BMWMCQ Journal October 2019 by BMW MOTORCYCLE CLUB QUEENSLAND

OCTOBER 2019

www.bmwmcq.org.au

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

BMW MOTORRAD OKTOBERFEST NATIONAL DEMO DAY MAKE LIFE A RIDE.

SATURDAY 5TH OCTOBER.

BMW Motorrad Australia is excited to announce that weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re bringing the annual German Oktoberfest celebration down under in 2019, providing a number of irresistible savings on selected models within the BMW Motorrad range. In order to kick off the festivities, we will be hosting an Oktoberfest themed National Demo Day across our dealerships nationwide. Make the most of these Bavarian celebrations, and find the perfect opportunity to Make Life a Ride on Saturday 5th October.

BMW Motorrad

Book now at Morgan and Wacker BMW.

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

2017

2018

BMW MOTORRAD DEALER OF THE YEAR

facebook.com/morganandwackerbmw

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

Editors - Cindy & Duncan Bennett Ph: 0401 610 671 editor@bmwmcq.org.au Triumph Tigers

This Issue - OCTOBER 2019 Contents:Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Committee Reports . . . . . . . . . . 5 BACK TO THE BUSH OCTOBER . . . . 6 CANE TOAD RALLY VENUE CHANGE. 8 SERVICE DAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 General Meeting Minutes. . . . . 10 ON THE ROAD RECOMMENDATIONS. 11 BMWMCQ EVENTS CALENDAR . . . . 12 THE ROAD TO THEEBINE. . . . . . . . 14 ALASKA PT3 - To ANCHORAGE . . . . 18 LAND of the LONG WHITE CLOUD . . 25 BMWMCQ CHRISTMAS PARTY . . . . . 28

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29 30 32 36 37

TeamMoto Gold Coast - P.35 TeamMoto Springwood - BACK COVER

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

On The Cover

Regalia & Dealer Liaison

Crossing back over the Brooks Range in Alaska on a F700GS, the final instalment of the Alaska trilogy in this issue....

Tools/Spares - Bill Luyten

Ph: 0438 123 747 tools@bmwmcq.org.au R1150 Rockstar - R1200 GS LC

Don Grimes Ph: 0411 601 372 regalia@bmwmcq.org.au

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

OCTOBER 2019

Cindy & Duncan Bennett

Editorial Editors in Training Report

ell we managed to get the journal out in September to honour Dave and the enormous contribution he made over a long period of time to the club. We are working past new software overload trauma, now it is all about improving efficiency and developing routines and writing up an instruction manual to make it easier - one can forget a lot of things in the space of a month. Any contribution from our very active member base such as articles (no worries about length, as Napolean said the shorter the better), photos, product and bike reviews, how-toâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, basically anything involving BMWâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, riding, and club activities is much appreciated. A special thank you to Tony Gray for wearing out three keyboards this month - relentless quality on some very interesting topics.

See you on the road! Cindy & Duncan

Mark and Donna packed and ready to go on their BMW Motorrad tour in Eastern Europe, wisely keeping the plutonium in the right hand side pannier rather than the tank bag....

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 7 NOVEMBER 2019

Committee Reports Paul Hughes

OCTOBER 2019

President’s Report

e have a busy month coming up in October. First up is our signature rally the Cane Toad on the long weekend. The rally is in revival stage and this year we look like having around 50 people attending. It is a great time at a small pub in the bush with riders from Qld and NSW both enjoying catching up and having good times. It is not too late to join in. Details in the advertisement on page 8 and on facebook and the club Web site forum and calendar.

At the end of October we have the Back to the Bush in Miles. A nice back roads ride to lunch at the Jondaryan Woolshed Café and a fabulous dinner around the campfire with friends. Lastly an easy ride home. Plenty of room still on this weekend away. Check details on the next page or on Facebook Club events and the Club website forum and calendar.

Bookings for the Club Christmas Party on December 7th at Evans Head RSL are slowly building. We have exclusive use of the veranda overlooking the river and it is always a great night. The township loves us coming along and the beach and surrounding riding roads make it an ideal weekend location. Get your bookings in as soon as possible. Details in the usual places including right here in the Journal. Our usual monthly rides and events are also featured, leading out with the Vice Presidents Mystery Ride on 13th October (hope it is not a mystery to him). Richard’s rides are always very popular and cover ground many have not seen before. The ride will finish at a Brisbane fringe pub around lunch time.

I am off in October for a bit of a southern tour. Hoping to ride some old favourites that I try and do every year and some new coastal routes that bring back some great memories. Straight back to arrive the day before the Back to the Bush to Miles, so quite a few kilometres to be wound up on the 1200 this month.

This time of the year is some superb riding. We all hope our super long dry spell ends very soon (so dry down around the border) but spring is just a great time to ride a motorcycle in Qld. With that in mind, Bill Lutyen and Rob Wynn are putting on another club service day on November 9th at Rob’s superb facilities at Jimboomba. Bring your steed along and get the once over to ensure all is well for those kilometres you intend to rack up. I attended the Gold Coast Police/Fire Services open day at Numinbah Valley Village a few weeks ago. Very informative with a group of real professionals in a very relaxed atmosphere. The guys and gals were very open with information and stories that remind us all that riding motorcycles is fun and will remain fun as long as everyone does it safely. I have witnessed some real stupidity up the mountain (Glorious) lately from people who do not plan to be here long. None of that was on BMW’s that I saw fortunately. Authorities are rightly concerned so a large presence will be around for quite some time. I have no intention of contributing to unscheduled “road-side chats”. Lastly, we have great advertising sponsors in our club journal. I would urge you to utilise their services and make it known you are club members. There are some great deals going on and we should take advantage of them. Ride Safe. See you when I am back from my little Southern Tour.

Cheers Paul

OCTOBER 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 07 46271211 Star line Motor Inn 07 46271322

You will need to book the bonfire stew dinner and pay cash direct on the day. It is important to book this. Paul Hughes

Committee Reports

OCTOBER 2019

John Eacott

Treasurerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Report

W PM

9/19

h Basis

e have saved a substantial sum of membersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; money by changing our insurance to a Group Insurance as part of the BMW Clubs Australia, with little change in the way of cover provided. This will also cover us for the BMW CA Rally next year. There is also a small computer cost incurred following the change of Editor for the Journal, and expenses so far incurred for setting up the online support for the 2020 BMW CA Rally has been reversed against the $2,000 advance from BMW CA.

BMW Motorcycle Club of Queensland Inc

Profit & Loss

February 1 through September 27, 2019 Feb 1 - Sep 27, 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 Computer costs - Other

4,400.00 246.23 8,017.64 12,663.87 238.00 195.00 152.90 69.95 89.00

Total Computer costs

311.85

Government Charges Insurance Brokers fee Insurance GST Policy fee Premium Stamp Duty Insurance - Other

55.35

Total Insurance Miscellaneous PayPal commission Postage Printing and Stationery Telephone Tools Expense Website Domain Expenses Website Hosting Expenses Website Maintenance

176.15 78.26 50.00 556.50 55.09 75.89 991.89 215.31 129.55 200.00 14.30 20.00 50.12 56.36 91.74 2,695.00

Total Expense

5,264.47

Net Ordinary Income

7,399.40

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

61.00 1,120.00 155.00 10.00

Total Other Income

1,346.00

Net Other Income Net Income

1,346.00 8,745.40

OCTOBER 2019

Greg Gaffney

Committee Reports Records Officers Report

ots of great events coming up to finish the year. After our glorious winter and spring hopefully, summer isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t going to be too hot. This year however we will all be looking forward to some rain!

New Members :

Greg Gaffney records@ bmwmcq.org.au

Edi Mian R1200GSA

Submissions for the Next Journal (NOVEMBER 2019 Edition) closes 15 OCTOBER 2019

Committee Reports Bill Luyten The Club will hold a Service Day on Saturday 9th November 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).

Tools for loan

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

Special Tools

• Twinmax electronic carburetor balancer (Twin BMW engines) • Vacuumate (electronic synchronization of throttle

OCTOBER 2019

Tool’s Report • • • • • • • • •

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

Mark Mustchin showing that BMW were well ahead of the competitors with the C1, which included an iPad holder on the dashboard even though iPads weren’t invented yet:

Committee Reports

OCTOBER 2019

Tony Gray

Secretaryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Report

BMWMCQ Meeting Minutes 12 September 2019 Venue: Geebung RSL Meeting Opened: Apologies: Minutes of Previous General Meeting:

7.35pm Charlie Brown, Richard Maher, Andy McLeod, Steve Johnson, John Eacott. Accepted: Geoff Hodge Seconded: Rosi Johnson

Number of Attendees: New Members (Name & MC): Visitors: Returning Members: Treasurer Report: Editor Report: Tools Report: Regalia Report: Records Report: Events Report: Secretary Report:

30 Nil Nil Ken Moncrieff. Not present. On the Wall to Wall ride. Report tendered. Thanks extended to members who have responded to request for new bike purchases. Cindy & Duncan Bennett have volunteered to take on the role in an interim arrangement until a permanent replacement can be found. Saturday 9 November proposed at Rob Wynneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s place. Sale on - all stock available at meeting. 236 Financial members. 6 new members in the last month. All events updated on FB and website. Letters of appreciation sent to Geebung RSL (John Eacott taken ill and bike safely stored overnight) and Tenterfield Tavern for service at Biscuit Run Dinner. Letters to Journal Advertisers advising of the delay to September Journal.

General Business

Correspondence In: BOQ confirmation of Term Deposit: BMW Touring Club NSW August & Sept Newsletters: RFDS Fundraising Appeal. Nothing to report. Not Present. Update given by PH on progress on the club shirts. Motorrad Rally Planning is well advanced. Date saver advice has been sent to all BMW Clubs as well as to the NZ BMW club. Battery from Charlie, near new but bike (R1100GS) has now been written off. Boots from Stuart - Dri Rider Size 41 Euro, only used once, free to a good home. Handle bar raisers for R1200R - Rosi. Geoff Hodge has panniers for RS. Biscuit ride reviewed. Great response and feedback. Support for more overnighters. Nil

Closed:

Raffle Prize winners: Mal Cremer, Greg Gaffney, Don Grimes, Geoff Hodge. Remainder of the hat stock (4) were given out in an additional prize draw. 8.20 pm, next meeting Thursday 3 October.

Dealer Liaison Report: Vice President Report: President Report: Other Events/Buy/Sell/Swap:

Past rides:

ON THE ROAD RECOMMENDATIONS

OCTOBER 2019

n initiative proffered up by Tony Gray to members is a list of accommodations encountered on membersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; journeys and their evaluation of such fare for other membersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; information. The list 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.

LOCATION

PUB NAME

$$$

ROOM TYPE Shared Facilities SelfContained

MEALS

BIKE STORAGE/COMMENTS

Near Grafton

Ulmarra

Uralla

Top Pub

55 one 99 two 50 one 80 two

Breakfast included No Breakfast

Shared Facilities

Railway

Omeo

Golden Age

Cooma

Alpine

45 one

SelfContained Price/head for shared room SelfContained Price/head for shared room Shared Facilities

Cooked Breakfast included No meals

Open but safe parking, good restaurant and location on the Clarence River. 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.

Bathurst

Knickerbocker

Myrtleford

Mark & Donna - Eastern Europe

No Breakfast No Breakfast

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

BMWMCQ 2019 Events Calendar BMWMCQ Club Events Schedule OCTOBER 2019 OCTOBER 2019

Date Start Thu 7:30 03 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.

Contact president@bmwmcq.org.au

Arte & Gusto Café 409 Honour Ave, Graceville Mystery Ride starting from Carseldine Caltex, finishing at a “Brisbane Fringe Pub”, Vice President Richard Maher Wed 6:30 Drinks with Hamilton Hotel 442 Kingsford Smith Dr, 16 PM Dinner if Hamilton you like Sun 12:30 Club Lunch Killarney Hotel, 17 Willow St, Killarney 20 PM Ride QLD 4373

president@bmwmcq.org.au

Sat Sun 26 & 27

president@bmwmcq.org.au

Sat Sun 05 & 06 Sat 12 Sun 13

Event Club General Meeting

All Cane Toad W’end Rally 9:00 AM 7:30 AM

Coronation Hotel Toobeah Qld

Coffee Meet Up Monthly Club Ride

All Back to the Miles Cross Roads Caravan Park & W’end Bush Cabins, 132 Murilla St, Miles QLD 4415

DATE

Gary Bennett

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

EXTRAORDINARY EVENTS CALENDAR

11-13 Oct 2019

TIME

EVENT

38th Kosciuszko Rally

DETAILS

CONTACT

Geehi Flat Campground, Alpine Way

bmwmccact.org.au

OCTOBER 2019 BMWMCQ 2019 Events Calendar BMWMCQ Club Events Schedule NOVEMBER 2019

Datee Thu 07

Sat 09 Sun 10 Sat 16 Sun 24 Tue26

Fri 29

Start 7:30 PM

Event Club General Meeting

Details Geebung RSL Club, 323 Newman Road, Geebung Qld….Meals from 6:00pm with meeting commencing at 7.30pm.

9.30 AM

ALL WELCOME! Come and meet people who share a common interest. Club Rob Wynne’s 61-63 St Jude Circuit Service Day Jimboomba

1.30

Club Ride

9.30 AM

Coffee Meet Up

12.30 PM 6.00 PM

Led by Cindy and Duncan - a now traditional Fish & Chips Ride. Meet at Yatala BP. Dinner from around 5:30pm at Cleveland Lighthouse Café 63 Seventeen Miles Rocks rd Sinnamon Park

Club Lunch Tumbulgum Hotel riverside drive Ride Tumbulgum

German Brisbane German Club, 416 Vulture Club Social Street, East Brisbane Dinner

6:30 Drinks with PM Dinner if you Like

The Glen Hotel Deck Bar, Eight Mile Plains

Contact president@bmwmcq.org.au

tools@bmwmcq.org.au

editor@bmwmcq.org.au

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

president@bmwmcq.org.au

OCTOBER 2019

THE ROAD TO THEEBINE

By: Tony Gray

he monthly club ride is a long held tradition that is favoured by many club members as an opportunity to get the bike out of the shed for a leisurely ride in the country with like-minded souls. Good roads and a good feed are sought after attributes for this day out in the sun and the breeze.

Septembersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; club ride followed a few days after the beautiful memorial service held for Dave Hepburn which had bought together many club members to honour and remember Dave and to support Tracy. SEQ was also in the grip of a devastating period of bush fires so numbers were down but those who came along enjoyed a varied ride to a new venue.

Greg Gaffney was the ride leader and organiser and he put a lot of thought and planning into the ride. Gregâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s intention was to attract some more members from the Sunshine Coast area who may not attend the rides that push south or west of Brisbane. The Theebine Pub (where the hell is Theebine you might well ask?) is truly a country pub nestled in an area north-west of Gympie so a reasonable day stretch from Brisbane (especially those coming from south of the river). The early 7.30am meet and 8am departure times from the Caltex at Carseldine attracted 11 bikes and riders with Jane the only pillion.

THE ROAD TO THEEBINE

OCTOBER 2019

The route north quickly left the Bruce Hwy at Caboolture then proceeded along Beerburrum and Old Gympie Roads as we skirted the beautiful Glasshouse Mountains. Greg had scheduled a second 9.30am departure time from Aussie World to meet any Sunshine Coast riders but Jane & I together with Don chose to keep to the country roads and leave the group at Landsborough. Our route took us past some freshly burnt bushland into the Mooloolah Valley, Eudlo, Palmwoods, Woombye, Yandina and onto the morning tea stop at Eumundi where the group arrived just after we had alighted. Huw & Liesel had ridden north from their Narangba home to join the ride at Aussie World but unfortunately no Sunshine Coast riders were able to make the ride.

The Bake House opposite the markets in Eumundi provided the required caffeine sustenance and mouth-watering sugar hits to fortify us for the second leg of the trip to Theebine. Greg had done his research well as we avoided any further contact with the M1 on a country excursion that would have been unfamiliar to most of us. Theebine Pub was reached on time with no MIA’s thanks to Paul who had volunteered to be TEC for the ride. Frank made his own way to the pub for lunch and it proved to be a popular venue with the right mix of friendly country hospitality, good food and prompt service. These country venues really appreciate the extra revenue that the club members contribute to their economy.

In keeping with common practice people made their own arrangements for the return journey. Jane and I were joined by Paul, Don, Dennis & David on what turned out to be a cracking ride with plenty of twists and turns. We jumped on the M1 to cover some quick miles back to Gympie then connected with the Mary Valley Road through Kenilworth and onto Conondale where we tackled the (in)famous Postman’s Track (also known as Ahems Road) as it climbed on its twisted journey to join the Stanley River Road. I haven’t been over this road for a few years and had to dismiss Jane’s fears of the signage saying ‘NO THROUGH ROAD’ and ‘PRIVATE PROPERTY’ reportedly erected by a disgruntled local who doesn’t like traffic disturbing his peace on this gazetted road. The Stanley River Road was it’s usual delightful self then followed a great ride over Mt Mee after Woodford. For us it was Dayboro, Samford and the suburbs back home to end a 520km ride. A long day but a good one. Thanks to Greg for organising and Paul for the TEC duties.

OCTOBER 2019

FROM THE PEN OF JANE GRAY PASSING THE TEST

North, South, East and West Would you always pass the test? Lessons learnt when very young Falling off was half the fun Backyard fences to be missed Knowing how much throttle twist Through the streets when no-one’s looking Wild adventures always cooking Sweeping curves and tight switchbacks Open roads or racing tracks Danger lurks when not aware The unexpected gives a scare Eyes ahead yet everywhere Hold your line always with care Exhilaration to the core That leaves you wanting more and more Time moves on & brings its change Mirror reflections often strange Backs and limbs don’t work as well But riding sure still casts its spell Some would say “Slow down old man” But experience gives the upper hand Take good care, enjoy the thrill So many adventures out there still

Mark & Donna - Eastern Europe

OCTOBER 2019

BMW GROUP CLASSIC

BMW Group Classic is the branch of the BMW Group responsible for all activities concerning the history of the company and its four brands BMW, BMW Motorrad, MINI and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. It comprises the BMW Museum, BMW Group Classic Services and the BMW Group Archive. Another important element of BMW Group Classic’s brief is participation in top-class national and international events. And it also manages and oversees the technical preservation of every model in a collection now spanning more than 1,400 vehicles, ensuring they are ready to appear in engagements worldwide.

Since 2016, Moosacher Straße 66 in Munich has been the first port of call for anything to do with classic vehicles from the BMW Group. Covering a total area of 13,000 square metres, the site is located around the corner from BMW Group headquarters, which means it is also close to BMW Welt, the BMW Museum and the BMW Group Plant. Besides facilities for attending to all aspects of classic vehicles, such as restoration, spare parts and an archive, BMW Group Classic also houses event and conference rooms of all sizes for any occasion. This historic collection of buildings once included the very first BMW Group plant in Munich, so this is a case of coming full circle; the brand’s past has now become part of its future, too.

OCTOBER 2019

ALASKA PT3 - Dropping the Anchorage

By: Duncan Bennett No.4171

e left Part 2 Flogging It To Deadhorse in the mozzie swarmed carpark at Chena Hot Springs at the theoretical end of Day 10, as usual the sun was completely unsupportive and refused to go down. We walked into reception dirty and sweaty, but with the casual swashbuckling air of adventure motorcyclists who have achieved something special. The run-of-mill tourists checking in immediately fell back, and even those about to get the keys left the desk without taking their watering eyes off us – they could sense they were in the presence of beings so superior to them that they could only look on in hushed awe. Either that or we were a bit pongy.

were off getting a foot massage and playing golf, the detoxing took place, and all was set for the remainder of the tour.

Quad biking experiences; Cindy learns about reverse gear, Duncan learns he should go clockwise Less routine activities were chosen to fill in the remainder of the day; a dip in the hot springs followed by our first quad bike experience. The hot spring was extensive, and where the geothermal streams entered the pond was marked with very confusing lights which might have been trying to warn bathers that superheated steam was about to enter, but flashing concentric green and red circles didn’t really convey the message as quickly as the severely scalded skin. Feeling scorched and refreshed, we added our togs to the rest of the group’s hangings outside the rooms and headed to the quad biking. Our guide was very laisse faire, helmets were totally optional, and once out to the main arena all restrictions on speed and maintaining control were cancelled. A few drifties and other hoonlevel skills were practiced, before heading back for a nice afternoon nap. Dinner was at the bar that evening, which made keeping the

Unfortunately the post-Deadhorse “Armhole Odor” test resulted in casualties Day 11 started very late; we had almost been begged by Ride Leaders Justin and Bayne to have a sleep in and do whatever we wanted. What we wanted wasn’t laundry, but Talkeetna was a week old, so the laundry bags had started to take up most of the luggage space. Getting in behind the efficient Tassie team of Karen and Maureen, presumably while their husbands Tim and Bruce

Ironic Vandalism

ALASKA PT3 - Dropping the Anchorage flow of IPA’s coming a lot easier. Day 12 started with some glimpsing between the curtains at 4am which was the scheduled time for moose to visit the lake outside our room according to someone, who was clearly making it up as we only saw a duck. The mooses did appear at breakfast, running past the dining room just when our breakfast was served, however other team members sorted out the necessary photography. With laundry and other stuff packed and loaded into the support vehicle with help from a billion mozzies, we headed off back toward Fairbanks before getting onto the highway south. First stop was at the geographically confusing town of North Pole, which unsurprisingly leverages off the relationship of the North Pole with Santa. A coffee and a wander through the extensive tourist shop and we all felt comfortably re-aligned with gross materialism, and ready to continue our journey back into civilisation.

North Pole’s giant Santa vainly trying to read his list, before his successful cataract surgery Loaded up with gifts suitable for giving only in faraway December, we kept on south until we got to Delta Junction, where the road from Canada joins up with the highway. The Buffalo Centre Drive In, famous for its burgers, was the lunch venue and it failed to disappoint with an actual steak sandwich available. The only major decision required was straight or curly fries to satisfy the eternal craving for salty carbs. Having pushed the pants to the limit once again, we continued south to Paxson where we met the other end of the Denali Highway we had last seen at Cantwell on the way to Fairbanks.

OCTOBER 2019

Ronald enjoying working at the Buffalo Centre Drive In with a less controversial lap sit demographic The day was a fairly short one, we headed up the Denali Highway to a lookout which showed huge views of the Alaska Range to the north. With the opportunity to consume some more snacks taken by those who didn’t plan to ever see a cardiologist, we regrouped and trundled off to the Tangle River Inn which was the destination for the night. After the usual efficient check-in process, we sort of hung about and had a rest before it was a civilised time to get to the restaurant. We sat by the window and watched Trevor slowly jogging back up the hill to the inn, while our hostess described a grizzly bear attack on a moose the previous day vaguely in the same area Trevor had just jogged from, but the scene remained quiet. A quick Google indicated that bears do see in colour, making Trevor’s selection of a bright red shirt even more controversial. A delicious dinner was had with the whole crowd in attendance, and we learned that the mysterious Chicken Fried Steak is just steak cut into small pieces and fried like one would do chicken. With Trevor having frightened off all the bears, we decided on a group walk to the nearby lake and a swim for the brave/insane and a lesson in drone operations by Nic for those sensible enough to stay away from the water. Day 13 was a backtrack and continuation south once we had sorted out Justin leading the wrong way toward Denali, thankfully the error was recognised before too many riders were lost in the wilds of central Alaska. It was about 100km down to Glennallen, where a stop for fuel was planned but abandoned due to the seething mass of trucks, RV’s, caravans, and cars jamming into

OCTOBER 2019

ALASKA PT3 - Dropping the Anchorage

Bathing in lakes with visible snow – the wrong way and the right way the main Tesoro service station. Instead, a trip to the IGA was taken to stock up on lunches to be eaten further down the track. Passing the settlements of Copperville, Silver Springs and Copper Centre, things were starting to look up for the metallurgists in the group, before taking a left turn east and heading toward Chitina, which happily also means copper in the local language. We made it to Liberty Falls for disposal of the chosen lunch, stopped for a refuel in Chitina, then embarked on the 100km dirt road to McCarthy/Kennicott. The heat was palpable in the 80’s Fahrenheit, which was a bit unpleasant when not moving, but the road condition was generally good and there were only a couple of sections of deep gravel and some minor water crossings besides the thick dust. The exciting crossing of a pedestrian bridge and an additional 5 miles saw us pull up at Kennicott Glacier Lodge. The spelling of Kennicott is correct, but so is the spelling of Kennecott which was the result of an error in the Kenni(e) cott Copper Company head office. In general terms the glacier is named Kennicott, but the Post Office sign is Kennecott so everything to do with the company town uses Kennecott. There was immediate disappointment as we’d missed the last mill tour, so spent the rest of the afternoon on a self-guided effort around the incredible site which closed in 1938 but looks like it just closed a few years ago – things don’t rot. A full sit-down meal was planned in the Lodge for 7pm, which turned out to be frankly spectacular, the beef roast was melt-in-mouth stuff and the veges magnificent.

Kennecott business end at the railway level Enough punters had shown an interest in the mill tour to change the Day 14 plan, those who wished could do the tour and leave at lunchtime, the rest could do as they pleased and have a sleep in and stay until the lunchtime exodus or leave earlier. Day 14 achieved, the interested party were guided through the history of Kennecott, which began with discovery of a seriously rich copper deposit in 1900 by two prospectors. The very high copper grade supported development in such a remote place; including a seriously expensive 196 mile railway (which is now the road) all the way to Cordova on the coast to ship the concentrate to Tacoma in Washington state for smelting. The inexperienced guide getting some of the mill details right and some of them wrong but given full marks for trying, we finished the tour and in the mounting heat headed back to the Lodge for packing, dressing, helmeting, gloving, mounting, and leaving. The 100km trip back along the dirt was a lot quicker, as we had experience and being well spread out we could ride our own race. By about 1pm we all congregated at the Chitina restaurant, which conveniently opened up just for us and provided a very acceptable lunch. The post-luncheon plan was continuation south once we’d recovered the highway. We’d been warned by Bayne about the scenery heading into Valdez – relentless snow-covered peaks and steep sided valleys, and he hadn’t exaggerated. After the group was separated at roadworks with a 25 minute cycle time, a long stop was taken at a lookout to admire the views before the rest caught up and we started the descent into Valdez.

ALASKA PT3 - Dropping the Anchorage

Cindy conquering the pedestrian bridge at McCarthy A dodgy looking track heading out to a viewpoint was too much for Justin, so rather than walk out he decided riding would be quicker. A meeting at the end with some cyclists was watched from afar with mounting suspense â&#x20AC;&#x201C; would Justin be forced to show he was higher up the food chain and throw their bikes off the cliff? Or just have a pleasant chat? Unfortunately it was the latter so we quickly lost interest and with the rest of the group hurtling past, remounted and started the descent to sea level. The mountain chill eased a little as we rolled down the hill, then was reinvigorated through the spectacularly tight Keystone Canyon with its multitude of waterfalls dropping off the

The 700GS bridesmaid at Bridal Veil Falls

OCTOBER 2019

sides into the Lowe River. Gathering into sort of a group, we rolled into Valdez and found our way to the Best Western located next to the marina on the promising sounding Meals Ave. Dressed for the town, we wandered to the Lonely Planet recommended best restaurant in Meals Ave, only to find it closed and no meals were available. The Potatohead craft brewery was a good starting point, and a ridiculously large meal at Mikeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Palace finished us off for the day.

End of the (pipe) line in Valdez Day 15 included an early cruise on Prince William Sound, which suited most of the tour members as we could relax and just worry about feeling seasick rather than worry about crashing or being attacked by moose/bear/gangs of squirrels out in the harsh Alaskan environment. Otters and the odd seal were the first of the wildlife as we motored past the other end of the 800 mile oil pipeline from Prudhoe Bay, before heading out through the narrows of Valdez Arm into Prince William Sound proper. An interesting location on the port side was Bligh Island, scene of the Exxon Valdez disaster in 1989. Details of the incident were described by our skipper, with a major cause the drift of icebergs from the Columbia glacier that the ship was trying to avoid. We headed west to the southern side of Glacier Island, where a seal colony momentarily interested people until a humpback whale showed up and did some stuff.

OCTOBER 2019

ALASKA PT3 - Dropping the Anchorage

The second part of the cruise was north up to the Columbia Glacier, or as close as the boat could get without a Titanic re-enactment as no one was too interested in getting anywhere near the water by floating around on a door. The Columbia Glacier has been rapidly retreating from nearly out to Glacier Island back to where it has split into two or three separate glaciers since the 1980’s, and is one of the last to do so with others nearby retreating at the end of the last iceage. The result is less drifting icebergs in Prince William Sound, and a longer cruise to see the glacier.

featuring the difficulty early prospectors had getting out over the Valdez Glacier, the lost battle with Cordova to be the terminus of the Kennecott railway, the Prudhoe Bay to Valdez pipeline, and inevitably the 1964 earthquake which caused the town to be shifted onto more solid ground. A light snack and a few IPA’s at Potatohead with a nightcap IPA in the hotel bar saw out the day, but yet again not the daylight.

Columbia Glacier

Valdez Best Western well prepared for another disaster Day 16 was the penultimate, with glaciers now the theme of the trip. As always, the day started with a backtrack, and this time all of us were caught up at the roadworks for half an hour or so while listening to interesting stories from the young lollypop sign lady.

And finally, the highlight of the cruise – a seafood chowder and a huddle down in the warmth inside while a piece of iceberg was carted about by a crew member for passengers yet to experience frostbite to touch.

A Valdez reason for being steams patriotically in Back at the dock, tips were dispensed according to one’s feelings about the chowder, and an afternoon of relaxation and possibly a small nap was celebrated. A visit to the museum was the next activity, with the history of the town

Jan going bush at the roadworks presumably to get a better angle for a Worthington Glacier photo Admiring the scenery, we made our way to Glennallen for a repeat lunch from the IGA, this time eaten at the IGA with views over the Glennallen Pregnancy Centre. The descent into the dark world of American chocolate bar

ALASKA PT3 - Dropping the Anchorage addiction was complete for some by this stage, with several of the team making trips back into the IGA for more Turtles or Butterfingers or PayDays and dealing them openly to their sticky victims. With the rain in Alaska now falling mainly on the Glennallen IGA, we tried to re-wrap the chocolate and geared up once more to motor the 120km to Glacier View, our final non-Anchorage destination on the tour.

Scary-high winter road markers on Alaska Highway 1 As we were fairly early into the accommodation, Ride Leader Justin who was possibly still high on Turtles suggested a viewing of the Compass Expeditions Beyond Siberia video, with special commentary by himself and Bayne who had both been on the inaugural Road of Bones expedition. Numerous trips to the bar before, during, and after the video and a few PayDay poppers had some of us primed to play volleyball out on the grass court while sensible types clustered around the yet to be lit fire.

With finger dislocations back in, ready to go again

OCTOBER 2019

With only three serious injuries to men in their prime, the volleyball was over and the penultimate tour dinner was held, before reclustering around the fire for more medicinal drinks and medicinal toasted marshmallow sandwiches. Some nearly got to sunset, and therefore sunrise which typically happens 10 minutes later, either of which still hadnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been seen by most. Day 17 arrived, well for some but less well for those who had been trapped around the campfire by strong spirits. It was a mere 172km back to Anchorage, so there was no serious pressure but to arrive back to Motoquest intact at a reasonable hour. The glacier theme reached a crescendo with a stop planned to visit the Matanuska Glacier, one of few that can be reached and walked on easily. The road in was dusty and had disturbing overhanging glacial moraine cliffs, but no geotechnical dramas befell the group. After purchase of tickets and some Butterfingers at the office, the remaining mile or two was ridden to the car park.

Like thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going to stop us The glacier sits in a river valley and is fairly flat at the end compared to most, so walking up onto it was no real struggle even for the strong spirit affected. Glaciered out, we remounted and pressed onto to a morning tea/lunch (munch) at Chickaloon that was designed to clean out the over-supply of snack foods that had accumulated in the support vehicle. With more chocolates consumed for a good cause and the Chickaloon ancient tractor and farm machinery display appreciated, we kept on in the rising heat with

OCTOBER 2019

ALASKA PT3 - Dropping the Anchorage

lowering enthusiasm as each passing mile meant the end was becoming nigh.

prior weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d left the same carpark, so much fun and scenery had been experienced it felt a lot longer, but the trip had to end sometime. With a few wines and beers laid on by Motoquest quaffed and photos taken next to the trusty steeds, it was into the transit van and back to the Lakefront Hotel.

More Brisbanite behaviour - see slippery glacier terminus, roll on slippery glacier terminus The Chickaloon Chicks synchronised riding team The finish was a team dinner in the hotel where speeches were made, with round after round of plain table waters fuelling the laughs. The first True North Alaska was blessed with some of the best and most fun we have ever ridden with, and includes Nic and Margreth who are now BMWMCQ members. The hilarity just never ended and this trip will be a very hard one to beat.

Maxine does Xtreme internet banking over a glacier crevasse After a final re-group at the Anchorage welcome sign, nigh was reached at Motoquest at about 3:30pm after refuelling the bikes conga-line style for the final time. It hadnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t felt like 17 days

And finally on the last day - a sunset

End of Part 3, and Alaska

Land of the Long White Cloud By: Tony Gray

o you read members stories in the journal of overseas bike travel and wonder - could I do that? The answer is most certainly YES, you just need to be motivated and then decide the where and the how. Jane and I have been lucky in having had the opportunity to do a lot of overseas bike travel in recent years with trips to Europe (3 times), the USA & Canada and to NZ (twice). The ‘Gray Ghost’ our 2007 GS1200 has been our steed for the three Euro trips while the other trips have been on rental bikes. All of our trips have been solo efforts but organised tours with your own bike or a hire bike are available to most places in the world. The club journal’s co-editors Cindy & Duncan have been to several different continents on organised bike tours and speak highly of the trips they have undertaken. This story is about organising a solo trip so if you are interested in riding in an exciting overseas destination then read on:

OCTOBER 2019

So what does it cost to take your own bike to NZ compared to renting? Here is a basic breakdown with rental costs based on a large capacity sport/ touring or adventure/touring bike similar to our 1200GS. Note there is a premium price for European brand bikes over their Japanese counterparts. You also pay a premium for late models. You could halve the rental costs if traveling solo on a smaller capacity bike.

Rental: Expect between $200 - $300 NZD / day with rates reducing for longer rental periods. Costs vary between suppliers and between the North & South Islands. Own Bike: Costs vary between the various shipping methods but roughly $2,600 return as a guide with additional insurance (if added) pushing this closer to $3,000.

Our closest neighbour, NZ, offers a lot of benefits for the first time or seasoned overseas traveler. The roads on both islands offer brilliant riding experiences, it is only a short trip by air, the people are friendly and speak our language, they drive on our side of the road and it is one of the few western countries that offer Australians a positive exchange rate for the AUD. Also there are reciprocal benefits with the AA if you are an RACQ member. All of these positives add up to the only negative that I can see - it can be very hard to get a hire bike at peak times due to the huge demand from fellow Australians as well as the many Americans and Europeans who travel half way around the world to experience what NZ has to offer.

From a straight economics perspective a trip for less than three weeks would support bike hire while longer than that starts tipping the balance in the direction of taking your own bike. Push that time out for a smaller capacity bike. Of course there are the imponderables which will favor one or the other option depending on your personal circumstances. In favour of renting is that it is clean and quick with all details accounted for. There is also the option of renting one bike on the North Island and a different bike on the South Island reducing the inter-island ferry costs (approx $200NZ each way for motorbike + 2 people). This would be offset by flight costs between the islands. Your own bike is left safe at home available to be ridden up to your departure and immediately upon your return. I am aware that VP Richard Maher offers a bike sitting service if your bike needs to be taken out for rides while you are

OCTOBER 2019

away. Unfortunately there is no cleaning option attached to this service LOL.

The disadvantages as I see them is the availability of the bike you want, when you want it: needing some time to familiarize yourself with a new (to you) bike; how to pack the bike with the likelihood of an unfamiliar pannier/rack system; if you are planning on back roads riding then there may be restrictions on riding unsealed roads; any damage even minor might cost you the full excess on your insurance which may be substantial. (Editor Comment - Three big problems we’ve had with hire bikes to confirm Tony’s disadvantages: 1) They are usually a stock base model bike, and have crappy little windscreens and no protection. 2) Don’t come with any tools, if on a 2-3 week trip you need to adjust a mirror or fix a flat...... And 3) Damage, a bike hire company tried to charge Cindy US$1100 for a whole new front wheel because of a very minor rim dent that we luckily proved was already there by checking our photos.) There is another less obvious disadvantage that we have experienced when renting a bike - you feel like you need to be on the go the whole time that you have the bike to justify the high daily rental

Land of the Long White Cloud charge. There may be a guilty feeling if you take a few days off the bike here or there to kick back and smell the roses. The option of shipping your own bike has the advantage of familiarity, both in terms of riding and packing the bike; riding gear can be sent with the bike and not taken with you as baggage; you can take your time as extra days here or there does not add to the cost; there is no restriction on riding any road you feel capable of tackling; plus the feel good sense and conversation starter that riding a QLD registered bike has in a foreign land. This may just be coincidence but the only time we have been booked overseas was when we were riding a Canadian rental bike in Canada.

Our own bike has never attracted any attention from the law in the UK, western or eastern Europe or Scandinavia (parking tickets not withstanding but we just ignore those). The downside is that you do not have access to your bike while it is being shipped either side of your holiday: you are responsible for ensuring that the bike is very clean both on it’s outward and return journey. If NZ customs or Australian Border Force determine that the bike needs to be cleaned then it will be at your cost and it will be substantial. You also need to attend to a few more details with a Warrant of Fitness and insurance. The Warrant of Fitness test is comprehensive so such things as brakes, tyres, lights etc have to be in top condition and adjusted correctly. If you have read this far and think that doing a NZ holiday on your own bike is attractive then what are the options: 1. Fly. Unfortunately no airlines offer a service ex Australian ports to fly you and your bike on the

Land of the Long White Cloud

OCTOBER 2019

fill a container then offer either option 2) or 3) as alternatives. 5. RoRo which means Roll On Roll Off. These are large vehicle ferries where vehicles of all shapes and sizes (including motorbikes) are driven onto the ship and parked in lower deck open garages by dedicated staff. The vehicle owner is not permitted on the ship which does not have any passenger capability. Bikes are strapped down similar to what happens on the Spirit of Tasmania passenger ferries plying the Bass Strait. Unfortunately these ships all travel on a triangular anti-clockwise route from the East Coast of Australia to NZ then up to Japan before returning to Australia. This means that the return journey from NZ to Australia takes over 6 weeks to complete via Japan. The first leg to NZ is about one week. There is also a high risk of theft with this method so nothing that is not fixed solidly to the bike should be sent.

same aircraft so the bike will go as general cargo. Air Canada is one airline that does offer this service but not from Australia. This is the most expensive option but may suit if you do not want to be without your bike for a longer period. 2. Crating. Crate your bike at home and have it collected in a door to door service. Crate goes as general cargo. Crate has material restrictions especially in relation to wood products. Will require some dis-assembly/reassembly so you need to know how to wield a spanner. Crate will be held with the shipper at the NZ end so you will embark and disembark from the same port. Not a problem if you are only exploring one Island. It is possible that you could have the crate transported to another port but I have not explored that option. 3. General cargo in a container. Bike is stored in a general cargo container with other freight so a much higher risk of damage. I would not use or recommend this method. 4. Dedicated bike container. This has been the way our bike was shipped on it’s three European trips. Dave Milligan of Get Routed uses this method and we have also used Bikes Abroad who do similar. Dave has set dates and ports to ensure that his containers are full. If not he doesn’t ship from that port. Bikes Abroad take bookings and if unable to

Jane and I are taking the Gray Ghost to NZ in early 2020 starting on the South Island where we will be attending the Burt Munro Challenge in Invercargill (Feb 5-9) then heading up to the North Island as the weather cools. We intend on being away between 6 and 8 weeks. We are gauging interest from club members (or their friends) in potentially booking a 20 foot container (4 or 5 bikes) or 40 foot container (8 or 9 bikes) ex Brisbane to go into Lyttelton (Port for Christchurch) and returning from Auckland. This is not intended as an organised club trip just as a means of getting bikes to NZ and home by the most economical method. I can be contacted at secretary@bmwmcq.org.au if you are interested. If any readers have had direct recent experiences of any of these shipping methods then I would also be interested in your experiences. Mal Cremer hired a bike in 2016 then shipped his Suzuki DR650 with Get Routed in 2017 - you can read Mal’s story in the August 2017 journal (available on the Club website under Downloads). There is a lot of really useful first hand experience contained in Mal’s article. Jane and my trip stories from 2014 exploring the North Island (early in the year) and South Island (late in the year) can be found in the August 2014 and March 2015 journals. These trips were for 8 days and 15 days respectively but we left a lot of the country uncovered. NZ may be small in area but it certainly punches well above it’s weight in terms of scenery, roads, culture and activities.

OCTOBER 2019

BMWMCQ Christmas Party

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.

FOR THE AIRHEADS - and they are many

OCTOBER 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 to Facebook Video’s, as it was a short month these are the same as last. https://www.facebook.com/Boxerworks/videos/387635181935252/ https://www.facebook.com/Boxerworks/videos/372594016749928/ https://www.facebook.com/Boxerworks/videos/454660561931598/ https://www.facebook.com/mark.morrissey.96/videos/10219638550375035/

The above video by Mark (5035) really is a must see... so we’ve left it in there

Whilst on the subject of videos, check out Mark and Donna’s trip to Eastern Europe on a brand new R1250GS that already had their names on it: https://youtu.be/azZr8SRvvZQ

OCTOBER 2019

By: Tony Gray

K what’s he on about now? What has a fine motorbike journal got to do with Red Heads, Bald Heads, Boof Heads or D… Heads? Read on for this definitely has to do with our beloved BMWs. This little story was borne out of a request from our erstwhile Editors for some copy for the October journal given the short turnaround following the delayed September journal. A lightbulb moment happened in a casual discussion with another club member and this story had legs.

Airhead - Round Cover Put your hand up if you know the difference between an airhead, oilhead, hexhead, camhead, wethead or wasserhead? If you have your hand up then please bring the cat in and go to bed as in the words of President Donald – ‘Nothing to see here’. OK you’re still here so read on: BMW has a well-earned reputation for being a conservative motorbike and automobile manufacturer where design progress is evolutionary rather than revolutionary. Certainly that is the case with BMWs’ Boxer engine that powered the first BMW motorcycle in 1923, the R32, and continues to power most of the range almost 100 years later. Granted today’s boxer engines are a far cry from the 1923 version but the basic design of a horizontally opposed twin cylinder engine with the cylinders sticking out in the breeze remains the same. Other engine designs have come and gone over the decades

What Sort of Head Have You Got? but the boxer twin has always been synonymous with BMW.

Airhead - Square Cover Those early designs evolved and survived the second world-war but by the end of the 1960’s had fallen out of favour under the onslaught of the tide of smart new designs from Japan. Something had to happen and BMW released its new design the type 246 engine in the form of the /5 series with variants being the R50, R60 and R75. Many changes happened along the way but this engine design powered BMWs for the next 25 years. This series of bikes includes the venerable

Oilhead R90s before growing to the R100 and including the GS range of R80’s and R100’s. Collectively this group of motorcycles are known as the AIRHEADS. All of these engines are indeed air cooled notwithstanding that later models may have included an oil cooler. The earlier airheads in /5 and /6 form and including the R90s had rounded valve covers which arguably (certainly IMHO) are the most attractive design. Models from the /7 on adopted squarer shaped valve

What Sort of Head Have You Got? covers but they are all AIRHEADS. Interestingly both Ducati and Moto Guzzi changed their beautiful round case engine designs for square case designs at about the same time as did BMW. Maybe they were cheaper to manufacture?

OCTOBER 2019

cover which is six sided – a hexagon. The hexhead continued until 2010 when the engine was redesigned to adopt double overhead camshafts thus leading to the new name CAMHEAD. The engine was still oil/air cooled as per its predecessors but that was all about to change.

Camhead By the mid 1990’s BMW was seeking more power from their boxer engines and totally redesigned the bike to come up with the first of the OILHEADS, the R1100. In this design, oil passageways were cast into the engine to cool various engine components, the oil then being fed through the external oil cooler to cool. The R1100 grew into the R1150 models and this series of bike had a long run and still maintains a dedicated following.

Hexhead Ever more stringent pollution and noise restrictions were being adopted in Europe and BMW were forced to adopt liquid cooling to shield the engine noise and to maintain an even engine temperature to sustain the power levels the market was seeking. The WETHEAD was born but its official designation of LC (liquid cooled) differentiates it in the market place. They are also commonly known as wasserheads, wasser being the German word for water. Simple hey?

R9t Camhead The next major redesign produced the R1200 series in 2004 – the HEXHEADS. Even though this series is still an oil/air cooled design it is totally different from the earlier oilhead. The name is derived from the shape of the valve

Wethead Just to add a bit of confusion to this model progression the R9T range maintains the earlier CAMHEAD engine as it better suits the retro design of that range of bikes. Better get in quick if you like ‘em because the bureaucrats will eventually force their demise.

OCTOBER 2019

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OCTOBER 2019

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OCTOBER 2019

Some Useful Services & Cool Stuff

Call now for our frEE parts CataloguE

Genuine & Aftermarket parts (from 1955 onwards) • Accessories • Australian Agent for Hepco & Becker Luggage Systems and Crash Bars Electronic Ignition Systems Unit 5&6 / 9 Hayden Crt Myaree, Perth, 6154 Western Australia

www.munichmotorcycles.com.au TrAde enqUiries WelCoMe (open till 7pm est.)

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Phone: 08 9317 3317 Fax: 08 9317 3359 email: munich@iinet.net.au

ADVERTISING SPACE AVAILABLE

From business card to full page, all sizes are available.

The BMWMCQ electronic journal is distributed to members and interested parties throughout Queensland and basically anywhere that has the internet. In addition, the journal is issued to other BMW affiliated Clubs.

Get your message out to people who own, ride and restore BMW motorcycles. Phone your requests to Don Grimes - Ph: 0411 601 372

Good Wool Store Pty Ltd 49 Queen St BERRY 2535 P 02 4464 2081. F 02 4464 3344

www.goodwool.com.au

BMW MOTORRAD OKTOBERFEST NATIONAL DEMO DAY MAKE LIFE A RIDE. SATURDAY 5TH OCTOBER.

BMW Motorrad

Book now at TeamMoto BMW Gold Coast.

TEAMMOTO BMW GOLD COAST 48 Lawrence Drive, Nerang I (07) 5554 2367 teammotobmwgoldcoast.com.au

OCTOBER 2019

COASTLINE BMW MOTORRAD RIDE

By: Richard De Groot Sunday 22nd September was a Coastline BMW Motorrad shop ride. The morning started with a little rain; however that soon cleared. The ride group met at Aussie World car park and started the ride in time at 0700 hours. There was a good turnout of sixteen (16) bikes and seventeen (17) motorcyclists, Wendy was the only pillion. From our Sunny Coast BMW Riders group were Paul Malcolm, Carolyn Byrne, Wendy and me. Paul had picked up a brand new demo R 1250 GSA from the dealer earlier in the day, here is some proof (although no photos were received by the Editor with Paul actually on the bike):

Morning tea was at Kin Kin after the group zig-zagged their way through the glorious hinterland roads. After morning tea, it was back on the bikes to ride many more twisting, climbing and descending roads to the lunch destination at Ricks Garage, Palmwoods. A plentiful hot finger food lunch was provided by our ride hosts. A great day with the Coastline BMW Motorrad shop ride group. A great day of motorcycling, socialising and meeting other BMW (and one or two other brands) motorcyclists. Wendy and I did 225 km for the ride from home and back to home at Moffat Beach.

COASTLINE BMW MOTORRAD RIDE

OCTOBER 2019

Thank you to Brad Butcher, Dan Jones and the staff from Coastline BMW Motorrad.

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 Issue 22 Overland Magazine Issue 25

Overland Magazine Overland Magazine The Touring Motorcycle

Issue 26 Issue 27 Jeff Ware & Kris Hodgson

2 x On Tour with Compass Expeditions DVDs

The Club has taken up the initiative of a book exchange facility via the Club. The initive 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 as to pick up & drop off procedures and wew wouold antici[pate this occurred at the monthly Memebers meeting.....Editor

BMW MOTORRAD OKTOBERFEST NATIONAL DEMO DAY MAKE LIFE A RIDE.

SATURDAY 5TH OCTOBER.

BMW Motorrad

Book now at TeamMoto BMW Springwood.

TEAMMOTO BMW SPRINGWOOD 59 Moss Street, Springwood I (07) 3442 1397 teammotobmwspringwood.com.au