Think twice before you buy that Chief or your parts from overseas

The article below will worry  quite a few people, that have thought about importing a vehicle from overseas, that light in the tunnel is quickly coming to a end what with all the asbestos problems that Border Force are now applying, The other problems are if you say take a bike to a International Rally in USA or Europe the is a chance even know you exported it that it may not be able to come back here ever so it’s in limbo, plus the government may get your previously or currently registered vehicle in Aussie, fully inspected at your cost before allowing its return! Click on the links below

And today the Melbourne City Council is thinking of banning parking on footpaths, its more and more difficult to just be treated like bicycle riders. By the way that Matchless/Indian (pictured) is a Springfield Chief as it was sold by Indian Sales in the late fifties

Consequences for non-compliance for exporting into Australia 

The compliance treatments we use vary according to the type of behaviour you exhibit. We group business behaviours into categories and apply an appropriate approach to each of those categories.
If you choose not to comply with the law, the Commissioner of Taxation can take actions including:

  • registering you for GST
  • imposing an additional 75% administrative penalty, which then becomes legally payable
  • intercepting funds from Australia that are destined for you
  • registering the debt in a court in your country
  • requesting the taxation authority in your country to recover the debt on our behalf

Australia is the first jurisdiction to move to adopt a vendor-platform collection model and many jurisdictions are poised to follow suit (the European Union, Switzerland and New Zealand have all announced similar reforms).“

Taken from:

https://www.ato.gov.au/Business/Inte…rnoncompliance

Australian Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989

It’s wet, cold and winter, but the IIRA goes on

In Heathrow airport today it’s bright and sunny 23C and it has been like this in UK for weeks, unbelievable as it seems that’s  refreshing for me because I have just left Norway where it was colder and wetter than Melbourne for a couple of days, so I’m ready for winter already,those Norwegians call this a good summers day with snow as well in the mix. Your committee bouyed with success of the recent Rain in the Face Rally are ready to realease the entry forms for the Crazy Horse Rally next week and I will add them to this site then, next Tuesday night is a General Meeting and your Treasurer will be hot( the only one that will be) for renewal subscriptions so bring him cash or transfer your monies. You probably realise that you only have 2 weeks to do this if you have a red plate machine with us or otherwise you are declared unfinancial and we have to inform Vic Roads that makes your machine not eligible to be ridden on the road and if caught the fine now is around $800 (gasp) a lot easier to pay I reckon. Next Sunday is a club ride and because I’m away till Monday I will put it on the calendar when I find out the time and venue, it may be a short ride being winter but if it’s dangerously wet on the day it can be cancelled so keep your phones on Sunday in case you have a text message.

Ride Report Rain in Face Rally 1 to 3 June 18

Indain announces a FTR1200 road bike 2019

Undoubtably you have heard by now about Indians comeback and domination in American flat teak racing, well this has lead to a roadvariant ready for sale next year this machine should be a giant killer and if the technology is built into it from their famous racebike

www.thedrive.com/motorcycles/21574/indian-ftr-1200-confirmed-for-production-arriving-in-2019

338 manufacturer’s in USA went broke!

I saw this today, beside the British, 30 Australian MotorCycle’s have gone and 338 American manufacturers, imagine if this variety of makes and models were still about today.

Without George, we wouldn’t have Indians

George Hendee’s anniversary is very important to all Indian owners, he’s the same as Walter Harley, or William Davidson is to Harley enthusiasts, George was the a founder of Indian and a prominent bicycle rider of his era before motor bicycles were manufactured.

A Indian Hero.

This story is fairly graphic from a period magazine but Jake De Rosier was a factory works rider and in his time unbeatable. It makes me happy that medicine has come such a long way in the last 100 years

Who’s thirsty, no rain at the Rain in the face

Apparently the Rain in the Face Rally this weekend was a great success at Walwa run by the estimable Gary Hogg, two years ago it was held on the following long weekend and at Myrtleford, and it was running out of steam the committee thought of disbanding it which was a shame. Gary Hogg and Noel Thornby wouldn’t have that and decided to give it a final go and change the venue and to a 2 day weekend, it’s back again revived and seems to be well supported 10-12 and 4 regulars overseas means normally we would have 16 in the winter season, that’s very good, a report will follow

Sport Scout, we need a new one today

The amazing thing about Polaris Indian was bringing out the new 1160cc Scout in 2015 and then the 1000cc model 16 months later, quickly followed by the sister companies Victory Octane which was in my opinion  even better. The killer was the poor Octane was virtually still born and Polaris shut Victory down with only handfuls of this brilliant machine hitting the market, I’ve ridden it and own a Scout and it was a better all rounder being  cheaper, larger in capacity and nicer suspension, so why Polaris never seized the opportunity to convert this model into a Sport Scout never ceases to amaze me  it could have been another winner. Take  no notice of US prices

This confuses a lot of people

In 5 minutes, no

Recently my son (and IIRA member Heath) got his Learners Permit and it may be a surprise to you but beside some riding on a Honda Z50 when he was 8-10 that’s all the riding solo he had ever done with the exception of pillion riding with me. So I had to teach him as a 25 year old from scratch as he even drives a auto car, riding doesn’t come natural he has never had a problem holding or balancing a bike so that was natural, the rest was a serious attempt to orientate him in riding skills, road craft would be taught by the excellent HART ( Honda Australia Rider Training) recognised by Vic Roads. The riding skill is difficult a a Catch 22 problem arises with no permit I had to take him to La Trobe University car park on a Sunday as there are little other areas to train a new rider. Several hours were required successfully and he then was taught the road craft skills at HART enabling him to get a Learners Permit for a maximum of 12 months or a minimum of 3 weeks, which he can then sit for a P plate licence that lasts another 3 years! That means no pillion or a bike over 670 cc no drinking or phones or GPS  and a Fluro jacket for some time while on L plates, so fairly restricted and $600 to boot for the test fortunately he had the jacket and helmet and owns a 1974 Triumph 650 Bonneville you have seen me on occasionally which is red plated and LAMS approved the bonus in Shannon’s insurance at $155 and the club permit scheme at $ 73 a year. For someone with absolutely nothing it’s very expensive to start riding bikes in 2018. So how is he going well, and is going to come on some rides with us so give him a chance please and he has got used to right hand gearchange (actually hated the Honda with L/hand change on his test) eventually he will progress to hand change and foot clutch with your encouragement so please do that as we need lots of young riders to appreciate our older bikes otherwise they will become worthless museum pieces.