Hi Everyone
In these uncertain times I want to take the opportunity to briefly update you on a couple of matters that the club has been working on in the background.

Rally In Yakandandah
With the lockdown in Melbourne and Victoria, the original rally dates set for late September have been changed to the weekend 23rd to 25th October. Given Melbourne is in stage 4 lockdown and the rest of Victoria in Stage 3, there is no practical way that the rally could be held in late September.Even the late October date is a “hopeful guess” as we are all really reliant on being at stage 1 level restrictions, which would allow us to be away overnight and in small groups. The actual date of the Yakandandah rally is therefore fluid. We are in constant contact with the motel in Yakandandah and the calendar in the “events” page of our website is up to date. When the opportunity arises the rally will most definitely be held.
We recognise that some people have already paid their fees for the rally. They will receive priority when the final date emerges, as it will. If you have already paid your fee and would like a refund, please call Peter Kime on 0409 798 641 and provide him with your banking bsb & account number so he can transfer funds back to you.
Please keep an eye on the Events page of the website and the Calendar which is up to date as changes are made.

Red Plates and Vicroads
Previously you were required to go to a Vicroads office in order to pay your permit, complete with paperwork signed off by one of our 3 club officials, Phil Pilgrim, Peter Kime or Mark Barthelmie. There are a series of changes to this process which some of you may not be aware of. Now you can download the form from the Vicroads website, complete your part of the form & scan it to one of the 3 club officials. They will certify the document and onforward it to Vicroads on your behalf. Vicroads will then process the application & post you your permit along with plates & payment method. You can then pay electronically to Vicroads.
If you would like more detail don’t hesitate to contact one of the 3 club officials.
There are other changes being proposed, but these have not been legislated as yet.
Whilst lockdown is restrictive, particularly in Melbourne where we are limited to a 5km radius and daylight hours, many members have taken to completing those long running projects. I heard of one chap who has been building a car for the past 15 years. Over the past 6 months the car has been completed and red plated. Even the shed has been tidied up.
Look after each other, and remember that this pandemic will pass. 
We look forward to resuming weekend rides and club meetings when we are able, but in the meantime stay safe.
Keep an eye of the club website for changes to events. These are updated regularly.

Cheers Alistar

Murray a great friend of mine & the IIRA passed away I believe with cancer last week, he was a small manufacturer of Indian parts in W.Aust and a “stickler” for the parts being made to correct specs. Many of our members will remember him when he came to Williamstown in 2016 and manned our stand at the Show & Shine exhibition (pictured above) he also did quite a number of overhauls on bottom ends, Noel Thornby, George Fitzpatrick, Chris Horner, and my own to name a few, Murray also started the IIRA in W.Aust before eventually forming their old club the Indian Motorcycle Club of W.A the man was a dynamo and although announced dead some years ago by a parts retailer in Ashwood much to Murray’s annoyance he said ” I’m still kicking” and selling parts to everybody except that retailer. (his words not mine) unfortunately its come to pass R.I.P my friend.

VicRoads is launching new digital functionality that will enable Club Permits to be renewed online from 31 July 2020.

How to renew a Club permit online

You can renew a Club Permit online with a myVicRoads account. If you don’t have a myVicRoads account, go to www.vicroads.vic.gov.au to find out more.

Simply upload the signed renewal and make the payment. This new online service removes the need for Club Permit holders to visit a Customer Service Centre or to renew via mail.

Important information:

Requirements to renew a Club Permit remains the same

The renewal must be signed by an authorised officer of the club/association to declare that the permit holder is a current member of that particular club/association. The Club Permit renewal must also be signed by the Club Permit holder.

Proof of payment

When a Club Permit is renewed online, the receipt must be printed and kept with the log book they received with renewal. The receipt may need to be produced as proof of payment.

Changing period of use

If the Club Permit holder wishes to change the period of use from 45 days to 90 days or 90 days to 45 days, the renewal cannot be processed online.

Recently Associate member Heath received a fine in the mail for not paying his East-Link toll of 0.87cents, apparently he was riding his 1968 Bonneville in June and never paid! The truth is he has’nt rode it since the Sitting Bull rally in February and prefers not to ride it at all in the city which he was supposed to be in Abbotsford, anyway after ringing them they remarked after checking “the number was similar to somebody else’s” REALLY surely they have to be kidding do they just randomly send out fines that had compounded to $27 at this time in the hope that the some other poor suckers will pay? Well obviously they do, so just check because sometimes they who are experts at reading number plates can’t read and you will pay someone else’s fine for nothing.

Postscript: today 30/07/20 another fine $14.50 same problem as above