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| Home ::: Information for Prospective Members ::: Corner Marking ::: Club Road Rules ::: 2008 Rides ::: Contact ::: |
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The links across the banner should provide you with enough information about the Club to inspire you to come for a ride. Below is more information about the Club including some frequently asked questions. Club rides are recognised as being very well organised with leaders, rear riders, and a corner marking system. The members are very experienced. We do not ride in formation. The emphasis is on fun. We avoid highways as we consider them boring and risky; we look for interesting roads and destinations. We are not about food or drinking; we don't ride pub to pub. That is not to say we are not social - we have monthly social sips, a club magazine, weekends away - it is just that riding is our priority. Most of us are professionals riding big bore Japanese or other exotica who can afford the habit, and the majority are "older" more experienced riders. There is a hard core of regulars who ride most Sundays - notably the Committee - and the members get out as often as their other commitments allow. Some frequently asked questions are:
We ride between 300 and 500 km every Sunday, typically at the higher end of the scale. We also have the occasional short ride. See itinerary page.
Experienced riders find themselves carrying articles to improve the quality of their ride. Such items as ear plugs, sun glasses, waterproof clothing, sun screen and a water bottle help look after the body. From a bike maintenance perspective, a can of chain lube and the standard toolkit may prove useful. A can of Mr Sheen and a couple of rags facilitate bug removal from your visor. The more community minded individuals carry odd things like cable ties and duct tape which may assist at an incident. In the same vein, a St John's First Aid Kit is carried by some. Throw in your wallet, mobile phone, digital camera and pen and paper and it becomes useful to fit a 10 litre Ventura pillion seat bag, or equivalent, to carry this small pile of extras.
The concept of "just one more ride" out of a tyre, though understandable from an economic point of view, fails dismally from a reliability and safety perspective. Chances are you will get a puncture, or suffer a worse fate. Grip is directly proportional to tread depth. No tread depth, no grip. It is as simple as that. Safety is an important feature of our rides. Given the distances we travel and the time of year you should be appropriately dressed - helmet, jacket, boots, gloves. (Gloves, even on hot days. No gloves, no ride.) Our preference is for full leathers or the equivalent synthetic protective clothing.
Riders can travel at their own pace; if they wish to travel faster, they will end up corner marking more often. If they ride at a leisurely rate then only occasionally will they be required to corner-mark. Effectively, riders can travel at any speed they wish.
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No, the advantage of the corner marking system is that riders very rarely get lost. There is no need to be constantly looking at a map - in fact you don't even have to know where you are going! Using a corner marking system makes for a smooth, flowing ride.
The size of the bike is not normally an issue. The bike should have sufficient power to maintain the legal limit in all conditions. Most bikes above 250cc are adequate. The bike must be registered and roadworthy. The rear rider will not pass anyone. But, we ask that riders have the technical ability to be able to maintain the legal limit everywhere - including uphill, into a head wind, and on twisty roads. Otherwise it is impossible to plan rides with any degree of certainty with respect to distances and times. Inability to maintain the legal speed limit is more to do with skill, experience and rider attitude rather than limitations of the bike. Less experienced riders may feel pressured to ride faster, and hence we recommend that learners not ride with us, particularly due to the distances we ride. Rider safety is of paramount importance to the Club. Riders should not feel pressured to ride above their skill level. So, at any time, a rider can leave the ride, letting the rear rider know first. Fatigue can be an issue for less experienced riders.
Prospective members must attend at least three rides before applying for membership. Full membership costs $40, Associate membership $20. Associate membership applies to non-riders such as pillions or partners who can enjoy Social Sips, BBQs and weekends away.
We have rides in all directions from Melbourne in about a 200 km radius. Yes, we do have rides that head out west, usually starting at the West Gate Shell Servo.
A thorough read of the web site will give you an indication of where we sit in the market. In a nut shell we are very organised, very professional and have very experienced riders riding well maintained machines. More importantly, our riders are true enthusiasts who love nothing better than to go for a Sunday ride in the company of other enthusiasts and share a safe and fun riding experience. Again and again.
The Club provides a wealth of experience in most (road oriented) facets of motorcycling. Some people just live and breathe tyres and suspension. One of the benefits of riding with our Club is that you will be able to tap into this valuable resource.
The only way to work out if we are right for you is to come for a ride. There is no obligation, just arrive with a full tank of petrol. At any time you are free to return home. You are welcome to come along to any of our rides. We hope to see you soon.
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