BMWMCQ JOURNAL SEPTEMBER 2017 by BMW MOTORCYCLE CLUB QUEENSLAND

www.bmwmcq.org.au

SEPTEMBER 2017

OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE BMW MOTORCYCLE CLUB OF QUEENSLAND INC.

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OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE BMW MOTORCYCLE CLUB OF QUEENSLAND INC.

The Committee

This Issue - SEPTEMBER 2017

President - Richard Maher

Contents:-

Vice President - Les Fitzpatrick

Editorial and Tribute to Alan Geritz. 4 Committee Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Club Venue & GM. . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Maggie and George Biscuit Run 2017 6 General Meeting Minutes . . . . . . . . 11 Christmas Party & Cherrabah B2B . . 12 Cindy’s Africa Zimbabwe - Botswana. 14 Service Day & Sunday Lunch Ride. . 15 Bennetts came Home from Africa . . 20

Getting on your Goat . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Over Night Ride to Bundaberg . . . . . 31 Michael and Ann GS Road Trip . . . . 27 BMWMCQ Supports . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 BMWMCQ Events Calendar 2017. . . 30 Cupla Adverts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Photo Overflow. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

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

Advertisers

Records Officer - Craig Brennan

Cafe2U - P.28 Good Wool Store - P.32 HydroTac(R) Lenses - P.28 Motorcycle Adventure Products P.28 Munich Motorcycles - P.32

Shannons Insurance - P.34 Northside Motorcycles - P.34 Morgan and Wacker- Rear Cover TeamMoto - Front Cover

Ph: 0415 111 454 president@bmwmcq.org.au R 1150 R Ph: 0418 197 709 vpres@bmwmcq.org.au R 1200 GSA and a few more

Secretary - Greg Gaffney Ph: 0411 424 219 secretary@bmwmcq.org.au R 1200 RT & R 90 S

Treasurer - Tony Gray Ph: 0409 493 605 treasurer@bmwmcq.org.au R 1200 GS (The Grey Ghost)

Editor - Dave Hepburn

Ph: 0422 907 934 regalia@bmwmcq.org.au R 100 RT

Regalia - Kellie Wicks regalia@bmwmcq.org.au F 650 GS

Tools/Spares - Geoff Hodge

Ph: 0413 180 101 tools@bmwmcq.org.au F 800 GT + R 51/3

Tools/Spares - Bill Luyten

n The Cover... Oh dear...Anita and Harry decide to have a little rest... not sure that a cattle grid is the most ideal resting place... pleased to advise both received only minimal damage.....Ed

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

Events -Trent Smyth

events@bmwmcq.org.au R1200 GSA and a 92 R100 GSPD

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

Club Details BMW Motorcycle Club of Queensland Inc. ABN 30 351 243 651

Address all correspondence to: The Secretary PO Box 3669 South Brisbane QLD 4101 Monthly meetings are held on the first Thursday of the month at the:

Moreton Bay Sports Club, 175 Boundary St., Tingalpa

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.

2. Improving the service and availability of spare parts for BMWs in Queensland using the advantage of a united effort. 3. Decreasing maintenance and running costs by mutual assistance on mechanical problems. 4. Organising day trips, tours and outings. 5. Encourage and support Regional Ride Groups 6. Affiliation with other clubs/associations where such affiliation would be of mutual benefit. DISCLAIMER The views and opinions expressed in this Journal are those of each contributor and are not necessarily shared by the Editor, management, and / or membership of the BMWMCQ. The Editor reserves the right to refuse any advertising or delete any material which could be considered or interpreted as questionable, libellous or offensive, without consultation. WEB SITE Visit: www.bmwmcq.org.au

Editorial

SEPTEMBER 2017

Dave Hepburn

Editor’s Report

t has been another very active month for the club with the very popular and extremely well executed and famous: Maggie and George’s Annual Biscuit Run. I have made a slight departure from the normal layout of the monthly club ride and I have introduced it among the committee member’s monthly reports …mostly to eat up the white space ….back to normal next month… maybe. Richard de Groot asked me to give his B2B Cherrabah Event a plug in my editorial so here it is… Seriously: Richard and Wendy, assisted by Cindy and Duncan, have put a significantly large amount of time and effort into this event and it sounds amazing…you would be seriously remiss by not going and having a really great time…Trace and I will not be there (that’s a bonus right there) as it is too close to our Portugal trip and I do not believe in tempting fate or the wrath of my cherished partner. The rest of you don’t have that excuse…. There appears to be a reluctant take up of the Club Christmas Function at Evans head this year. Come on guys it is a great function: I attended the last function at Evans Head and really enjoyed myself. Evans Head is one of Australia’s well kept secrets... The dinner was excellent and was well attended by other states club members. I will be away for most of October so I need to have all submissions for the Journal by 15 September and submissions for November mag no later than 28 October….please be advised that the November Journal will not be published until 2nd week of November or earlier depending on my frame of mind after 27 hours of flying cattle class…. I would have written more but the tribute below deserved the space more than I did...Enjoy the Mag.

A Trtibute To ALAN GERITZ

IN CHERISHED MEMORY OF ALAN GERITZ

Alan joined the Toowoomba Motor Cycle Club (TMCC) in 1972 after taking a position at the Darling Downs Institute of Advanced Education (DDIAE). He was a very well-liked member of the club and a quiet achiever. He rode in the TMCC Enduro’s in the early 70’s starting and finishing at Connole Park. The TMCC leased a track at Postman’s Ridge. Alan also rode in early DDIAE Enduro’s around Toowoomba. In those days, there was an abundance of dirt roads gazetted and stock routes around the city. He also rode in some of the Bunya Mountains Enduro’s held by the Dalby Motorcycle club. In 1973 -1975 Alan participated in 4 day events held in the Easter long weekends an conducted by the Cessnock Motorcycle Club which, incidentally, is the oldest formed motorcycle club in Australia. Alan was a member of a 4 man team entered as one of 2 x 4 man teams of the TMCC. In 1975 Alan was secretary of TMCC: this was the first year of Mountain Men Moto X. Alan was also event secretary which was a huge task. Alan did a big run in the mid 70’s when he rode from Toowoomba to Bathurst with a number of club members so they could go to the motorcycle racing.

Another big ride Alan did with other club members was to ride across the Simpson Desert. After club meetings TMCC members would view club movies of early scramble meets and coasting races (which sometimes started halfway down the Toowoomba Range or on top of Mt Kynoch) and Alan was always a keen participant. In these events the participants would inflate tyres to 60PSI, remove chains and prise disc pads from discs to eliminate friction. On one occasion, 2 members started halfway down the Toowoomba Range and ended up at Tomato Land on the Warrego Highway. Alan was there when a course was marked around Toowoomba streets with lime placed on the road surfaces. When Alan moved to South Australia he still kept in touch with members of the TMCC. In 2006 Alan and other members of the club conducted a 25th Anniversary run from Toowoomba to the tip of Cape York and tried to keep mainly to dirt roads through large cattle properties. To get to the tip they even rode along some of the beaches in remote and isolated areas. Alan will be very sorely missed.

My Thanks to Jim Bormann for providing the above Tribute........Ed.

Committee Reports Richard Maher

SEPTEMBER 2017

President’s Report

ood evening everyone. I write this report from a cold motel room in Stanthorpe. The week-end ride to the region was undertaken by motorcar rather than motorcycle. I sit with my ruminations and a glass of local red coloured produce in hand considering my motorcycling future. Regular readers will know I am well versed in the riding of Other Peoples Motorcycles. This simple fact has never been a problem. My wife is happy with me riding OPM’s. I was happy with me riding OPM’s right up until the motorcycle options dried up. The K1600GTL has returned to its legal owner. Big thanks Ross Dalton for the opportunity to look after this wonderful motorcycle. The replacement loaner the K1200GT is available to me on select days every fortnight or so for a few hours. The R100S has been moved on to greener pastures and the R80GS is nearly ready to ride and will be seeking a new owner before I get a chance to form a close bond with it. The Yamaha has new pipes and new brakes, but it’s not quite ready for the commute to the outer Ipswich suburbs three days a week. You see readers after more than a year of neglect my own personal motorcycle has decided to roll over and play dead just as it was being eased back into full time service. The trusty red bike has only recently clocked up 160.000k’s. I decided it was time to throw a few dollars and some loving at it, as the next “please ride my bike” offer wasn’t appearing on the horizon as quickly as I had wished. The 1100 has been running beautifully and I’m convinced it is more economical now than it ever has been, so rewarding the bike by some attention seemed a fair and reasonable task. The R1100R was dusted off (not washed!) and moved up to position one at the head of the garage. It was given a new set of hoops (Michelin Pilot Activ x 2), a new battery, a new headlight globe. 80% brighter output with a slight blue tone to assist with night time riding, if you believe the blurb on the packet…and we’re good to go ridin’. I was never going to miss the Annual, George and Maggie Biscuit Ride. If you are only available to attend one club ride per year; this would definitely be my pick. August is always a perfect month to hit the road and this year Sunday the 6th saw exceptional riding conditions. A huge turnout at the allocated meet point (The BP servo on Exit 38 on the Coast Hwy) always warms the soul. I chose the job of Tail End Charlie for the day. With an increased number of bikes and a reasonable understanding of the roads we were to take. I was confident we could pre-empt any wrong turns and get them all heading in the right direction. Morning tea was at Beechmont and there were even more riders already on site to enjoy the baked goods. The Roadster was a little sluggish in starting but promptly fired up and we were all on our way into NSW via the Hinze Dam and Chillingham with a Pub lunch appointment at Tyalgum west of Murwillumbah. I decided not to stay for lunch but earmarked the location for further consideration. I bid a hasty retreat and tried to catch a clubbie who had left a few minutes earlier on a K1600GT. This may have been an ambitious lunge, I managed to keep him in sight for a few miles on the flowing sections of the Tyalgum valley road, however, once we hit the faster sections I was riding alone. Feeling confident on roads I had not covered before I was amused to be keeping pace with two good ‘ol boys in a very old “cruiser” Ute who were determined to keep me in their mirrors, and show me how much mud and crap could be flung off their rust bucket at ridiculous speeds. This thing must have had a turbo off a Mine dump truck attached. Not wanting to burst their bubble I let them stay in front then showed them a clean pair of heels when the open road tightened up and got twisty. Happy with my sneaky manoeuvre, I headed home on the world’s most boring section of Highway, The M1. 3 k’s from home I stopped to fill the tank for the work run in the morning. Returning to the bike I pressed the starter button for the last leg of the days’ ride. The starter remained silent and has managed to remain silent right up to this very day. Dejected and poorer after filling the tank and emptying my credit card into the account of the motorcycle towie, I wheeled it to the back of the garage and left it in peace. It would appear from yesterday’s analysis by a person skilled in the dark arts of electricity. Two magnets in the starter motor have parted company and have made a dash for freedom outside the bike. I sought special dispensation to ride the R850R or as it is known by my wife: HER MOTORCYCLE. My wife is a very patient woman but using her motorcycle on a daily basis has been too much for her. She explained to me in single syllable words: In very small sentences: through clenched teeth: that I should stop being a tight bastard. I should buy a newer and more reliable motorcycle and stop using her motorcycle and everyone else’s motorcycles as my fall-back position. Sorry I cannot finish this report properly; I have a motorcycle to purchase….

SEPTEMBER 2017

Les Fitzpatrick

Committee Reports Vice Presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Report

here is the year going, I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t believe that winter is gone and spring is with us again. Anyway there is still the chance of a few cool months riding before the summer arrives. I havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t spent much time on club business the last few months as my own projects have taken a front seat for a change and Charlies Ducati needed some love as well. The old 600 Pantah had a bucket load of electrical issues that took a couple of days to straighten out and we are still working on two items. Kellyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bike had a small electrical fire which was easily sorted but the engine had to come out and is waiting on a head rebuild and new piston rings so the saga continues with that little bike with more to go. I made real progress with my old Honda GL1500 Goldwing which has been languishing in a corner of the shed for three and half years now. The clutch and brake systems had to be rebuilt and I suspect that there is a cooling system fault but the bike is now back on the road and running like only a six cylinder motorcycle can. I can smell a sniff of engine coolant now and then but the fluid levels donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t appear to have changed so I figure that the only way to find the leak is to ride the bike until something becomes obvious. Now I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know about you but having to ride all day every day for weeks on the off chance that I might find a fault seems like a hardship donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t you think? The Honda CT110 postie bike also got a carby overhaul and now starts on the first kick so I now have a really nice Postie bike for sale. If you feel the need to spend some time on the dark side a postie bike may help you realize your inner hipster. Now you may think that with all this Ducati/Honda action that I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do BMWâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s anymore but I am only clearing out the Hondas to make room for Kellyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 1986 R80 custom and my 1973 R75/5 in the workshop. I am really looking forward to getting those bikes back on the road as they are both rather special. So if you are looking for me over the next few weeks I will be in the shed.

The 10th Maggie and George Biscuit Run Monthly Club Ride

he Annual Maggie and George BMWMCQ Biscuit Run occurred on 6th August 2017 and by all accounts was very well received and supported by club members â&#x20AC;Śevery one behaving graciously except for one who ate the biscuits Maggie left with him for the Editor who was unable to attend the day due to family commitments. Richard......... Karma is a bitch. Nobody took up the challenge to write an article on the day so I have raided our face book site to provide an article to thank Maggie and George for another great ride and biscuit dayâ&#x20AC;Ś.Ed. Maggie wrote: The baking is all done. Alison - gluten free for you. Kelly, you have your ginger nuts, not as strong as last year. Merv, Anzacs of course. Richard M: always the Armenian cake and much more. Enjoy the day. Maggie.... Paul Hughes wrote: Big shout out to Maggie and George for the great organisation of the fabulous 10 th Biscuit ride.

The food as always was superb. George you are a lucky man. This has to be a signature event for the club surely. Thanks to everyone who attended. Fantastic time had by all and especially thanks to our great hosts Maggie and George. Canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wait until the 11th biscuit ride đ&#x;&#x2018;?đ&#x;&#x2018;?đ&#x;&#x2018;?đ&#x;&#x2018;?đ&#x;&#x2018;?đ&#x;&#x2018;?đ&#x;&#x2018;?đ&#x;&#x2018;?đ&#x;&#x2018;?đ&#x;?Şđ&#x;?Şđ&#x;?Šđ&#x;&#x17D;&#x201A; Richard de Groot wrote: Alarm set for 0445 hours this morning: Biscuits waiting at Beechmont: Left home at Moffat Beach at 0545 hours in the dark and cool: Meet Mark Coleman at BP Morayfield at 0630 hours: Down through Brisbane City and onto Mount Lindsay Highway at Calamvale: Nice fresh motorcycle weather. Temperature went to 5.5 degrees Celsius at Jimboomba not long before we turned off the highway and rode via Tambourine Village and on to Canungra where we arrived at 0800 hours.

Remember members, if you â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;log-inâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; to our Clubâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Web Site youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find our journal is in full colour -take a moment and have a look @ www.bmwmcq.org.au â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Viewing Tipsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; - PDF is best viewed as a Two Page Spread - Click on â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;View/Page Display and tick â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Two Page Scrollingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Be sure both - â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Show Gaps Between Pagesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Show Cover Page In Two Page Vewâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Are Ticked

Committee Reports

SEPTEMBER 2017

Tony Gray

Treasurerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Report

Treasurers Report BMWMCQâ&#x20AC;&#x201C; as at 24 August 2017 Funds Available Business Cheque Account 10243020: $ 900.20 Funds Available Premier Investment Account 2249 3654: $14,910.57 PayPal Account: $ 111.41 Total Cash Assets as at 24 August 2017:

$ 15,922.18

Payments Approved by Committee: Insurances x 3 $2,786.29 Software Upgrade $1,056.00 Comment: August has seen some major expenditure items with the renewal of the Clubâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Insurance Policies which showed a 5% increase on the previous year and investment in software upgrades to the clubâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website.

The 10th Maggie and George Biscuit Run Club Ride - continued

Hot coffee and toast then enjoyed at the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Outpost Cafeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. Definitely had the hand grip heaters on this morning; otherwise was as warm as toast. Well cold toast perhaps! Richard also wrote: What a great day was the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Biscuit Rideâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; day. Wendy & I had a ball. Thanks to Maggie & George for all their hard and tiring work in preparation for the day and making the event possible. As per my previous post today; we rode direct to the venue. Soon bikes & people were everywhere consuming the assortment of delights prepared by Maggie, consuming their own prepared coffee or having a coffee supplied by Kieran & Christine from their mobile coffee van. We thoroughly enjoyed catching up with many long term Club friends and meeting new members: Fabulous. Dinner at Tyalgum Hotel and after bidding goodbyes as all departed we had a ride through the glorious country up hill and down dale to Kyogle; where we are staying for the night. A total of 341 k/m for the day: Fantastic day. Thanks to the Club for making these events possible. Apparently there was about 46 bikes and 2 cars at the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Biscuit Consumingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; venue. I guess at least about 55 members; but I for one did not count. Rosi Johnson wrote: What an awesome day Steven and I had. Was our first biscuit ride. Compliments to Maggie: what a tasty

assortment of biscuits. The weather was great, the company was awesome. I loved the twisties up and down the mountains to get to our destinations. Matt Mason Wrote: Thanks guys, was a great 1st ride out đ&#x;&#x2018;? Matt Mason Maggie wrote: Thank you everyone for making the day a success and that you all arrived home safely. Thank you Maggie and George, your efforts are so very much appreciated.....Ed.

Submissions for the next journal (OCTOBER 2017 Edition) close on the 15th

SEPTEMBER 2017

Trent Smyth

Committee Reports Events Coords Report

o what a busy month we have had: something on every weekend and September doesn’t look like its slowing down either. This month’s club ride will be run by El Presidente Richard with details TBA for the moment. We also have the next instalment of the ginger beer run down to Bellingen if you haven’t sorted out you accommodation yet I would pull my finger out if I was you as it looks to be a great weekend like the last one. We also have the back to the bush at Cherrabah as well so get in and get your selves sorted. We will also have our normal coffee morning which I will post details of once I finalise the details and there will be no lunch ride the coming month due to all we have going on…..sorry. The Christmas party is coming up too so getting to booking accommodation and paying for your spot for a great night. Please remember: if you pay, you need to email myself with how many you paid for, total

paid and how you paid it, so I can confirm with Tony.

Many thanks to you all and if you have any ideas for events you want to run and not sure who, what, when, or how, email me or have a chat to me and I will try my best to help you out. 

The 10th Maggie and George Biscuit Run - Photos - continued

Committee Reports

SEPTEMBER 2017

Bill Luyten & Geoff Hodge

Service Day

i all, well we’ve have had another service day, this one was at Charlie Brown’s place.

There was only a small turnout of 13 and as reported on FB, a set of steering head bearings were replaced. That kept the maddening throngs enthralled over the morning.

Bill was kept engaged with the 911 tool checking out several bike systems. The sausage sizzle raised a donation to the Royal Flying Doctors and another separate donation will be going towards tool replacement. The club would like to thank Charlie for the use of his facilities over the day. Geoff and Bill

Contact Tools Officers:

Bill Luyten 0438 123 747 (wluyten@bigpond .net .au) or Geoff Hodge 0413 180 101 (ggilps2@optusnet .com .au)

Club email:spares@bmwmcq.org.au

TOOLS HIRE SPARES AND SALES

There are special tools available:

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 interface Tire Pressure Monitor Sensor (TPMS) tool Enduralast hall sensor tester

Club Tool Loan:

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

Tool’s Report Spares Sale at Cost Price The Committee has decided to not continue selling spares so when our existing spares are gone they will not be replaced.

Spares Still Available Filters - Air

K Series K1200 (LX628) x2 $16.00ea

Filter - Fuel

K & R Series in line (KL145) x1 $20.00ea

Brake Pads

520HF - R60, R75, R80, R100 x1 $27.00ea G391ST - K1/100RS/1100LT, RS/1200RS, LT R80R, C/850/100/1100/1150 x6 $43.00ea

Spark Plugs

XR5DC (K/R1100) Bosch Super x2 $10.00ea

Tools

Oil filter removing tool - (OCS 1)K/R4V x5 $13.00

From the Pen of Jane Gray CLUB FUN JEGAug2017

June to August in the Southern Hemisphere Are supposed to be the winter months of the year But you wouldn’t know it The gauge doesn’t show it It’s sunshine & balmy weather around here Something for everyone the Club does provide Weekends away or a luncheon day ride There was plenty to gorge Thanks to Maggie & George Their annual Biscuit Run so well supplied Some rode & camped at Jondaryan Woolshed Others rode to Flaxton & were very well fed So many great venues It gets hard to choose There’s so much more in the months ahead!

Committee Reports

SEPTEMBER 2017

Kelly Wicks

Regalia Officer’s Report

othing to report for this month.

CLEARANCE Adventure Satchel was $35.00 now Bucket hats (small only) was $20.00 now Men’s grey polo shirt was $40.00 now Men’s grey T-shirts was $25.00 now Men’s fleece vest Was $35.00 now Ladies grey polo size 12 only was $40.00 now Ladies navy polo with white piping was $40.00 now Ladies fleece vest was $35.00 now

$30.00 $16.00 $ 35.00 $20.00 $30.00 $35.00 $30.00 $30.00

Kelly Wicks regalia@bmwmcq.org.au

Craig Brennan

Records Officers Report

s usual there is nothing exciting to report on the records front. All the usual facets of the role continue as normal. The motorcycle front, however, continues to be far more interesting. It had come to my notice that the modern coils for the bike were leaking. I took this as a bad sign and decided to order new, different, ones. I had hoped that I would have enough time left for the coils to arrive, alas, I was wrong. I had a fail to proceed that prevented me from attending the biscuit run. L I managed to borrow some old coils and rig them up to run, until the replacements arrived. Hooray. The new coils have now arrived and are now installed. They seem to be working and after an upcoming service and tune I expect them to give me reliable service. They were a bugger to fit as they are larger than original, but a deep warm inner glow is directing all my attention to the successes. Yours in record keeping

Committee Reports Greg Gaffney

SEPTEMBER 2017

Secretary’s Report

MINUTES OF THE AUGUST GENERAL MEETING 03/08/2017

Opened: 7.35 pm Apologies: Tony and Jane Gray, David Whale, Paul Malcolm, Paul Hughes, Les and Kelly, Chris Lancaster Minutes: Read by Geoff Hodge seconded by Rosi Johnson. President: Richard brought along a collection of different coloured reflective strips to give away. These were gratefully accepted by many of the members. We were advised of the passing of Peter Wooley a previous member of the club who had an accident on Mount Nebo. We also lost Bernie Shailer from Beaudesert who was a long standing member of our club and the Gold Coast club. Finally Richard presented a birthday present to Peter Ferguson. It was a reflective sign for his man cave which simply said DERF! Events: Trent reminded us of all the upcoming events in August. He also reminded everyone to book their accommodation for the Xmas party on the first weekend in December at Evans Head. We did not have a ride leader for the club ride in September. Richard said he will organise something with the Toowoomba guys for that day. Maggie reminded us that the upcoming biscuit run to Beechmont Tennis club then onto the Tyalgum Pub will be the 10th anniversary. Tools: Bill advised of the service day at Charlie’s with barbecue lunch on the 13th August. He also spoke of the HEX ezCAN device which makes it easier to attach accessories on the newer liquid cooled series bikes with the CAN bus. Bill said he will follow-up with an article. Rosie said she had some handle bar raisers for sale. They are complete with riser, clamps and nuts and bolts for a R1200R and some other models. They are worth over $200 and she is selling them for just $50 Graham Healey Raffle: 1st – Trent , 2nd – Charlie Brown, 3rd – Greg Gaffney, 4th – Charlie Brown, 5th - Maggie, 6th - Rosi Johnson Closed: 8.40 pm

SEPTEMBER 2017

Getting in early - CHRISTMAS 2017

Club Christmas Party 2017

Well it is Christmas Party time once again

We had such a great time in 2015 that we are going to return to Evans Head just across the border again. The RSL Club has prepared a sumptuous feast of Canapés, Main Course and Desert for $46 per head. The party will start with our exclusive use of the Outdoor deck just like last time (with a wet weather alternative up our sleeve). Drinks will be upon consumption as before from our exclusive use bar. There will be the usual fabulous prize giving members draws and lots of music and fun

Accommodation options are below: Mention the BMW MCQ Christmas Party 1.Evans Head the Bowlo Holiday Cabins on 02 66824343 and ask for Margaret 2. Evans Head Pacific Motel: 02 66824318 3. Evans Head North Coast Holiday Park: 02 66824212 4. Evans Head RSL Flats: 02 66824282

I would make accommodation enquiries very soon as the town is filling up. To reserve your place, YOU MUST pay the meal price of $46 per person to the club, by one of the following methods 1. Direct debit to the club bank account BOQ BSB 124001 Account 10243020 2. By cash to the treasurer at a club meeting 3. By PayPal to the club account by using the PayPal app and utilising treasurer@bmwmcq.org.au

In the reference section of each of the above methods please include your surname and XM (and the number you’re paying for). i.e. Hughes XM2

Once you have paid, please email Events@bmwmcq.org.au and let Trent know how much you have paid and by what method please. That way the club can easily track your payments. It will be a fabulous weekend. Some people go for several days, others come on down on the Saturday afternoonIt’s up to you. There will be an “interesting” lead ride down on the Saturday from Brisbane The one thing for sure is it will be a great time

Richard and Wendy’s B2B Cherrabah SEPTEMBER 2017 Back to Cherrabah Resort

BMWMCQ - B2B # 14 Saturday 30/9/2017 to Monday 2/10/2017 Cherrabah Resort, 1 Keogh Road, Elbow Valley, Warwick 4370, Queensland. Organised by Richard and Wendy de Groot Assisted by Cindy and Duncan Bennett.

The event details and booking procedures are advertised in the ‘Events’ in Facebook, in the club’s web site in ‘Events’ and in the ‘Forum’; and on pages 19 to 21 in the club’s August journal.

• Touring and GS routes to the venue are planned for Saturday 30/9/2017; or you can ride (or drive if that suits you) by yourself or in your own organised groups. If you intend to join either the touring route ride or the GS route ride please follow the procedure outlined in the advertisement.

• You can still arrange to join a Stanthorpe District Winery Tour by bus (wine tasting, nibbles and a 2-course hot lunch are all included); departing from and returning to Cherrabah Resort on Sunday 1/10/2017. (This arrangement is an update to the booking procedure Item # 1 in the advertisement.) Contact Cindy Bennett by email to dcbenn@bigpond.net.au or by Mobile Phone # 0401 610 671 by Saturday 23/9/2017 if you wish to join the tour; and advise Cindy the name of each person attending. Payment of $95.00 per person can now be paid in cash on the day of the tour. • On Sunday 1/10/2017 you can motorcycle the Warwick or Stanthorpe districts at your leisure or enjoy relaxing at Cherrabah Resort where there is a range of available activities. Check out the Cherrabah Resort web site - http://www.cherrabah.com.au/ • Packages are provided for one night or two-night stays. Camp sites with hot showers are also available. • The venue is licensed.

This is a fantastic opportunity for members to motorcycle for an extended period during a long weekend and to socialise with club friends, in comfortable surroundings, for one or two nights.

DON’T MISS OUT ON WHAT WILL BE A MEMORABLE CLUB EVENT.

BOOK NOW; DON’T DELAY! All roads north and south of the border lead to Cherrabah Resort.

SEPTEMBER 2017

Cindy’s Africa Part 5 Namibia to South Africa

Africa – The Final Chapter Namibia to South Africa

eat, flies, gravel, rain, trucks and skittish antelopes on the road - our border crossing day from Botswana to Namibia on Day 65 had it all. The first 300 + kilometres was good quality bitumen to the border then it heated up for our 2 hour waiting and queuing crossing into Namibia. A garden hose at the immigration post was used by the group to cool down the base layers with good effect.

The first taste of Namibian roads was 30km of gravel, which I was going along at a good pace when an antelope raced across in front of the bike – no time for braking – just watched it do its thing although it did make the rest of the gravel road a slower trip expecting to see his mates play this game of chicken (or antelope) with me. At least they are very swift and unlike kangaroos; do not suddenly stop in front of you! The last hour of the ride into Kayova River Lodge was in a heavy downpour, with the road splash from the frequent passing trucks laying an annoying oily film on the visor.

The lodge was run by a local community collective and was top notch with lovely detached huts and a perfect river view across to Angola on the other side. A sad tale was told by one of the staff of elephant poaching on the other side of the river only a couple of months previously. The staff heard gunshots and by the time the rangers arrived there were 8 dead elephants, the other 3 of the elephant family have not returned to that area and probably will never again. The following day was a pleasant 530km ride on good roads to our next 2-night stay at Etosha National Park. Etosha was a delight with our stay at the Mokuti Lodge one of the best of the trip. Ibex were grazing on the lawns and squirrels frolicked by the pool. We had 2 safari trips into the National Park, and a highlight was getting up close to a massive bull elephant “in musth” which means they are ready to mate and have a tar like substances stream down their face. We saw the elusive Kudu as well as the now familiar zebra herds, wildebeest and some rhino.

Cindy’s Africa Part 5 Namibia to South Africa

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Namibia was the first country in Africa we had come across other motorcyclists, with a group of 1200GS riders from South Africa happened upon at a service station. We also saw a gaggle of Harley riders as well, but we didn’t get the chance to engage them in conversation so not sure where they hailed from.

Typical Namibian riding conditions!

The German history of Namibia is well on display in Swakopmund, which was our next 2-night stay after some specky (spectacular) Namib Desert riding. The highlight for me was a skydiving trip, because adventure motorcycling in Africa is just not quite risky enough! Oh come on!!!!! … Ed.

Our final 6 days riding in Namibia was pretty tough. Mostly gravel, often sand and sometimes deep gravelly sand! There were offs by just about everyone, but luckily no injuries as they were low speed sandy incidents. Fish River Canyon, the second biggest canyon in the world was truly awe-inspiring and worth the detour to view this amazing sight.

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Cindyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Africa Part 5 Namibia to South Africa

Our final border crossing into South Africa was of course in the heat of the day. By now modern efficiencies could be seen and the immigration building had air-conditioning and computers! I was feeling excited about heading into South Africa, but also sad that our trip was about to come to an end in less than a week.

Sweltering at a lunch stop at the outpost of Solitaire

On 1st April, day 73, heading along another sandy track into our accommodation at the Burgsdorf Goat and Guest Farm we did not have particularly high hopes. To our eternal joy we saw no goats, but the property had roaming rhino and 2 cheetahs who had been orphaned and if let out in the wild would be shot by farmers. My animal encounter pinnacle of the trip was petting one of these cheetahs: and have it lick my arms - equal parts scary and awesome!

We struck the first cool weather since Sudan heading from Springbok into Stellenbosch, getting down to about 13 degrees. The wind was also very strong and made the 570km ride seem even longer. Stellenbosch was a delight with a lively university town vibe and great wine and excellent steak consumed.

Cindy’s Africa Part 5 Namibia to South Africa

SEPTEMBER 2017

Forging our way south to Cape L’Agulhas (the southern-most point of Africa) we had rain and wind and it was quite cold, but we made the 300km by lunch time, even with a stop at Boschendal Winery – one of the oldest in the region, circa 1600’s. After checking into our seaside hotel in Arniston, the short trek to Cape L’Agulhas in light rain was undertaken. The obligatory photos at the Cape were taken of our elated group, with it sinking into everyone that we had made it the length of Africa. I can highly recommend Compass Expeditions as a tour operator for this major style of expedition. The research and care they put into the tours is evident, and it was a perfect mix of tourist activities, good length riding days with the route chosen giving a smorgasbord of road styles with enough challenge. I personally liked the fact that every few days we had a 2-night stay in a location, perfect for the practicalities such as laundry. The half way 5-day break off the bikes in Tanzania ensured we all stayed fresh and was a major factor in me being able to stay on the tour while my broken leg healed. Our final day of riding had us heading into Cape Town via the very picturesque False Bay to the Cape of Good Hope, where more photos were taken at the most south-west point of Africa to again celebrate our achievement. Riding into Cape Town was an emotional experience as this amazing trip reached its conclusion. Our last couple of days in the wonderful Cape Town included a farewell dinner at the Victoria & Alfred waterfront area with many wines consumed and tales told of our 80 days on the road. We had a chance for some tourist activities involving a trip to the top of Table Cape, and a hop-on hop-off bus trek around the city. All that remained before flying home was getting the bikes to the shipping agent, thanking our lucky stars that they were getting a professional steam clean, as this would have been a mammoth task for us to undertake. We are very keen to plan another riding trip to South Africa and see more of this wonderful and diverse country.

The trusty Compass support vehicle on our final lunch stop at Cape of Good Hope Would I do it again, yes (in fact Compass have had so much interest in the tour in 2019 that they are running Cairo to Cape Town and then back up from Cape Town to Cairo I believe!) – But first Alaska to Argentina?!

Cindy Bennett

SEPTEMBER 2017

August Service Day and Lunch Ride - Tony Gray

CLUB SERVICE DAY – AUGUST

he BMWMCQ Service Days are a time honoured and essential part of the Club’s activities. There are usually a few held each year arranged by our dedicated Tools/Spares Officers Bill Luyten and Geoff Hodge. For several years Les Fitzpatrick hosted these events and most recently the venue has been provided by Howard Wilson. The August event was hosted by Charlie Brown at his Bundamba abode. So what is involved in a service day you ask? Well it can be whatever you want to make it. Some people come with the intention of performing a full periodic service or significant repair on their bike, others may be performing a simple oil change, others come to look and learn but invariably we all come for the opportunity to chew the fat with new friends and old in a relaxed atmosphere, maybe learn something new and then enjoy a sausage sanger over the Barbie. Not a bad formula for a relaxed Sunday morning. The Club has a wide variety of specialised tools some of which are too expensive for the casual home mechanic to purchase or of a nature that may only be required on a very rare occasion thus finding it hard to justify the cost. The most expensive tool in the Club war-chest is the GS911 diagnostic tool. The latest model of this device which the club has purchased is suitable for all of the newer wethead models and comes with various adapters to fit earlier oilheads, hex-heads and camheads. It is a great piece of kit that got a good workout on Sunday. Bill has now used the GS911 on many models and is very adept in its use. But even with this experience we were all thrown a curve ball trying to get the tool to plug into the adapter plug on Paul’s K1600GT. Many hands had a go but the bl_ _dy thing would not engage. A search on the GS911 website revealed that the K1600 has 2 diagnostic adapter plugs, one which fits and one which doesn’t. You know which one we were trying? So there is a good example where several of us (including the bike’s owner) learned something new about the K1600. The major service job on the morning had el Presidente Richard getting his hands well and truly dirty installing a new set of steering head bearings on a K100 owned by friend and neighbour Rob. The boys did a great job using the club’s specialised puller to have the new bearings installed, cleaned up and back on the road by the time the sangers were coming off the hotplate. Rob is not currently a club member but made a generous contribution to the RFDS which is the beneficiary of these days where the club puts on the drinks and sangers for gold coin donations. Thanks to Charlie for providing the venue and to Bill and Geoff for organising the day:

Keep an eye out for the next service day and come along, you will be most welcome. And don’t forget; for those not able to get to the service day; that the Club Tools are available for short term loan to club members. Contact Bill or Geoff. Tony Gray

AUGUST SUNDAY LUNCH RIDE

ur erstwhile Events Officer Cindy Bennett had arranged the lunch venue for August before handing the reins over to Trent Smyth. As we had come to expect from Cindy her choice of venue at the Flaxton Barn between Montville and Mapleton was excellent. The location provided a veritable smorgasbord of riding options whether coming up from Brisbane or the Sunny Coast. Unfortunately this last weekend in August also hosted the Woolshed Classic Rally for all things motorcycle at Jondaryan. This event is also strongly supported by the club with club member Mark Morrissey being the organiser. Fortunately we are big enough to spread ourselves around on what was a great late winter weekend in SEQ. here was no organised ride to the August lunch with most making their way there in small groups or alone. A couple of hard luck stories with a minor ‘off’ in one case fortunately with little pain or damage and our Sunny Coast ride organisers Richard & Wendy having to attend on 4 wheels. The ‘Blue Knight’ their K1600 sat quietly in BMW Motolife’s Caloundra Workshop waiting for a correct size valve stem clearance shim to complete its 60,000km service. Hard to believe that the required shim is not available in Australia. I think I will stick with my screw & locknut adjusters thank you. Jane and I joined Paul Hughes at Samford for a run of some 200 + km to the venue via Mt Glorious, Northbrook Parkway, Somerset Dam, Kilcoy, Neurum Road, Stanley River Road, Mary Cairncross Park and Montville; Lots of corners and some beautiful scenery. That’s the way to build up an appetite. The attendees at lunch numbered 22 so not a bad turnout. The service was super quick so those who ordered upon arrival had already finished their lunch by the time others were still arriving. Maybe we can send the cook down to the Moreton Bay Sports Club for club meeting nights where shall we say the service can be a little ‘hit & miss’. Rather than backtrack through Montville and Maleny Jane and I headed down the range from Mapleton then turned down the Dulong Road near the bottom of the range and basically followed the northern railway over lots of tight twisty sealed country roads through Palmwoods, Eudlo, Mooloolah, Landsborough, Old Gympie Road to the bottom of the Peachester Range Road.

Sunday Lunch at Flaxton Barn Antigues This is a very sweet ride if your run is not spoilt by other traffic. This day we were lucky. From Peachester it was familiar territory along the Stanley River Road, Woodford, Mt Mee, Dayboro, Samford and home. Again this covered another 200 odd km over some of the best roads to be had in the area. Try this one sometime as there are some lovely little communities along these back roads to the Sunny Coast. Thanks once again to Cindy for organising what was another very enjoyable BMWMCQ gathering.

Tony Gray

SEPTEMBER 2017

And so the Bennetts came home from Africa

RETURN OF THE JETLAGGED

he return to normality can be tough. Post Tour Sorrow Disorder, more commonly known by its PTSD acronym, becomes a risk particularly when a friend’s first question is where the next big trip will be? The C2C is over, and completing the laundry has become a highlight of the week although the presence of a riding shirt creates despair and melancholy; I remember wearing this when a) I ignored a tout at the pyramids, b) I got scared by a lion, and c) I ate so much lunch from the Compass support vehicle that it stretched and never recovered. The lack of focus on a future activity, so long a benefit of the planning and execution of an 80-plus day expedition, means searching around to re-discover the simple joys of the pre-C2C routine. The solution: Recognising and remembering that all riding is fun. It doesn’t have to involve smashing through the wilds of Ethiopia, even riding to work or a short trip to have coffee with friends at the monthly BMWMCQ event requires putting on the riding jacket and getting out onto the roads, only now it is on my faithful waiting-patiently-at-home BMW R850R (“The Beast”). With that philosophy in mind, we decided that our Labour Day long weekend in Melbourne to see our daughter Kate would be incomplete without some motored riding. After a Saturday distraction from our PTSD at the hilarious The Book of Mormon musical – created by the same blokes who do South Park so you know it will be naughty – we headed out to Grant Evan’s Off Track Motorcycle Rental in Tullamarine on the Sunday afternoon to collect the bikes. Cindy had taken the “no guts, no glory” approach to one-legged motorcycle renting and had selected a 2017 1200GS, while selecting a new 800GSA for me and Kate. After trying several seat height and suspension setting combinations on the 1200GS, Cindy decided that not being able to touch the ground was likely to damage the bike, person, and reputation trifecta, so chose a new 700GS with a low seat and the new electronics package instead. This left us in a very awkward situation. Who on earth was now going to ride the brand new 1200GS, with its power and speed, comprehensive electronics package including cruise control and a wide range of rider mode settings, quick shift assist, and comfort for both rider and pillion? Taking on board Martin Luther King Jnr’s sentiment that there can be no deep disappointment where there is not deep love, I decided that I didn’t deeply love the 800GSA enough to not make the switch to the 1200GS. Besides, the new 800GS and GSA electronics package is pretty much the same as the 1200GS so I was basically testing it anyway.

So we mounted up, and headed west toward Ballarat through the thick Sunday traffic, with Kate head-butting from behind to let me know whenever I’d done a sloppy gear change. The busy highway provided minimal opportunity to re-familiarise myself with the 1200GS features, until we reached the Trentham turn-off and swung north, at which time finding the hand warmers button became essential. A stop was required in Greendale to suit up some more, with the temperature gauge valiantly trying to stay in the teens but being relentlessly forced back. As we hadn’t left Off Track until nearly 4pm, it became obvious that the planned overnight in Maldon was several towns too far, particularly with wombat signs becoming part of the highway furniture as we cruised through the dimming Lederderg forests. Relying ever more on the steadiness of the 1200GS on the increasingly winding roads, we decided that as we had never been to Maldon, we couldn’t possibly deeply love it, but we could all definitely and deeply love Daylesford.

In Greendale Trying to find a Swiss Army Knife to prepare to cut off frostbitten fingers and toes

And so the Bennetts came home from Africa On dusk we rolled through town, doing the usual intercom chatter about whether this motel on the left or that boutique B&B on the right would be best, because it is closer to town/boutique brewery/ restaurant strip/tattoo parlour. Deciding against needing a celebratory “Daylesford is Bloody Cold” tattoo, we selected the Central Springs Inn which had the appearance of an inn but the functionality of a motel, and stood around in the cooling office until the checking in formalities were completed and we were off to the rooms. A trip down to the up-market Daylesford Hotel for a very acceptable dinner, with IPA on tap and a full wine list, and then we were back to the inn and in bed with the air conditioner set at 26°C to simulate a Brisbane summer.

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by getting them transport, however the eldest always insisted they were alright and they headed further into the bush. The weather turned very cold and nasty that night, and from the next morning the whole community was out fruitlessly searching. Three months later, a farmer’s dog brought home a leg bone with a small boot attached, and the boy’s bodies were found in a hollow tree near the memorial, about 3km from where they had last been seen alive.

Lost Children’s Memorial at Musk near Daylesford

With Cindy giving the new 700GS a test run on the gravel when turning around at the memorial, but not bothering to engage Enduro mode, we headed north via Hepburn Springs, Newstead, and Maldon, and arrived in Bendigo in late morning for a fortifying caffeine and some site-seeing about the historic town. By now, the quick shift assist on the 1200GS had become part of the normal operating repertoire, resulting in a significant decrease in pillion back-of-head-butting incidents. Lunch was a pie in the picturesque town of Castlemaine, before a meander back to Off Track via Kyneton, Woodend, and Lancefield where the roads could provide some cornering challenges for the GSs’es. The final run down to Tullamarine on the fast roads after Romsey also highlighted a great feature of the 1200GS – the windscreen actually works, and no earplugs are required.

Miranda finally rescued and safe after waiting 117 years for something other than a Harley to show up A nasty tug-of-war ensued between me and the Daylesford Wine Store

Up bright and early to give ourselves the most possible time on the road, we then remembered that Kate wasn’t getting up bright and early even if the inn was burning down, so loitered about until 9am. We’d seen a sign coming into Daylesford the previous evening to a Lost Children’s Memorial, so decided this should be the first stop. The story turned out to be a tragic one, on a Sunday in June 1867 three young boys aged 7, 5 and 4 wandered on an adventure around Daylesford. On numerous occasions in the afternoon they were seen and stopped by people who either told them the way to go home, or tried to assist them

A great day in some nice countryside within an easy ride of Melbourne, and the PTSD was pushed back just a little. Can see the attraction of a 1200GS for the next grand world tour though. DB

SEPTEMBER 2017

It is the Little Things That Gets Your Goat

MORE TALES OF MOTORCYCLE TRIBULATIONS

ome time ago, in a previous article, I mentioned the importance of not doing anything to your bike while it was parked on the bricks near the front garden area of the house. It seems that I really should take my own advice. About twenty years ago, I put a headlight protector on the bike. It was an AMHP product and stood the test of time very well. Two adhesive pads were applied to the lamp glass which held plastic attachment points in place. Two plastic Luer Lock half turn ‘screws’ then held the plastic protector in place. This worked very well. Occasionally, I had to remove the protector to clean it, which was a very easy process, but over time one of the ‘screws’ developed a tendency to drop to the floor when being removed. Either that or I just kept dropping the damned thing. The last time I removed the protector was when I last washed the bike. It was getting a bit grubby and so I decided to clean it. However, it jumped away from me / I dropped it, and it bounced away into the gravel and stones that is a feature of my front yard and has not been seen since. If I’d taken my own advice, this would never have happened and I would have been able to find the offending part easily. I know it is there somewhere and so I have kept the remaining parts just in case. I did contact AMHP as they are still in business, and after a bit of to’ing and fro’ing, a replacement part was recommended to me. However, it involved removing the older mounting parts. I did question them as to the best way to remove something that has been in place for over twenty years without causing any further issues. Apparently it can be done, but I decided to not do it and I think that I will just wait until I find the missing part. On another occasion, I noticed that my rear tyre was losing pressure. The tyre checker that I had in place was showing a red signal which is a bad thing indeed. So I checked the tyre and found a large builder’s metal staple lodged in the tread. I removed it and checked for a leak but there didn’t appear to be one. This is when I decided to check my puncture repair kit. I was thinking that perhaps I would finally have the chance to use the BMW kit that came with the bike or perhaps have a go using a kit that I bought from Turton’s many years ago. I was reading the instructions that came with the BMW kit and it referred to the BMW ‘special glue’. It was special alright. I checked it and it was as solid as a rock. I suppose that few things last in its original state, in the original container for 31 years and don’t suffer degradation. I was toying with the idea of using the Turton kit or even the newfangled easy to use puncture repair kit that I purchased from Rocky Creek Design.

However, rather than stuff around deflating the tyre completely, I pumped it up and checked it the next day. The tyre checker indicated that the tyre was holding pressure reasonably well, but I decided to take it to the shop that I use for repairs and servicing and get it looked at properly. I have since disposed of the BMW repair kit with its ‘special glue’. When the friendly fellow at my local bike shop had a look at the tyre, he smilingly informed me that I really needed a new tyre. I was aware that the wear indicators were starting to show but I thought that I had at least a thousand kilometres wear left in them. But such was not the case as my attention was drawn to the cracking in the tyre sidewalls. I checked my little log book that I always have in my jacket pocket and it turned out that the tyre was five years old and nearing the end of its safe useful life. So a new tyre it was. I put the bike into the shop the next weekend and it was ready a day later. I wasn’t in any hurry and so I went to collect it on the following Saturday. Cost was reasonable and the new tyre was taken for a bit of a run to scrape some of the wax off it. When I got home, I noticed that something was amiss at the rear of the bike. Before I put it into the shop, I cleared the contents of the duck tail (owner manual, tool kit , first aid kit ,some spare parts and an old T shirt that I use for a rag) to give easy access to the bolts that allow the rear mud guard to be removed to make rear wheel removal easier. Apparently, the fellows at the shop just reefed the wheel off and caused a bit of minor but annoying damage. They had just removed the bottom piece of the mudguard, but didn’t put it back together properly and a screw was missing. It may seem like a small thing, but that screw has been in place since 1985 and some dick (not me for a change) bloody well lost it! I managed to find a suitable replacement and made sure that everything else was as it should be. I then got onto their website, which contained a section that said if there had been a problem, then let them know first and don’t let them find out from someone else. So that’s exactly what I did and I’ve never heard anything back from them either. All was well for quite a while until one day, I decided that the bike needed to go for a run and I needed to go for a decent ride to clear a few cobwebs. Everything was as it should be until I came to a right turn and then I discovered that I had no right turn signal. Bugger! A few mental gymnastics led to a change of course that involved only left turns and I was still able to go for a ride. Numerous checks during the ride on quiet country roads failed to produce a flicker from the right turn signals. Of interest was the absence of a right turn light on the instrument module, which I thought was a bit odd as it should have been flashing quickly if there was a broken bulb.

It is the Little Things That Gets Your Goat I was wondering if that bulb in the instrument module was a part of a circuit, and would I have to take the front of the bike off again. Not my favourite job. When I got home, I checked the bulbs and the left side was as it should’ve been but the right side just wasn’t working. I swapped bulbs over for the same result i.e. absolutely nothing on the right side. At this stage I was thinking that there was an electrical problem somewhere, and contact with another member indicated that he seemed to think so too. I was going to have a look at the relay under the fuel tank to see if there was anything amiss. So, off with the side panels and the radiator cowling, to give me good access to the fuel lines. At this point I have to digress to another story. When I had to get the fuel tank repaired as it had corroded again (yes, aluminium will corrode), I also had to get it repainted as the welding had stuffed the paint. I decided to take action to prevent any further corrosion reoccurring again, ever! I came across a product called ‘Red Kote’, which is a fuel tank liner. It stinks to high heaven. I had to remove the fuel pump, fuel cap and internal float valve assembly, purchase a new fuel pump rubber mounting and install a flange to seal the square hole in the bottom of the tank. I really should have used a bit of acetone to dilute the Red Kote but I didn’t have any to hand and so I used it neat. You just pour it into the fuel tank and move it around the inside of the tank to ensure that it covers the internal surface. It is quite viscous if not diluted and it takes some time to dry and so I left the tank (this is the important bit) upside down on an old towel to drain any excess Red Kote and to let the protective film dry. The end result was very good but when I was putting the tank back onto the bike and installing the fuel pump etc. I noticed that a small clicking noise that I used to hear when the engine was idling or when I removed the tank on previous occasions could no longer be heard. Consultation with a long term member made me suspect that I may have jammed something with the Red Kote. Apparently my model bike has some sort of valve that shuts closed so that when you remove the fuel tank, the petrol stays in the tank and doesn’t run all over your feet. If I hadn’t put the tank upside down to let the Red Kote dry, I reckon that I would have stuck that valve closed and then not have fuel flow to the engine. So this was confirmed when I removed the rearmost fuel line and petrol ran out and all over my feet. I decided that I wasn’t going to stuff around with it and so I put everything back together and took the bike back to the shop the next weekend. Weekends are the only time that I can get there, so getting things done takes a bit of time in my case. It wasn’t long before I received a telephone call to let me know that

SEPTEMBER 2017

the problem was the electrical relay under the fuel tank. I was told that a replacement was going to cost me about $350 and take six weeks to arrive! Stuff that thought I. So I went on-line and had a look at Motobins UK and it turned out that they had a part. I asked them to confirm that the part was indeed the one that I was looking for and I described the problem that I was having. I was assured that the part was correct (I can hear the laughing in the background). So I bought the part, some high pressure fuel hose and a fuel overflow hose, as I had noticed that the one that I had in place seemed to have disappeared (bloody mechanic?). Just as well the exchange rate with the UK is quite good at the moment as the cost for all parts and three day FedEx delivery came to about $140. Quite a difference in price. The part was a second hand one as was to be expected, and so it was back to the bike shop to deliver the parts and hopefully get the turn signals working properly. A few days later I got a call from the mechanic who informed me that when the replacement part was installed, all the turn signals came on simultaneously. This happened when either left or right turn switches were activated. I don’t know what he did, but he reinstalled the old part after doing ‘something’ to it and I now have a right turn indication on the instrument module but both left and right turn signals now only flash for 4-8 times and then they cancel out. So my left turn signal has been compromised but at least I have a functioning right turn signal sort of. I was not real happy with this as it turned out that it has cost me almost as much as it would have if I had bought a new part from BMW. I have had a look at their website and it is quite confusing and not very intuitive. But from what I can make out I do have the correct part going by the part number. But it seems that the part has something to do with having a hazard warning light option which my bike does not have. I really have my doubts as to whether or not I managed to get the definite correct part. However, it is now on the club for sale site at a ‘cheap’ price if anyone is interested. I am just making do with what the current situation is. So when I collected the bike; (on a Saturday morning of course), I was told what had happened and that the part was under the seat. I took the bike for a run and as I was told, the turn signals only flash for a short time before they cancel out. Not really happy, but I wasn’t going to spend more money. I was only a couple of kilometres into the ride when I noticed that I had a blown fork seal on the right side. I got home and checked under the seat and the part was not there! DAMMIT! So back to the bike shop where the parts were found and I showed the fellow that I had been talking to where the oil was bubbling from the fork.

Continued on page 24

SEPTEMBER 2017

MEMORIES - OVERNIGHT RIDE T0 BUNDABERG

Rod Reeve’s Getting Youre Goat continued from page 23 I checked my log book again and I found that the fork seals were last replaced ten years ago. I remember being told at that time that the next time the seal failed, that I would have to get the forks hard chromed, as the existing chrome was wearing away. Such is life I suppose. I also thought that it would be a good idea to replace the rubber boots on the top of the forks as they were nearly 32 years old and were showing their age as they both were cracked. Getting replacement seals wasn’t a problem, but finding new rubber boots turned out to be almost impossible. I settled for used parts and now the bike is back at the shop. Forks will be sent to RAD for hard chroming and now the damned things will outlive me. Once again, this bike has come perilously close to exceeding its cost benefit curve and once again I will end up paying more money to keep it going. Only its age and the reading on the odometer are saving it from me selling it for parts or as a going concern. Maybe next time, but I’m sure that I have said that before.

We departed Morgan & Wacker early on Saturday morning; breakfast at 8am in Maleny, travelled the Mary Valley Scenic route to Gympie and then on to Tin Can Bay for lunch.

Rod Reeves #339

OVERNIGHT RIDE T0 BUNDABERG Weekend Overnight Ride to Bundaberg – June 2005 Richard de Groot – Member No 769 K1600 GTL: – The ‘Blue Knight’.

Memories -

June 2005: A cold winter.

organised a weekend overnight ride to Bundaberg with friends from the BMWMCQ. Rhonda had never been on a motorcycle trip and rarely if ever on a motorcycle at all; and when we were planning the ride at the Coffee Club, Mt Gravatt Central, surprised her husband Richard and all of us by saying - ‘This sounds like it will be fun. I am coming’. Rhonda had to work on Saturday and arranged to fly to Bundaberg on Saturday afternoon to meet us. Fourteen in total consisting of seven couples; including one couple new to the club and long-distance motorcycling did the ride; with Rhonda flying to Bundaberg to join us overnight and for the return ride to Brisbane. Wendy and I were travelling on our beloved 2002 R1150 RT – the ‘Silver Lady’.

Travelled back roads through the forest to Maryborough, down towards Hervey Bay, across to Howard and on to Childers and across to Woodgate for afternoon tea.

MEMORIES - OVERNIGHT RIDE T0 BUNDABERG

Again, along back Roads through the cane fields to Bundaberg and to our motel in the Bundaberg CBD, where we arrived after dark.

SEPTEMBER 2017

On Sunday morning, we woke to the cold weather and rain. We all rode to our arranged breakfast at a nearby restaurant in the city and then on to a planned tour of the Bundaberg Rum Distillery. And the rain continued and increased in intensity. Great!

Richard went out to the airport to pick up Rhonda and on the return ride to the motel was unfortunate enough to receive an invoice for some additional costs! We all walked to our organised dinner and drinks at a nearby Bundaberg hotel restaurant.

Eventually we all rode down to Bargara for a look and then returned through Bundaberg and on to the Wood Fired Pizza CafĂŠ at Apple Tree Creek for lunch. The rain continued to teem down.

Continued on page 31

SEPTEMBER 2017

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Michael and Ann (the royals) GS Road Trip Europe

GS Road Trip Europe - Arctic adventures

ike Norway’s fjord land we can recommend the eastern north coast in Sweden, known as Hoga Kusten (The High Coast) very scenic. Neske Krog (Neske Restaurant) right by a lake is a great place for a stop just south of Umea, far north of Stockholm. We then headed for the Arctic Circle at Jokkmokk. In summer, you’d be surprised that you’re entering the Arctic here. Another 100 k and you’re in Gallivare and the great mining district of Sweden in Gallivare, where the midnight sun MC rally is held last week in June. This is an iconic rally in midnight sun. Kiruna is another 100 k north, where it’s cold any time of year, but you’ll get used to it and it’s so scenic. Don’t miss checking out the big timber church. Kiruna is a town that will be moved (big moves) as they’ll prepare to mine the ground under the town. You’ll now really feel you’re in the arctic zone, but unlike Alaska, you still will have another 720 kilometre before the end of the road (in Europe) north-wise, that’s the North Cape. If you’ve been to Alaska, which is poorly equipped to handle the arctic zone tourists, with no road surfaces, no roadside toilets, inadequate accommodation and very sparse service stations, you’re in for a surprise and treat in Norway. There are perfect roads that are straight or sweeping with extremely scenic views at the end, there’s only arctic tundra. There are no gravel or unsealed roads and no road damages. You’ll have service stations, take-away, cafes, regular public modern toilets and plentiful affordable accommodation in cabins or motels. Bring your own linen or sleeping bag for budget stays. You need to look out for reindeer. Once at North Cape, there’s a monument and tourist centre that look like part of the environment. Eighty percent of the centre is hidden underneath inside the cliff. At the edge, you have a sheer drop off the cliffs. The centre has 4 floors down with cinema, museum, a chapel, sound cave, plentiful modern toilets (like a hotel) and a restaurant with

SEPTEMBER 2017 (Gothenburg 14th July)

many tables right at the edge, where behind glass, the whole arctic ocean lies before you. If you venture up here, be sure to time it with good weather, and where necessary, wait for weather in a cabin further south. Unlike Alaska’s Dalton Hwy-Prudhoe Bay, you really have an abundance of attractions here at the top of your trip and with all the fjords and coast line; I would argue more scenic value. Heading back south west in Norway some 730 kilometre, there’s the big Lofoten Peninsula. The thing to do is to head west to its tip to a town called Å. From there, there’s a nice 4 hour ferry journey to Bodö, no need to book when on a bike, but check times (4-5 trips/day). The journey takes you south, so no need to ride back and you get some 250 kilometres south whilst relaxing. Before leaving Lofoten, you might want to check out the world’s most impressive Viking living museum (my opinion) less than an hour before the town of Å. From Bodö, I suggest you check out the weird and acclaimed Atlantic Road near Kristiansund (Google it). Other highlights to Google are Geiranger, Trollveggen and Trollstigen. If you can fit it in: lookup Pulpit Rock and Kjeragsbolten in Norway also. Some approximate 200k north of Oslo (along Riksvei 3, national road three not E3), you have a stainless steel (like Chrome) Moose statue taller than a 2 story building, very photogenic. Also north of Oslo is the Laerdal Tunnel, 24.5 kilometres, long wide lit up and very impressive and NO toll. Norway only appears to have one short real Autobahn (towards Gothenburg Sweden). The rest are just highways mostly at max 80 kph, and low speeds through many villages, and they are policed, so budget timewise for these (e.g. check travel time in Google Maps). From Oslo to Gothenburg in Sweden is only 2-3 hours by fast roads. Gothenburg is a large city with very modest traffic congestion at peak hours, and many attractions to research.

SEPTEMBER 2017

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f you have enjoyed reading the stories in this and previous editions, you may be surprised to know that they were written by members just like you. Therefore you can be assured others would like to hear your story. Send your stories and pictures or requests for help to editor@bmwmcq.org.au

Michael and Ann (the royals) GS Road Trip Europe I got a comprehensive 40,000 kilometre service, somewhat overrun, and we got some well-earned resting time. Like last time, Norway and Sweden were topping the list in value on this trip. Next weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll Head out of Sweden for the last part of our trip. (Below Ann with the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest Moose and at top arctic Mt Dundret in Midnight Sun at midnight)

SEPTEMBER 2017

BMWMCQ 2016 Events Calendar

BMWMCQ 2017 EVENTS BRG SEPTEMBER Thursday 7 Sunday 10

Saturday 16

Wednesday 20

Thur 21-Sun 24

Ride Leader / Contact

9:30am

Sat Coffee Run

TBA

7:30pm TBA

6:30pm

Monthly club meeting Monthly Club Ride

Hamilton Hotel dinner meet

Tingalpa TBA

Richard Maher

Kingsford Smith Drive Ascot

Horizons Unlimited Meeting Boonah

Fri 22 - 24 08:00 Ginger Beer - the Next Round Tuesday 26 6:30pm German Club Sat 30 - 2 Oct B2B # 14 (Long Weekender) 9:00 am OCTOBER Thursday 5 7:30pm Monthly club meeting TBA Sunday 8 Monthly Club Ride Sunday 15 TBA Laverda Concours Wednesday 18 6:30pm Hamilton Hotel dinner meet Saturday 21 9:30am Saturday Coffee Run Sat 28 - Sun 29 8:00am Red Rock Camping Weekend Sunday 29 12:00 Sunday Lunch Ride Tuesday 31 6:30pm German Club NOVEMBER Thursday 2 7:30pm Monthly club meeting Saturday 4 10:00am Ellaspede Dust Hustle TBA Sunday 5 Monthly Club Ride Wednesday 15 6:30pm Hamilton Hotel Dinner Meet Saturday 18 9:30am Sat Coffee Run Tuesday 28 6:30pm German Club DECEMBER Saturday 2 Christmas Party Thursday 7 7:30pm Monthly club meeting TBA Sunday 10 Monhtly Club Ride Saturday 16 9:30am Saturday Coffee Run Italics font denotes event organised by other clubs

horizonsunlimited.com

Bellingen Music Festival Ian Sayce Contact Woolloongabba Cherrabah Resort - Richard De Groot Tingalpa TBA Duncan & Cindy TBA TONY GRAY? Kingsford Smith Drive Ascot TBA Nth NSW - Charlie Brown to provide details

TBA Woolloongabba Tingalpa Northgate Dusthustle.com TBA President Kingsfor Smith Drive Ascot TBA Woolloongabba Evans Head NSW Services Club Tingalpa TBA TBA

Extraordinary EVENTS Calendar Regarding Submissions

Submissions to the journal should be relevant to BMW motorcycles and or to the BMWMCQ and its activities. Articles or Letters to the Editor may or may not be published if space does not permit or if the content of the submission and or letter is not considered to be of interest to members or not in the interests of the Club, our sponsors or advertisers. Members are encouraged to use this, our journal; to express views, float ideas or make inquiries of other Club members on technical, organisational or other matters which may benefit the Club and its associates Submissions should be kept to a reasonable length and maybe edited or published in part only, if the Editor considers it necessary. Note – submissions close on the 15th of each month! BMWMCQ

Michael and Ann (the royals) GS Road Trip Europe

SEPTEMBER 2017

Michael and Ann

MEMORIES - Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;NIGHT RIDE T0 BUNDY - continued from page 25 We rode on to Moore and then to Esk. Large cattle trucks were heading in the same direction on the Brisbane Valley Highway. One less experienced rider sensibly elected not to attempt to overtake the cattle trucks due to the length of the vehicles, heavy rain, heavy spray and erred on the side of caution and followed the trucks to Esk; where we were all waiting.

After lunch; one couple headed direct down the Bruce Highway back to Brisbane as they were sharing one wet suit and had a slight misfire in their R1100 R. The rest of us headed home via Biggenden, Ban Ban Springs and Goomeri to Blackbutt. All, except the one couple who pulled out for very good reasons, stuck to the prepared planned route. We arrived in Blackbutt in heavy rain and in darkness. The rain teamed down all day. Rivers were running down the truck wheel depressions in the bitumen road surface.

SEPTEMBER 2017

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MEMORIES - O’NIGHT RIDE T0 BUNDY - Continued

SEPTEMBER 2017

Mind you we have had many memorable overnight and longer motorcycle rides. And just in case you are wondering; Richard and Rhonda continued motorcycling long distances together for the next ten years; and have only recently sold their last motorcycle; a K1600 GTL. No doubt many of you have similar memories.

Richard and Wendy de Groot

PHOTO OVERFLOW At about 9pm, cold and wet, we finally arrived at the BP Service Station, Blacksoil. The thought of hot coffee was on everybody’s minds. Rhonda walked into the service station last. We all shuddered wondering what is Rhonda going to say about this ride. We all knew Rhonda previously never ever wanted to go motorcycling! Rhonda with water running out of her saturated gloves, with her wet eyes sparkling, looked at us all and said - ‘I have never had so much fun in all my life! My mother used to rouse at me for walking in puddles on my way home from school. The only thing is - I have to get some waterproof gloves.’ Nobody wanted to leave the dry and warmth of the service station that night; but we eventually forced ourselves to leave and rode on to our respective homes in and near Brisbane. It had been a long, wet, cold but extremely enjoyable day. Nobody complained, nobody got lost, nobody did a ‘U’ turn; and I know everybody had a memorable and fantastic trip and like Wendy and me; talk about it often and most likely will remember that overnight ride forever. I will not name everybody on the ride as I am certain those members still in the club will surely recall the event and recognise themselves in the photographs I have selected, from the many I took, for this short story. Some of the participants in that ride are still in the club and some are long gone from the club; but not forgotten. Great memories come from events with friends from the BMWMCQ. But remember; unless you get on your bike and go and try something different; you will never ever have the memories. Just go and do it! Wendy and I have travelled far and wide on our motorcycles; however, this ride to date is the most memorable overnighter for Wendy and me.

SEPTEMBER 2017

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