johnnyYTED's FarRide#32 Walcha

[johnnyYTED]

 
friday night checked over STranger, all looking good to go.. laid out my riding gear ready for an early departure 5am saturday.
SAT morning woke up late, 4.58 am thanks to noisey neighnours.. OOPS guess who forgot to set the alarm.. a very quick coffee and cornflakes to take my morning meds grabbed a pair of speedo's to wear and got dressed.bad choice...

 off to get my STart docket then high tail it out of there on my way via M7 and the F1 to make up time.very little traffic on the road I had a good run thru to Bucketts Way where I  joined up with 2 other Far Riders and tagged along with them into Gloucester.I topped up my fuel and  a coffee STop I headed of to Thunderbolts Way,,

a STop at the Lookout, where I chatted with an ol' bloke about FarRiders and bikes, before a leisurely ride onto Walcha,arriving at 10.30. where I met skiddoo and had a coffee and chat before heading around the corner to the Royal Cafe to find saaz, Ash, Allan Hunt and Bruce Dunn and a few other FarRiders I'd met before.


and check-in.

the nice people at the Royal had a good idea, a grab and go BBQ lunch $10.00 with a drink.. great for those like me that had the second leg of the ride to complete.
the local servo did a good trade thanks to FarRiders

I  waited for the FarRide photo then headed of along the Oxley towards Tamworth


I by-passed Tamworth thru Nundle and then STopped at macca's Scone for coffee and my meds, when for the second time today another FarRider STopped to say g'day only to find out I wasnt who they thought,  apparently there's another bloke riding a red ST1100 who could pass as my double...
At Muswellbrook I took a right turn towards Sandy Hollow and Bylong Valley Way, after hearing and reading that this was a good road to ride. Well bugger me it didnt take long and I was wishing I had gone on my favourite Rd the Putty..the northern end of Bylong Valley is ruff as guts and potholes galore, I had taken a few photos and much to my surprise the vibration I captured explain why what I found later this week,


After what seemed like forever I made it to Rylstone ,then 150k's to Lithgow, The Bells Rd northern Rd, Raby Rd and home at 7.35 pm . I made a bad choice in wearing speedos under my riding pants, they have a seam that I sat on all day, along with the rough as guts Bylong Valley Rd my butt was sore as when i got home... only a FR10 but it seemed like I spent the day riding corrugations, the worST ride ever...
A total of 1098k's to complete FR#32 with out incident.. so I thought..
 
Wednesday I picked up Ian's (aka single) cb radio to take to Abe's to check out whether its worth fitting to his bike,, on the way I noticed in my mirror STranger's topbox bouncing around more than usual, after checking it out I found this,my topbox mounting plate cracked right across it width

I removed the mount and left it with Abe who is going to fabricate a new mount for me,, Thanks a million Abe, 
all in all STranger did well making it home inder his own STeam to complete another FarRide...
 

[ST2UP]

Great read Johnny.....Bylong must have changed a lot, it one of our favourite routes west bound  so thanks for the tip 


Yep lesson learnt on the buggie smugglers....natural fibres are the best cheap option, best option for me LDComfort underwear 



 

[Biggles]

I actually found the (rather expensive) LD underpants (body stocking?) to have a seem a bit like Johnny found.
The good old cotton Jockey Y fronts are my simple solution for a comfy butt.

[Shiney]

Awesome RR Johnny, it sounds like you still had a great day out even though STranger and you took a beating. (I love the pics showing the vibrations)
And Abe your a legend for taking on the repair

[saaz]

Good report. I would also check the rear subframe that the topbox mounts to, as the two rear arms are know to develop cracks right through. Happened to the left side of mine, noticeable by the amount of movement in the topbox. Hopefully your top plate gave first.

[johnnyYTED]

 

Good report. I would also check the rear subframe that the topbox mounts to, as the two rear arms are know to develop cracks right through. Happened to the left side of mine, noticeable by the amount of movement in the topbox. Hopefully your top plate gave first.

thanks for that advice saaz, I had thought of that coz back in the 80's my GPz1100 used to break the tail off due to my gearsack rack and the load I would put on it,,   my topbox  had only a little weight in it.. this time

[STroppy]

I've ridden the Bylong Valley Way from Deman to Rylestone and also the Putty Road many times and both of them a number of times this year and like them both . . . I have never found either to be bone shaking rough and consider both great fast rides. Last rode the BVW in September and it was fine so must have deteriorated considerably in the last few months.

I would normally choose to ride the BVW in preference to the Putty Road, it is (maybe was) a very fast ride.

Now one of the worst rides I've done recently was from Wacha, Gloucester, Dungog, Gresford to Singleton - a mixture of long sections of joined potholes and good roads but at a seemingly unjustified low (80 kph) speed limit!

[Carsten]

Well done.  Nice report.

[johnnyYTED]

 

I've ridden the Bylong Valley Way from Deman to Rylestone and also the Putty Road many times and both of them a number of times this year and like them both . . . I have never found either to be bone shaking rough and consider both great fast rides. Last rode the BVW in September and it was fine so must have deteriorated considerably in the last few months.

I would normally choose to ride the BVW in preference to the Putty Road, it is (maybe was) a very fast ride.

Now one of the worst rides I've done recently was from Wacha, Gloucester, Dungog, Gresford to Singleton - a mixture of long sections of joined potholes and good roads but at a seemingly unjustified low (80 kph) speed limit!

the Putty is STill a good road and my preferredRoad as I dont have to cross the mountains when I get to Windsor, and Thunderbolts Way I agree is like a patchwork quilt esp between Walcha and Uralla. Dungog > Gresford > Singleton is also rough and patchy but STill a good road ,,