NYE ride postponed

Forecast was for very strong winds and a top of 41C - currently it's 40.2C (104F). Let's see what tomorrow brings?

Post script: It actually rose to 42C (107F) later in the day.

Here is a link to a post on our New Year's Day ride in 2008.
Pashnit ride report

Kawasaki Ninja 1000

More video and some road testers'comments - sorry but I can't get the sizing quite right!

Cabin fever

Having some decent weather at last gave me the opportunity to take a quick run down to Colac to visit Steve and then head home via Beech Forest and Turton's track. I didn't take too many pics, but here's a few.

This is a close up of the display behind my Honda in the avatar picture for this blog.

Views from the deck of the Ridge Cafe at Beech Forest

Today's run was a spur of the moment thing, but I'm really  looking forward to tomorrow's New Years Eve run to the 12 Apostles with the West Coast Procrastinators. The forecast temp is 38C for Friday. Some summer at last!

Another Sunday ride two-up

Mrs Tarsnakes and I took a short run to Forrest (Vic) for coffee. We stopped in at 'Martians' cafe at Deans Marsh and took a few shots of some historic motorcycles parked there.

What particularly caught my eye was an old twin cylinder Norton, as my mate Steve is rebuilding a 500cc twin Dominator at present. There was also a well used Honda CBX1000 present, which is right at the top of the list of post classic motorcycles that I'd like to have.

Nice pipes, alloy rims,  rearsets, ?? featherbed frame & belt primary - nicely done!

Modified primary drive. The chain drives always seem to leak oil, this is the clean belt alternative.

Don't know much about beezas- I'm guessing it's a 650

Rifles tank badge

An older Ducati

How I'd love one of these!

Moto Guzzi S3

Montesa road bikes must be pretty rare. This is a 350cc twin.

 We only stopped at Martians  briefly as it was pretty hot and very humid - not good in full leathers!

Mrs T in her new Vespa T.

 From Forrest we headed down to Colac and dropped in to see how Steve's Domi resto is progressing. Well actually we dropped in to pay a pre-Christmas visit, but Steve and I often seek the company of Nortons and Jimi Hendrix in the shed!

All up, another grand afternoon out.

Kawasaki Z1000SX or Ninja 1000 in Oz.

This is worth a look. It's aimed at those who don't want a pure sports bike. The claimed weight is 231 kg wet. Seat height 821 mm (hope they have a lowering option). Fuel tank 19 litres. Engine: 1043cc transverse four. The price Downunder has not been announced yet, but the motorcycle is due for release anytime now.

See http://www.kawasaki.com.au/

Spring Down Under

For the first time in ages we've had two consecutive days of magnificent Spring weather on the weekend - just ideal conditions for motorcycling. I've been able to get out for a decent ride both days!

Yesterday Marty and I rode and today (Sunday) it was just Mrs Tarsnakes & I. We pulled in to a new micro brewery & cafe in Forrest (Vic); TheForrest Brewing Company. There were some great Clubman cars parked out front and a lovely old Morris Minor converted to a ute.

Clubmans at Forrest Vic

These things go around corners like nothing else. They weigh less than 800 kilograms, typically have 1.6 - 2 litre motors

Mrs Tarsnakes awaiting coffee.

Nicely done!

We then headed along Turton's track (very slowly) to Beech Forest.

The grim one himself.

A grand weekend of riding twisty roads, approx 550 kilometers all up.

The Norton Project - thanks to Geoff James for the 'heads up' on this video

Snowy Mountains & Vic Alps Melbourne Cup weekend

Bill R invited Marty & I join him on a run with his mates up to the High Country for the Melbourne Cup long weekend. Despite a grim weather forecast all eight showed up Saturday morning. Day one route was from Melbourne to Bright via East Gippsland and Mt Hotham. Day two was Bright to Corryong with an extended loop in the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales. Day three was Corryong to Omeo via Mt Beauty & Fall's Creek. Day four was from Omeo back to Melbourne (& Geelong in our case). I covered 2035 kilometers in some spectacular Alpine Country with some of the best motorcycling roads you could wish for.

This was a great bunch of guys who made Marty and I very welcome to their riding group. Thanks fella's! We had a great time and a big thanks to Bill R for inviting us along. 

Here's a few pics.

The guys

L to R: Marty, John, Fred, Bill, Phil, Willem & Nev.

These guys are skillful riders, they ride fast in the right conditions and do it very well!

Marty's group pic

The motorcycles

Sunday in Tumut

Morning tea at Tumut NSW. L to R: Fred, Willem, John & Marty

Downtown Tumut on a sunny Spring day

L to R: Nev, Phil & Bill

Monday we came across a vintage rally in beautiful downtown Yackandandah. Here are some examples

Kinda contrasts with what we were riding.

Winner of the sprint to Falls Creek (Vic)

L to R: Fred, John, Willem & Phil

Marty & I headed back to Geelong from Omeo via Mt Hotham, the rest headed for Melbourne via Bairnsdale. There were still some remnants of winter snow at Mt Hotham.

 When we all rode the Great Alpine Road through Mt Hotham on Saturday the fog and mist was so bad that it was challenging to see three motorcycle lengths ahead! We had much better conditions this morning fortunately, but still a bit icy at the top.

The VFR in the High Country

Our last night we stayed at the Golden Age Hotel in Omeo, which is nicely renovated and I'd recommend it as a great place to stay - a cooked breakfast is included.

Weekday on the Great Ocean Road

Next week I have to return to work after two months Long Service Leave. However, a few of us are heading off for a long weekend (Melbourne Cup = big deal)  run to the Vic and New South Wales high country organised by Bill R.

Today was a magnificent sunny Spring day Down Under and as I've had a new front tyre and chain and sprockets installed on the VFR this week, I took a run along the GOR to make sure that the Honda &  I are back in the zone for motorcycle riding prior to the weekend. I barely stopped and only took two pics as I enjoyed being back on the motorcycle so much.

At my stop for a drink at the Gellibrand store I bumped into an old school friend and motorcyclist who I haven't seen for many years. It was great to have a chat and catch up, albeit relatively briefly.

The journey home

...comprised of a 6 hour flight from New York (JFK airport) to Los Angeles (LAX), 6 hours of waiting around and then 15 hr flight to Melbourne. Twenty-one plus hours flight time exceeds my tolerance for sitting still in one place by a substantial margin! Bags arrived OK and we cleared customs in no time.

So far I'm feeling OK, but I hate jetlag.

NYC Day 5

A sleep in and a late start today in the hope of shaking off this head cold I've acquired in NYC.

We both had in mind that a fairly quiet day would fit the bill today, so we walked to the Metropolitan Art Gallery on 5th Ave for some culture. As we walked up the steps to the Met there was a group of men busking. Their vocals were sensational. No amplification, just beautiful vocal harmonies and one guy playing a double bass. They had a great reception from the crowd and were making a bundle in donations.

Oh the art at the Met was pretty impressive as well, about two rooms full of Rembrants being the highlight for us.

I ended up buying their CD, they were that good!

 Henry VIII th's armor, late in his life. He wore this gear in a major battle - can't remember which one!

 Mr Colt's finest

All sorts of art on display at the Met. In fact there is an extensive collection of weaponry. I was surprised how many suits of armor were made in  Germany. I'd always associated it with the British was and Knights. The info said that in the 1500's the Germans were able to knock out quality armor quite rapidly.

I took quite a few pics of various sets of flintlock rifles and pistols that were incredibly well decorated.

 Rembrant's famous self portrait. Mrs Tarsnakes Dutch ancestry plays some part in the art she likes to see. That's not to say that Van Gough, Vemeer and Rembrant are not well worth seeing in their own right. I really wanted to see van Gough's "Starry Night" but it's at a different gallery in NYC.

 A Vemeer - Mrs Tarsnakes is a fan of his stuff.

 More Rembrants

The painting above is pretty famous. I heard a young guy saying he had come to the gallery just to see this painting and it had taken him an hour to find it.

 French embassy on 5th Ave. I've been blown away with the architecture all around New York. It's not just the major public buildings. There are lovely old 1800's ornate apartment buildings all around the suburbs.

After leaving the Met we took a walk through Central Park and then around some of the back streets of our 'hood'. There were lovely old apartments everywhere.

 Central Park. This place is a huge oasis in a massive metropolis. NYC is the antithesis of the wide open spaces that I love so much - but is a place that I am very glad to have sampled.

Don't pat the pets - they bite!

Pics from some of the back streets of the Upper West side around 75th to 82nd streets.

 Neighborhood and our hotel.

Hotel Belleclaire