Rides Events Clubs Groups A Wee Wander.

Just home from a 3 1/2 week ride to Tassie and back.
I packed my new CF Moto 650TK, checked the fluids and set off early Monday morning. Did about 650Km to spend the night at Cootamundra. Next day to Wangaratta in Victoria and final day to Melbourne. Caught the night ferry to Devonport and was a wobbly crossing when outside Port Philip Bay, but got a reasonable nights sleep. Off the ferry and turned left to take the coastal road around to Deloraine where I attended a bike rally. Frankster came over on Sunday night and we met up for breakfast on Monday. We travelled anticlockwise around the island staying at Burnie (nice place), Strahan (don't bother unless you want to go on river cruise), Hobart (hmmm), Bicheno (another lovely place with bike museum) and Launceston before getting back on the ferry to Melbourne.
We said goodbye and I headed up the Hume for a bit. Turned off to the western side to go through Narrandra to stay the night at West Wyalong. Next day was big ride through some rain to home.
Great roads in Tassie, very little traffic outside of big towns/cities and friendly people where ever we went. Great varieties of accommodations and foods. Put a week (or more) in Tassie on your bucket list of rides to do before you can't ride any more.

We went to the beach but it was a two jumper day.

The famous Cradle Mountain.

Beautiful clear lakes stocked with Trout (if you want to go fishing).

The 'big island' is that way. Rocky coast at Bicheno.

 

Found some interesting 250s in my travels.

1965 Royal Enfield 250 Continental GT.

1925 Royal Enfield racer.

1985 MZ250 etz.

1974 Suzuki TM250

 

More.
1952 DKW 250RT

1952 Adler MB250. (This is the bike Yamaha copied for their first twin two stroke)

An English OEC with Villiers 250cc twostoke single (still under restoration).

1954 BSA C10 250cc side valve.

1977 250 Bultaco Pursang (MX bike).

 

Early 1970's Ducati 250 Monza.

1953 Triumph Tiger Cub.

1958/59 Ducati 98 125cc.

1965 Motobi.

 

An English made 1950 Ambassador with Villiers engine.

1934 BSA

CBR MC-19 raced by the owner of a Kawasaki dealership.

1963 BSA 250cc Trials.

1912 Rover 250cc.

One for Blair, 1969 Bridgestone 350GTR

1963 Honda 250cc Dream.

 

Yamaha TD1-C

1969 Ducati 250

1929 250cc Excelsior.

1950 Velocette MOV 250cc

And some small race bikes.
1976 Morbidelli VR125cc (twin cylinder)

1957 Ducati 65T (65cc)

1973 Kreidler 50cc

Lots more bigger bikes around too, but these interested me (and I hope you like the pictures too).

 

Thanks. Going to take me a while to get over it.

 

Did everything I asked of it without complaint. Very much like my burnt Honda ST1100 to ride, but at 120Kg lighter is much easier for me to handle. The standard Continental tyres gripped great in rain or dry, even over the tram lines in Melbourne, only giving a wiggle on some spilt diesel on the Hume hwy. Brakes (Spanish JJuan, copies of Brembo) are all I could ask for with good feel and plenty of stopping power. Engine is the full (ie non LAMS) 70 hp now and I never thought at any time there wasn't enough. Got around the 23Km/l most of the time. Didn't use any oil or coolant in the 4,700Km I did. The bike has 9,500Km on it now and the rear tyre will need to be replaced in the near future. What has impressed me most is that I haven't yet adjusted the chain. Its an 'O' ring of course and I spray a bit of lube on it each morning before the off, but for an unbranded chain it has been terrific. So far, for the price, I cannot fault it.

 

Replaced the rear tyre with a Pirelli Angel ST today and while I had the wheel out I slipped the seals out of the wheel bearings and was presently surprised to find plenty of grease in them (unlike the Chinese made SKF bearing I recently bought).

 

I thought of you when I saw it.

 

Have been wandering again.
To get away from the cow music festival (and 40+ degree temps) at home I rode to my daughters on the NSW north coast for a few days on my 1982 Honda FT500. Has been pleasant with the family, but wanted to see a bit more of the local area. I set off early this morning to explore the back roads. Nice and cool, very little traffic and bendy roads with good surfaces. Bliss.
Stopped beside the Richmond river for a rest.

Typical of the quiet back roads.

Stopped at the beach to admire the view(s).

 

Been for another wander.
Packed the 650TK and fueled up. Quick look at local motorshow and on to Singleton to check out the bike rally I usually attend each year. Down on numbers due to other events all on this weekend. Fueled me and off along the Golden Highway to Sandy Hollow to turn left onto the Bylong Valley road which took me to Rylstone then on the Lue road to Mudgee to meet some friends from the Honda ST owners club for a feed, drinks and many laughs. Stayed in the pub and next morning had a McBreakfast before refuel and on to home across the Breeza Plains.
About 30Km before Rylstone I hit a family of Currawongs that were helping themselves to a dead roo carcass. I heard a 'clunk' somewhere on the front plastics and could not see any injured birds in the mirrors so continued on. About 40Km up the Lue road to Mudgee I looked down to the speedo and saw this.

What the fark? I stopped in a farm driveway and looked under the front fairing.

This poor bloody bird was wedged in between the back of the headlights and the forks. He had been there for about 70Km before the feathers appeared. I was able to carefully extract him/her out (with much squarking and pecking of my gloves) and drop onto the ground, where upon the bloody thing took two jumps and flew away. It was minus a few feathers that I scraped off the radiator but other wise unharmed for its adventure. It will have a story to tell if it ever finds its way home again.

 

I have found the sheepskin to be the best for me (had a really beaut one on my 1100 that burnt). I tried one of those air bag ones (try a bladder from a wine cask to get an idea of what they are like) and was not impressed with the 'wobbly' feel between bike and me. The Gel types I've not tried.
If you go with sheepskin, make it quickly removable so you can store it somewhere dry when it rains (see the one on my red 500 in above post). They take ages to dry and pong something bad if left wet. They go through the washing machine ok.