Spent a week down south

[bonester]

Yup went down to Newcastle for the last week or so on the mighty GT again.
Saw both motorcycle museums- Tamworth and Nabiac. Tamworth has about 50 or so bikes in IMMACULATE condition including a MHR900 which was my fave. A few Kwaka widowmakers as seen here a few weeks ago too. Nabiac was quite different- 600 bikes this time (!), most of which were unrestored. I was mightily impressed as I entered the museum- I would have take the first three bikes if i could- Katana, RZ500 and (yum) RG500..... Lotsa old bikes restored, but not much else that got me going- was hoping to see some museum pieces the same as what I own, but not one was there.....My GT550 is a whole lot nicer than the GT750 they had. I guess people are going for unrestored over immaculate these days.
While in Newcastle I checked out the RTA motorcycle training ground in Adamstown, which was around the corner from where I used to play as a kid- my grandparents lived within spitting distance of the venue. NSW really has it's shit together, at least in terms of training facilities- about the size of a football oval, fully fenced, and all bitumen with traffic signs and some raised cornering sections. Modern training rooms too. Q-Ride service providers in QLD have to foot the bill for all this- I know I can't afford anything like that...unless I charge $200/hr for lessons or something like that.
I also discovered what could be the best piece of motorcycle heaven I've seen in OZ- the Oxley between Wauhope (sp?) and Walcha- wow what a road- Mt Glorious for 120km.....and the scenery was brilliant! Gotta do that again! Anyone else done it? No police presence- wonder if that was a fluke? (double demerit weekend) Saw a crashed Sportster (didn't need help) so continued on.
Had a bit of a problem with a couple of cattle trucks- took up lotsa road and slow too. Overtook the first one- then he tried to squash me between both trucks......my fault coz I was too close to the one in front- allowing this wanker to do it to me. Truck in front was using up the WHOLE road, across the double lines, and in one corner was COMPLETELY on the wrong side of the road, forcing the oncoming Landcruiser into the guardrail. I was glad to overtake him and show him GT dust with every one of my 56Hp, and 400 or so kg loaded up...

[Gosling1]

...I also discovered what could be the best piece of motorcycle heaven I've seen in OZ- the Oxley between Wauhope (sp?) and Walcha- wow what a road- Mt Glorious for 120km.....and the scenery was brilliant! Gotta do that again! ......

that is one of the top 5 pieces of hotmix in the country Have only done it twice myself, many years ago, would love to try it on the 12...

Love hearing about Newcastle mate, I grew up in Charlestown, my Mum grew up in Adamstown, its a great place........with the best lookin' babes on the entire NSW coast........heh, where do you think 2005 Miss Universe was from eh ??

[bonester]

Yep Gos I love the place- totally biased but the women were
Great beaches. Great people (staff in shops were exceptional- wreckers even gave me some parts!!!!!).... came up to Toowoomba with my parents at age 5- regretted it since- too late to move now- know no-one there anymore- all rellies have since died. Often tempted but there is no money (not even a basic wage) to be earned in NSW in bike instructing- Qld is a different story- if you have Q-Ride that is.

[Gosling1]

thats a bugger.......we moved to Canberra when I was 9, but I still have a few rellies living up there......great beaches I'll say.....lots of hard-core bikers up that way, its in the blood.........my old man and *most* of his brothers all rode bikes, even Pop had a BSA 350 when he was a young bloke.....

Heh did you get to talk to the old bald fellah at Nabiac museum ?? Top fellah......

[bonester]

Nope didn't talk to him, but talked to Bill at Tamworth museum- an ex instructor for Wheel Skills in Tamworth- he put me onto them in Newcastle- great old guy in the Ulysees- and rides a newish BMW.

[krusty]

While in Newcastle I checked out the RTA motorcycle training ground in Adamstown, which was around the corner from where I used to play as a kid- my grandparents lived within spitting distance of the venue. NSW really has it's shit together, at least in terms of training facilities- about the size of a football oval, fully fenced, and all bitumen with traffic signs and some raised cornering sections. Modern training rooms too. Q-Ride service providers in QLD have to foot the bill for all this- I know I can't afford anything like that...unless I charge $200/hr for lessons or something like that.

They are not all pretty, the one at Penrith is just the car park of the Olympic Regratta cantre and a demountable as a class room, when 2 classes are on then the second class is held outside (good for the smokers).

[red_dave]

They are not all pretty, the one at Penrith is just the car park of the Olympic Regratta cantre and a demountable as a class room, when 2 classes are on then the second class is held outside (good for the smokers).

That's cause it PENREF!

I'm surprised there's a class room in the first place... I just thought everyone would do their tests on the front steps of the leagues club.

BTW, I love Penref bashing

[Barrabob]

hey bonester heres a sign and i really rated the oxley as a great thing and would be doing laps of the thing if i had a licence to do so its just a top ride.

Have only done it one way and it rained most of the way but laps in the dry would be good.

[Glen]

While in Newcastle I checked out the RTA motorcycle training ground in Adamstown, which was around the corner from where I used to play as a kid- my grandparents lived within spitting distance of the venue. NSW really has it's shit together, at least in terms of training facilities- about the size of a football oval, fully fenced, and all bitumen with traffic signs and some raised cornering sections. Modern training rooms too.

Don't get too excited mate, it's the only one in NSW that looks like that, other than HART at St Ives. All the others are funded by the training providers and most are demountable huts in car parks with very little security and no facilities other than a portaloo. The scheme in NSW has been screwed by the RTA and a couple of Monopolist training providers.

Adamstown I think is funded by the RTA (no others are) and it's where you go for instructor school.

[Nanna10r]

Top stuff Bonester & Yep we are doing the Oxley buckets n putty (again)on the way to the supers next month. I was going to posta pic of tiggr sitting under a 35 nah bugger it ill post its worth a look ....

[FuTAnT]

Love hearing about Newcastle mate, I grew up in Charlestown, my Mum grew up in Adamstown, its a great place........with the best lookin' babes on the entire NSW coast........heh, where do you think 2005 Miss Universe was from eh ??

I used to live there too ... but I never thought the babes were that good. In any case, if you want a real eye opener, go for a holiday in Perth sometime. A large cloth to wipe away the drool is neccessary.

Oxley is a top piece of road, I've done it numerous times over the past few years after living in the area as a kid. You can't imagine how many years it took before I could actually experience it for myself on a bike. Very very tasty.