What you can”t do is pay your permit, only cheque or cash or visit!

What a wank, the only thing we need off Vic Roads is to be able to have a new system to pay our red plate permit without a cheque book or visiting them with cash or a credit card, they have brought in substantial changes but not ones that are needed in my opinion, I would like to pay at the post office or better still with my credit card like my normal vehicle registration please.

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VicRoads news
The impact of coronavirus (COVID-19) has meant changes to the way VicRoads does business and provides services to our customers. So, we’ve been working hard to make it easier for you to complete many of our registration and licensing transactions online.
What’s new?We’ve enhanced some of our existing services, so you don’t have to visit a Customer Service Centre. You can now complete the following online through your myVicRoads account or over the phone:Renew your licence (This includes renewing your licence even if you need a new photo!)Replace your licence or permitApply for a registration concessionCancel your registration and apply for a refundSell and transfer your vehicleAnd just like before, you can still check or renew your registration and update your personal details. It’s easy to do – just log into your myVicRoads account.
Are drive tests still going ahead?Learner permit knowledge tests, hazard perception and drive tests for light vehicles (car, utes, vans) are currently suspended until further notice.When appointments become available again, we’ll contact everyone who had an appointment and re-book their test in priority order, at no charge. Do not cancel your appointment otherwise you’ll lose your place in the queue and have to pay again.Motorcycle and heavy vehicle tests are continuing.
What appointments are still available?You can still make appointments for registration, interstate and overseas licence change overs. Visit our online booking page for more.Visit our dedicated coronavirus (COVID-19) page for more information.
As a valued member of our community, we want to help keep you updated on all things VicRoads.Want to hear more about metro and regional projects, metro disruptions, safety and road rules?

Still exercising!

To all fellow members bored at home I decided to get the worlds slowest Vincent out yesterday, my Vincent Firefly. I took about a hour to get it running and I’ve been meaning to break in my new english male Brooks saddle anyway, the Malvern Star is my original I used to pedal to work in the late sixties so I’m sentimentally attached to it I thought about a Indian Bicycle Frame but they are impossible to find, still it would be nice to have another Vindian.

Tank de-rusting

Done this before on a blog but a repeat in this time when we are all self isolating wont do any harm, one severely rusted fuel tank because no fuel stabiliser was added and the modern fuels which has a shelf life of about 3 weeks ,YES 3 Weeks, starts to go off and smells like Turps. One old pre-intellegent battery charger, one sacrificial steel tube, one rubber chair leg end (for the end of the tube) and two plastic clothes pegs, one bag of $4.50 washing soda from Woolies, and some fresh water. Remove the fuel taps and plug holes mix 8 scoops of Washing soda into a couple of buckets of water mix well and pour into the fuel tank right to the top, drop in the steel tube and insulate it from touching the filler neck with the pegs, plug the negative lead onto the petrol tap hole blanking plug, then attach the positive to the steel rod and switch the charger on high then leave it go for 2-3 hours. the sludge that comes out will amaze you note picture above, it wont damage your paintwork that can be washed off later, every few hours remove the steel tube and wire brush off as it becomes inert covered in sludge, about 24 hours later remove the fluid and hose the tank out, some really bad tanks will need a second go, thats it and thanks to Paul Taylor for the tank to recover from scrap. Don’t forget fuel stabiliser to stop the fuel breaking down in the future.

Army bikes are they worth it?

Our esteemed editor just posted are good article on military bike on his All Moto Investor magazine a fantastic read

http://allmoto.com/war%20babies.htm?fbclid=IwAR1Fz3VXbxaUskEUKzN9Sf8co-JC1kQICorxBnz9sa8WEjd7cp0DiXXpxVk

Working on my Indian

Yesterday self Isolating I decided to catch up on doing some work on my newly acquired 346 Chief, it required three time consuming jobs, firstly re-time the oil pump so the distributor was’nt 90 degrees out so on full advance the distributor cap would not lever itself to the gearchange rod and fit a new advance cable and right angle bracket. Secondly it needed aluminum guard strips fitting so remove the wheels and drill 30 holes in the mudguards for the locating bolts, lastly skim the step out of the brake drum 10 thou so the wheel is simple to remove rather than belting the tyre with a mallet to get it to release. All painfully slow jobs taking a full day to finish i did’nt resort to turning the bike upside down like the service mechanic fixing the 741B above but I felt like doing that attaching those strips its painful down on the knees looking under the the full valanced guards on a Chief and screwing on those 30 small nuts anyway the result is good and the bike is more functional to boot and its still for sale in our Trading post Area

A message from our President

Hi Everyone

I just want to keep you up to date with developments as our self isolation continues.

There have been requests for information concerning the use of permitted vehicles during the current Corona Virus emergency.

As you would know the country is under emergency regulations regarding social distancing and private movements.

Everybody is being encouraged to Stay At Home.

The club supports efforts to safeguard the health of our citizens and seeks the support of the movement to do likewise.

The current Emergency Regulations restrict all vehicle movements to:

•   Going to work or school  if essential,

•  Shopping for essentials,

•   Visits to medical services.

Any vehicle and occupants detected by the police, not involved in one of the above can be stopped and fined.  As of close of business yesterday Vic Roads have no policy on the use of permitted vehicles during this timeof emergency regulations, but they are discussing the matter with Vic Police.

It is our belief permitted vehicles are probably part of the police crackdown on caravans, motor homes and recreational four wheel drives. Permitted vehicles are being seen as recreational vehicles.

So our advice is unless absolutely necessary for the reasons outlined above leave your club permitted vehicle at home.

We will provide further advice when it comes to hand

Unfortunately the Chief Rain in the Face Rally in Corryong, scheduled for Queens Birthday Weekend has been cancelled until further notice. 

For up to date information as the situation changes, you are encouraged to check the club website.– 
Kind Regards

Alistair Piercy
President Iron Indian Riders Australia

Did you miss the ride today?

I know I sure did but things are not normal with Corona Virus, strangely though your motorcycle is now ready to be worked on a perfect way of self isolating and as most of your retailers are open they can take your parts orders and post parts to you. Any merchant with a RWC licence in Australia is regarded as a essential Buisness and is waiting for your support, a customer of mine recently rang me and said” I can watch TV, talk to the missus or fix the bike, the first two were over in 20 minutes so now I needs some parts” hmm thats good for me and the bike. Recently we were told motorcycling is regarded as exercise in Victoria and NSW so you can still ride and there is no cars out there, exercise you may say? well after Ive ridden my old bike frankly I’m buggered and it feels like exercise to me anyway. A fortnight ago Pete Kime, George Fitzpatrick, Jon Munn, Phillip White, John Fontanella, Noel Thornby and your webmaster completed a 1400 klm British Motorcycle Tour of Tassie unfortunately Chris Horner had health issues at the time a cancelled out 100 motorcycles and 133 people on the ride was fantastic and the next Gypsy Tour in 2022 will probably be over the same route, even the weather was excellent. So all things on the calendar are cancelled till the government says otherwise so please be sensible, take care and stay healthy. You will notice more regular posts from me and a new version 3 of the website as we weren’t to happy with that last version very hard to use.

A lot happens in 12 months

Twelve months ago in the Indian world we had four corporate shops in Australia, there was no sign of a ‘Challenger’ model and Harley was complaining about falling sales without admitting meagre Indian Sales comparatively had any affect at all, the rest of the world was thinking of drinking Corona and not dying from it. Locally we were thinking about getting to work and going to the next fabulously planned IIRA rally, some members bought new bikes others divorced their wives and got sick with health problems, while the men at the top of Indian Australia cleared their desks. During this turmoil the Iron Indian Riders elected a new committee proposed and accepted new “Own Rules” and also By-laws, which really put us back to 2015 when we had a similar format and no the sky did’nt fall in as people expected, of course the rules are on the website for all to see as unlike other clubs your Association is proud of our new rules. In other clubs the Vincent Owners Club of Victoria was de-frocked and dismissed from the parent UK club a new Vincent Riders Victoria (VRV) was formed and is thriving. This month is a milestone for your association a decade ago we formed in March after being disillusioned from being members in another Indian Club a good move and it allowed for Indian’s of any era to enjoy rides together, last weeks Sitting Bull Rally was proof it works, the rally being completely booked out at Inverloch and 2020 Indian’s riding with Springfield models and this year in October the Anniversary Rally to Handorf in S.Aust over 10 days is on to mark this special time. Despite all the doom and gloom life must go on so enjoy yourselves and remember the Plague was a worst scenario.