OzSTOC
OzSTOC Ride Reports, Pictures & Videos => RIDE REPORTS => Topic started by: Shillas on August 01, 2017, 01:00:29 PM
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My nephew was getting engaged, so thought it a good opportunity to give Candy the longest ride that I’ve had on her. Prior to departure, a quick visit to Stinky Pete to put a finishing touch on the rack he built for my top box, which all went smoothly & also purchased a number plate frame & cap. End of the day, not so smooth. After washing, doing pre-departure checks and before putting panniers back on, while wheeling her back into position, I overbalanced her and she fell and smashed r/h mirror and broke the mirror housing into three pieces. After much :cuss :||||, the pieces still fitted well, so was able to tape them for the time being. A trip to Autobarn saw a replacement lens kit purchased for $15, which I cut to shape and fitted in place of the smashed mirror, so at least roadworthy. More permanent repairs to come.
Started out at in the dark at 6.23 am on Thursday 27th, dodged a roo at 6.25 am less than 500 metres from home. The rest of the ride was uneventful, and made good time to Bordertown for quick stop, topped the tank up (fuel was cheaper there than other towns) & rearranging the screen I was bringing across for Chris (Ace) to try. The screen kept shifting for a while, until I stopped at Kaniva and resecured it, was fine after that. Another stop at Ararat for some lunch, then at Ballan Service Centre for fuel top up (not really needed) and to plug earphones into my Navman for directions to destination. All fine until after crossing Westgate Bridge, when I experienced Melbourne traffic on a bike. Stop / start traffic for a few k’s, and I was glad to finally get away from the fumes in the tunnel and crawl along for a few k’s more before finally getting to move at the speed limit.
After a good weekend, including catching up with Chris to loan him the screen, departed at 8.30 am Monday morning in an effort to dodge some of the heavier traffic. Good in theory. Traffic on Monash Freeway stopped at Glen Iris & wasn’t moving. I was able to get off the freeway and navigate out of Melbourne, but two hours of travel time to travel 73 k’s to Rockbank where I filled the tank. A quick stop at Beaufort to put wet weathers on as it looked threatening, a shower within a few minutes after. Then a solid ride through to Bordertown, a couple of light showers and one heavy one on the way. Fuel warning light came on about 15 K’s out of Bordertown and filled with 23.9 litres, about 5.6 L/100ks, or 17.7 k’s /litre at 2.45 pm.
Left Bordertown thinking I’d be home before dark, around 5.30, but was a bit puzzled at the stream of semis and cars that would pass, then nothing. Around Culburra the cause became apparent, with a number of emergency service vehicles and smoke arising out of a paddock. I’d just missed the last lot of traffic allowed past an accident site as the medivac chopper came in. After an hour and 20 minutes, the chopper was gone, the police finished their measurements and site was largely cleared, and at the time I was expecting to be home, I was just starting to move again. The remaining ride home was uneventful and I arrived home at 6.45, with Candy herself not missing a beat the entire time. My new 22” screen worked very well, the Saddlemen seat was comfortable enough over the distance and my tank bag with clear vinyl face worked well for viewing GPS. Only thing I need to do before next big ride (perhaps to Wooli?) is to raise the handlebars an inch to ease pressure on my wrists.
Unfortunately, work demands meant I had to cut the trip by a day so I was unable to get the "Where is this?" game pictures I wanted to get. :OldMan
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:dred11 :blk13
great RR mate,, bugger about the rescue chopper, but thems the break, gotta respect those that do that job.. a fair few of our members are in the emergency services, :thumb.
I dont know about sitting in the traffic though, hasnt Vic got filtering laws yet, :law not that I ever complied with the old rules :nahnah
as your finding out ST's are great bikes for long hikes. :grin
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Managed to gain a few metres by filtering, but width of the bike & position of the mirrors, together with too many trucks made filtering difficult. Didn't stop the sports bikes though.
:think1 Two Melbourne trips in 3 years, both with long delays on that stretch of road due to crashes.
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Unfortunately, our ST mirrors are just the right height to clip car mirrors. It makes for some wobbly threads between the lanes, and if there's not at least a foot each side I don't bother.
You'll love the bar risers. Don't forget the FarRiders' tip of sitting up straight with just your fingers on the bars, stretching your back, wriggling your shoulders and moving your head from straight ahead to extreme left and right every 20 minutes or so. Also worth standing on the pegs in 50 kay zones when no one is watching.
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I'm pleased to read that you are home safe, after a rainy and eventful trip, so your next long ride in fine weather and without the prangs will be a doddle.
Sorry to hear of the smashed mirror. :OldMan You won't find many of us who haven't dropped our bikes, so welcome to the club.
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:dred11
Shillas I should have mentioned I've smashed 3 mirrors on STranger and his R mirror cowl was held together with 100mph tape after so many times plaSTic welding repairs became a jigsaw puzzle after the last drop. I did probably 30,000k's with one of those emergency mirrors and tape :grin but be aware they dont tell the true diSTance of things behind and arent the best at night.
and yes our mirrors are about the same height as cars, like Biggles said.. add spotlights and it becomes even more of a hazard.. :eek
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Big bikes are easy to drop.
I've done it in my driveway. Avoided the mirror damage though.
Managed to damage the mirror cover though. Several times
Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
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It was so great to catch up Michael. Thank you for the effort of bringing over the screen for me to try out...it is really appreciated.
Chris
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Not the first time she's gone over on the right side by looks of the housing, and I did it once before, but the panniers held the housing off the ground that time. Definite distortion for the rear view, but at least you have an idea of what's behind and can ride. Value my bike too much to try too much lane splitting, too many vengeful cagers who'd like to stop you however they can.
The only new bike I've ever owned I managed to drop when I got it home, being on a farm at the time, it slipped in the mud. No damage though, except to pride and ears, as it was a joint bike with my then wife, who wasn't happy at all :spank
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Apart from the mishap with the bike it seems to have been a good ride.
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Awesome RR Shillas, thanks for sharing mate :hatwave