe and shiny side up Fondest regards Dave

JUNE LUNCH RIDE Rick’s Garage - PALMWOODS

VENUE FOR BMWMCQ GENERAL MEETINGS GEEBUNG RSL CLUB 323 NEWMAN ROAD GEEBUNG MEALS OPEN AT 6.00 PM MEETING STARTS 7.30 PM

NEXT MONTH : 7.30PM 1 AUGUST 2019

Committee Reports Paul Hughes

JULY 2019

President’s Report

would like to thank all the members for being involved in the activities the committee is presenting. We have seen increased activity across the entire spectrum of rides and social events and of course that is the best form of feedback we can get. Trying to ensure we have something for everyone. We have a big program coming up in July and August. The Super bikes at Morgan Park kicks us off in July with the Frigid Digit in its historical place of the last weekend in July. Looks like it will be a great weekend with over 38 attendees at this stage.

If you want a discount on entry tickets to the super bikes , log on to https://bmwmcq.us18.list-manage. com/track/click?u=5067cb2fe24856424b3c622f3&id=45802b59fc&e=9b453307b4 and Select ticket type then click on the words:Do you have a coupon code? Use Code: BMWMCQMemberDeal August kicks off with the famous Maggie and George Biscuit Ride on August 11. A lot of members are making a weekend of it and joining in a member’s dinner at Tenterfield the night before. Maggie and George will be attending, and Tenterfield is magic (if somewhat chilly) at this time of year. The Biscuit gathering is in Wallangarra at 10.30 am on the Sunday morning. Hope to see a large following for this event as Maggies and George hospitality is very well known. The last weekend in August we have a club camping weekend at Cressbrook Dam (near Crowes nest) organised by Bill Alan and Murray Brown. It will be a great night and wonderfully riding in the locality. In October we have a Back to the Bush to Miles with some great riding before we get to a great little town for a dinner around the campfire. Not to be missed. December 7 finds us back in Evans Heads for the 2019 Club Christmas party. It is a Great location and a very welcoming town. If I may ask members to update the “maybe” responses in Facebook club events to “going” if they decide to attend. It will be a lot easier to organise booking numbers at the many venues we visit who go out of their way to make us very welcome. We continue with our Club monthly rides, coffee meet-ups, Drinks with Dinner If You Like nights and German Club social events. If members have any videos on club activity they would like to share with the rest of the BMW world-wide community, you can send them to: bmwcadelegate@bmwtcnsw.org.au. I remind members that safety is a huge priority. We have had a member seriously injured going home from a club ride when a driver just pulled out in front of him. The member is ok but that is just pure luck. There is increased police presence in many of our popular riding areas for very good reasons as some “race day participants” continue to have accidents that are completely preventable. Ride safe guys and gals and be mindful of other road users.

Paul

JULY 2019

BACK TO THE BUSH 2019

his Caravan Park, as you enter town, has very comfortable air-conditioned cabins in various configurations. The cost is $89 per night. If you book for two nights i.e. Friday night and Saturday night the cost is $150.00 ($75 per night). Camping is also available. On the Saturday night in the Caravan Park, around a bonfire, the owners will prepare an open fire; cook a stew and provide a delicious desert, all for $10 cash per head. When I was here in May I found the meal to be delicious and the best value meal I have had for a long while. There will be a led ride departing the Saturday morning with: Morning Tea in Esk and lunch at the famous Woolshed Cafe (Mark Morrissey territory) or you can make your own way there in a small group or solo. Miles has very clear skies for star gazing, beautiful historical buildings, a very country hospitality pub and lots more to do. On the Sunday morning, a great little Cafe in a garden setting provides really beautiful breakfasts. So come and join us in a relaxed atmosphere for a great weekend in the QLD bush town. To book a Cabin Ring Donna at 07 46272165 at the Crossroads caravan and Cabins: Mention the club B2B event Overflow accommodation is also available very close by at: Western Downs Motor Inn 0746271211 Star line Motor Inn 0746271322

You will need to book the bonfire Stew dinner and pay cash direct on the day. It is Important to book this. I have to thank Cindy and Duncan for making this available from a section of their fabulous Rock Trip. Paul Hughes

Committee Reports

JULY 2019

John Eacott 1:49 PM 19/06/19 Cash Basis

Treasurerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Report

BMW Motorcycle Club of Queensland Inc

Profit & Loss

February 1 through June 19, 2019 Feb 1 - Jun 19, 19 Ordinary Income/Expense Income Advertising Income Interest Received Membership Fees Total Income Expense Affiliation Fees Australia Post / Post Box Rent Computer costs Internet Services Software Expense Total Computer costs Government Charges Miscellaneous PayPal commission Postage Telephone Website Domain Expenses Website Hosting Expenses Website Maintenance

4,400.00 4.22 4,822.64 9,226.86 238.00 195.00 152.90 69.95 222.85 55.35 108.46 65.00 100.00 10.00 56.36 91.74 1,925.00

Total Expense

3,067.76

Net Ordinary Income

6,159.10

Other Income/Expense Other Income Donations Income Event income Regalia Sales Tools & parts sales

27.00 2,000.00 25.00 10.00

Total Other Income

2,062.00

Net Other Income Net Income

2,062.00 8,221.10

JULY 2019

Greg Gaffney

Committee Reports Records Officers Report

ew members can now join on-line. This has saved some frustration for new members not having to scan or mail the hard copy application form. One downside however is members whose membership may have lapsed for a few years are signing up again on-line as NEW members. This causes unnecessary and confusing duplication in our database and some long-standing members are losing their original membership number. If you have any questions about your membership, please give me a call or catch up with me at a meeting or ride and say hello.Â

New members

Andrew MacDonald 1984 R65 Perry Thomas R1200GS LC Mark Browning K1300R Allan McConnell R1100RS Simon Docker Sally Little Greg Gaffney records@bmwmcq.org.au

More pictures from Cindy and Duncanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most excellent travels

Submissions for the Next Journal (AUGUST 2019 Editi

Committee Reports Bill Luyten

Service Day

he Club will hold a Service Day on Saturday Jul 20 at Rob Wynne’s place starting at 0930.

Rob has an excellent shed area with plenty of room. Timing 0930-1330 Location: 61-63 St Jude Circuit Jimboomba (Just off Mt Lindesay Highway) Note: some GPSs require the suburb to be “Glenlogan” Oil drain pans, oil disposal as well as a comprehensive tool kit is available. We will be providing a Sausage Sizzle and Drinks for a gold coin donation (proceeds to the RFDS). There are special tools available (see below list) including the GS-911WiFi and 3 pin diagnostic tools. The club also has various service manuals so let me know if you would like me to bring one along.

Tools for loan

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

JULY 2019

Tool’s Report Special Tools

• 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) Club Tool Loan: $50 deposit (refundable) for GS911: Tools and spares can be picked up or brought along to the next meeting or Club ride. Contact Tools Officer Bill Luyten 0438 123 747 (wluyten@bigpond .net .au) or Club email: spares@bmwmcq.org.au

ion) closes on 15 JULY 2019 - Just soes y’all know!!!!!!

Committee Reports

JULY 2019

Tony Gray

Secretary’s Report

BMWMCQ Meeting Minutes 6 June 2019 Venue: Geebung RSL Meeting Opened: Apologies: Minutes of Previous General Meeting: Number of Attendees: New Members (Name & MC): Visitors: Returning Members: Treasurer Report: Editor Report: Tools Report: Regalia Report: Records Report: Events Report:

Secretary Report: Dealer Liaison Report: Vice President Report: President Report: Other Events/Buy/Sell/Swap: Past rides: General Business Closed:

7.30pm Maggie & George R. Mal Cramer. Bill Luyten. John Allan. Don Grimes. Accepted: Anita Wyndham

Seconded: Rosi Johnson 26 Nil Nil Nil P&L tabled. Milestone 44 page magazine in June. Not present. Another tools day July/August at Rob Wynns’ place. Not present. 240 Financial members. 4 new members in the last month. Monthly Ride 9 June. 9.30am rider briefing at Fernvale. No coffee stop on ride so arrive early for coffee.Lunch at Old Crow Hotel Crows Nest. Christmas Party 7 December. BMW TC NSW May Newsletter. Cheque for membership renewal. Membership renewal form. Nil out. Not present. Update on Uncle Andy’s Travels in Europe Journal contains Presidents Report on the training course subsidy. Chain Oil Kit - Motul brand. No longer required - now on belt (Anita). Maryvale Pub Ride. Craig’s trevails on the Ride to the Rock. Biking like we did in the ‘70’s. Nil 8.38 pm, next meeting 4 July.

ON THE ROAD RECOMMENDATIONS

JULY 2019

new initiative proffered up by Tony Gray to members is a list of accommodations encountered on members’ journeys and their evaluation of such fare for other members’ information. The first of the lists is below and will be updated each month: so if you have recommendations related to accommodation please pass that on to Tony who will collate and give to me to publish in the newsletter. It is anticipated that the feature will also translate to the BMWMCQ web site…..Ed LOCATION

PUB NAME

Uralla

Top Pub

Bathurst

Knickerbocker

Myrtleford

Railway

Omeo

Golden Age

Cooma

Alpine

$$$ ROOM TYPE 50 Selfone Contained 80 two 85 Shared Facilities 57

SelfContained Price/head for shared room 50 SelfContained Price/head for shared room 45 Shared one Facilities

MEALS

BIKE STORAGE/COMMENTS

No Breakfast

Very bike friendly Pub. Excellent Restaurant. Safe Yard. If weather bad then can lock bikes in bottle shop after hours. Good bistro. Centre of town. Lock bikes in bottle shop but not until 9.45pm. Hotel has closed but good Motel with undercover parking in safe area. Dinner & breakfast options very short walk away. Secure gated lockup for bikes but not undercover. Excellent bistro meals.

Cooked Breakfast included No meals

No Breakfast No Breakfast

Very bike friendly Pub. Excellent Restaurant. Lock up garage just for bikes.

From the Pen of Jane Gray POKER RUN JEGJun2019

Had you ever been on a Poker Run? Well, guess what, neither had we!! It sounded like lots of fun So we set a time & place to be A 9.30 meeting in Fernvale Hot coffee for everyone We learned what the Run would entail Then selected card No. 1

From here it got tricky for some Where they went we weren’t really sure To Goombungee they had to come To get their card No. 4 We all got to Crows Nest for lunch Great food & drinks to revive 25 in our rowdy bunch As we dealt out card No. 5

Through country roads to Esk We rode solo or with a few Greg was waiting there to divest Each player with card No. 2 Riding up the range to the lookout The panorama a sight to see Paul was already there to hand out Each person’s card No. 3

Each revealed the hand they were dealt Some ready with poker faces Till Anita’s “full house” finally spelt The end for a “straight” or “3 aces” But the day was far from complete The ride home was still to come The weather was hard to beat And the company No. 1

JULY 2019

CLUB RIDE - POKER RUN 9 JUNE

JUNE RIDE â&#x20AC;&#x201C; A POKER RUN

Jane and I had volunteered to organise and lead the June Club ride so we chose this concept as something a bit different to spice up the ride calendar. The trick was to fit it all into an enjoyable mornings ride. We did a test run measuring distance and time and prepared a run sheet for the participants. Paul Hughes kindly put the course into a .GPX file for people to upload to their Garmin GPS. With these two technical aids we were able to drop the traditional led ride and let participants find their own way to the way points via the run sheet or GPS or set their own course.

ould this be a first for the BMWMCQ, a Poker Run? Certainly of recent history no oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s memory could recall such an event. Unofficial Club Historian and keeper of the 6o year recorded history of the club, Gary Bennett may have to do some research to settle the argument. So what is a Poker Run? The concept is simple enough with participants collecting a poker hand of 5 cards at various way points along a defined route. The holder of the best hand at the end of the day takes home the spoils.

So how did this work? Well we had a very enthusiastic group assembled for the rider briefing at Fernvale at 9.30am sipping on their morning coffee fix.

CLUB RIDE - POKER RUN 9 JUNE

JULY 2019

The Brisbane Valley as a start area was a good choice as it allowed Jim & Stuart to join us from Toowoomba and then Steve & Mandy from the Sunny Coast who joined the party at Esk. There were some old (in terms of membership years) and new members and many in between.

The bikes also covered a broad spectrum of BMW’s, 650’s to 1200’s, airheads to wet-heads and 1, 2, 4 or 6 cylinders. In all we had 25 on the run. The first card was distributed and then we were off on an hour long trip to Esk which just happens to be 40km down the road.

No it wasn’t heavy Sunday morning traffic in the regions, just lots of backroads. Greg was waiting there to distribute card 2 then it was a great run up the Esk-Hampton Road on the Ravensborne Range. Waypoint 2 and card 3 was distributed by Paul at the Gus Beutel Lookout in the National Park.

Jane and I took an early exit to take up our position at Waypoint 3 at Goombungee beating everyone there with the exception of John on his K1600. We found John dutifully wiping avian entrails from his bike having struck a bird en-route. The bike survived, the bird was not so lucky. There were a few who missed the Goombungee waypoint having followed Stuart on his way home to Toowoomba thus missing the Meringandan turnoff. We all assembled around 12.30pm at the Old Crow Hotel in Crows Nest for a very pleasant lunch, much bonhomie and the all-important distribution of card number 5. It was just as well that I had made an 11th hour decision to bring a copy of the winning order for poker hands as the winner was decided between a full house and a 9 high straight. Anita stole the spoils from Mark with Steve filling 3rd place with a very handsome 3 aces. A great time was had by all with no corner marker problems (we didn’t have any) and our waysome threesome finding their way back from Toowoomba in time for lunch.

JULY 2019

CLUB RIDE - POKER RUN 9 JUNE

Maybe we should make this an annual event? What do you think? Please let a committee member know your thoughts.

Footnote: Unfortunately Charlie Brown came to

grief very close to his Bundamba home late in the afternoon. A car pulled straight in front of Charlie getting T boned in the process. Charlie spent the night in hospital but happily has not sustained any long term injury. Sadly his R1100GS is no more, being written off in the accident. An upgrade to an R1200GS is in the offing. That photo of our bikes lined up outside the Old Crow Hotel at lunch is probably the last photo taken of the 1100 with its red beak sticking out of the line of bikes. Recover well Charlie.

Tony Gray

CLUB RIDE - POKER RUN 9 JUNE

JULY 2019

BMWMCQ ANNUAL BISCUIT RIDE

SUNDAY 11 AUGUST 2019 10:30AM TO 12:30AM CORNER OF NEW ENGLAND HIGHWAY AND MARGETTS STREET WALLANGARRA

he Clubs 11th Biscuit Ride by Maggie and George. This year we are going to Maggie and George’s new home town. We will be partaking of Maggie’s famous biscuits and cakes, at the Park in Wallangarra, at approx 10.30am. Some of us will be going to Tenterfield on the Saturday, staying overnight and having a group dinner in town (venue to be advised, Tony Gray is organising). Book some accommodation in Tenterfield and come and join in a group ride on Sunday morning to Wallangarra. Alternatively, you can ride down from Brisbane on Sunday Morning (3 hour ride). This is always one of our best attended events. Please indicate if you will be attending so Maggie has some idea of how many biscuits!!! WILL BE REQUIRED. Also please indicate if you will be joining us for dinner in Tenterfield on the Saturday night. There are many different and interesting ride home routes. This will be a great event and the biscuits and Cake are just awesome.

f you are attending the Biscuit ride, as in all previous years, you will need to bring: a cup/mug, spoon and hot water if you want tea/coffee. So it’s time to get out your thermos, camp stove or Jetboil. Everything, apart from hot water, mug and spoon is provided.

POSTCARD FROM ALASKA Postcard from Alaska!

rriving into the frontier town of Anchorage at about lunch time on a sunny Friday in early June, we were immediately surprised at the mild low 20’s temp on exiting the airport. We had a couple of days to dispel the jet lag before meeting the rest of our Compass Expeditions tour group on Sunday evening and collecting our bikes in Monday morning for our “True North Alaska” 18 day ride.

The group was a large one with 15 bikes (including 3 pillions) and mostly Aussies with 3 Americans and the 2 Canadian tour leaders: One on a bike out front and the other driving the support vehicle.

JULY 2019

The first riding day, on a trusty 700GS for me and an 800GS for Duncan, was down the Kenai Peninsula was a great intro to Alaskan riding with the perfect roads and scenery making it an epic riding day. Given the fact that there is almost 20 hours of daylight we realised that getting in late to an overnight stop would not be an issue!

Back to the Future... my ride for the next few weeks a 700GS same colour as my old one

POSTCARD FROM ALASKA

JULY 2019

The first few days on this southern peninsula were on good bitumen roads with plenty of photo stops for the glaciers and spectacular river valleys. The coffee stops were often disappointing quality wise (we are so spoilt for good coffee in Aus), although the snack selection at cafes more than made up for it! I found a chocolate bar called Butterfinger which is layered butterscotch and chocolate coated which is absolutely delicious.

Heading north to the town of Talkeetna in the Denali National Park we had an included flight over Mt McKinley (or Denali as it’s now known). We lucked upon the perfect day and many photos were taken.

Heading still further north and into what they call the “interior” we overnighted in Fairbanks. The roads are good quality with minimal traffic and a speed limit of 65 mph (105km). Although some of our group were a little too enthusiastic and scored a US$140 fine from an unsporting Alaska State Trooper for sneaking up into mph numbers starting with an 8.

POSTCARD FROM ALASKA Things were getting serious the following day, a week into our trip, with the Coldfoot Roadhouse (famous from the TV show Ice Road Truckers) our planned overnight stop on the Dalton Highway. In reality the road condition was generally much better than expected with only small patches of loose gravel requiring attention. The weather heated up heading into Coldfoot and a stop at the Arctic Circle sign, with a temperature on the 700GS of 78 Fahrenheit (around 26C).

JULY 2019

Every layer of clothing was added when we started off as very low temperatures were expected.

The road started with some nice bitumen and then turned to fast hard packed dirt, then the dreaded roadworks and some rain and temps down to 1C. It was hard riding especially when a road train passed us in the roadworks depositing mud on my visor and then my glasses when I had to open it.

The following day was much anticipated to reach the most northerly point by road on the American continent. Lots of stories abound about the variable road conditions and the legendary calcium chloride that is sprayed on it to suppress the dust for all the heavy vehicles that carry general freight up to the Prudhoe Bay oilfields.

Not a bad place to be stopped for Road Works..... continued page 20

JULY 2019

In below zero temptrature Cindy and Duncan maybe dying of hypothermia but they made it to the Deadhorse and the End of the Road in Alaska None of our group came to grief though and after battling the elements we finally arrived in Deadhorse and a picture at the Prudhoe Bay sign which is festooned with stickers of the many hardy souls who have come before us.

Cindy Bennett

POSTCARD FROM ALASKA

BMWMCQ Christmas Party

JULY 2019

BMWMCQ CHRISTMAS PARTY SATURDAY 07 DECEMBER 2019

The Club Christmas Party is being welcomed back to the delightful coastal retreat of Evans Heads. We will be dinning on the veranda next to the river with just a fantastic outdoors setting in exclusive use. Dinner will be a two course Christmas fare at $45 per head with a cash bar: Nibbles prior to dinner with drinks

Accommodation The Bowlo Cabins have once again offered a discount price for bookings at the following prices. 6x Hotel Style Cabins @ $108/night (Sleeps 2, King Bed – can be split, 4x 1 Bedroom Cabins @ $143/night (Sleeps 4, Queen Bed – can be split, sofa bed available on request, 6x 2 Bedroom Cabins @ $179/night (Sleeps 6, Queen Bed – can be split, 2 single beds, sofa bed available on request, 2x 3 Bedroom Cabins @ $233/night (Sleeps 8, Queen Bed – cannot be split, Queen Bed – can be split, 2 single beds, sofa bed available on request, Please ring Zac at the Bowlo on 02 6682 4343. to make bookings. Essential to mention you are part of the BMW group to get discounted price. Also The Pacific Motel has nice rooms and their direct booking number is 02 66824318 Paying for dinner Please pay $45.00 per head by bank transfer to the clubs Bank account BSB 124001 AC 10243020Please ensure to add in remarks your name and the number of pax you are paying for. Once you have deposited the correct amount. Please EMAIL treasurer@bmwmcq.org.au stating details of your deposit. This is an essential component of your booking. We have been here before and had a fabulous time so make sure you book your accommodation early and follow the dinner venue booking directions closely. There will be a group ride down on back roads. Some people will go down for two nights, some only on the Saturday. If you’re short of time it is only a short run down the dual carriage freeway to Evans Head.

JULY 2019

IN SEARCH OF A GURU

ne of my favourite comic strip characters is ‘Hagar the Horrible’ and one of my favourite strips from that series is the search for the Guru on life. Hagar climbs to the mountain top where he finds the Guru sitting cross legged in typical Zen style. What is the secret to a successful life, Hagar poses the question? Abstinence, self-control, penance, fasting, tolerance, forgiveness comes the reply. Is there anyone else up there I can speak to responds Hagar? Not everyone likes the answer to their question so those who are prepared to freely and openly offer advice and answer people’s questions are occasionally going to cop some ridicule for their troubles. The Oxford dictionary defines Guru as ‘An influential teacher or popular expert’. Now I don’t know many Gurus but I had the pleasure of meeting and getting to know local Guru on everything BMW airhead, Mark Morrissey, when I wrote an article on Mark’s workshop, MMMs Boxerworks for the Feb 2018 BMWMCQ magazine. Since that time I have gotten to know Mark a lot better and follow his facebook advices on bike restoration with great interest. Mark now has a regular feature in the club magazine. One of the downsides of social media and the access it gives to the world is that armchair experts can proffer opinions and criticize others at the touch of a button from any part of the world. I know Mark has copped more than his fair share. Mark does not see himself as an expert as I and many others do. He humbly refers to his mentor and long-time friend, Michael Schnerring, as the expert and he merely as the apprentice. Michael was making a rare visit to Brisbane and MMMs Boxerworks so this presented a welcome opportunity to meet another Guru and prepare this profile story.

Michael is another of the baby-boomer generation who were credited with setting out to change the world in the 60’s and 70’s and now in our more benign years we have mostly settled back to enjoy the fruits of our endeavours.

IN SEARCH OF A GURU From a motorcycling perspective I think that we enjoyed a golden era in motorcycle development through the 70’s and 80’s where a prosperous country provided us with the means to acquire and ride a vast range of fast and reliable bikes from Japan and the continent. Michael was doing his mechanical tech studies at college in Sydney when he had his first introduction to road bikes as a pillion passenger on a friend’s Suzuki GSX1100. I think one could safely call that jumping in at the deep end. In its day the big Suzuki was an awesome beast and could even hold its own in today’s power drunk motorcycle world. In those days mechanical studies were for cars only. Michael was employed in a VW workshop while doing his apprenticeship so it seemed logical that his first road bike should be powered by an air-cooled boxer engine, a second hand R60/5 acquired from Ric Andrews Motorcycles. This was followed by a new smoked red R100RS ordered from Tom Byrnes in 1982. This second bike proved troublesome culminating in a failure outside Goondiwindi while on a road trip with Paul Tierney who currently works with Mark at Boxerworks – three degrees of separation. The bike was transported back to Tom Byrnes shop in Sydney where the clutch and gearbox were replaced under good will by Tom Byrnes – so ended the mechanical woes. Don Wilson was the legendary workshop chief at Tom Byrnes who managed the BMW attacks on the Castrol 6 Hour race that in its day was the world’s premier production motorcycle race. Don was arguably the best known BMW motorcycle technician in the country at the time. Michael had left his job at Volkswagen to take some time out and restore a rare Volkswagen Kubelwagen. Michael then crossed paths again with Don Wilson who had left Tom Byrnes and set up his own BMW workshop. Don offered Michael a job and thus in 1986 at age 32 Michael’s working relationship with BMW motorcycles had begun. The workshop was not dissimilar in size to the current Boxerworks shop and Michael was just cutting his teeth on basic servicing having had no prior bike mechanical experience other than on his own bikes. There were no bike lifts in the shop with the bikes having to be manhandled up ramps onto fixed work tables. Michael’s back gave out requiring a laminectomy to fix a bulging disc. His work must have been good as Don not only kept his job open for him but visited him in hospital to make sure he was OK – unprecedented in those days. Michael purchased his own bike lift and returned to work. After a couple of years with general servicing he graduated to his first gearbox. The ‘old’ mechanic at the shop was Alan Burt who had raced motorcycles at the Isle of Man in the 1950’s. 2.

IN SEARCH OF A GURU

JULY 2019

I did some research on Alan and it seems he was a real character. He raced and toured Europe with the legendary Bob Brown (no not the Greens Bob) who was one of Australia’s best performed motorcycle racers of the 1950’s having finished in 3rd place in both the 350cc and 500cc class in the 1959 World Championship. Sadly Bob was killed the following year in practice for the West German GP. Alan himself had been badly injured at the Isle of Man Races in 1955 when he hit a horse. On crutches and recovering from badly broken legs he was still able to be Bob’s mechanic during the 1956 racing season. These were tough men in tough times and very resilient. A picture of their converted bus/workshop/home being repaired on the side of the road in Europe gives an insight to how these men operated on a very tight budget.

It is a far cry from today’s traveling MotoGP circus. The experience gained from working with Don and Alan was invaluable in Michael’s learning curve on the airhead boxer engines of the day and motorcycle mechanics in general.

Michael had a couple of setbacks when he broke his right leg in 1990 in an accident on the RS. Told he couldn’t work as a mechanic again he cobbled together a hybrid that he could ride from an R80GS and the salvageable parts from his wrecked RS and went back to work. Perhaps Michael was taking a que from Alan Burt’s 1956 exploits with Bob Brown. A second accident in 1994 broke the same leg but this time going back to riding solos was not an option so he took a trip down to see Ron Hurdis at HRD sidecars. A DJP fibreglass chair was acquired and fitted to the repaired hybrid Beemer.

JULY 2019

Michael still rides the outfit to this day although modifications continue with a recent addition being a stabiliser bar to improve the handling (drawing on Michael’s past experience with VWs). He also has an R100CS solo that he has modified with no rear brake lever as he cannot use his right foot to operate a lever. The rear disc is now linked to the front brake lever – shades of Mick Doohan who went on to win 5 world championships with a handlebar operated rear brake. Fate took a hand in Michael’s life when he travelled north on holiday and found himself in the hippie capital of Nimbin in the NSW north coast hinterland. It is easy to understand how this land can cast a spell over someone.

A chance discussion with an airhead rider in town suggested there were a lot of airhead owners in the area so the idea of a tree change took root. About this time Don Wilson was considering retirement (subsequently selling his business to Motohansa) so the timing for the move was right. He acquired a house on 17 acres about 10 km out of town and quickly erected a 12 x 7.5 m shed for his workshop. This has been supplemented with a 21 x 7.5 m shed with the original now used for storage. Michael freely admits to never throwing anything out which seems fairly typical for our age (just ask my wife). The BMW Airhead network quickly carried the news of his relocation and bikes started coming out of the woodwork. Work was also forthcoming from Paul Rooney who makes custom competition dirt and adventure bikes from his shop in Woodburn. This can be a problem for Michael as Paul is very protective of his ‘specials’ so all work must be done at Woodburn and not home in the shed. Michael’s association with Mark Morrissey goes back about 15 years and was facilitated by Paul Tierney who was the common link who connected the two through the airheads group that operated in those days.

IN SEARCH OF A GURU The rest is history as they say, with Michael & Mark hitting it off and bouncing ideas off each other. Mark admits to still loading up the car with an ‘unsolvable’ problem from time to time for a trip to northern NSW to find a solution. Mark freely shares his experiences across the BMW Airheads and his own Boxerworks facebook pages. A typical recent example was a FB post and subsequent discussion about the benefits of fitting sealed ball bearings during a rebuild in a ‘wet environment’ inside a gearbox. Past experience from both Mark & Michael along with science was used to support the theory but as usual the detractors were ready to pounce. This possibly helps to explain why Michael does not see the need for email or internet services where he now lives in tranquillity. Unlike a workshop in the city with everything close to hand, Michael’s remote location (40 mins drive from Lismore) means he has to be capable in a wide range of trades from metal fabrication, lathe work, welding, brazing, electrical rewires, spray painting etc. His love of Volkswagens has never waned still being the proud owner of a restored 1955 oval window beetle and a 1972 superbug (a car I also once owned in another life).

His daily drive is a very well used Subaru; he just cannot get away from boxer engines. He is a relaxed slow talking man in the style of country Australia (whether this is the Nimbin influence or just his way I do not know) with a packet of fine cut and rollie always at hand. While I was at Boxerworks a young man with a Kiwi accent came to the shop enquiring about an R60/2 in NZ. The bike had been his fathers’ but he had died suddenly a few years earlier and the bike was languishing unused in a shed.

IN SEARCH OF A GURU If he bought the bike over to Brisbane was there the expertise available to restore this family heirloom? Mark said OK to general servicing/seals etc. but if it required more serious crank/gearbox work then Michael was the man with the tools and experience. Yeah, that should be OK came the slow reply. The way that these gentlemen work (I should add Paul Tierney into this mix as well) is a far cry from modern workshops with blasting FM music and detachment from the machines or their owners. These people have a real feel for the bikes and an understanding of what their owners are seeking. They are true Guru’s sharing knowledge and understanding of these much loved machines. Long may it last but pessimistically I cannot see the next generation of like-minded people on the horizon if it is to be judged by the conga line of hacked ‘specials’ and designer beards filling the pages of the internet. I hope that time proves me wrong. Postscript: After meeting Michael at MMM’s Boxerworks I had a hunger to see and learn more of how his current home operates. Michael’s invitation to visit was quickly embraced and a welcome day on the Gray Ghost riding over some of the best country roads in the world ensued. As we sat on Michael’s back veranda in the winter sun sipping on a brew kindly provided by partner Colleen, overlooking a treed valley with birds chirping in the background talking bikes with Michael I realised that like Hagar, I had truly met a Guru on the mountain. He lives his simple philosophy of recycling, re-engineering and minimal wastage in his home and workshop. The phone rang and it was a customer who had a gearbox that he had pulled apart and then…… yeah OK bring it over tomorrow morning about 10. No advertising needed when you are good, work will find you no matter where you live.

JULY 2019

I have found that all busy and industrious people will fill any available place with ‘stuff’. It is never good enough to just have one project in front of you. Michael is no exception and now wishes he had made his second shed bigger. The first (smaller) shed holds the beloved VW’s along with some other bike projects. The working shed is arranged to suit the way Michael works with his well-worn bike lift and a discarded hospital bed frame providing working platforms. The lathe in the corner was acquired for zilch as it was broken but now repaired it does sterling work turning out many solutions in steel that present on a regular basis.

One example that Michael showed me was a connecting arm for the sway bar on his outfit. A discarded suspension bush, some scrap steel, time with the lathe and welder and voila, a piece of artwork in steel to solve an engineering problem. Another example of recycling lay in a small plie of broken clutch cables – a few dollars for a length of brass rod and before long it will be cut up, drilled and dressed to be fitted as new ends giving the cables a second life.

Continued on page 26

RESTORING NEW LIFE

JULY 2019

In Search of a Guru Continued A neighbour dropped by to borrow some tools for a home project for which Michael had provided help and one of Michael’s friends from the Northern Rivers Classic MCC dropped by to discuss some issues on his R90/6. It may be a quiet life in the northern NSW hinterland but it is anything but ‘pipe & slippers’ relaxed. I bid farewell to Michael (the day had passed in a twinkling) and thanked he and Colleen for their kindness. Michael remarked that he thought his father would be proud of what he had achieved and with that I would have to agree.

Tony Gray

BMWMCQ

A Quick Glance in the Mirror

Back in the early ‘80s we used to have annual soccer matches against the Motorcycle Touring Club of Qld. (MTCQ), the Ducati Owners Club (DOCQ) and the Wanderers at the Griffith Uni Oval with a BBQ afterwards. It was a very casual affair for members and their families.

Sourced by Gary Bennett #509 From old Club Journals

RESTORING NEW LIFE

he ageing process is very different between man and machine. As we humans age we slow down, bits get tired and worn and then eventually we stop. For humans growing old is inevitable, growing up is optional, that’s why we ride. The same thing can and does happen to the machines that give us so much pleasure in life – yes, our motorbikes. Fortunately it is possible to more easily replace the worn body parts on our bikes and thus breathe new life into our machines. How easy and expensive it is to breathe that second life into a machine largely depends on how it was treated in its first life. Here is one story of a journey to give a bike a second life. To put this story into context I have owned and been around motorbikes for close to 50 years now and over that time I have continued to enquire and learn about what makes our bikes tick. That journey of learning will never end. I am also fortunate to have a decently set-up workshop with the tools I need to fettle the bikes I own and also the time in retirement to dedicate to the task at hand. Also, unlike my youth, I now have the funds I need to buy the parts I need when I need them. When I was club treasurer a couple of years ago I saw a message on the club website from a gentleman wanting to sell an old BMW. He was having trouble posting his FOR SALE advert and any photographs. He wanted the bike to go to a good home and thus the advert with the club and not on FleaBay. At the time I had finished restoring a 1975 XS650 Yamaha twin and was underway with a full rebuild and restoration of our 1977 Ducati GTS860. This was/is a major project and had already taken a couple of years to that point. The last thing I needed was another project – or was it? I phoned Tom to help with his advert but before I knew it I was negotiating a price and working out how to get the bike back from its then home in Yamba. The beauty of membership of this great club is that there are always people able and wanting to help you out. In this case it was Les Fitzpatrick who came to the fore with the offer of his box trailer which he kindly fitted with a steel channel fit for purpose to secure the wheels. The trailer was hooked up to the trusty Commodore and Jane and I were off to Yamba – the timeline was April 2017. I had seen pictures of the bike and Tom had given me a good descrip-

RESTORING NEW LIFE tion of its condition. Photos generally make bikes appear better than they are in the flesh (alloy?). A price had been agreed and the purchase would be completed if the bike presented as described. So what is she? ……. drum roll …… she (still to be named) is a 1976 R60/6 airhead painted Monza Blue – the last of the line of the boxer twins to carry a twin leading shoe front brake. I already had bikes from 1974, 75 and 77 so there was a gap just fit for a 76 model. The bike fired up from cold easily and idled evenly. The motor pulled strongly on the test ride and the bike tracked well but the steering head bearings were shot and the hydraulic steering damper was very tight so she steered like a Mack truck. There was no accident damage evident. The bike had a very low mileage for its 41 years of life having sat for many years in a hayshed in Armidale with about 50km per year to turn the motor over. Tom and his wife had retired from farming to the seaside and decided that the bike should go to a new home. Tom was only the second owner having purchased it from a close friend when it was about 10 years old with 3,400km on the clock. Clive the first owner had bought it new from Morgan & Wacker in 1976. It has good Provenance as they say in the Antiques Roadshow. The wear on the observable parts supported the low mileage showing on the odometer. All chrome was badly corroded and rubber parts perished as could be expected after such a long period with little to no use. It had two major trips in its life to the Adelaide F1 GP and to Uluru & Kakadu but more on that later. The bike came complete with its original owner’s manual, tool-

kit, Krauser panniers, racks and engine protector bars. The deal was done, tea & scones consumed (don’t you just love country hospitality) and we headed for home with the R60 in the trailer.

JULY 2019

Enroute a BMW pulled up beside us, slowed as he overtook and gave us the thumbs up – yes we were feeling like proud new parents. More pictures were taken at home before cleaning and strip-down commenced. 3.4.

The Ducati rebuild was further delayed and the R60 was prepped before going onto the lift table. I had made a decision that this bike would be returned as a reliable every day rider proudly showing its patina of age. By comparison the Ducati was getting a full restoration to ‘show condition’, not a ‘trailer Queen’ but a limited use, only ridden to Church on a fine Sunday type of bike.

Continued on page 24

JULY 2019

THE 20th FRIGID DIGIT !!!!!

MYSTERY WEEKENDER FOLLOWING A PROUD TRADITION OF OVER 23 YEARS, 3 “BEST ORGANISED RIDE AWARDS”, TOTAL DISTANCE TRAVELLED OF MORE THAN 6,300km, MORE THAN 640 PARTICIPANTS AND 14 DESTINATIONS.

BMWMCQ PRESENTS

THE 20th FRIGID DIGIT The Tradition: A Mystery Weekender on the last weekend in July, travelling on great motorcycling sealed roads to a destination within 2.5 hours from Brisbane and guaranteed to be cold. Camping and Cabin accommodation. Enjoy each others company at social gatherings at morning tea, lunch and in the evening and cap the night off with some warming liquids telling yarns around a campfire. Some previous destinations have included, Queen Mary Falls, Jondaryan, Esk, Goomburra, Binna Burra, Bunya Mountains, Stanthorpe and Kilkivan. This Year: It’s on again (27~28th July) and the location will be revealed on Ride Directions handed out on the morning of departure or on the GPS Route emailed out the night before. The ride directions will guide us, via morning tea and lunch stops, to our mystery destination. With lots of cabins available this year, it has the potential of being largest turnout since 2009. A venue is close by for the evening meal and social gathering. So be quick to book and get your winter woolies ready, because it’s going to be a lot colder than Brisbane and hopefully we can match last years sub zero temperature. Camp Details: Camping costs $27 per tent (1 or 2 people). Excellent amenities with hot showers and fireplaces. Cabin Details: $130~$160 for 1 or 2 people. Linen is included. Each cabin has an ensuite and kitchenette. There are two cabins set aside for lone riders Contact:

Gary Bennett on 0411 784279 or gbennett777@gmail.com

FOR THE AIRHEADS - and they are many

JULY 2019

MMM BOXERWORKS AIRHEADS GROUP PAGE Each month Mark will endeavour to provide a couple of links to his instructional videos on dealing with all matters pertaining to BMW Airhead Motor Cycles. These are the three links this month to Facebook Video’s: https://www.facebook.com/Boxerworks/videos/2081055338884423/ https://www.facebook.com/Boxerworks/videos/2019788381677786/ https://www.facebook.com/Boxerworks/videos/1916662995323659/ https://www.facebook.com/Boxerworks/videos/1839969402993019/

JULY 2019

An airhead BMW of any size or vintage is a worthwhile project for restoration for several reasons. These BMWs are a modern classic and are nice and reliable bikes to ride. They hold their value and are not too expensive to acquire unlike some of their Italian and English equivalents (have a look at the prices being asked for a Bevel Drive L twin Ducati or Norton Commando of similar vintage). Most parts, and certainly the wear parts, are freely available and there is a strong airhead community. Our own Mark Morrissey at MMMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Boxerworks is a specialist fettling these bikes and is very generous with his time to explain and educate the airhead masses of which I am now one.

RESTORING NEW LIFE All unnecessary racks, pannier frames and engine bars were taken off and boxed away. As the tank and engine panels were removed the dusty remains of Central Australia was revealed. Richard Maher would have had a tear in his eye with pride that dirt and dust had been allowed to congeal for so many years. Parts to be re-chromed were removed and sent away with a catalogue commenced detailing what was going where and at what cost.

An initial inventory of parts required was prepared and emailed off to Munich Motorcycles (this was the first of many as the project progressed). The rear suspension units were stripped with the original rear dampers still showing good damping lending further evidence to support the bikes low mileage.

RESTORING NEW LIFE New rubber bump stops were fitted, springs repainted and alloy covers polished. New rubbers were pressed into the top & bottom eye mounts.

JULY 2019

The front forks were stripped, fully cleaned and fitted with new seals and rubber gaiters. The steering head bearings were replaced and the hydraulic steering damper pulled apart to assess any damage.

The club tool kit contains a specialised puller to remove the steering bearings, another plus for club membership. When the steering damper was opened the reason for the tightness in operation was self-evident - it was full of mud wasp nests. This was to become a recurring occurrence with the bike. The rear sub-frame and swing-arm were removed and new bearings fitted. Again a special puller from the Club tool kit was required to extract the bearing shells.

The drive shaft and final drive were checked, cleaned, new seals and rubber boot fitted and replenished with fresh oil. 16. 17.

JULY 2019

RESTORING NEW LIFE

The splines were greased. Two cracks were detected in the frame gusset plates just above the swing-arm mounts.

Both wheels were found to have mud wasp nests throughout the brake drums although the brake shoes were all in good condition.

Mark Morrissey said this was not uncommon if the engine mount bolts were not kept tight as was the case with this bike. I have a son-in-law who is an ex-boilermaker and a much better welder than I will ever be â&#x20AC;&#x201C; nice to have one in the family when such a need arises. While the welder was out a new extension arm for the centre-stand was fabricated and welded in place of the original that had broken off and been lost.

New wheel bearings were then fitted to both wheels. This is an interesting exercise, with the airheads carrying tapered roller bearings on both sides of the hub. There is a variable width spacer (known as a wedding band) that facilitates the correct pre-loading on the bearings. These wedding bands come in various thicknesses a bit like a shim in modern engine valves to set the correct clearance. The wedding band required is like the story of the three bears, not too tight, not too loose, but just right. Mark M again showed me the technique with the first wheel and I did the second. It is easy when the expert shows you how. The swing-arm paint was badly pitted from stone damage so it was stripped back to bare metal and repainted along with various other ancillary black parts.

Wear plates were also fabricated and welded along the contact parts of the centre stand legs where they had worn through from bouncing off the road. New return springs were fitted to the centre and side stands. The steel battery box had acid damage so was stripped back to bare metal with new hold-down rods welded in place prior to repainting.

RESTORING NEW LIFE The frame was left alone as it is in good condition for age. The alloy motor was stained from ingrained dirt from its trip to the red centre over 30 years earlier. Mud wasp nests also filled the voids between the cooling fins on the underside of the barrels. Similar nest infestations were located inside the air-box, starter motor recess and behind the front points/alternator cover. It is surprising that the bike started and ran so well. As the motor was running well it was a case of if it isn’t broke then don’t fix it. The heads were cleaned up with new gaskets, valve clearances set and new plugs fitted. New ignition points were fitted, timing set and the carburettors sent off to Mark Morrissey for a full clean including a sonic bath, with new gaskets fitted throughout in the rebuild. The fuel tank was thankfully very clean with no rust but the taps were rebuilt with new gaskets, new fuel lines and clamps fitted. All alloy engine panels received hours of scrubbing with fibre cleaning pads and WD40.

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It shows the patina of age with scratches and small stone chips but I wanted to retain the original hand painted pin striping on the tank and guards that was a feature of these models. Far more attractive than the vinyl machine cut pin stripes of later models IMHO. The original fibreglass side covers had fallen off the bike at various stages of its life and were beyond economic repair. Plastic replacements were readily sourced, painted in the Monza Blue of the originals and fitted with replica 600cc decals.

The seat vinyl was in good condition so it was just cleaned and treated with vinyl preservative. The metal base was stripped and repainted being careful to mask and retain the original ‘Denfeld’ seat emblem. A new seat lock was fitted. The instrument shroud was repainted and tachometer glass resealed and refitted.

Not as good as stripping everything and having it vapour blasted but more than adequate for the bikes intended use. All polished alloy parts and the stainless steel exhaust pipes spent hours in front of the polishing wheel.

The fuel tank was fitted with new BMW rondels but the paintwork was just cleaned and polished.

New rubber eyelid surrounds were fitted. The handlebar switch-blocks were stripped and rebuilt, the original handlebar polished and retained with the alloy clamps also polished. CONTINUED BOTTOM PAGE 37

JULY 2019

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JULY 2019

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JULY 2019

BMWMCQ 2019 Events Calendar

BMWMCQ Club Events Schedule JULY 2019 Date Thu 04

Start 7:30 PM

Event Club General Meeting

Sun 07

Make our own way 9.00 AM 6.30 PM

Club Ride

Sat 13 Thu 18

Coffee Morning Drinks With Dinner If You Like

Sat 20 09.30 Service AM to Day 01.30 PM Sun 21

Club Lunch Ride Sat 07.30 FRIGID 27/28 AM DIGIT Tue 6:00 German 30 PM Club Social Dinner

DATE

12.30 PM

Details Geebung RSL Club, 323 Newman Road, Geebung Qld….Meals from 6:00pm with meeting commencing at 7.30pm. ALL WELCOME! Come and meet people who share a common interest. ASKB at Morgan Park Warick Queensland for further details see PAGE 43 Cafe 63 Homemaker The Valley - 10581062 Anne St Fortitude Valley

Contact president@bmwmcq.org.au

Gary Bennett

0411784279

Pineapple Hotel 706 Main St Kangaroo Point

president@bmwmcq.org.au

Rob Wynne’s Place at 51-63 St Jude Circuit Jimboomba (just off the Mt Lyndesay Highway) Some GPS Units need the Suburb Glenlogan to be entered Royal Hotel 1 Queen St Harrisville

Bill Luyten 0438 1123 747

Meet Mt Cootha Car Park - Mt Cootha

Brisbane German Club, 416 Vulture Street, East Brisbane …Come along and enjoy the company of your fellow Club members. A limited amount of parking is available in the club carpark however, if this is full, parking is available on Duke and Linton Streets.

president@bmwmcq.org.au Garry Bennett editor@bmwmcq.org.au

EXTRAORDINARY EVENTS CALENDAR TIME

EVENT

DETAILS

CONTACT

BMWMCQ 2019 Events Calendar

JULY 2019

BMWMCQ Club Events Schedule AUGUST 2019 Date Start Thu 7:30 01 PM

Event Club General Meeting

Sat 3 Sat Sun 10 & 11 Thu 15

Coffee Morning Club Ride

Sun 25

9:30 AM All Day 6:30 PM

Drinks with Dinner if you like 12:30 Club Lunch PM Ride

Tue 27

6:00 PM

German Club Social Dinner

Sat & Sun 31 & 1

All Day and Night

Club Camping Weekend

Details Geebung RSL Club, 323 Newman Road, Geebung Qldâ&#x20AC;Ś.Meals from 6:00pm with meeting commencing at 7.30pm. ALL WELCOME! Come and meet people who share a common interest. Coffee Club Wynnum 70 Bay Terrace Wynuum 11th Annual Biscuit Ride Corner of New England Highway and Magetts St Wallangarra Morrison Hotel 640 Stanley St Woolloongabba

Contact president@bmwmcq.org.au

president@bmwmcq.org.au president@bmwmcq.org.au

president@bmwmcq.org.au

Mt Warnin Hotel UKI - 1497 Kyogle Road president@bmwmcq.org.au Uki NSW 2484 editor@bmwmcq.org.au Brisbane German Club, 416 Vulture Street, East Brisbane â&#x20AC;ŚCome along and enjoy the company of your fellow Club members. A limited amount of parking is available in the club carpark however, if this is full, parking is available on Duke and Linton Streets. Lake CressBrook - Murray Brown and Murray Brown Bill Allen are arranging another camping Bill Allen weekend for us all. $8 per person pay on arrival...camp fire and hot showers..it will be a great weekend.

RESTORING NEW LIFE : CONTINUED FROM PAGE 33 New replacement round period-design mirrors were fitted. The lights and indicators were disassembled, cleaned and seals replaced. The most expensive single item to be replaced was the silencers. The header pipes, clamps and cross pipe all polished up nicely but the silencers were beyond repair. After much consideration a SS replica set of Keihan silencers from the UK did the trick. The oil and filter were changed along with the air filter then she was ready to fire up with a recharged battery. She fairly burst into life straight away, pleased to be given

a second chance at life. Finally she needed some new booties even though the fitted tyres had hardly been used. One of the inner tubes had a 2002 date stamp so it can be safely assumed that the tyres were fitted at the same time, well past their use-by date. The project had taken two years of parttime work to complete. It was a very easy bike to work on with easy access to everything with the exception of the large lead acid battery.

Continued on page 39

JULY 2019

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RESTORING NEW LIFE

Removal requires the rear sub-frame to be unbolted and tilted back – a more compact glass mat battery will take its place when this one expires. One interesting thing I learned along the way highlighted what would appear to be a change in thinking at BMW Motorrad. Every bearing I needed for this build was sourced from my local bearing shop at low cost. When I had to replace some tapered roller bearings on the Gray Ghost, our 2007 GS1200, I had to go to BMW and pay 500% above shop prices. Why? The bearings used were a ‘special’ made exclusively for BMW and only a fraction of a millimetre away from stock size. There is no engineering reason for that to be the case. Is this an example of the accountants overriding the engineers? I will ride her for a while before deciding on any improvements. Was it worth it? Definitely! How much did it cost? Final cost was $2,850 with all work done ‘in house’ with the exception of the carburettors that were restored by Mark Morrissey and the chrome work that was sent out to Gold Coast Electroplating. Now back to the Ducati.

JULY 2019

Tony Gray

JULY 2019

CAMPING WEEKEND AUGUST 2019

CAMPING WEEKEND 31 st AUGUST 2019

aul Murray and I have confirmed the venue for the camping weekend as Lake Cressbrook near Crowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Nest. It has a camp kitchen in a covered area, hot and cold showers, plenty of camping area with a number of sites being able to hold more than one tent. Camping fees are $8 per person pay on arrival. We intend to have a good campfire going as it should be reasonably cold. It is a bitumen road all the way to the camping area: Numerous ways to get there including dirt routes from Esk and Toogoolawah. Bill Allen

BMWMCQ BOOK EXCHANGE 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 Great Motorcycle Tours of Europe Colette Coleman A Motorcycle Courier in the Great War Captain W.H.L. Watson Australia Motorcycle Atlas With 200 Top Rides (6th Ed) Herma Maps Overland Magazine Issue 11 Overland Magazine Issue 19 Overland Magazine Issue 21

Overland Magazine Overland Magazine Overland Magazine The Touring Motorcycle

Issue 22 Issue 25 Issue 26 Jeff Ware & Kris Hodgson

2 x On Tour with Compass Expeditions DVDs

The Club has taken up the initiative commenced by Cindy Bennett and that is a book exchange facility via the Club. The initive is being overseen by Jane Gray and yoou can communicate with jane vis email at: mailto:library@bmwmcq.net.au Arrangement can be made with the librarian as to pick up drop off procedures and wew wouold antici[pate this occurred at the monthly Memebers meeting.....Editor

AUSTRALIAN Super Bike Championship

JULY 2019

BMWMCQ CLUB RIDE 7th July 2019 Australian Superbike Championship Rd. 4 at MORGAN PARK, Warwick, Qld.

Glenn Allerton riding a BMW S1000RR Won the Championship in 2011 & 2014 Can this be his year to win again on the mighty BMW? And what about Troy Bayliss and his incredible return to ASBK in 2018 at the age of 50, how good will he be at his home track? Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Round 4 of this great Aussie series right here in our back yard. See our facebook page or Club Website for more details or contact Gary Bennett 0411784279

MORGAN & WACKER BMW BRISBANE 51 Ross St, Newstead, QLD I (07) 3259 5787 morganandwacker.com.au

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Abrasion-resistant material and a range of handy features make this the perfect globetrotter, INith an under/over watertight insert for optimum protection.

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