Dandenong Rangers Learner

[Bear]

Both Smeggles and myself are in the south east of Melbourne.. Langwarrin in fact... so not all that far away

The Coffee club boys sounds good to me

[prmas]

Hey Bear, what do you mean not all that far away? I don't go that far for my annual holidays Actually I DO go to Langwarrin for my annual holiday! Well not really but it is good that the four of us are all in the East/South East. It will make it a lot easier to get together for coffee and/or riding. I am not too sure about the Coffee Club Boys though! It sounds like you are more interested in the coffee than the riding. Keep working on the name. We could call ourselves the GS Quads but that would preclude anyone else from joining wouldn't it? How about some input from Smeggles. How is it that you two both live in the same suburb, ride the same bike and are friends? Were you mates before you started riding?

Cheers,
Macka

[mister]

Why do you need to call yourselves anything? 

Us Brisbane riders don't have a special name. We just meet up and ride 

Michael

[Bear]

Yeah your right Mister, why bother with a name... Both Smeggles and I are mates have been for about 8 years , well before we started the bike riding. We used to race lawnmowers in a previous life, met thru the internet and have been great mates ever since. We sold up the mowers and started our hunt for some bikes and ended up getting a couple of GS500s from the land of Ebay and haven't looked back since.

[matt86to]

Welcome to the mad house Rashy 

[prmas]

Hey Bear, Smeggles and Rashy,

I have decided to do a run down to Arthur's Seat tomorrow to have lunch at the Pig and Whistle Pub. On the way down I thought that I would drop in at Classic Cycles and Byrner's Suzuki for a look around. After a very leisurely lunch continue on through Flinders, Balnaring and Hastings and through Langwarrin on the way home. If any of you are interested we could meet somewhere along the route. It is too early to be sure yet but I may bring along one or two mates from my Club. We are all similar in age (50-60). Rashy, if you want we could meet somewhere up this end and cruise down together. My plans and route are flexible. The two mates who might come with me are both based in FTG. If they come we would probably meet and start from the Village Green Car Park somewhere around 9 or 9.30.
Let me know here if interested. I will check for posts up until 8am tomorrow.

Cheers
Macka

[andymal13]

I think I may be the "guy" from Geelong Paul?  Haven't been on here for a while, but stumbled on this thread while looking for something else.
Haven't been out for a decent ride for ages as I had a little off a few months ago, and have only just got the girl back on the road, plus, the weather has been less then pleasureable as you would know.  Do keep me in mind if you are ever coming through my way on the way to the coast.  Cheers,
Andy.

[rashy68]

Hi Macka

Sorry I haven't replied for a while. I decided that the weather was so crap that trying to organise a ride was pointless until the spring. Hopefully the weather will pick up soon and we can hit the road.

Cheers

[prmas]

Hey Andy, this is a late reply to your post. Since my last one on this thread I have been down your way three times but did not post as I thought you were not interested in catching up. I will keep you informed as I am planning a 2 or 3 day run along the GOR to Portland and back partly inland. Perhaps we can meet for the run down as I pass through Geelong or maybe on the way back. As soon as the weather looks OK for 2 or 3 days over a Friday-Monday period it will happen as I am now semi-retired and have a four day weekend most weeks.     

Paul

[prmas]

Rashy, I was up in FTG on the bike last Friday and again on Tuesday arvo on a bit of personal business. I have a tentative plan to do a run to Pukka to visit the tank museum on Monday and will probably pass through FTG to pick up a mate from our club (ESMRI) on the way. He is not sure yet if he can go. If the weather holds up I will go.
On a different note: Bear and Smeggles seem to have disappeared. I have been down the peninsula way and through Langwarrin where they live twice in the past month or so. I too am looking forward to the better weather but still sneak in a ride when I can.
Keep in touch.

Paul

[Bear]

Hey Paul, sorry for the lack of contact, Smeggles is working on getting his car up, running and reg so he has a vehicle to run the missus around in. She had a major fall in late July, early august and i myself lost my mother in-law around the same time. We will be back as soon as we get some normality to our days again... Sorry we missed you but are still keen to catch up.

[prmas]

Sorry to hear about both of you having family woes. It happens to us all. My wife also had a fall eight years ago and nearly died. She spent ten weeks in hospital but fortunately survived and is now 100% although for a while it looked very grim with two weeks in the ICU and major surgery twice.
On a more pleasant note, I would love to catch up when you are able to get some free time. As I posted earlier I will probably go for a run on Monday. I now have two bikes and want to give the new (second hand) one a run as I have had it two weeks now and have only had a 50km ride around the Yarra Boulevard and through the City/Southbank last Sunday arvo. I won't mention the make as it is not a Suzuki but is a very nice Japanese model.  My wife said it was OK for me to have two mistresses.

Cheers,
Paul

[Hughesy]

Hey guys! This is my first post on this site.
Got my L's and have been studying different bikes for a while. Have decided on the GS500. It looks the complete package. It seems you guys are all happy with your bikes?
I think I am about 2 weeks away from one (hopefully). There seems to be a few goodies around, so there is plenty of choice.
I think a lot of the pleasure of these sorts of things is the friendship you get from doing things with like-minded souls. So I am definitely interested in rides with you fellows once I get up to speed. I'm in Eltham but have a place down the peninsula, so am happy to ride whereve you start. The Eastern Suburbs Club sounds great.
Anyway, nice to meet you all and if you have an buying tips, please let me know.

[rashy68]

Welcome Hughesy

Yes I love my GS500 however I don't have anything to compare it against as this is my first bike. It seems quite easy to ride. I bought mine new from Peter Stevens for $7,500 on the road. Thought that was a pretty good deal. Agree about what makes riding fun as we all have a similar passion about our bikes (and drinking good coffee by the sounds of it).

Good luck with your purchase and hopefully see you soon when we get that ride organised now the weather is picking up.

Cheers

[prmas]

Welcome to the Thread Hughsey. As you may have gathered here, Bear and Smeggles are longtime friends. Those two, Rashy and myself have not yet met up. It would be great to add another to our little (but possibly growing) band. If you like riding at a sensible speed and drinking coffee you should fit in OK I think. We haven't ridden together but all of us profess to be responsible riders. On the open road I usually cruise a bit below the limit unless being pushed by traffic as I can't be bothered fighting the wind all day. I had a good ride today up through Kinglake to Yea and back through Whittlesea. It was a bit windy and the bike did move around quite a bit but traffic was very light once out of the suburbs. Keep in touch and we can meet up for a coffee soon. 

Cheers,
Paul

[rashy68]

Finaly got out on the bike on Sunday. Rode down to Mt Eliza to see the father in law for fathers day. Nice day for it but it was windy on the East Link. Had to be careful. Loved giving it a squirt up Olivers Hill. Done 700k now so barely run in. Was surprised that it still had a fair bit of pickup when I gave it a twist whilst doing 100kmh. Not bad for a learner bike.

[Hughesy]

Ok guys, as you can see from the meet and greet page, I now have my bike! Got it yesterday.
Let me know if any of you are meeting for a ride or coffee. I'm in. Might turn up to that eastern suburbs club too. Which Tuesday of the month is it?
Cheers.

[prmas]

It's good to have you on the road Hughesy (I got the spelling right this time). The next meeting of ESMRI is next Tuesday at 8pm at the FTG bowls club. I should be there around 7.30 to 7.45 although I am not too well at the mo. If I am feeling a little better I will be there. If I (Paul aka Macka: bald top, grey sidies and glasses) am not there ask for Ched (the Pres) and tell him I invited you through this forum. He is a very friendly guy and will make you welcome.
If I feel better I may meet one of my mates from the Club for a short ride and coffee tomorrow arvo. I have to work in the morning but we have already made a tentative arrangement for tomorrow depending on the weather. If you want to you can PM me your mobile or home number and I can let you know directly when and where we will meet. It is most likely to be in FTG but may be down my way in Chadstone. 
Failing that, I am also free on Monday, so it may end up being a Monday ride instead.

Cheers 
Macka

[smeggles]

Welcome Rashy and Hughesy..
                    Sorry i haven't been on for a while but the missus got binned and broke the ball off her left hip and they had to put a bolt up the bone into the ball and then plate it to her leg... so been doing wheelchair duties for a bit.... And timing chain jumped on the falc and bent all the inlet valves and smashed 3 exhaust valves damaging block and head so an upgrade was required all ok now ... next job is carbies off the bike to clean the crap out of them and polish and clean the bike ... still thinking about a name... ?    Smeggles

[prmas]

Funny coincidence Smeggles, my wife has a hip problem at the mo. Not as bad as your situation but it has meant that I have had to help her with rehab too. You seem to have had a bad run lately. Lets hope that things improve from here on. I was planning a big 5 day ride in a couple of weeks but it may be cancelled due to the wife's problem. I would still like to get us all together for an intro coffee somewhere though. Are we all still keen?

Macka