2000km on the rHonda

[muskrat]

G'day Fellas.
I've been away for a week. Went down to Phillip Island to watch the first round of the 2026 WSBK races. Left home 7am Wed, got back 4pm Tues with a very sore bum!
 Met up with two mates on the way, Ma on a modern 1200 Trihard and Phil on a Yamahahaha XJR1300. We stayed at a pub in Rutherglen Wed night and stayed away from the wineries  . The ride down to the Island was great riding roads I'd never been on. The Black Spur was great, 30km of flip flop. Got to the track, unpacked the bikes and set up the tents. Into Cowes for beer and ice, we used Ma's side panniers as eskies. The camp site is only 50 meters from the tracks turn 1.
Friday we could get into the track to watch practice and qualifying. I did a few laps of the service road  .
 Saturday saw the racing in Ernest. Boy those boys are quick even the little 300's.
 Sunday saw the rain arrive, light in the morning but built up to the Superbike race. Wish I could get a set of those wet tyres! About an hour after the race the heavens opened up with strong wind to boot. That night I thought the tent would carry me onto the track.
 Monday morn saw a beautiful sunrise and packed up. We were heading for Phil's place in Canberra. About 1/2 way the rHonda developed an intermittent electrickal problem. Riding was like flicking the kill switch on & off & on & off!
 Tuesday I got 1km from Phil's and she cut out. Not much room behind the fairing and a real "birds nest". Pulled all the connectors and rejoined, found 1 broken wire and got home without oil & neutral lights.
I've now got the fairing off and re-doing (tidying) all the wiring. I hate electricks!
Cheers

[Joolstacho]

Good stuff Musky. The SBK is brilliant, but MotoGP lost the plot years ago... started when they
gentrified' it, banning bikes from coming into the track spectator areas.
Now it's going to Adelaide I reckon we could get behind a much better thing to replace it, something like this:

the ISLAND
Motorbike
FESTIVAL.

There are so many aspects of motorcycling, -sports upon sports.
We could harness the enthusiasm and have great variety that would appeal to everyone.
We’d replace the motoGP with something great.

To name a few aspects we’ll include:

Roadracing - Circuit racing - We’ll have an Aussie Superbikes ‘special final’ Great racing (much more exciting than MotoGP).
Speedway - Aussie vs NZ championship round
Arena Trials - A World round - Spectacular!
Drag racing / sprints

Motorcyclists are massively enthusiastic about the ‘bikes and all sorts of aspects of them.
We’d have:

Modern bike displays and track rides
Classic (older) ‘bike displays and concours
Custom ‘bike  shows and ‘ride-bys’
Restoration demos
Swap-meet

This could be somewhat like the U.K. ‘Festival of speed’ held at Goodwood each year.
That is about cars, but ours would be about motorbikes.

We’d have on-site camping resulting in a party atmosphere like Bathurst.
Bikes would be allowed on the track spectator areas, reviving the great atmosphere that we used to have, where as we walk around all the ‘bikes we are fascinated by are there on-site as we walk around.
Food and music gigs would add atmosphere. Various demonstrations, Marketing? Maybe Lindsay (and other collectors) could move their collections to 'the Island Motorbike Museum'

Lots more eh?

What could go wrong!

-Julian

[muskrat]

G'day Jools.
I've only been to PI twice. Last year to MotoGP and this time for WSBK. I'd never been to either of those as well.
Yes the Supers are much better, being able to ride around.
The next MotoGP and WSBK will be the last at PI. The owner Lindsay Fox is going to rip it all up and build a golf course  . Get 1000 E-bike riders to rip it up 
They won't get GP riders at the Adelaide street circuit, just look at Macau only IOM riders with balls ride there.
I wouldn't be surprised if Australia gets scrubbed off the MotoGP & WSBK list all together.
Cheers

[berger]

musking geeza a golf course!! that's as bad as the hells angels bulldog bash over here being shut down in 2017, it started in 87 and had a drag strip where you could thrash the pants off your bike and 4 days of live music , bike shows etc etc , the land owners built flippin houses on it, money money money,  it stinks as bad our rivers and coast line seas in england because of money.

[muskrat]

G'day Bergs.
Yes these days everything is about $$$
Every time from now on I see a Linfox truck parked up it'll have 22 flat tyres 
Cheers

[Brian]

My two bobs worth, this decision is absolutely crazy. PI is the home of motorcycle racing in Australia and should stay that way. I am in South Australia but do not want to see the GP and probably others come here, I also can not understand how they can possibly race GP bikes on a street circuit, the run off areas and safety requirements just can not be met by a street circuit. The problem is our current premier is a sports nut and he wont care a rats bottom about rider safety, he just wants sports events here in SA. If you need $100 to keep someone alive in a hospital he will not give it but if you need 100 million to build a new sports venue thats no problem. Maybe they will all come to their senses before its too late but its not looking good.

[muskrat]

G'day Fells.
Talk is it will go to "The Bend" for a few years till Adelaide is bulldozed for the track!
Trouble is it's a small town with only one pub and bugger all accommodation. All amenities would be overwhelmed.
Back to rHonda, took two days to re-wire the front. All connectors redone and wires covered in split corrugated tube. Originally the wires were in the headlight bucket but with the fairing it's all in the open behind the headlight. Impossible to get to with the fairing and bucket on.
Cheers