BMWMCQ - December 2025 MAGAZINE

Committee

President - Geoff Hodge

Ph: 0413 180 101

president@bmwmcq.org.au

R1200RS; R75/5, R51/3

Vice President - Cindy Bennett Ph: 0401 610 671 vpres@bmwmcq.org.au R1200C; R1250GS

Secretary- Chris Bramwell

Ph: 0427 480 811 secretary@bmwmcq.org.au

K1200GT

Treasurer - Tony Gray Ph: 0409 493 605 treasurer@bmwmcq.org.au R80GS; K100RS4V; K1300R

Events - Cindy Bennett

Ph: 0401 610 671 events@bmwmcq.org.au

Editor - Liezel Samuel Ph: 0481 004 738 editor@bmwmcq.org.au Pillion on R1200GS

Records- Greg Gaffney Ph: 0411424 219 records@bmwmcq.org.au

Tools/Service - Bill Luyton

Ph: 0438 123 747 tools@bmwmcq.org.au

K1200GT Regalia - Duncan Bennett Ph: 0458 293 569 regalia@bmwmcq.org.au R1250GS, Tiger 900 Rally Pro

Dealer Liaison - Don Grimes

Ph: 0411 601 372

R1200GS; K1300R

Sub-Committee Roles

Clubs Australia - Paul Hughes

Training Coordinator - Julian Davis

Club Details

This Issue - December 2025

Advertisers

On The Cover

Duncan riding Paul’s 1200 GS on Turon River Bridge near Hill End.

Liezel Samuel Editor’s Report

It’samazing how quickly the last journal of the year has arrived.

Sadly, we’re still awaiting the return of our beloved GS. As I write, the vessel carrying our “treasure” is due to leave Sydney, with an expected arrival in Brisbane around 7/8 December. After fumigation (about 24 hours) the container may be unpacked around 10/11 December, and quarantine inspections (unknown timeframe) will follow - so fingers crossed we’re reunited with the bike before Christmas.

In the meantime, we were lucky to enjoy some great rides on the Bennetts’ 1250GS before handing it back into their safe riding hands on 6 November.

This month we warmly welcome new members Graham Banning, Tony Willis, John Lomax, and Paul & Cath McManus. Inside you’ll find the Bennetts’ sixth instalment from their USA journey, Cindy’s report on her new R 12 S, and Tony Malone’s light-hearted ride to procure half a dozen scones. Chris Robertson compares his 1991 R100RS with the Aussie-made 2025 Savic C electric bike, and Part 3 of our own USA ride continues the story. Tony Malone also shares his take on the New Member ride, Cindy and Duncan describe different routes at the Compass Reunion at Hill End near Bathurst, and Tony Gray gives practical tips for when things go wrong on the roadside. Jane has kindly contributed two seasonal poems, and Paul Hughes offers useful insights for anyone planning a visit to BMW Museum and experiences in Munich.

Take your time scrolling through this edition - there are plenty of bits and bobs scattered about that I think you’ll enjoy.

I wish you all a merry Christmas, and a reminder that there is no journal in January - next one up is February 2026.

See you on the road soon!

Liezel

Last ride up mount Mee on the Bennet's 1250GS on Wednesday 5 November

Submissions for the next Journal close 25 January

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Geoff Hodge President’s Report

Hi All,

Well, apart from the Darryl Gowlett affair as printed in the secretary report which covers the points that the committee has used to dismiss Darryl, it has been fairly quiet.

I have purchased a R1250RS to replace the R12. The first run was to Linville pub for a cold one. Apart from that its been a fairly quiet month for me. Looking forward to the Xmas party and hope to see many of you there.

That's all for now.

Geoff

Hi All,

I have temporary stepped into the vacant role and am looking for an understudy. Please see the advert below.

Hope to see on many of the upcoming event on the events calendar!

Cindy

Vacant Position

Job Title: Events Officer Understudy

Duties:

Dip your toes into the glamorous world of event organisation! You’ll learn the ropes by scheduling both our tried-and-true events and provide important input into exciting new ones – then unleashing them on Facebook and the Journal for all to admire. You’ll also coordinate ride leaders and conduct vital research into coffee venues – arguably the most important task in the club.

But fear not! You’ll be guided by our temporary Events Officer. And if you discover you love this role, you can nominate at the AGM and claim it as your own like a majestic organisational champion.

Remuneration:

No actual money… but you will receive a deep, warm sense of accomplishment every time an event goes smoothly – plus spontaneous member High-5s, which are basically priceless!

To apply:

Email the VP (temp Events Officer) on vpres@bmwmcq.org.au

Cindy Bennett (Temporary) Events Officer’s Report

BMWMCQ 2025 Tours & ouTings

BMWMCQ Club Events for December 2025

Thur 4 Dec 7:30pm General Meeting

Sat 6 Dec 6:00pm Christmas Party

Sat 14 Dec 11:00am Final Brunch ride for 2025

Wed 17 Dec 9:00am Mid Week Ride

Geebung RSL Club, 323 Newman Road, Geebung QLD. Meals from 6pm

Kondari Resort Urangan, QLD See details below

Pitt Stop Cafe, Mt Mee

Start Wynnum Carport Café from 8:30. Finishing Lota foreshore for a BYO lunch. Vice President

BMWMCQ CHRISTMAS PARTY Saturday 6 December 2025 Kondari Resort, Urangan, QLD

Menu: Roast Turkey, Pork & Ham with roasted pumpkin & potatoes, seasonal vegetables, gravy & cranberry sauce

Dessert: Alternate drop: Pavlova with summer fruits & whipped cream or Christmas Pudding with vanilla bean custard

Cost: $35 per person - Bookings essential

Bank details: BMWMCQ A/C 1024 3020, BSB 124 030

Ref: Xmas (and your surname)

Thurs 8 Jan 7:30pm General Meeting

January 2026

Geebung RSL Club, 323 Newman Road, Geebung QLD. Meals from 6pm

Sun 11 Jan 7:30am Breakfast Ride Jolly's Lookout BYO breakfast to Jollys Lookout with a ride after depending on weather and numbers

Sat 17 Jan 9:00am

Wed 21 Jan 8:30am Mid Week Ride

Sat 24 to Mon 26 Jan 8:30am Aussie Pie Ride

Sat 31 Jan 9:00am Club Service Day

Point Farm Café

Meeting at Yatala Pies

See ad in this Journal for full details

Rob Wynne's place - 61 - 63 Saint Jude's Circuit, Jimboomba (just off Mt Lindesay Hwy). Additional details pages 12 & 20

UPCOMING EVENTS TO PUT IN YOUR CALENDAR

Aussie Day Pie Run!

When: Sat 24th to Mon 26th January 2026

Where: Starting point Yatala Pies. Meeting 8:30am on the Saturday (maybe a breakfast pie?) and heading west and south

Lunch: Stanthorpe

First night: Glen Innes

Second night: Evans Head

Riding some of Northern NSW top roads and partaking in some fine pies!

Stay tuned for further information re accommodation suggestions and coffee/ meal stops.

When: Fri 24th to Sun 26th April 2026

Where: Mt Perry Showgrounds

Cost is $10 per head per night which includes hot showers, toilets, cool room.

Stay tuned for further information!

GWelcome to the third instalment of Tech Talk where each month we dive into the nuts, bolts, and sometimes mysterious black boxes that keep our bikes on the road.

etting Tanked (Fuel systems 101)

I trust Santa has been down to the Moto store or eBay, and packed a few goodies for you all.

Now, back to Tech Talk. This month, we’re diving into fuel systems. Did you know BMW were the first to bring fuel injection to motorcycles? Let’s take a peek inside the tank and see what’s going on in there.

Before you start, mark the pump plate for orientation so you can reinstall it in the same position when you are finished. Disconnect the two fuel lines. If you haven’t already upgraded to metal quick connectors, now is a great time to do it. Make sure to mark them “in” and “return” so they don’t get mixed up.

Undo the set screws carefully and give the unit a gentle twist to remove it. The fuel level sensor can also come out. Clean it with electrical contact cleaner or brake cleaner. A dirty contact wire is often the reason your gauge acts up.

While you’re there, replace the O-rings and give the tank a rinse to clear out any debris. It’s also a good opportunity to replace those old rubber fuel lines and fit new clamps. A little smear of animal fat or silicone grease on the O-rings helps them fit nicely. Hold everything steady, line up your marks, and snug the screws back in. Be careful, don’t overdo it.

That’s a bit of solid maintenance while the tank’s off, and your fuel system will thank you for it.

TALK WITH RAY JAY

Take your time, stay safe, and remember – it’s better to smell like petrol than to go up in smoke!

Safety First A Few Words of Caution

• Work in a well-ventilated area –petrol fumes can build up quickly and are both toxic and highly flammable.

• No sparks or open flames – that includes cigarettes, grinders, or even your mate welding in the corner.

• Use proper containers for draining fuel – never buckets or milk bottles.

• Disconnect the battery before you start, especially if you’re pulling fuel lines or electrical connectors.

• Wear gloves and safety goggles –fuel and brake cleaner are nasty on skin and eyes.

• Dispose of old fuel and rags properly – don’t pour it down the drain or leave soaked cloths in the bin.

Next month, we’ll roll back the clock and talk carburettors - all that old-school joy of jets, floats, and fuel screws.

Until then, enjoy the Queensland summer riding and keep the shiny side up!

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Cindy Bennett Vice President’s Report

Hi everyone!

November was a month of settling back into home life after 5 months on the road!

And importantly saw the purchase of a new bike, a “lava orange metallic” BMW R 12 S. I initially rode this bike on the Morgan & Wacker Demo ride day in May and boldly proclaimed I would return to buy one.

I have written a short article in this Journal about this beauty.

Due to a lack of an Events Officer currently, I have temporarily taken on this role – to be honest the VP role is not that taxing!

I have scheduled in a few January events starting with the always popular Jolly’s Lookout Breakfast ride on Sunday 11th January. In the usual tradition Life Member Tony Malone has offered to lead a ride after the breakfast. This will depend on the weather and numbers as in January this year the weather was quite threatening on the day and none braved the ride.

A Pie Run has been slotted in for the Australia Day long weekend. After researching some good meat pie locations a lot seemed to be congregated in Northern NSW, so we will head west and south after meeting at Yatala Pies for a brekky pie on Saturday 24th January.

Until next month, ride safely and often!

Cindy

Our last stop in the USA was Death Valley, but we sensibly hired a car and drove (after the bikes had been dropped off back in LA for shipping). This place is renowned for record temps and last year a motorcyclist died from heat exposure.

Chris Bramwell

BMWMCQ General Meeting

Minutes - 6 November 2025

Venue: Geebung RSL

Meeting opened: 7:30pm

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Secretary’s Report

Apologies: Paul Hughes, Geoff Hodge and Chris Lancaster

Minutes of previous General Meeting: Proposed: Tony Gray – pending some corrections Accepted: Kate Farrar

Number of attendees: 25

New members Amanda Layther

Visitors: Zoe Caspersz

Returning members: Nil

Treasurer report: October has been a big spending month with the annual payments for the Journal (Adobe In-Design and Issuu) and the backlog in payments for our web manager.

We still hold State Government Grant Funds for training subsidies. Courses are generally subsidised $175 per person per course.

Editor report: Liezel thanked members who submitted in articles. Please keep them rolling in. BMW Victoria club congratulated us on the content of our Journal.

Tools report: Bill contacted Rob and the next Service Day was set for the 31st January 2026. There are new updates for our GS-911 diagnostic tool with many new features. Details will be included in the next journal.

Regalia report: Duncan reminded all of the fantastic value of the water bottles. There are also plenty of shirts available and other regalia items.

Records report: 4 new members.

286 existing members.

25 in attendance at this meeting

Events report: Cindy is filling the temporary vacancy.

Upcoming events include the New members ride on Sunday where about 20 are expected to attend. Then there is Coffee on the 15th, Social Dinner on the 19th, Ride to Kalbar on the 23rd and a Brunch meal at Scarborough on the 29th . Please refer to journals and Facebook for further details.

The Christmas Party is on 6 December, please refer to Facebook for further details.

Secretary report: Chris has copies of NSW clubs Journal if anyone requires a copy.

RFDS sent us an update of new premises and thanked us for their support. The letter from the Tax Office was sent to the Secretary who discussed with the Treasurer. Apparently, this new layer of Bureaucracy was introduced in 2024 but was not actioned. There is no access to the questionnaire on-line so the Secretary agreed to visit the Tax Office in the city to resolve.

Dealer Liaison report: Sales at Morgan and Wacker have been strong and new RTs are available. There will be sales on bikes till end of the year and R12GS light weight is coming.

RM Competition bikes are now available, pocket rockets.

Finance through BMW is now available at 5.99% and appears great value and lucky ones may be eligible for a $600 Gift Voucher.

10% now off parts and Morgan and Wacker. Bad news – expect delays for services between 6 to 8 weeks.

Training Officer report: On vacation

Vice President report: Nil

Clubs Australia: Nil

President report: Nil

Other Events / Buy / Sell / Swap: Paul Stendon has his R1250 GSA for sale $31,500. Has lowered seat.

General business: Humphrey Caspersz raised the proposed changes to Lewington Road on Mt Mee. Humphrey suggested that, as a motorcycle club, we should be stakeholders in any development or changes to the road condition and have a say. Tony Malone suggested it may be risky for the club to object if the Department of Transport has valid safety reasons for the road modifications. It was agreed further investigation into the proposals and reasons for changes are required and thoroughly considered before any action is taken.

Tony Malone, for the attention of all members, raised that the Membership of Mr Darryl Gowlett was terminated because of his defamatory remarks and allegations made against 3 committee members. Cindy responded that Mr Gowlett was advised in writing that he had 30 days to appeal his termination with documented proof or withdraw his allegations. Mr Gowlett did not appeal the termination and as such his membership of the BMW Motorcycle Club of Queensland was formally Terminated.

Closed: 8:28pm

Greg Gaffney

Hi all, Merry Xmas to all members.

Record's officer Report

Wishing you and your family a happy and safe festive season.

New members in November:

• Paul & Catherine McManus, GOLDEN BEACH, R1200GS Adventure

• Jacobus Francois Jooste, THORNLANDS, R1250GSA

• Amanda Layther, RED HILL

• Keith Slater, BROOKSIDE

Cheers, Greg

Bill Luyten Tools Officer’s Report

Phone: 0438 123 747

Email:spares@bmwmcq.org.au

or: wluyten@bigpond .net .au

Service Day

The Club will hold a Service Day on Saturday 31 Jan at Rob Wynne’s place starting at 9am.

Location: 61-63 Saint Jude Circuit, Jimboomba, (Just off Mt Lindesay Highway).

Note: some GPSs require the suburb to be “Glenlogan”.

Two Hydraulic Bike Lifts will be available to make working on your bikes a bit easier along with a comprehensive tool kit and workshop grade paper towels.

We will have a “Sausage Sizzle” and Drinks at very reasonable prices (proceeds to the RFDS). GS-911

As mentioned at the General meeting, some info on the GS-911: https://www.hexgs911.com/

Hold the Ctrl key and select the above link to show what the GS-911 can do for your bike. Select your bike model and the web page scrolls down to show the modules for your bike and the letter code of that module. The columns with ticks mean this function is supported.

Column meaning:

Abbreviation Meaning

ECU

ECU Information e.g. Serial number and firmware versions

DTC Diagnostic Trouble Code / Fault Codes

RTV Real-Time sensor Values e.g. speed, temperature

SF Service Function e.g. output tests, calibrations

The GS-911 and 3 pin (for older bikes) diagnostic tools will be available to connect to your bike to check for fault codes, reset a service

reminder or change an operational setting if required.

Please let me know if you require specialty tools brought along to the next service day.

Tools for loan

• 34mm socket for rotating crankshaft

• Twinmax electronic carburetor balancer (Twin BMW engines)

• SynchroKing - Carburettor & Throttle Body Balancer

• LambdaKing Mk II - Air Fuel Ratio Tuning Meter

• Clutch alignment shafts (3 sizes)

• Compression tester (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 Diagnostic tool (for older bikes)

• Tyre Pressure Monitor Sensor (TPMS) tool

• Enduralast hall sensor tester

• M12-thread-repair-kit-131-piece (Helicoil)

• Torque wrenches, the torque range goes from 3 to 210 Newton Meters

• Battery tester

• Battery Charger

Club Tool Loan:

Tools can be picked up or brought along to the next meeting or Club ride. Please contact me by email or mobile above.

Bill

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Tony Gray Treasurer’s Report

Jane and I had the pleasure of hosting the second of the New Member rides and sausage sizzle at Oxley Creek Common at Rocklea. Thanks to Huw & Liezel who came early to help us with the setup and BBQ. Thanks also to Paul Hughes who led the pre-planned ride of just under 100km from Mount Coot-tha to the lunch venue. This initiative has proven popular with new and established members to meet & greet and take in a shortish ride over unknown territory for a lot of the participants. As the day was not as hot as predicted there were a lot of unused drinks that will be used at the next club service day.

Accounts as at 26 November 2025

Start Period 24 Oct: $ 15,431.90 $ 96.50 $ 42,821.64

Debits for Period: $ 1,197.97 $ 627.54 $Credits for Period: $ 2,765.89 $ 531.04 $ -

Balance at 26 Nov: $ 16,998.82 $ - $ 42,821.64

Total Funds: $ 59.821.46

State Grant Funds Held: $ 2,975.00

RFDS Funds $Christmans $ 840.00

Effective Funds Available: $ 56,006.46

Debits for Period: $ 512.79 Admin & Website management: $ 147,78 New Members Function

$ 37.50 Membership partial refund

Credits for Period: $ 1.95 Bank Interest

$ 1,327.56 Membership Fees (Bank + Paypal)

$ 840.00 Christmas Function

This month there was a credit of $496.40 for Tools & admin purchases that had previously been approved and paid to Chris Bramwell when he was Tools Officer and secretary. The payments were paid into a Trust Account that could not be accessed so the funds were remitted to the BMWMCQ account by the Bank then transferred to the correct Bank account so $496.40 IN and $496.40 OUT.

Safe & happy riding to all members.

Tony

New Member ride: Excellent company and good food.

Also see the article and more photos starting on page 48.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Duncan Bennett Regalia Report

AsArnold said in the first Terminator – I’ll be back.

Unfortunately I should have used this timeless quote before we left but forgot, so have had to modify it a bit to - Hey I’m back. Still timeless. Anyway, thanks to those that held the fort while I was away, Richard and Chris your efforts were appreciated lugging the merch about. Time to buy is now, with Black Friday, Christmas, and my birthday nigh. I’m thinking a bottle of 25 year old single malt thank you, this can be available regalia if you’ve got a marking texta and place the BMWMCQ logo next to the bottle while you draw it on.

Also don’t forget about water bottles with the upcoming heat, and the fabulous bucket hat and cap. Everyone in your family will appreciate them on the big December day.

Cheers, Duncan

The bucket hats on display at the crossing into our 50th United State.

Regalia Collection Set of 6 ....1 x Large Patch, 1 x Small Patch, 1 x Key Ring, 1 x Small Round Sticker, 1 x Long Helmet Sticker and 1 x 100th

Lady Shirts

Hats & Bags

2025 REGALIA

Regalia Ordering Methods

Regalia is ordered through: regalia@bmwmcq.org.au

Method 1: Bling Your Own Wardrobe

You can get a BMWMCQ logo embroidered on your own shirt (or underwear, no-one needs to know). Purchase the item, call/email Regalia, and drop it off at a General Meeting or contact Regalia for the best way of getting the item transferred.

Method 2: Use the Inta Net

Click on the links on the previous page, or if you want something different, go to linked website (link below), and note supplier, item number and size and colour and send details to Regalia via email or contact number.

Note: Shirts, vests, and other items have the 2021 (current) logo:

Hats and other items with limited vertical space still have the old logo style:

Method 3: Bang on a Badge

Buy a big or small badge from the Regalia Officer, and iron or glue or sew it on your jacket or shirt:

Please contact your Regalia Officer for more help with options of ordering methods via email regalia@bmwmcq.org.au.

Graham

Banning joined in October and owns a F 900 XR.

What got you into riding, and what was your first bike?

I got into riding just as a progression from push bikes. At 16 years old I was living in England and rode a Fantic TI moped. I always had trail bikes, as I could get to work taking short cuts along farm tracks and bridle ways. I also used to go green-laning further afield.

How did you end up on a BMW?

An apprentice mate had an R45 in the seventies. He raved about it and let me ride it a few times, but it was not till Ewan and Charley's adventures that I considered one.

After not owning a bike for several years after immigrating to Australia, I took the sensible approach and got a G 310 R and was happy I hadn’t lost the enthusiasm or the skills.

I now have the F 900 XR and wish to ride further with others, so joining the club with like-minded members should further enhance my riding pleasure and knowledge

What has been your best bike, and why?

My new motorcycle is technically the best with all its modern safety features and performance. Previously, my Suzuki TS 185 got me everywhere camping, rallies, work and opened me up to the joys of travel by bike. I don’t think it ever let me down.

What is your favourite riding destination?

My usual routes are local Glasshouse mountains, Maleny, Kenilworth, Mary Valley to Gympie and back down Kin Kin, Pomona, Eumundi, Yandina, Palmwoods - about 300km round trip. Also Mt

Glorious, Somerset dam, Goomeri and Kilkiven.

What's a “bucket list” destination for you?

The Gilles range and up around that area to Port Douglas. Anywhere further afield including overnight stops with other like-minded riders. Do you have any advice or handy tips to share? Never be in a hurry, let the idiots go past. Find good cafes. Any trips planned? Not yet. Somewhere with you guys should be good.

What have been your best and worst biking times?

Best times include camping and rallies with mates in the UK. We went to the annual Harley rally near Paris in the early eighties where I was pillion and in the support truck with American air base guys.

Best and worst bike Rebuild was an eighties XT 250. It was great until the new tyres hit an oily road - not so good. I fixed it up but then had it stolen - bad!

I replaced it that with a KLR 600 and had lots plans, but sold it to come to Australia.

C ing ne W M e MB ers

Tony Willis joined in August and owns 2025 R 1300 GS, 2020 Kawasaki Ninja 1000 Sx, 1995 Ducati 916 SPS, and 2024 Vespa 300. What got you into riding, and what was your first bike?

I needed to get to work at age 17 which was 11 miles from home, and I couldn’t afford a car, so I bought a 1967 Honda 125 and ran it for a couple of years before selling it to buy my first car.

How did you end up on a BMW?

My first BMW motorcycle was an 2024 R 1200 RT. I previously had a Honda Valkyrie which I loved but the clutch was too heavy, and I had started getting arthritis in my fingers. When I saw the first R 1100 RT from BMW I thought that it was a stunning bike but had never got to ride one. I checked the current model and found that it had a nice light clutch so decided to take it for a test ride. The rest as they say is history. What has been your best bike, why?

The best bike I have ever ridden as an allrounder is my current R 1300 GS Trophy. It has no clutch, fully automatic or manual. Adaptive height control, Active Cruise Control, Blind Spot Monitoring, Electric Windscreen. Handling is impeccable with a sportier feel than before, wind control good for a GS, great bike on or off road.

My BMW R 1300 GS (2025)

What is your favourite riding destination?

It’s not about the destination; it’s about the ride. Looking forward to spending time with friends and enjoying a change of environment.

Having just come to live in SE Queensland, I am looking forward to exploring this area where the weather is wonderful most of the time and there is an abundance of great motorcycling roads, destinations and coffee shops like Micks Garage.

We are very lucky. What is a “bucket list” riding destination for you?

I have ticked off a few including New Zealand and Tasmania and deleted a few, like riding through India and Route 66. Now I look forward to exploring Sunshine coast and North.

Do you have any advice or handy tips to share?

We have two sons who wanted to get into motorbikes in their teens. As a rider since 17 years of age I worried that I might have set an example for my children that could get them injured. I could not say ‘No’ as it needed to be their decision not mine. What could I do to protect them? I decided to make three rules.

The RULES were:

1. You cannot get a motorcycle license until you have been driving for at least two years. By then you should be aware of where the cars are coming from that are going to attempt to harm you.

2. If you are going to own a motorcycle you must also own a car. The most dangerous times on a motorcycle are those when you don’t feel like riding but need to get somewhere. Maybe it is night-time, weather conditions are bad, or you are just not in the mood. Never ride just to get somewhere take the car.

My Kawasaki Ninja 1000Sx (2020)

3. Your bike must be well maintained, and you need to learn basic maintenance so you can learn to recognize a problem when you have one.

These rules were respected although in the beginning it was ‘can I borrow Dad’s car? Our sons are now in the forties and have remained unhurt.

My Ducati 916 SPS (1995)

This safety concern also led me to undertake a detailed study of research here and overseas on causes of motorcycle accidents, statistics and avoidance strategies. This developed into a series of presentations that have been shared with motorcycle safety trainers and members of the motorcycle police force receiving extremely positive responses.

Any trips planned? Just continuing to explore this lucky country.

Service Day

What have been your best and worst biking times?

I was returning home from the Snowy ride at Jindabyne (was sponsored by Honda each year to raise money for childhood cancer) back to the Central Coast North of Sydney. I was almost home about 5 Kms from the motorway exit I have been concerned for a while about a car following me but hanging well back. Looked like a roof-rack and lights on top. I reached the exit, turned off and about 500 meters on I turned into the motorcycle dealers’ front yard (where I had purchased the bike). Following close behind me was a cop car siren blaring and lights flashing. There followed a somewhat intense conversation where the cop accused me of travelling at 125 Kph. I maintained that I had not been going fast and asked if he didn’t like my riding. “Oh, there is nothing wrong with your riding”, he said. I replied, “then what’s the problem?”. He said again that he was sure I was speeding but as I had changed lanes quite often, and there was other traffic he had not been able to get a clear reading on his radar. He also was not allowed to increase his speed to more that 115 kph without putting on his siren and flashing lights at which point I would have spotted him. Result: No ticket but a ribbing when I went into the showroom.

Moral of that story is: Be situationally aware and admit to nothing. They will try to put words in your mouth.

When: Saturday 31 January 2026, from 9am

Where: Rob Wynne's place, 61 - 63 Saint Jude's Circuit, Jimboomba (just off Mt Lindesay Hwy).

There is a bike hoist, the GS-911 diagnostic tool and a brains trust of knowledge from the members present!

The sausage sizzle and cold drinks are an added bonus! All for a donation to our charity choice, the very worthy RFDS.

John Lomax joined in October and is the proud owner of a brand new F 800 GS Triple Black.

What got you into riding, and what was your first bike?

I used to ride a 50cc motorbike to school in Durban South Africa and never had a bike license. About 10 years ago I decided to take up riding and so needed a LAMS approved bike and the 650 GS suited me for this.

I got rid of the bike during Covid and now wanted to start again and the F 800 GS Triple Black was on special, and I have had it for one week now How did you end up on a BMW?

I think it was due to Long Way Round and Long Way Down, with Ewan and Charley, watching them on the BMW and thinking that’s the bike for me. I am new to Brisbane and looking for fellow BMW owners to ride with. What has been your best bike, why?

At this stage the 650 GS as it’s the bike I rode the most.

What is your favourite riding destination?

Every year we rode to Phillip Island for the MotoGp and then would take a different route home and the Great Ocean Road is my favourite so far.

What is a “bucket list” riding destination for you?

I would like to do an entire circuit of Australia staying as close to the coast as possible. Do you have any advice or handy tips to share? None, I am too inexperienced. Any trips planned?

Was thinking of hiring a bike next year in Melbourne and doing MotoGp again, and then catch the ferry to do Tassie. It looks beautiful there.

What have been your best and worst biking times?

Worst is why I got rid of the 650 GS but that’s a story for the pub one day, my most embarrassing bike moment.

Pauland Cath McManus joined in October, and own a 2017 GS R 1200. What got you into riding, and what was your first bike?

Paul: I've been riding farm bikes since I was a kid on my grandparents and uncles farms around Shepparton in Victoria and the Liverpool Plains in NSW back in the 70s, but never owned one of my own until I was 44, when I bought my boyhood dream bike to restore, a 1982 Ducati Darmah. Those early experiences lit the fire.

Cath: Honda CB 250. I was determined to get my bike license so I was "not just another pillion" and gave me more flexibility, especially when travelling OS.

How did you end up on a BMW?

Paul: I have recently bought a 2017 R 1200 GS Adventure Double Black, as many people believe the GS is the best all round long distance touring bike there is, and not having owned a beemer before, I was curious. I've also recently retired and have already clocked up about 6,000km on my bikes since July... and looking forward to a lot more.

Cath: I ended up on a BMW as my husband now has one!

What has been your best bike, and why?

Paul: That's a difficult question, as the retort would be "for what?". I'd say that the best bike I've owned for performance was a 2014 Ducati MultiStrada S, the best for off-road was a Yamaha WR 250, the best all-rounder is my recently bought Royal Enfield Himalayan 450, and the best bike for starting conversations

(and the best note!) was my Ducati Darmah. Loving the GS though... it's an early contender for "best of best"

Cath: Even though it wasn't my ride, I loved both the Darmah and the Multistrada. I used to go to sleep on the Darmah with the Desmo sound putting me into LaLaLand

What is your favourite riding destination?

Paul: Victorian High Country and Victorian regional areas.

Cath: Hunter Valley to go to music festivals and then home on the Putty Road.

What is a “bucket list” riding destination for you?

Paul: Too many to list, however we are going to the IoM TT next year, not that I'll be riding, but it's been on my list for decades.

Cath: After the TT, probably Turkiye Adventure riding... planning that one now!

Do you have any advice or handy tips to share? Scooters are the best option in about 50% of countries that you want to visit, especially in EU and Asia. We have an Aprilia 125 as our runabout on the Sunny Coast... and it gets used a lot. Hello Lane Filtering on Caloundra Road! Had so many great times in Greece, Italy, France, Malta, Vietnam, New Caledonia, Bali etc. It is a great way to get around and avoid the diabolical traffic in a lot of these places (and here), greater autonomy - and very cheap transport.

Any trips planned?

Paul: I have a bunch of mates in Victoria that I hung around with in my Uni days, and we've all

recently reconnected over (drum roll)... bikes! We plan a trip usually about once a month, somewhere in Victoria for 3 or 4 days. My GS is now living on a farm near Avenal in Victoria. I fly down to do the rides, next one is in the Alpine passes, Hotham, Falls, Mt Beauty etc. Cath: More tours in EU

What have been your best biking times, Worst?

Paul: Best: riding with my mates in the beautiful (and twisty) Victorian rain forests and high plains. Or maybe doing Bali on a Yamaha 250 scooter in Bali, or Malta with my daughters and their partners, and always with my beautiful wife.

Worst? Day 3 of riding my newly acquired Himalayan 450 from Victor Harbor (SA) back to Caloundra. Respect... the Himmy was fantastic, however in Northern NSW, not known for it's bad weather, I experienced Gale force cross winds, a very cold 13oC minus wind chill, freezing my arse off. No heated grips like the GS, dodging B-Doubles on the Newell Highway with very poor visibility and limited passing opportunities. I gave up after 4 hours when I was becoming hypothermic (uncontrolled shivering) and booked into a Motel in Coonabarabran to thaw out and lick my wounds. Thankfully, the following day was pure bliss.

Saturday 6 December 2025

Cath at Ulawatu

By Duncan Bennett, Member #4171

Salem.

The Puritans decided that Jeru’ was a bit artsy so went with ‘salem. Over time, it was capitalised and the shortening apostrophe was dropped, and through the next 399 years it prepped itself for our arrival, this time at the end of a day rather than the start of a new one. We lobbed into our accommodation in Beverly, sweating buckets as usual, quickly threw on walking tourist gear, and summoned an Uber via the App. Our Salem walking tour was booked for 5pm. Uber dropped us off at 4:59pm, so we were first to meet the guide while the rest of the group assembled with the precision and efficiency of sheep crossed with cats. Anyway, off we went. Salem was founded in 1626 so is seriously old, and was a major port. But no-one is interested in that, Salem is all about the 1692 witch trials. It all started with young girls, aged between 9 and 17, claiming witches had harmed them. It is very surprising that young girls, especially those that spent like 8 hours in church every Saturday, would not act completely rationally, and anyone who has had or has observed teen daughters is simply amazed about their behaviour.

Giles was slowly squashed under rocks because he wouldn’t plead guilty or not guilty

It got totally out of hand, with more and more accusations and ludicrous stories being given as evidence in the court. 20 people were executed; 19 as witches and Giles Corey who refused to plead. The safety valve was finally released when the girls started accusing people who were socially a bit out of reach, including the Governor’s wife. That managed to shut it all down, and everyone said yeah, even though

teen girls are so unemotional and rational, let’s just pretend that it never happened. And then Bewitched came along in 1970 and really set things off again. Apparently during Halloween it is just insane and hundreds of thousands pack the place.

Elizabeth Montgomery kicked it off again

A beer then back to Bev, this was the most convenient place we’ve stayed, with a full supermarket 200m away, a vape shop even closer, and a huge wine and beer shop even closer than that.

The Bev supermarket robot was going okay until a tentative “Exterminate?”

We were well set for Day 51, with a train trip from Bev into Boston. A HOHO bus was the plan, and we rode around on it, HO’d for lunch and a stroll, then HO’d to get back to the station. It was pleasant but still bloody hot, like just about every one of the days following Cortez Colorado. Boston has a lot of familiar history, with JFK, the tea party, and various other momentous events in the US. Unfortunately

48M a T e P ar T 6

our HOHO bus driver had a very strong Boston accent, so it was like “Thar building on the rahrt wahrz [indecipherable] [still no idea] [now lost interest] thar British”.

Massachusetts State House

Speaking of dining, which we were doing before the stroll barged in, the US is still fairly hard work when it comes to grabbing a quick bite. The vast majority of eating/drinking places are full service, so get into our story Uber, unsurprisingly a Camry, and experience a dining event with us. Scenario: It is 5pm, we’ve had a 450km day, and a nice drink is the objective. We enter the craft brewery. The bar seats are full, and we are scanning the room.

A young lady materialises.

Hi! Is it just you two? She’s grabbing menus, which is a bit like watching an Aged Care nurse in the dementia ward grabbing a high-density low-permeability pillow, it’s way out of control and someone is in trouble. Us as it turns out, we sit as directed. She wanders off even though we already know what the drinks are – a Chardy, and an IPA. Just as I’m thinking about

heading to the bar Australian style, she returns. A House Chardonnay and a Mule’s Breath IPA?

Just great! Have you decided on food yet!?! No, we’ll have a drink first, as it is but 5:01pm, and even pensioners would be embarrassed. OK! I’ll give you a minute!

By 5:30pm the pressure is intense, she has literally returned every minute to see what food we’ve decided to order. Typically we crack under the menu-boarding at around 5:45pm.

We’ve let everyone down but surely the shared appetiser won’t arrive until after 6pm so we’ll avoid ostracism. 5:55pm it arrives. Luckily there are others who have cracked way earlier than us, so we don’t risk accusations of witchcraft, but we don’t make eye contact just in case. 6:30pm we are back in the hotel.

Only 3 hours before we can go to bed at a normal time. But might as well get into the jarmies now…..

End of Munch (EOM) accounting

Continuing our state consuming north push on Day 52, we were quickly up to Newburyport and out to the coast, going into New Hampshire on the way.

New Hampshire, the tough choice state

As always, we had zero knowledge of what the coast would look like, maybe a mangrove bog, maybe houses with boats, but this was full blown beach, and crowded with holiday people. Fortunately there was motorcycle parking otherwise it would have been impossible to find, and even more fortunately the motorcycle parking was directly opposite a coffee place. A wander out to the water, we were on about the same latitude where the Titanic sank so surely the water must be Jack freezing. Not the case, it was actually very pleasant and explained why so many punters were out in it. Slip, slop, slap isn’t a big thing in this neck of the woods, getting the full boiled crayfish sunburn seems to be in keeping with the absolutes of the New Hampshire motto.

Get badly sunburned or die

Only 10 miles into New Hampshire and it ended in Maine, the most north-eastern of the USA and our No.31.

Off to Kennebunkport for lunch, the parking situation was a little more challenging in the ‘bunk’, we could only find one about 2 miles out of town, so reversed to a sandwich shop that sounded good; Bennett’s Sandwich Shop. It was good apart from the temperature inside being way above safe food storage levels – some of the pre-ordered sandwiches awaiting pick-up were hopefully pastrami and cheese and not a hot gangrene melt.

Outside at the picnic tables it was much more pleasant. Slogging on again in the relentless heat, we made it through the suburban nightmare of Portland, before hitting every English town name on the way to Camden, including Bath.

Now we’re talking

We made it early enough to Camden to do something never before attempted on this trip. The No.3. The just-before-closing walk-in was successful, the Barberess took one look and decided there were zero technical risks, so I did the usual barber shop thing and sat there catching up on a few emails while guarding the door against any just-before-closing walk-ins.

My turn.

Where are you from, not here obviously. Australia. And off we went, with the hair falling like the first gentle snows of winter.

Only not white yet people.

The afterglow. You know what I’m talkin’ about.

The target for Day 53 was as far east as we’d get. Acadia National Park, only 100 miles from the furthest east point in the USA. The NP is on Mt Desert Island, named by a Frenchman who had been in the temperate zones for way too long to recognise a desert. First we needed coffee, and Ellsworth just to the north of the desert delivered.

Some navigational challenges with Acadia NP. It was all set up in Garmin, which behaved strangely and refused to take some roads. No worries, we’ll just do it when we are there. But many of the roads are one-way. How on earth do

we get onto them? We decided riding through a camping ground was both revolutionary and rebellious. Then a ranger appeared. The revolution petered out. Hello, how do we get onto that road I can see through the trees and rocks that are the natural prey of the adventure motorcycle? Oh, back out the way we came and 10 miles up to join it? Righto. Pause while staring at them and waiting for the “OMG, I recognise you! Because you are amazing people doing all 48 states, I can tell you that there is a track beside that huge rock that takes you onto the road. We have your photos in our church by the way!” Staring becoming a little creepy, maybe we’d better just do the 10 miles. Many of the roads here were built purely for summer carriage touring by the insanely wealthy, including J.D. Rockefeller, so adventure motorcycle capability isn’t required, and it is very pleasant riding, if a tad foggy.

Famous for the foggy around here

North and east were now officially done. No more of either of those. South was a long time in the future. Which narrowed it down to west according to the cheap compass we were using. So west it was, to one of those random towns selected based on the following criteria:

• In the general direction heading, i.e. west-ish

• Big enough to have a craft brewery

• Well away from large suburban centres

• Roughly the right day’s distance, say >250km and <450km

Random town was Skowhegan. No clue about it whatsoever. Into the hotel, which used to be a

Gauguin’s famous “Shih tzu coping well under pressure”, 1892

woollen mill. One of those very modern places, huge open spaces, whole room for motorcycle stuff, lounge and kitchen area, first ever USA kettle, bathroom with sustainable organic ecoshampoo, and a bed used for polo tournaments on the weekends. And with the best view out of the window in our history.

Hard to beat this view in a single lifetime

Down to the very close craft brewery, we were escorted to an outside table. Where the view was even better than our room, overlooking a dam created to feed water through a paper mill. This was a seriously industrialised town, and highlighted a big difference between the USA and Australia – water. The USA has ridiculous amounts compared with us. But we have better beaches, so a draw.

Upset by latent industrial capacity and a delayed IPA Day 54 started with wishing we could stay a few more days, waking up casually, and looking out the window at the dam whilst in our pyjamas. But that isn’t motorcycling, which is waking

up to the alarm at 3:30am, the Screeching Succubus the preferred iPhone alarm tone, doing maintenance from 3:45am to 5:45am, splashing water on the face and armpits from 5:45am to 6:00am, using the used maintenance rags to dry off, and hitting the road. West was the only option, but it was excellent, out in the bush and drifting roads through beautiful countryside. No distractions from motorcycling scripture allowed though, we needed to find coffee.

We found it

After an Aroma Joe’s, the motorcycling through Rangeley into western Maine was just fabulous. First nice roads, then a stop for a stroll to a waterfall, a chat with a seriously interesting family who actually had a van for off-road adventures, a rare thing in the US, and to top all that off the Bennett Bean covered bridge, which we were incredibly tempted to ride through but decided not to push the luck.

Bennett motorcycle and Bennett Bean covered bridge

a T e P ar T 6

Then over the border and back into New Hampshire, where we had to once again decide whether to live free or die. Living free seems more convenient as you can change your mind, so we went with that again. Down past a huge lake and Berlin, not the more famous Berlin, and we ended the day in Gorham. There was a plan for Gorham, because it is close to Mt Washington, not the more famous Washington.

Lucky we saw this, we were planning to accelerate and head-butt their tummy

Besides Mt Washington, Gorham met all the location criteria including the craft brewery within a pleasant strolling distance. The only problem with craft breweries, beside the obsession with feeding you dinner before any other person in the western hemisphere gets theirs, is that they can be frightfully expensive, especially for the non-craft beer drinker. A glass of wine can cost US$12, or three-quarters of a million dollars Australian. A servo 0.5 litre box wine costs US$4. No need for anyone to do the math there.

City officials forgot that geese can neither read nor fill out forms

Day 55 was a day off, so a casual breakfast rather than getting up at 3:30am. Then to Mt Washington, the summit a mere 15 road miles away. It costs US$36 for each motorcycle to go up, equivalent to 4.5 litres of servo box wine. Hard choices.

A big sign at the start says it is steep, narrow, and without guardrails, and motorists with a fear of looking over the edge into a rock-strewn oblivion may not appreciate the experience. Neither of us bothered to read this, but one of us has a fear of looking over the edge into a rock-strewn oblivion. Going up was way worse than going down, simply because the US drive on the wrong side of the road, and the wrong side was the edge above the tree line. The day was perfect, so the cool embrace of visibility limiting fog was sadly missing.

Someone left their keys in at the top, hoping for their bike to be stolen

Mt Washington is not very high, even our Mt Kosciuszko towers over it. But is in a position that makes the weather very cold and very windy. It held the strongest directly measured wind gust record of 372kmh from 1934 until a 1996 Western Australia cyclone cracked it at 408kmh.

It also holds the US wind chill temperature record of -77.8°C, definitely time to put on a cardy. It was t-shirt weather while we were up there, so getting a photo at the summit sign was never going to happen with a huge queue snaking down the mountain.

Dammit, still not stolen

Giving up on finding options for not riding down, we rode down. Some stopped for photos, some didn’t. Then one discovered that the traffic was moving so slowly one could take photos with one’s iPhone while rolling down the hill. Back to Gorham, a budget supermarket dinner and a servo box wine to compensate for the expensive craft brewery – Mt Washington combo rounded out the day.

Day 56 target was the Kancamagus Highway, because this is an awesome road through the White Mountain National Forest. Another big event this day, with all the zips closed, a neck warmer on, and a medium thickness waterproof pair of gloves chosen.

Many people have asked me about choosing gloves, with many an estimate for maybe one person or perhaps no-one ever. But I believe you need to learn at least one thing per day so polish up the reading glasses and focus. I like to have 1 thing when it comes to motorcycling – 1 motorcycle, 1 riding suit, 1 pair of riding boots, 1 helmet. When the 1 thing wears out, I buy a replacement 1 thing. But 1 pair of gloves is an impossible pipe dream, because you just can’t wear Motocross (MX) gloves when it is freezing, or thick winter gloves when it is boiling hot. I ended up with 4 pairs of gloves for this trip. The original packed selection was 2 pairs; thick winter waterproof gloves, and thin but windproof gloves. Surely all climactic conditions covered. At the last second before we headed to the airport, I chucked a pair of MX gloves into the bag. Then I panicked and threw in a pair of medium thickness waterproof gloves with them. I suddenly knew how Imelda Marcos got started with the shoes. And as it turns out, at time of writing, I have worn the MX gloves out, and bought another pair. And I’ve put the medium thickness waterproof pair on a few times in the morning, never on for a full day yet. So the 2 original pairs of gloves suitable for the entire trip have not yet been put on. Just like maybe 900 pairs of Imelda’s shoes, but we both still have time to wear them all.

Anyway, back to motorcycling, we did the awesome roads through Lincoln and into the tiny town of Warren. Which had a Redstone Missile in the town garden. Another joy of the USA, this Redstone Missile carried a thermonuclear payload 250 times more powerful than the Hiroshima bomb, but when it was retired, some bloke from Warren just bought it. Not sure how he managed to ship it home, presumably Two Men & A Truck or something, again this is the USA.

Didn’t work as a deterrent this time

Over the border into No.32, Vermont. More spectacular riding with lakes and forests, we worked our way west. Vermont ain’t huge, maybe 100km across, so we didn’t spend a night there. But we did find the oldest service station bowser in the US.

Took a photo so the bloke inside would know how much petrol we’d borrowed

The target for the night was back in New York, Glens Falls. We’d stayed here on a trip in December 2011, when there was snow everywhere. This time there was a blizzard of snow, but the type of warm liquid snow that finds its way into anything not zipped up. It was just torrential, with lightening and all the streets becoming deep river crossings. We made it to the hotel, and rode up the footpath to park on the red carpet under the marquee. The hotel staff didn’t care, it was a New Hampshire-level choice of Live Under Cover or Die.

Luckily it was a true tropical storm although we were way above the tropics at 43° north, and it just stopped as quickly as it had started. MX gloves wrung out, we checked in and hung everything up to dry. A craft brewery was conveniently in the hotel lobby, so we didn’t need to risk going outside. Day 57 the west commute continued, with the destination criteria used in full to target Hancock, just inside the NY – Pennsylvania border. This was a day of lakes, there are a lot of lakes in this area and many of them are water supply for the huge urban morass to the south and east. The lakes have very few public access points, but we did manage to find one.

Moist.

Initially thought

the Great Sacandaga

Lake must be full of crocodiles

A couple were the only others there, trying to put their large kayak back on their car roof. Having nearly died of hernia doing this many times, I offered to help. Then the conversation, he builds specialised engines for Japanese motorcycles and sends them around the world, he’d just sent one to New Zealand and was complaining about trying to get the gasket glue through NZ customs. Then the question – why on earth aren’t people allowed to swim in the lake? Giant Snapping Turtles? Answer – they do, but there are no lifesavers on duty in these areas so to avoid being sued if someone drowns, the county council put up the signs. No-one has ever been or ever will be prosecuted, it’s just closing a loophole.

Unfortunately didn’t realise this was NYC’s water supply until later on

Getting to Hancock was good riding, this region is fairly sparsely populated by north-eastern USA standards and the towns are small if staying

off the interstates. It wasn’t too hot, but it was surprising warm in an area we’d expected the MX gloves to be retired. As usual the trip was about coming across interesting random things like the Warren missile, the USA is just full of them. Today’s was the Blenheim covered bridge, it had the second longest span of any singlespan covered bridge at 64 metres, although there is naturally raging competition with other covered bridges and Blenheim claim that others were cheating and theirs was actually the longest. The 1855 bridge was surviving until 2011, when it was picked up and washed away by tropical storm Irene, allegedly sent north by another town with a slightly less long covered bridge. Blenheim re-built it exactly as per the 1855 original in 2017, just higher up from the river to cheese off the competing cover bridge towns, they ain’t getting this one.

The world record or near enough Blenheim covered bridge replacement

Hancock was one of those fairly forgettable places, but the following Day 58 destination certainly wasn’t – Punxsutawney. I wasn’t a huge fan of the “let’s go to a place because it features in a great movie/TV show/song” and we’d probably dodged a few bullets and long days avoiding them. But it was within the criteria, so let’s do it. Again more off-interstate riding through nice countryside, but the MX gloves were on and all zips were open, it was still unreasonably warm.

We gave this initiative a very big thumbs up So into Punxsutawney, staying in a hotel outside town near a big shopping centre. Which leads to another USA thing. In Australia, the rules across the country are generally similar, but the USA states have a lot more power and so every time we crossed a border we’d have to figure them out.

The big one is marijuana, not at all interesting to us, but beer and wine also. In some states, every servo and supermarket and primary school tuck shop sells wine and beer. In some, only state-controlled liquor stores can sell it. In some, there will be wine and spirits outlets, no beer and nothing cold at all. Some states are like Australia, and if you are our age no-one bothers about ID, we could only be 21 if we were Benjamin Button’s relatives. But some have to record your date of birth with every sale, so an 80 year old bloke is at the counter proving to the sales girl that he is over 21.

A thing about Punxsutawney was I thought it was just a place and they’d made up the whole Groundhog Day thing for the movie. No, it is an actual thing that has been going on since at least 1886 on the 2nd February. There is a group of old local blokes, they gather on Gobblers Knob on the day, and take Punxsutawney Phil out of his burrow. If Phil sees his shadow, there will be no early spring and 6 more weeks of winter. Given that they do this on the 2nd February, it isn’t really surprising that Phil sees his shadow a lot more than he doesn’t.

Six more weeks of MX gloves

And of course, ending with the map, which proves we are heading west.

Punxsutawney Phil

By Cindy Bennett, Member #4170

The R 12 S – “Let’s paint the town orange!”

The above quote comes directly from the Motorrad spiel on the R 12 S, the very cool machine inspired by the famous R 90S. I have long admired the R 90S and Brian Floyd’s bike is an excellent example of this model. It has graced many a cover of our Journal for this reason.

I picked up my R 12 S in mid November after a very enjoyable demo ride back in May on a Morgan & Wacker Thursday ride day.

These Demo ride days are an excellent opportunity for a long test ride scenario and the route over Clear Mountain gives the chance to stretch the bikes’ legs. I highly recommend attending one if you haven’t already, although a warning – you may just be lured into coming back and bringing a new 2 wheel family member home!

Onto the R 12 S - this bike is FUN, lots of power, cool retro looks and modern finishes like the digital display, cruise control and quick shift. The small bespoke touches give it a quality finish, the aluminium tank and pin-striping is flawless. The seat is perfect for me at 795mm.

L e T ’ s P ain T T he T o W n orange !

This bike is based on the R Nine T so the seating position is similar and comfortably upright.

The only deficiency I have discovered is that it does not have a fuel gauge. I will have to remember to reset the trip meter when refuelling, not a big issue at all.

After the BMW pre-paid service packages were explained to me, I decided on the 3 year package which comes with a $150 M & W voucher –bonus! From browsing through to pick up, Matt at M & W was a champ, and made everything super easy.

I have been on a couple of rides so far, having to ration the kilometres leading up to the first service! Therefore an upcoming trip down to Hill End, NSW is going to be on a borrowed bike (to match Duncan on Paul H’s borrowed 1200GS) my sister Kim’s Triumph Tiger 800. However I plan to do many enjoyable kilometres on the R 12 S who I have nick-named “Orange Ozzy” as a tribute to the late great Ozzy Osbourne and because it seems like it could be a tad naughty! Stay tuned….

By Jane Gray, Member #4300

GLORIOUS SPRINGTIME

JEGNov2025

Spring brings with it such glorious days

Bursting with colour in so many ways

September/October never cease to amaze

Gardens & bushland in vibrant displays

From cities & towns or your back verandah

Nothing compares & nothing is grander

Thousands of blooms with their purple candour

The splendid array of the Jacaranda

Come November with its bold red drama

Creating a magnificent panorama

Each starring in its own diorama

The beautiful spreading Poinciana

Add to these so many beautiful flowers

Colourful & lush from springtime showers

Responding to Nature’s incredible powers

It’s such a pleasure to ride for hours

Photo credit: Paul Hughes

By Tony Malone, Member #67

As a relatively recently joined member of our Club (late 1985 as I recall, stimulated after a meeting outside Morgan and Wacker with Ron Durkin, who lauded the benefits of my joining to experience the best that my recently purchased 1981 R100CS had to offer) I am pleased to be invited to join those who, in the main, ride and enjoy more traditional representatives of the marque. Not being a member of Facebook or any such other modern innovation and feeling that SMS and the internet give an adequate means of communication, by some means I heard of the ride to be held on Saturday 8 November 2025.

As it turned out, the person who initiated this day was Life Member Peter Ferguson. The starting point was to be the Dayboro Bakery for an 9am start. I know that by leaving Ipswich and taking Gap Creek Road getting there takes about 90 minutes, and so leaving at around 7am after having had breakfast and my morning coffee should have me there in good time. As it turned out, my schedule coincided with Gary on his (I think 1983) R100RS around The Gap. Effectively, we then rode together. I must say that it brought back memories from times past of road freedom coupled with fewer electronic interventions, and heading off to places like Warialda Rail for the Sapphire Rally, just like a TARDIS.

a h a LF d ozen s C ones

We arrived in Dayboro to find that there was not much parking on the street and so went into the parking area across the road. Gary was there with his K100, and (without meaning any disrespect to his beautiful machine) I think that it was the only participant with more than 2 cylinders. One of the more notable machines was Craig’s R75/5 in pristine white with blue pinstriping along its huge Heinrich fuel tank.

Malone's 1979 Kawasaki Z650C3

Crossing the road to the bakery we found that the seating was mostly occupied, but much friendly banter was taking place on the veranda outside the real estate agency. I went to order my medium flat white and saw that one could buy a scone for $2.00. On walking to the cashier to pay for my coffee I saw that one could buy a dozen scones for $7.50, and being a retiree stretching each dollar it seemed more frugal to pay the higher price. This is a bit like going 50 kilometres out of your way to buy fuel 2c cheaper or using something with an octane rating of less than premium 98.

As an aside, I walked to the cashier within the shop. After selecting my scones and paying I went to walk outside, effectively retracing my steps. Our barista cautioned me, telling me that to approach the cashier one walked outside the shop to the officially signed entry, paid and then exited as I had. I thanked him for his helpful advice wondering why such micro-managers feel intervention is needed.

I took my place at a table next to Ron Durkin beside Dave Ward (a member who joined our Club earlier than me) who was visiting from Western Australia. I commented that his ride home on his R1150R would use less fuel, as the

a h a LF d ozen s C ones

first couple of thousand kilometres is downhill, and as the Earth would be spinning under his wheels it would add to the economy. He told me that headwinds are a problem.

We were moved to action at about 9am. By then the crowd was building at the bakery, with the line now extending along the veranda. I hope that no-one else upset the barista. I took a little time to be ready, and they left without me. Never mind, caught them again going up the hill to Mt. Mee. Our path was to cross the mountain and then take Delaneys Creek Road toward Kilcoy. Regrouping at the turn-off saw Mick Stokes with Jane as his passenger on the Ural sidecar rejoin the group.

Delaneys Creek Road is one that needs some respect. While is has some wonderful curves, it can be narrow, at times with loose gravel and sharp corners. It really highlights how each member of the group has a responsibility to themselves and others to ride safely and within their skills. In any event, no harm came to anyone. Exiting Neurum Creek Road took us past a very full dam (and the roadworks which seem to litter Queensland at the moment) to pass through Kilcoy and onwards.

The group had regathered at the turn-off from the Somerset Dam road to Carneys Creek. Around now I needed to feel more comfortable and so stopped and let the others go. Les made sure that I was okay and headed off. I was confident that I would be able to catch the group again, as this is one of those few roads which has not had the speed limit dramatically

reduced. It was only soon before the Brisbane Valley Highway that I rejoined Mick and Jane, and Les, with us turning towards Toogoolawah.

The general plan as Peter had told us (as this was not a led ride) was that we would proceed through 2 Galahs towards Crows Nest, turning towards Esk. This is a sealed road, passing through pretty farming country. Arriving in Esk it seemed that this was the place for a short stop, before carrying on to the lunch destination in Lowood. Peter admitted that he had never ridden the road from Esk to Lowood via Coominya (a road which I use quite often). This turned out not to be a problem and after being stopped at the almost obligatory red light for roadworks (breaking the group once more) we entered Lowood.

There is a parking area across the road from the lunch destination, being (effectively) a reclaimed railway line and station. Some parked in a covered concreted area next to a tyre shop, some on the street, and some (like me) on the dirt. While I did not count, I suggest that there were about 30 machines present. Some had joined us there, including Murray, Bill, Sheralyn and other long time Club identities. Shona (Ducko) had also rejoined us, and it was great speaking with her about her son Angus and the joyful times Club members had (on many occasions) at her family’s farm at Bingara around 35 years ago. Her dad was a keen motorcyclist, and her brother is Geoff Hall, who some may recall writing for Two Wheels and other motorcycle magazines. Not only that, but the “inventor” of the Pudding.

While this ride was not organised, the owners of the Hotel must have heard about this gathering (this being one of the problems concerning privacy with Facebook, and a reason I will not be part of it) and set up a table for us. They also seemed to know Peter’s name. I must say that the food and service were great and will add that they offer a lime and soda in a big glass at no cost. If you are out that way around mealtime, call in - well worth it.

Many discussions took place, and it turned out to be a great gathering of those with memories of our Club from over 40 years (because that is how long I have been a member, albeit at times unfinancial).

Two remaining scones

And so, to conclude we get back to the scones and the title to this piece. You see I thought it clever to adopt something with a vague relevance to this non-ride, but in being so obscure I guess that I amAlone

1991 r 100 rs v . 2025 s avi C C- series (

By Chris Robertson, Member #243

Ok - I have three confessions up front - the title is Click-bait to not only get this article in the Mag, but also to record the murmurings of an older BMW rider. Secondly, I am a minor shareholder in Savic - I liked, and still like, the idea of an Australian-made motorcycle. Finally , I am not, above all, some kind of new age antifossil fuel greenie - actually the opposite. So do not expect me to c#@p on here about saving the planet. Indeed as an urban planner, if I hear the word sustainability one more time I will vomit. So many sins are committed under that word along with much evil in the world being done to our built environment under the guise of this word or rather its blind philosophy.

Anyway I took the opportunity to road test one of these machines one Sunday morning recently and naturally having owned the RS for near 30 years and even though I have ridden other much later machines on various trips within that time, I was always going to compare it to the bike I knew and loved - it was a part of me and we have grown old together. Its hard to replace that experience and more importantly understanding. So I do not claim this account is unbiased.

The test rides were organised to occur at

Bellissimo Coffee shop at Coorparoo. It is a Sunday morning place of pilgrimage for coffee overs - the cafe set - not the usual motorcycle set. During the week it is the kids drop off mum set that dominate it. Previous expense has shown me the limited parking here has made it a Mecca for the parking revenue officers of Brisbane City Council.

Now for the nerd in us the details of the Savic are Price $29,990, Torque; 200Nm; power 60kw; range 200km; weight; 280kg - yes that’s right 280kg; charge time; 4.5 amps for 10 amp (less for 15 amp). However, for the R100RS the details from my aging handbook (with reference to Straight) are 979.9cc; power: 60hp, torque; 74 Nm; weight; (dry) 209 kg. Please note as a near 35 year old bike the power is very much down (rings and seals planned for the new year - promise).

Now in booking in and verifying by phone I was asked whether I was used to a heavy bike ? “Of course,” I said, “I ride a BMW.” Yet, in thinking back I found the Savic very top heavy when I sat on the bike first time and dearly missed the balance of the cylinders on the lower sides. It was almost as though it had a full fuel tank on it. The weight comparison above verifies this notable weight difference.

1991 r 100 rs v . 2025 s avi C C

Now on the day when I got there I found a bit too prominent a bike park in front of the shop, right next to where the Savic machines where placed. A bike park had been made. Goodproblem one was overcome. Fortunately they were running on time, after a license check and ensuring I had signed the 3rd party indemnity form we were ready to go. All boxes ticked. Now to the tasks of bringing it back without scraping it and me down the road and to enjoy myself.

I was asked whether I had ridden and electric bike before - to which I had answered in the negative and said, “No sorry only an electric car.” The guy then said, “It will be amazingly smooth compared to that thing over there,” nodding in the direction of the RS. I looked in disbelief at the RS… Don’t worry dear reader I would not easily be seduced by an uprated toaster between my legs was my first thought!

Now we ran through the controls: no clutch; you punched a button on the right side handle bars for a gear - and an N would pop up on the screen for neutral; and depending on the mode you selected R = for reverse; S for speed mode; D for Drive and so on. The “Reverse was a very slow and low gear to enable easier parking,” it was explained to me. That was a good idea. All too quickly we were off - I had to follow the front test rider. Up Stanley Street East then down to the Gabba, then right onto Ipswich Road and wind hard on the throttle down to O’Keeffe Street. Out of he corner of my eye I could see people staring at these machineswith the two of them it must have looked like a scene from the movie Tron. This long straight stretch of road means we had to change lane a few times for traffic lights and this afforded me the opportunity to learn how to use the indicators proficiently. Once mastered, they

were great, flick to relevant side then press the centre to turn off.

By the time we were ready to turn left into O’Keefe Street I did not have to worry about using the indicators and could concentrate on getting it harder into the corners - and it went around superbly - it hugged down into the rear shocks - never once wanting to let go. Oh that felt good and it felt confident. Unfortunately we had to stop for a red light at a pedestrian crossing all too soon after the corner. As we pulled up at the light my rider instructor leaned over and said, “Put it into Speed mode, that will get regenerate braking working and will slow the bike down better and charge the battery.”

I punched the button on the handlebars and looked at the screen - straight into S mode, no hesitation. I was fiddling a little too much and had a beep behind me. Time to get moving. I twisted the throttle and even more grunt was on hand, incredibly, as Speed Mode gave even more power.

Yes it was smooth riding, except the low profile tyres picked up every deep mark in the poorly maintained Brisbane City Council roads. This was not the Savic’s fault as overall the bike was very smooth. They were correct it was smooth.

Now up Old Cleveland Road and through Stone’s Corner we travelled, now turning up Bennetts Road and around back to the Bellissimo Cafe. One could now feel the degenerative braking beginning to have an effect.

One more thing is worth mentioning. I did not like the fact I had no clutch. Nothing to disconnect the power drive. I was uncomfortable with this fact. As I went to park the bike, my right glove hand twisted the throttle as I grabbed the front brake. Lucky I had the front brake pressed, the thing spun the rear wheel sideways and made an all to serious attempt to lurch forward. The

front brake held. A voice said behind me, “You should have put it into neutral mode.” I did not even respond to the suggestion - I was pleased it stopped where it did. Would rather a clutch to be honest.

Now the question I asked myself was whether I would buy one or not? I was pleased to get back on the R100RS, smoky rings and leaky oil seals as well and to have a clutch lever in my left hand. Started up and made my way home.

As I rode home that very Sunday morning I pondered hard why I would or would not buy one. Up front there were plenty of very good reasons not to.

1) It was not a BMW - after all this time I bleed blue and white; 2) we had been receiving media investment alerts from Denis Savic regarding securing additional investor finance and this was now in place (from my perspective did this mean the company was in jeopardy or not?;

matter was did the Savic have a soul - that is a true motorcycling soul? This then lead onto the next part question where would that lead me if I brought an electric motorcycle. After awhile I thought about the ride and concluded these questions did not matter one bit. It went and handled like a motorcycle (but it still needed a clutch) and in this day and age of plastic designer Chinese battery burning vehicles that was something. It I still to good a machine to descend into one of those sort of products polluting our roads in Australia.

3) The very reason I bought shares is that it was an Australian manufacturer - when I questioned at the road test is was explained to me to move assembly overseas, in particular to that country that wants to destroy the world automobile industry and rebuild it in its own dependant image, China, (my opinion) was necessary to increase assembly production 10 fold, to 40 per month; 4) yet the bike and its range would mean its purpose would be mostly for my purposes be as a commuter bike - however I do not need a commuter anymore as I am retired (or supposed to be) old bastard.

Yet I feel these were in reality peripheral reasons - justifications at best for a no buy decisionthe main deeper question and answer for that

Now I know Denis Savic is a nice guy and proud of his creation - and he should be - I have spoken to him when he rang all shareholders during a vote to list the company. I do not think he would let these bikes descend to such a level as we have seen from Chinese Automobiles to date in Australia. I can only wish his product well and one day one might find its way into our garage - just not at present and this is meant as a comment on our current lifestyle and no as a slur on the product - though I would love a clutch.

One final point - who won the comparison between the R100RS and the Savic? Based solely on rider preferences and attachment I would have to say the BMW is still champion - if not slightly punch-drunk. However, fear of the RS and silly old buggas on airheads would be least of Savic’s problems as such new models as Honda’s new electric motorcycle (the brilliant and pragmatic wn7 with its 68 horsepower and 100nm of torque is likely to give black eyes to any opposition in what has been termed the “vapourware” market (disappearing electric bike segment with its focus on power).

Duncan on Paul's 1200GS and Kim's Tiger (Silver Sally) at the Barraba silos

By Liezel Samuel, Member #4412

Kayenta

to Blanding (Utah)

We set out bright and early, bracing for another scorcher, the day was forecast to hover between 38°C and 40°C.

A quick sidebar on navigation and intercom challenges in the US: back home, Huw relies heavily on the Garmin for verbal navigation through the Sena headset – clear directions, given well in advance, allowing him to ride relaxed and take in the scenery. For some unfathomable reason, this smooth system fell apart once we hit American soil. The Garmin refused to give verbal instructions. In addition, despite installing fresh batteries in both Senas, and successful testing before we left Australia, my headset developed a mind of its own, switching off without warning, and without so much as a polite beep. I can already hear you thinking... Huw must’ve enjoyed the peace and quiet... The result? A few moments of frantic arm waving from the pillion seat whenever verbal navigation assistance went unnoticed. One such incident landed us, quite unintentionally, at the Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park gate where we were promptly charged US$16 to enter. We hadn’t read anywhere that there was a fee to see Monument Valley. As it turned out, unless you planned, and had obtained the required permits to camp, drive the 17-mile loop (not permitted for motorbikes or RVs), or hike the 1.5-mile Wildcat Trail, there wasn’t much else to do, unless you bought a seat on one of the guided yours. No thanks.

) usa & C anada P ar T 3

Good question. Words of our daughters, who recently travelled in Europe, came to mind: Tourist trap! We took a few photos for our trouble, even though, naturally, the sun was on the wrong side that time of the morning.

At least the day’s adventures picked up once we moved on to the (free!) Monument Valley. With light traffic, we could stop often for photos — making sure to snap a few in portrait mode, just in case one turns into a future cover shot. The peace didn’t last long, though. By the time we reached the famous Forrest Gump Point, right on the Utah–Arizona border, chaos reigned. Everyone seemed determined to recreate the “running scene,” dashing into the middle of the highway with kids, dogs, and tripods in tow. It was highly entertaining – until we tried to get our own perfect shot, minus the other earthlings cluttering the viewfinder.

So why did we pay $16 to get through the gate?

About twenty minutes after leaving Forrest Gump Point, we zoomed past Mexican Hat, a tiny town (population under twenty) named after the rock formation that really does resemble a sombrero. After several failed “on the move” photo attempts, I finally managed a slightly blurry shot of the hat to prove we’d been there. Next stop was Goosenecks State Park, where, for US$5, we could stand on the canyon’s edge and marvel at the San Juan River twisting and looping through 300 million years of geology. In this section, the river travels six miles while advancing barely one and a half west on its way to Lake Powell. A patient river indeed. A couple on a Harley were the only other visitors and approached us for a chat. They were quite impressed that we were on our own bike all the

Mitten Buttes and Merrick Butte from MV Navajo Tribal Park

Pesky tourist doing his best to beat Huw to the top of the hill

way from Aus.

usa & C anada P ar T 3

Goosenecks State Park

Our next destination was the Natural Bridges National Monument, and State Route 261, a 55km “highway” would get us there. About 20km after joining Hwy 261, the Garmin indicated the Valley of the Gods road. Okay, let’s go… but we soon realised the unpaved road looked more “Valley of the Potential Insurance Claim” for the GS and its pillion. A quick U-turn later, we were back on the safer ground Hwy 261. This also turned unpaved, and Huw warned it might be “a bit challenging,” which in Huw-speak usually translates to hold on. Sure enough, the Moki Dugway, constructed in 1958 by Texas Zinc, a mining company, to transport uranium ore from the "Happy Jack" mine in Fry Canyon to the processing mill in Mexican Hat, turned out to be a steep, gravelly climb of 370 metres at an 11% gradient, winding up to the top of Cedar Mesa. The views of the San Juan River valley and Valley of the Gods spread out far below were spectacular, the kind that make you forget you’re clenching every muscle in your body while also taking photos.

Cass Hite, a prospector in 1883, accidentally stumbled upon the awe-inspiring trio of stone bridges while searching for gold near White Canyon from his base along the Colorado River. His “wrong turn” proved rather fortunate for history. In 1904, National Geographic ran a feature that introduced the world to this geological wonder, and by 1908 President Theodore Roosevelt declared it Utah’s first National Park Service area.

When we arrived, the first thing we explored was the air-conditioned visitor centre. We filled our bottles with blessedly cold water and lingered longer than necessary near the vents. Three other bikes pulled in soon after, and their riders (plus one pillion) immediately flopped onto the couch in reception like overheated lizards. They were from Baltimore (NY) and had hired their bikes in Salt Lake City. They looked puzzled when I said it was 40°C – “cooler than two days ago at 42.5°C!” I added cheerfully – until a park ranger kindly translated that to 108°F. Their faces said it all.

The park’s 15km scenic loop offered short walks to viewpoints of the three bridges, but the longer hikes down to Sipapu and Kachina (each around two hours return) were firmly off the table in that heat. We settled for the 30-minute walk to the base of Owachoma admire its 32m height and 55m span while keeping heatstroke at bay.

When we returned to the GS, the Baltimore group was there. Three of them were gearing

Photo 4: Tackling the Moki Dugway

Photo 5: Moki Dugway conquered

down for the hike, while the pillion had clearly opted out – stretched flat on her back in the meagre shade of a bush, no doubt reconsidering her life choices.

Owachoma natural bridge

In Blanding, refreshed after a much-needed shower (no pool this time), we strolled across the road for a well-deserved dinner, joking that the day had included adventure activities for both the GS and its passengers.

An old Singer sewing machine re-purposed as a dining table

Blanding to Moab (Utah)

From Blanding we headed out on Hwy 191 –once again overtaken by huge Utes towing even larger camper trailers, despite us cruising right on the 105km/h speed limit. It’s worth noting that these fast-travelling rigs were remarkably polite. They often hung back for miles, keeping a respectable 100m buffer behind the GS, even though it was a two-lane highway in

each direction. Then, when they’d finally had enough (of our scenic pace, presumably), Huw would announce over the sena that they were speeding up and off they’d go.

So glad we did not have to pay their fuel bill

We reached Moab around 11am – perfect timing for refuelling (petrol for the GS and bananas for us) before heading to Arches NP, just ten minutes out of town. With no cars in sight, we rolled confidently up to the gate and presented our park pass. The ranger barely glanced at it before asking for our Timed Entry Ticket. “No, ma’am, we don’t have one.” A quick check on her computer and she announced there were spaces available for 1pm. It was 11:45am. “And no,” she added, “you can’t buy it here, you’ll need to get it online.”

With the sun baking down at 42°C, we retreated to Moab and gratefully found a patch of shade outside a deserted little clothing shop. With sweat running down my back, I wrestled with my phone’s patchy reception to locate the website which demanded I first create an account and then download an app to acquire the free Timed Entry Ticket. Fine. Challenge accepted.

Halfway through the process, the system kicked me out, and when I tried again it refused my email, claiming it was “already in use.” Not helpful. Fortunately, as my blood began to boil in sync with the weather, I remembered an ancient second email account I’d set up years ago. Miraculously, it worked – success at last! We had our Timed Entry Ticket for 1pm. Why the app was required, I’ll never know, as it didn’t even display the ticket. That, of course, was emailed separately.

& C anada P ar T 3

An elderly gentleman, easily in his eighties, strolled past, towel slung over his shoulder, and lit up at the sight of the GS. “I love BMWs!” he declared, eyes gleaming. He’d ridden a 1967 model “back in the day,” covering all 52 states and Canada, with a detour through New Zealand for good measure. He never made it to Australia though, so we awarded him one of our little novelty koala handouts. Diplomatic relations restored.

He said he gave up motorcycling when he “got too old.” Sixty, apparently. (I resisted the urge to argue.) He swapped his BMW for a bicycle and casually clocked 30,000 miles pedalling across the U.S. and Canada. These days, he’s retired from cycling and spends his time helping with white-water rafting on the Colorado River. Some people just don’t know how to slow down.

At exactly 1pm, we presented ourselves and our hard-earned Timed Entry Ticket at the Arches NP gate. The ranger waved us through after a quick a glance at the phone screen. The ride into the park was worth every bead of sweat shed in Moab. Towering red formations and arches framed by brilliant blue sky – it was as if someone had turned up the contrast setting on nature itself. We stopped often for photos, but the heat made lingering risky business; you could almost feel your shadow trying to crawl under the GS for cover.

And then there were the Harley riders – short sleeves flapping, beards blowing, bald heads gleaming in the desert sun, and not a helmet in sight. I couldn’t help but wonder if they’d had sunscreen mixed straight into their tattoo ink. When I asked one couple about their bare heads, they shrugged and said, “Naw, it’s too hot to hassle with helmets in the parks.” Right, of course – heatstroke apparently builds character.

At one lookout, a woman in shorts and sandals approached us with great excitement. “Are those suits air-conditioned?” she asked, genuinely curious. Turns out she was a motorcyclist herself – though, as she hastily added, never in this kind of heat. Sensible woman.

Huw braved the walk for a closer look

It was 38°C when we checked into our Moab hotel at 5:30pm. After a glorious swim and a shower in the comfort of air-conditioning, we felt revived enough for the short 1km walk to dinner. That optimism lasted all of two minutes. The sun was still blazing at 6:30pm, and we’d

Photo opportunity while waiting for timed entry

made the rookie mistake of leaving our hats behind. There wasn’t a scrap of shade to be found on either side of the road, and the heat seemed to rise from the pavement in waves. Fortunately, the restaurant, bustling and full of life, had a table for us. Dinner was excellent, but even at 8pm the air outside was as hot as a jalapeño on a summer grill. We ducked into a few shops on the walk back, pretending to browse but really just loitering in the sweet chill of their air-conditioning.

Dead Horse Point and Canyon Land NP

Hiking the 3-4 hours to Corona Arch in 38°C heat, dressed in riding gear, was never going to happen – we’re adventurous, not suicidal. Instead, we headed to Dead Horse Point State Park, a spot several fellow travellers had sworn by (with a name like that, what could go wrong?).

The view was indeed breathtaking – vast canyons carved by the Colorado River, shimmering in the heat haze. The story behind the name, however, was less uplifting. Legend has it that cowboys once used the narrow neck of land to corral wild horses, choosing the ones they wanted and leaving the rest trapped on the high plateau. The poor creatures could see and smell the river 600 metres below but never reach it. A haunting name, and a reminder that not all Western legends come with happy endings.

Grandview Point in Canyonlands NP was a definite highlight. The overlook in the Island in the Sky district offered sweeping views across the canyons, the snaking White Rim Road, and distant hazy mountains – the kind of view that

makes you instinctively whisper “wow,” even if no one’s listening.

On our walk back to the GS, we were stopped by a friendly couple keen for a chat. They were former bikers, having recently retired their beloved Honda Goldwing after the husband’s shoulder began “freezing up” on long rides. Years of touring had apparently worn it out –the price of enthusiasm. Physiotherapy helped, he said, but unfortunately, he couldn’t fit the therapist in the top box. These days, they roam the country in a large campervan instead, complete with their dog, who at least gets to travel without needing a helmet.

Moab to Cortez (Colorado)

Moab marked our first two-night stop, a luxury that gave Huw time to “optimise” the packing of his side panniers. The top box, of course, remained sacred pillion territory, and by now the contents had settled enough for me to finally squeeze in the overflow from the stuffit bag. No more over-the-shoulder luggage for me!

So, I wasn’t particularly surprised when Huw proudly declared, “Everything fits so much easier this morning!” – right up until I pointed to the three zip-lock bags of his clothes still neatly lined up on the bed. A short silence followed… then a sheepish grin.

From Moab, we headed southeast toward Four Corners – the only place in the US where four states meet: Arizona, Colorado, Utah, and New Mexico. Keeping an eye on the landscape paid off, as I spotted several natural arches along the way – no timed entry tickets or sweaty hikes required.

Photo 12: Dead Horse Point

Wilson’s Arch near Monticello

) usa & C anada P ar T 3

We crossed the Colorado and Utah borders twice before arriving at Hovenweep National Monument. The site preserves six prehistoric villages built between AD 1200 and 1300 by the ancestral Pueblo people. Within walking distance of the visitor centre, we admired several remarkable stone towers and dwellings. One of them, “Hovenweep Castle,” was named by archaeologists – though no kings or queens ever lived there. The farmers who did may have used it as a dwelling, a gathering place, or perhaps a spiritual centre or, knowing human nature, a bit of everything.

Howenweep Castle

We reached Four Corners around 2pm, and thankfully most of the 20-minute wait in the photo queue was under shade cloth. A couple a few spots ahead of us made quite a production out of their turn, striking every possible acrobatic pose imaginable. No doubt their Instagram followers were in for a treat.

Once our own, decidedly less dramatic, photos were taken, we wandered over to the nearby stalls and bought some beautiful handmade jewellery. Genuine local pieces crafted by New

Mexico artisans Herb and Veronica Thompson. Pleased to have found gifts made onsite rather than offshore, we headed back to the carpark. That’s when we heard a voice from behind, teasing that he was “obviously cooler than us.” Turning around, we found an American fellow – T-shirt, sandals, bald head gleaming under the sun. When I asked about his missing hat, he proudly pointed to his air-conditioned campervan, then casually mentioned the skin cancers recently removed from his face. Apparently, his doctor “wouldn’t be thrilled” to find him strolling hatless in 40°C heat. I could only shake my head. Stupidity in overdrive.

Of course, karma wasn’t about to let that pass unnoticed. As we geared up to ride on, I discovered that for nearly ten days of riding and sightseeing in blistering 36-42°C heat, I had never once unzipped the air vents in my riding pants. There really is no cure for stupidity.

By Tony Malone, Member #67

Arecent

Club innovation (on the initiative of former Events Organiser Ben Nazzari as I understand) is to hold a sausage sizzle after a (shorter) ride to introduce new members to the joys of their decision. I recall the first was held on Sunday 25 May 2025 ending at the McGavin Picnic area at Lake Samsonvale near Petrie. I went along to that one (which met at Ampol Samford at the sophisticated hour of 9am for 9:30am), and it seemed to fulfill all intentions. I forget other details, but that matters little for now.

The one most recently organised took place on Sunday 9 November 2025, this time at an even more dignified time of 10am leaving the Mt. Coot-tha parking area overlooking the Quarry. While I did not count the number of participants (nor take any photographs, but I am assured by our Editor that there will be no shortage of images to illustrate this) there must have been about 20 people attending, of which 3 or 4 were new members. I know that one of them was Jay with her F700GS, whom I met on the minimally (frankly un-)attended lunch ride to the Hotel at Goombungee on Sunday 26 October 2025 (but that is another story, details of which I gave at the Club Meeting on Thursday 6 November 2025, including the failure of the gearshift return paw spring on my 1981 R100CS). However, this day I chose to take my Option 719 2023 R1250RT, a picture of beauty and a wonderful machine to ride.

Of course, to give the best introduction to new members (and to show that we are not afraid of the weather gods) the forecast was that there might be showers. While these never presented themselves with any significance, there were

MEMBERS RIDE

a few drops along the way; never enough to amount to a challenge.

The plan, as ride leader Paul Hughes told us, was to leave the vehicle park, head down to the Western Freeway turning soon after onto Moggill Road, into Kenmore and thence towards the Brookfield Showgrounds, making our way back to Moggill Road. From there it was on towards Bellbowrie, turning to Mt. Crosby onto the Lake Manchester Road.

A left turn would take us onto Kholo Road (offering, as I knew, magnificent views of the Brisbane River crossing same at Kholo Bridge), then back to the Warrego Highway turning into Mt. Crosby again, (effectively) back the way we had come (but not a U-turn). From there into Indooroopilly over the river ending at Sherwood Common. It was about 90 kilometres and having spent all my childhood and most of my life in that area, I had visualised to route and marked

NEW MEMBERS RIDE

all turning points in my mind. Being a smaller group, and the distance being shorter, rather than using the corner marking process, the drill was for each rider to keep the one behind in sight, and to pause if needed at any turn.

So, we set off down the hill. It seems that there is no part of the day in these times for lighter traffic, and one really needs to jostle for position on the road. Paul was careful to pause from time to time to allow the group to regather. Hopefully this introduction to group riding presented little challenge.

We passed the Brookfield Showgrounds (next to the Cemetery which contains the granite edifice to former Senator Clive Palmer’s mother) and turned quickly towards Moggill Road. Bearing in mind the requirements of our Constitution to remain as law abiding road users (and remembering as an aside that founder Hugh Yorston decreed that anyone taking part in a Club ride was required to wear a helmet – at a time before they were compulsory) I stopped on the yellow traffic light. Paul had seen this and pulled the leading members of the group to the

side of the road to wait. Carrying on we made the turn to Mt. Crosby and Lake Manchester. I use these roads often and wonder at the beauty of our countryside each time I use it. However, I remain conscious that after sunset this bush country so close to the Brisbane CBD is a habitat for macropods, which makes me hopping mad (and extremely cautious).

It was onto the Warrego merging with traffic before turning to Mt. Crosby and Colleges Crossing. As we approached Karana Downs, I hoped that Paul would keep us on the road to Mt. Crosby itself, as before Tanderra Way meets Mt. Crosby Road there is a stop sign on a relatively steep hill. My hopes were fulfilled, and at this point there was no clutch torture to endure.

We then took a turn towards Bellbowrie, and (effectively) passing to the rear of that suburb I recalled times on my Kawasaki Z650C3 doing burnouts in 1979. I have a photograph to prove it (but sadly cannot find it when I would like to share it with you. In consolation, I scanned a photograph of my Z650 for your enjoyment). The place was undeveloped at that time; and I shudder at the memory.

Returning to Moggill Road it was back towards Kenmore, and then Indooroopilly. This is where the traffic became heavy again, and I tried as much as I could to save my clutch on the uphills. We were soon over the Walter Taylor Bridge over the Brisbane River. This is now a heritage listed structure of suspended construction, and I recall my parents using it to take produce to market in the late 1960s when it was a toll bridge. Imagine the stalled traffic that system would create in modern times! I also recall that people used to live in the towers of the bridge,

possibly rented from Council.

And then it was into Sherwood Common, past the Brisbane City Bus Depot where I spent several years driving busses. To give myself a break from the stimulation of driving, I used to spend time walking along the creek and admiring the birdlife. It is a popular place, and this day there were few, if any, spaces in the official parking area. Therefore we gathered in the undercover area, and I hoped that the gap between the entry posts was wide enough for

my panniers to fit through. Fortunately, it was. Tony and his helpers had barbequed the sausages and onions, and with a few loaves of bread and lolly (and real) water in eskies I think that everyone was well fed. A few of the Committee were waiting for our arrival and joined with the group, including Greg with records. The new members seemed well satisfied and gave favourable reports. All in all, a great day. As to individual historical reflections, as usual, I guess that I amAlone.

COMPASS REUNION 2025

By Cindy Bennett, Member #4170

An event we try not to miss each year is the Compass Expeditions Reunion weekend. This year it was at historic Hill End near Bathurst NSW from 22 to 23 November. We had been asked to give a short presentation on our recent trip to the USA, as Compass are introducing a Frontier Explorer tour in the USA in 2026. Duncan and I departed Brisbane on Thursday 20 Nov and planned two overnights along the way. The first night was at Warialda where about 20 mins after arrival the heavens opened in a spectacular storm. We had to buy umbrellas at the IGA to ensure a dry walk back to the motel from the pub!

Friday night we stayed in Mudgee, I love this

COMPASS REUNION 2025

town and it never disappoints in terms of great places to eat and good reasonably priced accommodation. The BMW Motorrad Nationals are being held in Mudgee in March, so get along!

Historic Hill End

We had a short ride of just over an hour to Hill End on the Saturday morning and we arrived in time to join the ride to Bathurst for lunch. Two ride options were offered, a dirt ride down the Bridle Track and a road ride through Sofala.

Hill End Micro Pub

Duncan chose the dirt because he was on the 1200GS he borrowed from Paul (our Tigers still a couple of weeks away yet). I was still twitchy from my last attempt at the Bridle Track in 2016 when I had to turn around halfway down – the condition of the track was terrible and 4WD’s were everywhere on that occasion.

Duncan reports that the track is now managed by the Bathurst council who regularly grade it, and it was in very good condition and there was little other vehicle traffic for his ride down. The bypass of the failed Monaghan’s Bluff section which had the track closed for years is

very impressive, although Duncan says a little bit steep in places so needing some care and attention. Paul’s GS made it all very easy though, what a machine.

Member Cam Coles

The weekend was a fun catch up with many friends we have made on Compass tours and I am pleased to say our presentation was wellreceived.

Sunday we travelled to Sydney via the Bells Line of Road which we had never ridden before, what a treat.

After a couple of days catching up with family we high-tailed it up the M1 with an overnight in the lovely Woolgoolga north of Coffs Harbour.

Thanks to my sister Kim for the loan of her Tiger (Silver Sally) and to Paul for entrusting his GS to Duncan.

Road ride bikes

By Tony Gray, Member #3905

Jane and I were out on a morning walk and came across this saying as part of the urban artwork that enhances otherwise bland street furniture - “Calm Seas Don’t Make Skilful Sailors”. A quick A1 query attributed the saying (or close variations) to US President Franklin D Roosevelt with another reference to an old African Proverb.

Food for Thought

I am no scholar of US Presidents but old Franklin D is famous as the President who took and guided the USA through WW2 (he died shortly before VE Day) as well as the Great Depression. He had very poor health spending a lot of his later life in a wheelchair but he stands as the longest-serving US President and the only one to have served three terms. He certainly must have survived many rough seas. You don’t have to be a US President to understand the meaning behind these words. Everyday life throws up challenges on a regular basis and it is how you handle those challenges that will determine what sort of ‘sailor’ you become. In my case the recent past has presented many of

g o

these challenges of a mechanical kind - we have had one of those runs where ‘things’ just seem to break. I am very much of the mindset that if something breaks then it can be fixed. Whether that is an economic reality is another issue but don’t let economics get in the way of time spent tinkering.

I get a lot of joy from working on motorbikes - whether my own or friends. The same can not be said for more mundane items of a mechanical nature. I put these under the category of necessities. They make life easier therefore deserve some time to keep them running. The recent string of things that have gone ‘pop’ within the extended Gray family include the swimming pool salt chlorinator, brush cutter, push and ride-on mowers, two cars and a couple of motorbikes. All of these things required the application of a bit of brain power and then some muscle. Techniques and systems of problem resolution often follow a similar pattern when working on motorbikes. These mundane repair jobs may well save your bacon somewhere down the track when working on your pride & joy. If you are going to break something then much better that it is an old Briggs & Stratten mower engine rather than the latest offering from Spandau.

One More for an Olympic Relay Team

On the bike front my ZRX1200 Kawasaki has an appetite for starter relays - fortunately a cheap and easily sourced part. The bike is over 21 so a fully fledged adult but I am going to have to take him aside for a serious conversation and maybe some electrical testing with a meter. A couple of other bikes worked on for a friend included an early ‘80s Honda Gold Wing and an R1100RT. In the case of these bikes I was working away

W

hings g o W rong

from the comforts of my workshop with its bike lifts, stools of various heights and enough tools to strip down any bike. Do you know how many allen head fasteners hold the body panels on an R1100RT? Answer - LOTS. It is situations like that which make me appreciate the speed & convenience of a reversible battery-powered screwdriver with multiple drive bits - mine was at home of course, while we laboured with a small L driver that comes standard with anything leaving the Ikea Factory. Get yourself one - you will never regret it.

Workshop Essentials

The Gold Wing was a new experience for me - a bike I have never ridden, owned or worked on. I have owned several Japanese bikes and still have a few. They have their own quirks - many a time I have contemplated how long and slender the fingers on Japanese mechanics must be to reach the unreachable fastener. In the case of the Gold Wing I was replacing the near 50 year old mechanical fuel pump. Two of the mounting bolts were fed from the inside out, requiring those long slender fingers. Mount the bolts the other way around then a 5 second job but that would not have looked as nice - aesthetics over practicality.

Another interesting aspect of the Gold Wing design is that the fuel tank is under the seat and the ‘faux’ fuel tank contains the airbox and other electrical components - quite a revelation in it’s day. As such fuel needs to be pumped to the 2 banks of 2 carburetors rather than gravity fed as was the case with a conventionally mounted fuel tank. The fuel pump is mechanically driven

from the cam of the right side cylinders - a very simple and effective system. I couldn’t help but compare that to the electrically driven fuel pump on my R1200GS with it’s associated electronic fuel pump controller that is a well known weakness - I wrote in the November Journal about just such a failure that beset Alan Cox - Alan’s failure happened in a remote part of Turkiye and required a makeshift bypass to get him underway. There is a price to be paid for technology.

Honda Gold Wing

The RT series of bikes have a very strong following but not as popular as the GS series. Advocates praise the effectiveness of the body panels for comfortable cross country travel. There is a price to be paid however in maintenance and time - adjusting the throttle bodies on my R1100GS is a doddle but with the RT a much slower experience - now where is my battery screw driver?

If there is a moral to these workshop ramblings it is to seek out and master some rough seas so that you are better prepared when the inevitable happens somewhere down the road - let’s not start on Murphy’s law as that requires a story of it’s own.

Safe and Happy Riding.

PS. Just as I was putting the finishing touches to this story Jane has called in with a flat tyre on her little Nissan - on a 36C day.

Now where is Mr Murphy?

By Jane Gray, Member #4300

T o M uni C h and BMW ex P erien C es

By Paul Hughes, Member #3126

Paul submitted this article, written by Trevor Dean and Matthias Neuer. Paul also advised only very early bookings will be successful. Short lead-time requests invariably find the venues are booked out. If you need assistance to book please contact Paul.

Munich is the home of BMW with many BMW facilities for BMW club members and enthusiasts to visit.

BMW Museum (Tuesday – Sunday)

The BMW Museum is located next to the iconic 4 cylinder building. It displays the history of BMW from the beginning and exhibits the journey of the marque through design, protypes, racing and historic models. Please book your entrance ticket in advance. BMW club members receive a discount (Book a reduced ticket cost). Please have your membership card ready.

BMW Welt (Open all week)

This is BMW World which showcases a range of the latest models of BMW Group Brands: BMW, BMW Motorrad, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars and MINI. There is also a big BMW Lifestyle shop for merchandise. Admission to BMW Welt is free. https://www.bmw-welt.com/en/index.html

Guided tours

Both the BMW Museum and BMW Welt offer guided tours. The guided tour of the BMW Museum features 125 exhibits and is approximately one hour in duration. Similarly, the guided tour of BMW Welt takes approximately one hour. It allows access to restricted and exclusive areas with the tour guide. Check the

day, as some tours are in English and on other days in German. Here is the link for admission and guided tours.

https://tkts.bmw-welt.com/en/ date?type=museum_admission

BMW Group Classic

The BMW Classic historic building in Moosacher Strasse, 66 is the home of BMW Club and Community Management. They have an extensive collection of BMW Group cars and motorcycles. It is not open to the public, but BCCM will sometimes be able to offer a tour of the BMW collection for BMW club members, depending upon their work or travel commitments. The workshop areas where BMW Classic undertakes extensive restoration of can be viewed through the glass doors. Please make contact at least one week in advance.

https://www.bmwgroup-classic.com/en/bmwclubs/international-council.html

BMW Classic also offers a group tour which is approximately on hour long.

Here is the link.

https://www.bmwgroup-classic.com/en/ building/fuehrungen.html

BMW Plant Tours

The BMW plant tour in Munich is approximately 2 hours duration. The tours are fascinating and comprehensive. They show the manufacturing of a BMW car from the initial rolls of steel, stamping into parts, robotic welding of the chassis, painting, installation of motors/ E-engines, drive train and interiors to the final product being test driven.

BCCM keeps a slot for a Group Guided Tour

every Friday. Do not hesitate to contact BCCM. It makes sense to book at least 6 weeks ahead your visit. To book a plant tour you need to contact: infowelt@bmw-welt.com

Information on the BMW Plant Tour Munich can be found here:

https://www.bmwgroup-werke.com/ muenchen/en/our-plant/plant-tours.html

View this link for information about factory tours in Munich, Berlin, Leipzig and Oxford. https://www.bmwgroup-werke.com/en/ general/information-plant-tours.html

BMW Car Rental

CARVIA is the proud partner of BMW Welt. You can easily rent a new BMW directly there or online. Drive your favourite BMW at BMW Welt. Rent a BMW from 1 hour up to 7 days. https://www.carvia.com/bmw-welt-x-carviadriven-by-freude/

If you need a fleet of cars, please get in touch with BCCM.

BMW M Driving Experiences

BMW M Driving Experience offers a variety of options in various countries. Experience the thrill on the closed BMW Driving Experiences track in Maisach.

Ready for a driving adventure?

Visit the following link:

https://www.bmw-m.com/en/fastlane/drivingexperience/bmw-m-driving-experience.html Deutsches Museum

The Deutsches Museum is the world’s largest

museum of science and technology. It features 20 exhibitions ranging from aviation to chemistry and robotics. There are huge industrial engines, historical trams, trains and airplanes, with many hands on stations. It is well worth a visit.

See: https://www.deutsches-museum.de/en

There are BMW displays including one of the few BMW 507’s built and a BMW E38 750hL Hydrogen.

Deutsches Museum Flugwer7 Schleissheim

There is also a separate aircraft museum called Deutsches Museum Flugwerft Schleissheim which has 70 flying exhibits as well as engines and models to tell the history of aviation in huge aircraft hangers. See the BMW 803 Radial aircraft engine.

https://www.deutsches-museum.de/flugwerCschleissheim

Motorworld München

It is located in the restored locomotive hall of the Deutsche Bahn repair shops. There are

restaurants, conference rooms, a hotel and displays of more than 30 exclusive vehicle brands including 120 glass parking boxes for very special motor cars.

There is a small BMW Studio with an exhibition in Motorworld.

https://motorworld.de/en/muenchen/

Attention: If you drive into Germany with your car or your rental, you need a green sAcker to drive into inner city areas.

BMW Umbrellas and BCCM are able to assist BMW club members who visit the above BMW facilities.

The 1886 Grafton Presbyterian Church

Photo credit: Jim Peters

Monument Valley, Arizona-Utah border

Photo credit: Huw Samuel

QLD Ride to Zero have the below FIRST AID courses scheduled from just $50. Remember you can claim the $50 back with the Training Subsidy program (see page 57).

BMWMCQ TRAINING COURSE SUBSIDY

There are 100 places available under the ride to zero scheme from now until February 2026.

You do not need your own grant, QLD Ride to Zero have the grant, so you are not obligated or required to obtain your own funding.

Your contribution is a mere $50 - or $95 if you are wanting nationally recognised qualifications in HLTAID009 Provide CPR with your training day.

You do require a motorcycle and your license to attend the training.

You can book as a group of 10 and trainers will come to a location near you. This does mean all of Queensland wide, not just Brisbane or the Gold Coast. They will come up to Townsville and out in more rural areas if requested.

If you are interested in attending, please email to book a date at: info@fafm.com.au or deborah@fafm.org.au

Club Mileage Awards

Have you clocked up 100,000km, 200,000km or more on one bike?

To celebrate the epic achievements of these milestones, the Club will be issuing Mileage Award Medallions and Certificates to those who qualify. It can be for any make and model of bike that has reached these impressive kilometres in your ownership, and must still be in your ownership.

To nominate your bike, email our Secretary: secretary@bmwmcq.org.au with:

• Photo of the bike or you with bike - this photo will feature on your certificate so a good quality photo will enhance the certificate.

• Where and when purchased and mileage at time of purchase

• Photo of the odometer to show the kilometers.

Presentations at the monthly meetings for those that live locally – so get your details in!

CLUB TRAINING

Smart Rider Academy have the below courses scheduled for just $50, including the Level 2 course. Remember you can claim the $50 back with the Training Subsidy program (see below).

BMWMCQ TRAINING COURSE SUBSIDY

Our club encourages all members to continue to improve as a rider and offers a financial incentive to foster greater uptake in rider training. A broad interpretation of training has been adopted to include First Aid Training and Traffic Accident site safety management. The intention of the subsidy scheme is to not only improve the road craft of individual members but also to enhance the safety and enjoyment of club runs and events for all participating members. These are the simple rules to qualify for a subsidy:

1. Every financial member is eligible.

2. Subsidy is limited to one in two years for each member eg subsidy June 2024 re-eligible June 2026.

3. Subsidy provided in the form of a $50 reimbursement after course has been completed and invoice presented to the Treasurer.

4. The applicant must present details and receive approval for the intended training course from the Club Secretary prior to the course being undertaken.

There you have it, an incentive to help to make you a better and safer rider. If you undertake a course please let us know your thoughts on the success of the course, positive or negative.

& BMW suPPorTs

Brisbane BMW Motorcycle Specialists

Need your BMW motorcycle serviced? We can also help ensure your pride and joy stays in top nick. Northside Motorcycle Tyres and Service has the latest software for BMWs enabling us to re- set service reminders, and assist with diagnostic testing and component testing making it more efficient to solve any problems with your bike. Log book servicing which won’t void your warranty. Book in for a BMW motorcycle service today with our expert team and you can be confident that Your pride and joy is in good hands.

BMW Motorcycle Tyres & Accessories

Planning on hitting the road soon? Stop by our showroom to check out our great range of tyres, luggage bags and riding gear to suit Adventure or Sport Touring.

FREE BMW Motorcycle Safety Inspection Report

But perhaps more importantly, be prepared before you head off! Book in for your FREE safety inspection report. This simple check can mean the difference between a hassle-free ride versus getting stuck on the side of the road with no phone coverage a long way from the nearest town.

SHOP ONLINE FOR ALL YOUR MOTORCYCLE TYRES & ACCESSORIES WITH THE ADDED BENEFIT OF AFTERPAY “BUY NOW, PAY LATER” HTTPS://NSMCTYRES.COM 1/14 Paisley Drive Lawnton Qld 4503, Phone 07 3205 6505 Email info@nsmctyres.com

From business card to full page, all sizes are available. The BMWMCQ electronic journal is distributed to members and interested parties throughout Queensland and basically anywhere that has the internet. In addition, the journal is issued to other BMW affiliated Clubs. Get your message out to people who own, ride and restore BMW motorcycles Phone your requests toDon Grimes - Ph: 0411 601 372

Jim Peters taking advantage of a colourful shady spot in Grafton on his way to the Top Fuel/Funny Car finals in Sydney

BMWMCQ BOOK EXCHANGE

NEW BOOKS AVAILABLE!

Race to Dakar

Extreme Frontiers

Charley Boorman

Charley Boorman (Racing Across Canada)

What If I Had Never Tried It

Valentino Rossi (The Autobiography)

The Road to Mali

Craig Carey-Clinch

No Room for Watermelons Ron & Lynne Fellowes

A Motorcycle Courier in the Great War

Australia Motorcycle Atlas

Captain W.H.L. Watson

With 200 Top Rides (6th Ed) Hema Maps

Overland Magazines - issue #’s 11; 19; 21; 22; 25; 26; 27; 28 and 29.

Adventure Bike Rider - issue #’s 44; 46; 51 and 53

The Touring Motorcycle Jeff Ware & Kris Hodgson

BMW Twins Mick Walker

BMW Boxer Twins Ian Falloon

BMW Motorcycles Bruce Preston

A Century of BMW Manfred Grunet & Florian Triebel

The BMW Story - Production & Racing Motorcycles Ian Falloon

Bahnstormer - The Story of BMW Motorcycles LJK Setright

BMW Company History

1972

BMW Munich

Berry on Bikes - The Hot 100 - Steve Berry

2UP and OVERLOADED

2 x On Tour with Compass Expeditions DVDs

The initiative is being overseen by Jane Gray and you can communicate with Jane via email at:

library@bmwmcq org au Arrangement can be made with the librarian to pick up & drop off at the monthly General Meeting or other arrangements can be made