IN THIS ISSUE:
- Welcome
- Scooters
- Classic Bikes of Yesteryear Pt III
- Tips 'N' Tricks
- Ride Calendar
- Kokoda Track
- Sponsors
- Your Committee
- Jokes
Welcome to the September 2007 Edition of "THE WANDERER"
This month sees the weather warming up and becoming more 'bike friendly' (hooray!). Time to dust off the machine and get out there and ride the best roads in Australia.
First ride is to Puckapunyal coming up this Sunday 16th of September. The step out was ridden by Marty and Chris last weekend and by their account is not to be missed. Be at Maccas Hoppers before 8.30am for a great ride.
October looks like being a stellar month for Rides and Social Occassions. Saturday the 6th is the night of Trivia and promises (as it delivered last year) to be a time of laughter and fun for our members and their families, don't miss it. Details will be posted on the website soon, but contact Rick on 0418 138 885 for more info now.
The President's Ride to Moyston over the weekend of the 13th and 14th of October looks fantastic. As the first overnight ride this season, the ride offers everything you could want in a weekend bike outing. Great scenery, fantastic roads and new people and places to meet and enjoy. The overnight stay at Smerdon Lodge,owned and operated by fellow Ulyssians Mark & Robyn Kenzler is affordable and one that will be talked about for a long time. More details are available here.
The ride to Mansfield on October 20th is also one to add to your calendars.
A ride through 'Kelly Country' is not to be missed. Great roads, fantastic scenery and, with the weather warming up, it is a great time to visit the beautiful mountains and valleys that grace this part of Victoria. More details will be posted soon on the website.
In future editions we would like to feature a 'Letters to the editor' section to the Wanderer. This is a feedback and comment section where you can have your say about anything Bike or Westgate Wanderers Branch related. Lets hear what you have to say! Write to Wendy via email here.
We would also like to hear about your motorcycling tip or trick that floats your boat. What things have you learned over the time you have been riding that work for you? Tell us by sending an email to Wendy by clicking here.
Lastly but far from least is this months Wanderer. Wendy has put together some great news items and stories, including a great look at the whys and wherefores of Scooters. Another edition of WozzA's facinating Classic Bikes of Yesteryear is here, this time featuring a brief history of the BSA Company.
Webmaster Col
Scooters
Well I suppose it’s about time I talked about them, seeing I’m the proud owner of a Suzuki Burgman 250cc scooter.
I suppose the main reason I chose one was because at the time I was finding it increasingly expensive to get to and from work. I looked at the hybrid cars but felt they were too expensive and probably needed a few more years to iron out the glitches. I was reluctant to ride a motorcycle although I have ridden a Yamaha MX100 around the farm for years. However, riding on the farm and riding on roads with traffic are two totally different riding experiences.
So I had a look at scooters, my reasoning was that they are automatic and I could improve my road skills without having to fret about changing gears. I knew I didn’t want a ‘putt-putt’ as I call a little Vespas that can only do 60kms; I wanted something that could do 100kms so I could go on the freeway. I looked at the Yamaha Majestic but there were none in stock and the salesman explained that new models would eventually come in but didn’t. But being a typical woman once the mind is made up there is no point in hanging around it was time to find a suitable machine. I didn’t much like what Honda had to offer, but the moment I saw the Burgman it was love at first sight. I could actually put my feet comfortably on the ground but I wasn’t used to how heavy it was after my little Yamie hence the frequent falls.
Why so Popular?
There are about 18 companies that import scooters into Australia from a variety of countries with a hundred different models. People are becoming aware that there are better ways to get around the city. Cars are expensive to run, parking is difficult and costly, and public transport is crowded and often inconvenient.
Australians are turning to scooters, they are cheap to buy, and cheap to run. The Honda Scoopy can travel 50 kms on one litre of petrol, that’s not bad. The scooter is ideal for city transport, particularly down narrow streets and in heavy traffic. Scooters are not as popular in the regional and country areas of Australia, simply because there is less congestion. Other advantages of scooters are that they are reliable and require less maintenance than motorcycles.
In European cities like Rome, scooters are used for all forms of delivery of goods and services as they are so convenient. Apart from being economical and easy to ride as most are automatic; they have loads of storage compartments making scooters ideal for shopping. The new scooters are also very clean; Aprilia's SR50 DiTech uses clean-burning technology from Australia's Orbital Engine Company that reduces exhaust emissions by 80%.
Where did Scooters Originally Come From?
Enrico Piaggio is considered the father of the motor scooter. When his families aircraft factory was destroyed by bombs during WWII, Enrico realised that he had to find something else people wanted and a way to utilise his skilled metalworkers. His aircraft engineer Corradino D'Ascanio designed a small motorised vehicle and the Vespa scooter was born. 
In April 1946 the first 15 Vespas, powered by 98cc two-stroke engines, left the factory. Within ten years a million Vespas had been built and eventually they would be made world wide. Other manufacturers realised the scooters potential and soon they were making their own versions. Today millions of scooters are produced in Italy, Taiwan, Korea, and Japan.
Practicalities
You need a licence to ride a scooter but there are places in Australia where you can ride without a licence as long the engine is smaller than 50cc’s. If you have a car licence you only have to stay on L plates for three months until you get your licence and then you are on P plates for 12 months, but you don’t have to wear the P. In Victoria the government is about to change the law where you will no longer be required to only ride a up to a 250cc for the first 12 months, they’ll give you a choice.
Drawbacks
Most scooters used in the city have very small engines 50cc single-cylinder two strokes, making them slower in traffic, which can be a problem for rider survival to stay ahead of the traffic. Another consideration is the smaller wheel diameter which suffers from the effects of potholes and rough road surfaces more than motorcycles. Another problem, scooters a much lighter than motorcycles so they are easy to lift into the back of a utility and drive away. So it pays to have a security chain or garage the vehicle.
What to Buy?
There is a huge range and a variety of sizes from under 50cc up to 650cc and I have heard they will be even bigger as they become more popular as a cruiser for the baby boomers. Preferably buy from your local dealer who is conveniently located near you for regular maintenance and someone you can talk to about any problems which may arise. A scooter should be fun, so buy something that you really love, but don't forget that carrying the groceries home will require storage space, not all models have this, and any regular journeys on the freeway require something larger than a 50cc, so look at a 150cc, 250cc machines or larger.
Cheap Motoring
Scooters are fairly cheap around $4,000 new or you can get something bigger. Running costs can be very low, registration and insurance vary. 
If you only use the scooter around the city it can cost as little as a dollar a week. Resale values are pretty good and Vespas and Lambrettas seem to hold their value.
New Riders
I think scooters are ideal for new riders who are nervous about using gears let alone riding on the road. From personal experience I have found my Burgman to be excellent in traffic, and I can get away from cars at the lights while their still thinking about moving.
My road skills have really improved over the 12 months since I first started riding. I can concentrate on staying alive and watching out for the idiots, rather than worrying about which gear I’m meant to be in. As my skills have improved so has my enjoyment and absolute pleasure at being a motorcycle rider. For those of you who have been toying with the idea of becoming a rider you might like to consider a scooter. Remember once you have experience on the road and become confident with riding then there is always the option to upgrade to a motorcycle or a bigger scooter.
Happy riding
Wendy
Classic Bikes of Yesteryear Pt III
A brief history of the BSA Company:
Founded by a small group of gunsmiths in 1861 to manufacture arms for the British government during the Crimean war the Birmingham Small Arms company first produced weapons, then bicycles before they moved into motorcycles in 1903 and later automobiles in 1907. Returning back to arms manufacture during WW1 and WW2 for the British war effort.
BSA supplied its military with 126,000 motorcycles during WW2, as well as the famous folding paratrooper motorcycle for the US forces. BSA guns (UK) continues to manufacture weapons today.
In 1910 BSA expanded and took over the Daimler Company. BSA's reputation grew, notably with a series of reliable and successful V-twins in the 1920s.
BSA's best-loved early model was the S27, universally known as the Sloper due to its angled-forward single cylinder. Introduced with a 500cc engine in 1927, a 350cc and later a 595cc model were produced. The Sloper was stylish, sophisticated and notably quiet. It quickly became popular and was frequently updated through its ten years of production.
BSA’s 1929 Sloper Sport
In 1937 a BSA Empire Star was raced around a curved track at over 100mph, this achievement earned the rider a GOLD STAR medal which was adapted by BSA into their next model the GOLD STAR, which remained in production till 1963.
During the second world war BSA’s factories were targeted by German bomb attacks costing 35 workers life’s, but production of arms and motorcycles continued.
By 1951 they had acquired the Ariel, Norton-Villiers, Triumph, New Hudson and Sunbeam motorcycle companies making BSA the largest producer of motorcycles in the world. The end of the 1950’s saw the introduction of the A7- 500cc and later the A10- 650cc. Many different types of A models were produced with great names like Super Flash or Road Rocket. The A models were very simple in look and nothing very extravagant but their reliability, oil retention and price was a major reason for them staying popular. In 1962 they were replaced by the A50 twin500cc and the A65 twin 650cc.
Competition from Japan during the mid 1960’s for the SUPER BIKE market, along with poor decisions from management saw BSA’s market fall, causing redundancies and the selling of assets.
By 1972 with bankruptcy imminent BSA was absorbed by the Manganese Bronze Company (Norton-Villiers-Triumph). The last of the BSA models were the 1973 Gold Star, Thunderbolt/ Lightning and Rocket 3.
The Rocket 3
.(And for our mechanically minded pastor.)
When introduced in 1968 the Rocket three with its 750cc multi-cylinder engine was labeled the first true modern age Super Bike. They were among the fastest production bikes then available, and established a good name for its self with many successes at Daytona, the Isle of Mann TT, and many other race tracks around the world.
Unfortunately for BSA Honda released its legendry CB750K with four cylinders only four weeks later.
By 1970 the Rocket 3 still did not have the electric start or 5-speed gearbox of the Hondas.
BSA continued to produce the 3 cylinder engine for the Rocket 3 from their Small Heath factory, and Triumph also incorporated the engine into their new T150 Trident range which was made in Coventry.
Other than the obvious cosmetic paint, badging, and muffler differences the Rocket 3 had a double downtube frame, whilst Triumph used a single downtube for the Trident. Late 1972 finally saw a 5th gear added to the bike, but only three were ever made before production ceased in 1973.
Written and compiled by WozzA.
Photos courtesy of Vintage bike
Tips 'n' Tricks
This month, some dos and donts about side stands.
- You should never take a bike down from its center stand while the side stand is down. To do so risks potential damage to the frame and engine mounts (from shock) and can easily result in tossing your bike over onto its right side. Situations that increase the risk include your shocks being low, heavy luggage, a road slope to the right, or coming down slightly off center.
- You should never simply kick the stand down at your destination and climb off your bike without visually checking that it is extended all the way and 'locked' into place.
- You should never have your shocks so low, or luggage so heavy, or stop on an incline sloping to the right so great that you have to lean the bike to the right in order to get the side stand all the way down. If you have to do so, the bike will not be leaning heavily on that side stand when you leave it and you cannot, as a result, trust that your bike will remain standing when you return to it.
- You should never allow a passenger to mount or dismount your bike while the side stand is down (or you are off the bike, or you do not have both feet on the ground, or you are not in neutral). Compressing/decompressing shocks can result in the side stand pushing the bike over onto its right side.
- You should never rely on the side stand to support your bike by itself unless you are parked on a solid surface. While sand and grassy areas are obviously not 'solid', neither is asphalt when the temperature exceeds 32 degrees Celsius. Placing a 'foot' under that side stand is usually all that is required to keep your stand from punching a hole under it and sending your bike onto its left side.
- You should never leave your bike unattended in neutral gear with the side stand down if you are parked facing down (OR up) a hill. Putting the bike in gear will 'lock' the rear wheel and your bike will still be standing when you return to it.
Ride Calendar
The following rides and Scheduled Social events for the next month are as follows:| Date | Saturday | Sunday | Destination/Event |
| 16-Sept | x | Pukapunyal Ride (info) | |
| 6-Oct | x | Trivia Night (info) | |
| 13/14-Oct | x | x | Presidents Moyston Ride (info) |
| 20-Oct | x | Mansfield Ride (info) |
Kokoda Track
Those of you who were not present at the last general meeting missed out on a very heart-rending talk given by Bruce Reid and Rob Fava about their experiences trekking through the Papua New Guinea jungle on the infamous Kokoda Track.
The photography brought to life the hardship our Australian soldiers endured in protecting our wonderful country. The experience obviously had a profound effect on the family members who participated in the trek with Bruce and Rob, which was emotionally conveyed to us.
We were touched by their heartfelt explanations about the trip and I think all members were affected in some small way by the retelling of their story.
I personally found the story very emotional as my Father has retold his story of his possible brush with death. He explained to me that when they were choosing who would go on the Kokoda mission, all the soldiers were lined up and every second soldier chosen.
Dad was one of the lucky ones; he missed out but went on to fight in Rabual. Thank you Bruce and Rob for recounting your very moving experiences your talk made for a very interesting evening.
Sponsors
YOUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS
| Position | Office Bearer | Telephone Contact |
| President | Bubba | 0418 395 786 |
| Secretary | Ornella | 0422 639 845 |
| Treasurer | JohnT | 0407 427 361 |
| Ride Co-ordinator | Marty | 0402 440 273 |
| Social Co-ordinator | RickH | 0418 138 885 |
| Quartermaster | Lex | 0439 728 435 |
| Webmaster | Col | 0431 685 268 |
| Newsletter Editor | Wendy | 0418 550 906 |
JOKES
Banks
A 98 year old woman in the UK wrote this to her bank. The bank manager thought it amusing enough to have it published in the London Times.
Dear Sir,
I am writing to thank you for bouncing my cheque with which I endeavoured to pay my plumber last month. By my calculations, three nanoseconds must have elapsed between his presenting the cheque and the arrival in my account of the funds needed to honour it. I refer, of course, to the automatic monthly deposit of my Pension, an arrangement, which, I admit, has been in place for only thirty eight years. You are to be commended for seizing that brief window of opportunity, and also for debiting my account £30 by way of penalty for the inconvenience caused to your bank.
My thankfulness springs from the manner in which this incident has caused me to rethink my errant financial ways. I noticed that whereas I personally attend to your telephone calls and letters, when I try to contact you, I am confronted by the impersonal, overcharging, pre-recorded, faceless entity which your bank has become. From now on, I, like you, choose only to deal with a flesh-and-blood person.
My mortgage and loan payments will therefore and hereafter no longer be automatic, but will arrive at your bank by cheque, addressed personally and confidentially to an employee at your bank whom you must nominate. Be aware that it is an offence under the Postal Act for any other person to open such an envelope. Please find attached an Application Contact Status which I require your chosen employee to complete. I am sorry it runs to eight pages, but in order that I know as much about him or her as your bank knows about me, there is no alternative. Please note that all copies of his or her medical history must be countersigned by a Solicitor, and the mandatory details of his/her financial situation (income, debts, assets and liabilities) must be accompanied by documented proof.
In due course, I will issue your employee with PIN number which he/she must quote in dealings with me. I regret that it cannot be shorter than 28 digits but, again, I have modelled it on the number of button presses required of me to access my account balance on your phone bank service. As they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
Let me level the playing field even further. When you call me, press buttons as follows:
- To make an appointment to see me.
- To query a missing payment.
- To transfer the call to my living room in case I am there.
- To transfer the call to my bedroom in case I am sleeping.
- To transfer the call to my toilet in case I am attending to nature.
- to transfer the call to my mobile phone if I am not at home.
- To leave a message on my computer (a password to access my computer is required.
- A password will be communicated to you at a later date to the Authorized Contact.)
- To return to the main menu and to listen to options 1 through to 8.
- To make a general complaint or inquiry, the contact will then be put on hold, pending the attention of my automated answering service. While this may, on occasion, involve a lengthy wait, uplifting music will play for the duration of the call.
Regrettably, but again following your example, I must also levy an establishment fee to cover the setting up of this new arrangement.
May I wish you a happy, if ever so slightly less prosperous, New Year.
Your Humble Client
(Remember: This was written by a 98 year old woman; DOESNT SHE MAKE YOU FEEL PROUD!)
.........................................................Amish Joke
An Amish woman and her daughter were riding in an old buggy one cold blustery day. The daughter said to her mother, ”My hands are freezing cold." The mother replied "Put them between your legs. Your body heat will warm them up." The daughter did - and her hands warmed up.
The next day the daughter was riding with her boyfriend who said, "My hands are freezing cold." The girl replied, "Put them between my legs. The warmth of my body will warm them up." He did and warmed his hands.
The following day the boyfriend was again in the buggy with the daughter. He said, "My nose is cold." The girl replied "Put it between my legs. The warmth of my body will warm it up." He did and warmed his nose.
The next day the boyfriend was again driving with the daughter and he said, "My penis is frozen solid."
The following day the daughter was driving in the buggy with her mother, and she says to her mother, "Have you ever heard of a penis?" Slightly concerned the mother said, "Why, yes. Why do you ask?" The daughter replies, "They make one hell of a mess when they defrost, don't they?"
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