Archives:

Log Book Day

4 Jun

Now that the COVID-19 restrictions have eased, the club is planning to hold a Log Book Day on Saturday 27th June from 9 am – 1 pm at the West Croydon & Kilkenny RSL Club.

Obviously, we are still restricted as to the numbers gathered in the club. Therefore, we will ensure that everybody is socially distanced correctly and hand sanatiser will be available. As well as updating log books, we will be issuing members with new membership cards and receipts.

It would be appreciated if members don’t all turn up en masse at 9am and hope that attendance is evenly spread throughout the day. If lots of people do turn up together, a committee member will be on the door to ensure that the restrictions are adhered to.

Merchandise can be purchased on log book day

Barry Young, our Social Secretary, will be running a sausage sizzle, as per normal.

Malcolm Gray

31 May

It is my sad duty to report that COMCC member, Malcolm Gray, has passed away. Malcolm has been a member since 2005. Malcolm was an enthusiastic member and participant in many of our events, he will be sadly missed. Our sincere condolences go to his family and friends.

 

Club Rides

21 May

Weekend, mid-week and Mopeds Plus rides are NOW BACK ON – subject to the state’s COVID-19 regulations. Ride leaders should ensure that if more than 10 riders congregate at the start, then the ride will have to be split up into groups of no more than 10. See the calendar for the next event.

Although committee meetings  have started back, we are unable to conduct General Meetings until the regulations change.

 

Andrew ‘Macca’ McDonald AKA: Hagrid

19 Mar

Classic Owners member Andrew McDonald AKA Hagrid or Macca, has passed away. He attended Club meetings and a couple of weekend rides, but hasn’t been seen over the last few months.

He has been described as a gentle giant, anyone who met him or stood next to him can attest to this description. Over the past few years, he was active in the Sellicks Beach Races, riding his 1938 Harley Davidson W model at the event and at the Mill to Mill 2017. Many of the promotional posters for Sellicks featured a photo of him riding his Harley. I think this is what he’ll be remembered for, from those with a passing acquaintance with the man. Others may remember his Suzuki GT750, which he rode from his Yankalilla home to our club meetings.

Our sincere condolences go to his family and friends.

Two day Burra Classic, April 18/19th

18 Mar

I have been advised by Martin Blindell that the Two Day Burra Classic, scheduled for April 18/19th will indeed go ahead. Martin has assured me that there is still vacant accommodation available.

All details for the event can be provided my Martin on 0413 058 600 or by email:  the2ofus@adam.com.au

Servo stations – helmet ban

5 Mar

I’m sure, like me, many of you have been apprehended at a service station and told to remove your helmet when you go to pay for your fuel. This ruling has mystified me and I’m wondering WHY?

I’ve had several instances of this ruling, my experiences have been as follows:

  • I’ve been reminded countless times to remove my helmet before paying, usually I refuse.
  • Ordered over the tannoy, as I’ve reached for the petrol pump and the pump has been disabled until I acquiesced to the demand.
  • The shop doors have been locked, as I attempted to pay. Eventually, the night window was opened and I managed to pay.
  • After 15 years at the local servo, the staff member, who has also been serving for those 15 years and knows me, told me to remove my helmet. When I refused, he told me ‘it’s the law’ and that he’d been instructed by the boss to order motorcyclists to remove their helmets.
  • Told that it was ‘a security issue’ and when challenged, the staff informed me ‘it was for her safety’.

Each time, I have parked my bike on the forecourt, with my registration plate clearly visible to their cameras and have been brandishing a $20 note, fully intent on paying for my fuel.

What exactly is the problem that the service stations are afraid of? Why do they need to see my face, when I pay for my petrol? If I filled a car up with fuel and then went to pay wearing sunglasses and a baseball cap, they wouldn’t bat an eyelid and they certainly wouldn’t ask me to take my hat and sunglasses off before I paid.

I can only assume that they think motorcyclists are a sub-human species who need to be kept in check before they inevitably commit an assault against the service station staff.

This is the kind of behaviour which I was frequently subjected to when I was living in the UK. Over there, I only had to walk into a pub with a leather jacket and helmet and then, told to leave, as motorcyclists were not welcome. These miserable people were unable to differentiate between chain wielding Hells Angels and normal blokes who rode motorbikes. Yes, I know, I wouldn’t wear my helmet into a bank either, that’s hardly a valid reason for service stations to impose a similar ruling.

I am heartily sick of this treatment and will continue to challenge service station staff concerning their ‘no helmets’ rule until I get told a sane and logical reason as to why this ruling is in effect.

 

Joe (Graeme Murray) Frost RIP

21 Nov

It is with great sadness I advise that ex COMCC member Joe (Graeme Murray) Frost passed away yesterday the 18th November at Lyell McEwin Hospital aged 88yrs. Joe was a close colleague of mine for many years,

A keen motorcyclist and for a considerable period he was club photographer . That was back in the days where every club event was recorded in pictures which built up in piles of albums over the years. Initially Joe used his own camera and later on he was provided with both camera and film by the club. Joe was a true bushy, grew up on a property near Yongala, worked on KI, and returned to Adelaide to educate his  children.  He will be missed.

Warren Duncan.

Lions Bike Show, Sunday 3rd November

4 Nov

The club decided to stage a display at the 3rd Lions Bike Show on Sunday. We met at the usual spot in Hazelwood Park and attracted about a dozen riders. I decided the quickest route would be up Mt Lofty and onto the Freeway exiting at Stirling, through Mylor, Echunga and then onto Macclesfield Oval.

There we met up with Wayne Williams who transported the club gazebo and some chairs. We set up in the same spot where we have for the past 3 years at the southern end of the oval.

Several other club members joined us as the morning progressed until we had about 20 bikes in total. I’m guessing these numbers, as I didn’t make an effort to count them. I also didn’t take many photos of our own display, as I was too busy inspecting the hundreds of bikes which turned up for the show.

The weather was warm and sunny and we didn’t see any of the expected showers which the forecast had promised. Other clubs present included the BSA Owners, The Vintage & Veteran, Triumph Riders, Vintage Japanese and the BMW Owners. The show has gone from strength to strength since it’s inception and the organisers did another great job. Well done to Fred Horvath and his crew for putting on an excellent show and well done to all our members for making the effort to bring their bikes out for the day.