Yes its that time of year when blind faith in the marque comes to a head, your Indian has lain in hibernation for 4 months and the weather is slowly warming up and a couple of good rides/rallies are on the horizon. What’s this, you poured fuel in it and it runs so your ready to reel off 3-4000 klm’s over the next 5 months, trust me only a fool expects to do that your machine needs a total “going over” basics oil change, check tyres for wear, flush carby out and or fuel tanks, change gearbox/primary oil and pull out the battery and check for sulphation and fluid level. While your there grease all those grease nipples and make sure you paid your subs with the IIRA as if you hav’nt your machine is no longer registered and a $800 fine and 3 points will come off your licence, don’t blame us Vic Roads is pretty serious on this point. If all is well take your treasure out for a short ride 20-30 mile and check it over then when cool check points, tappets etc before coming out on a association ride and breaking down then hoping we are going to ruin our day fixing your machine for you! Only then enter the rally/ride and do yourself a favour by subscribing to RACV Total Care for 12 months just in case, I’m a mechanic and I am a member of it just in case, thats it see you soon at the Crazy Horse Rally Dunkeld next month with over 30 booked in for a great 3 days
The Anniversary Tour is for our 10th year since formation. It is being proposed for possibly October 2020
I always get amazed at various customs around, some are well thought out using powerplants from other bikes eg: Triton (Triumph in a Norton frame) Tri-Bsa (Triumph in a BSA frame), Vincati (Vincent in a Ducati frame) etc, etc but what annoys me are people that get a Kawasaki Drifter and put Indian decals on it or as the picture above a horrible 3 wheeled TATRA better known as a Ural outfit piece of shite with Indian decals on the tank. Seriously chaps telling everybody its better than the original will only have you believing it, if you want a Indian then put a Indian engine in it and call it a URADIAN enough said
Lake Goldsmith traction rally is one of the biggest in the world, well worth a look, read the full report here, should interest some of the Harley followers amongst us.
Always the same statement at this time of year “its cold, so I’m putting the bike away for a few months”, well fair enough but now is the time for the top-end rebuild, new tyres and chain, check the generator and heaps of other things, your Association is still running short monthly runs and even social events for you and your family to participate in. Next month is the Kinglake ride and on the 20th & the Christmas in July dinner which is now booked out. Some of your committee members are planning a run for next years Gypsy Tour, and of course The Crazy Horse Rally is on in October this year at Dunkeld, naturally your monthly meetings can keep you up with whats happening for you and your mates, in all this only works if you don’t hibernate please participate when you can, next month is the AGM possibly the most important meeting of the year and with a guest speaker as well, so plenty to do. Most importantly pay your subs NOW , especially if you have a red plate machine with us as after 2 weeks we have to inform Vic Roads you are unfinancial and therefore your bike cannot be ridden on the road the penalty for doing so is currently $900!
The good news on the net is (no there not going broke just yet) is that the Motor Co are setting up a new plant in China, wow thats really smart now when that gets out everybody is not going to think that the 45% of the bike that is already made in USA (the rest is sourced around the globe) will think its all Chinese! That should help lads, meanwhile Indian just keeps gaining sales.