The details of the Christmas Party this year at Owen Jones’s new place this Sunday at Tallarook are in the Events calendar area, this is the only time you can retrieve your “subs” by eating it so nearly everybody should come, remember bring you own alcohol and Factor 50 for the 30 degree day. Those who wish to ride are catered for by a association run before the 12.00 start  again all details on the Events calendar

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Last Sunday’s ride to Yea had all the elements, a forecast for fine weather, a mix of old and new Indian’s, a classic car, and a good meal. The weather to Kinglake was overcast and a few moist patches which had me wishing I had bought my warmer gloves, but beside my cheap reading glasses falling out of my bag and being run over by a car the day was uneventful, Richard Onyon’s 1945 Chief stopped for a few minutes with a small electrical problem and my 1944 Army Chief didn’t miss a beat, at the Kinglake morning tea stop a lot of other riders already there were quite amazed at the roll up of the Indian’s needless to say after a quick stop Owen Jones our lead rider was off to Yea and here the weather became fine and again we managed to meet to more Indian riders on a Scout and a Vintage that showed interest in joining our Association. After a magnificent lunch at the Yea Hotel we all meandered off back to Whittlesea to each leave for our final destination home, I would like to thank all that attended and Owen Jones for organising the ride and I’m looking forward to our next ride the Christmas Party

Self flagellation on a C-344B Indian is easy and something I have to psychic my self up to ride it, why you may ask, well until today I had a bad set of head stem bearings in my old Army Chief it was a horror to ride, like it had a tight steering damper, a getaway from traffic lights was a mastery in itself without bouncing of car doors either side. A Army Chief isn’t refined and originally with heavy-duty seat post a sidecar rear suspension (replaced on mine) made you feel like you had gone a couple of rounds with Mike Tyson, those GI’s in the last WWII were a lot younger and tougher than me though, meanwhile with the last 6 months of rain all the roads are in a bad state of repair with pot holes big enough to swallow a B Double, last week the Teepee Rally was on at Llanelly and the roads in that area were atrocious and a few weeks before that a the Crazy Horse Rally in Coroyong as well, I took the new 2015 Scout and was a little smug about my Fournales “Air-Spring” rear shocks but surprisingly it was a pain on even the modern machine. So today I rode the Army Chief and after fitting the taper roller headstem kit I was really surprised how comfortable the old girl is, Guy Allan our esteemed editor and full time journalist with Motorcycle Trader has often told me he finds his old 1947 Chief more comfortable than some modern cruisers, I can believe him the old Springfield models take a lot of beating in the suspension area you need to ride one sometimes to appreciate how good they were thats why next weeks Sunday Ride you will see the old model out on the roads.

Chris Horner is well renowned for running our Gypsy Tours with the fabulous one held earlier this year in Tasmania, combining the famous annual Harley vs Indian Great Race run by the Indian Motorcycle Club of Victoria and Dave Reidie at Harley City, the problem Chris faced and the logistics were staggering but the man has run previous versions, The Run of the Murray and the Gypsy to Perth and back were a couple a his previous rides. The problem now is everyone in asking when’s the next, well its in 2018 The Old Hume Highway and back down the Princes Hwy in the meantime Chris has decided a “hub” rally is needed in-between as usual its limited to 19 people and I can tell you now about ten places will be gone straight up myself included, it will only be open to fully paid up financial members and first preference to Indian Riders as that’s what we are all about. The beauty of these rallies is that you don’t have to attend the whole event and can join in or leave at any point or time, very convenient for those of us that are not retired. There is a plan provided of the units and all the heavy snorers will be allocated in one unit as not to cause inconvenience to other rally entrants we are not kidding on this point, act quickly on this event as after the cut off date 26/11/16 that’s another rally you have missed.

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