My First Shoei Relic Helment
The ride starts at Lilydale, registration at 8.30am, meant an early start to the day to get out their on time and with a full tank of petrol. Once we all registered their was an introduction, safety talks and technique talk. How to break, how not to break, cornering smart, and riding in a group. Lots of good tips to be put us in a safe and fun mindset. “at 60km/hr it takes 18m to stop.” Not that we were going to spend the day at 60km/hr!
All up their was an eclectic mix of 30riders, and about a dozen instructors, marshals and the Melbourne Fire Brigade rescue bike & rider. The MFB has a few bikes a lot like the police bikes, beefed up but with a bright fire engine red. Oh and the token police rider – not in uniform.
The skill set of the riders varied from learners to ten years, and the bikes varied from a purple Vespa to bright yellow Triumph 1200 sprint – ridden by a loan broker, of course. We were separated into groups of 5 according to experience and allocated an instructor. Each group would ride off and we’d take it in turns leading so that the instructor could give us feedback and direction to improve. Reefton Ride Map
Shire Of Yarra Ranges Brochure
The ride left Lilydale in the pouring rain and headed through the fog to the top of Mount Dandenong. A beautiful national park full of massive gum trees, ferns, Lire birds, koalas and tourist drivers! Because of the recent rain there was lots of bark and mud on the road, which meant keeping your wits way above the normal weekend ride.
At the top of Mount Dandenong the rain cleared and we weaved along through Monbulk, Olinda and to some little country town in the middle of nowhere. On the second stretch Ed, a ‘returning rider’ on his Honda cruiser’ hit the gravel and went straight off the road. I chatted to Ed earlier in the day, he’s 53 and really wanted a bigger bike because all his mates had been riding since they were 50 so he was a couple of years behind them. A lovely bloke but I think he should take it easy first. Another guy on his L’s also mentioned how he’d love a bigger bike because the 250 is too small. He kept running the corners wide because he’d come into fast. No hope within the speed limit. A fair desire to have a bigger bike was from a gentleman standing in at 6ft 4inches. He looked like a squashed cockroach on his cruiser
The number one ages for motorbike deaths are 19 & 52 (men)! Hmmmm
After lunch I finally got to lead my group, and just absolutely took off on a fantastic winding road through the bush from Toolangi. Unlike Mt. Dandenong the cornering is a lot gentler, no big 20km/hr u-turns, less tourists. Nice left, right, left left, right left, up down – not quite Lukey Heights on the island but definitely fun. This section was mostly downhill which My first motorbike.meant keeping yourself in check. Having done a coaching session previously where I learnt about being body active, I hung over the edge of the bike while keeping it upright to make some great corners, – gear down, break, come in wide, look through the corner and gooooo, gear up, set your self up, gear down, break, come in wide lean down and look through the corner and swiiiiiiing around the bend – oh shit gravel, sit up straight, drop a gear, straight through, and off again!!!!
Coming in the other direction was a group of about fifty harley riders sounding like a firewall hurricaning through the bush. Handle bars out wider than an operah singer and smiles as flat as tarmac. A very busy biker area. The council said before they did the hill riding training days they’d have 6-8 fatalities on average every year. That’s dropped to one a year. A very good program they’ve put on. There’s still idiots out there and good luck to them. The local ambo was saying that 90% of bike accidents wouldn’t be so bad if riders wear back protectors. I felt pretty good with mine. I also where extra knee leg protectors. Ed could have done with these, and even a decent pair of pants.
But you probably don’t want to hear about the accidents…
After my lead ride my instructor said I “did really good, that was great cornering, great riding, and very smoothly done.’ How chuffed was I!!! I was stoked!! Having been scared in the morning it’s awesome to be really good at something I’ve always wanted to do.
Interestingly enough a lot of people ask if I was scared learning to ride or that they are to scared to ride. I tell them I was absolutely terrified when I first started, particularly on the roads. I still am scared of idiots and accidents, and I’m glad because it makes me safer and prepared. I’m glad despite being terrified I went for it anyway!!
Of course my bike got a lot of compliments, a good day all round. Finally getting home at 6 I fell asleep on the lounge at 8.30 dreaming of corners and gum trees!!
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