This is the 7th year of the Moto Giro, Australia. It started because, obviously, it’s not so easy for Australians to travel to Italy to take part in the actual Moto Giro and so some members of the Ducati club of Queensland started their own Moto Giro. For scooters? Apparently, Ian Brill was doing some work for one of the organisers of this event… and put it out there.
Bill Guthrie and myself jumped on the opportunity to join in, and we got asked the normal questions by big wheelers. “How fast can you go? What’s the furthest you’ve ridden in a day? What’s your experience?”. Needless to say we both surprised the organisers as they assumed we rode mopeds…. and so we were welcomed in to the 2015 Moto Giro.
Bill Guthrie and myself jumped on the opportunity to join in, and we got asked the normal questions by big wheelers. “How fast can you go? What’s the furthest you’ve ridden in a day? What’s your experience?”. Needless to say we both surprised the organisers as they assumed we rode mopeds…. and so we were welcomed in to the 2015 Moto Giro.
Bill drove up from the ACT to collect me on Saturday…. or tried to. He got within a few km’s of mine, and lost a hose on his Van. Fortunately, he was near SS Scooter Engineering, parked up there, and Sandy helped Bill to organise getting it repaired on the Monday morning. That was going affect our plans a bit, as original idea was to drive up in one go, sharing the driving, and then have the Tuesday to make sure our machines were all good. Now we left about 1pm on the Monday and drove to Coffs, which was closed, and the next day drove up to the first location, Boonah, for the Giro, getting there about 2pm on the Tuesday afternoon.
Initially, we were the first ones there, but then bikes started to come in on their trailers. Mostly Ducati’s, but some Motorini’s and also Harley Davidson’s. I was surprised with the HD’s, but learnt that HD had bought an Italian company called Aermacchi (pronounced Air-ma-key). Indeed, I’d say that the whole event was an education for me in Italian motor cycles, and especially what were referred to as the “Paralysed Twins”, which were a parallel twin developed by Ducati in the early 70’s and much derided… even by their owners!
The scooters, and especially Bills C Racer, got quite bit of interest and, as usual, some gentle ribbing from the Big Wheelers. However, I’d say the camaraderie was amazing and we were made to feel most welcome.
The concept of the Moto Giro is a central point where every ride starts and finishes. The Moto Giro Australia is slightly different in that the first 2, optional, days are centered on Boonah and the last 3 days are centered on Woodford. The organisation was superbly done, with marshals at every turn and a sweep vehicle to collect any breakdowns during the day. It soon became apparent that the breakdown vehicle was absolutely necessary with a Motomorini 3½ not even starting on the first day…. it later turned out that his mixture screw was all the way in on one of his carbs.
As we pulled out on Day 1, it seemed a little funny with all of these bikes that were 250 and upwards… and Bill on his Model C 125 Racer, and me on my S3 LI150, with Mugello 186 and Misano casing, joining in. The route was to be Queen Mary Falls, Killarney, Urbenville, lunch at Woodenbong, Rathdowney and back to Boonah. I found I could keep up with the bikes going up mountains, but was a little slower on the flat, and definitely slower going down mountains as they could use Engine brake and their brakes were the size of my wheels! Still, at the first stop, I was not the last in. Bill certainly was as there was one hill that was so steep, he couldn’t even pull away on it and had to use his feet to get going again. At one point we all stopped outside a pub at Urbenville which was definitely a biker pub. They must have thought all their christmases had come at once….. but we just regathered outside, and rode on. You could see the disappointment on their faces. Later, when we pulled into Rathdowney, I heard “Siobhan?” It was a guy who used to be my next door neighbour and had ridden from Sydney to London on an original Royal Enfield (With only 90 breakdowns), and here he was on the way back to Sydney and had happened to stop in for a beer!
It was a struggle, but Bill and I survived the day and Bill was clocked at 95kph going down a hill, and 85kph on the flat. This, by the way, was on some of the worst paved roads I have ever ridden in my life, but the scenery was fantastic!
It was a struggle, but Bill and I survived the day and Bill was clocked at 95kph going down a hill, and 85kph on the flat. This, by the way, was on some of the worst paved roads I have ever ridden in my life, but the scenery was fantastic!
Day 2 was another ride out from Boonah, but was a shorter one as we all had to move to Woodford. Ian Brill joined us for the day on his GS, which was pissing out oil as he’d lost his gearbox oil plug…. resolved by purchasing a bolt from the local hardware store. This was not a good day for Bill either. He was bump starting the C Racer, and the front wheel went into a pot hole, and ended up flipping his scoot and him. Bill was hurt, but not seriously. Unfortunately, the scoot didn’t fair so well, and the handlebars were now twisted and also the telefax cable wasn’t operating so he couldn’t change gear. Bill was out for the day. The day wasn’t without mishap for me either as I, somehow, lost my petrol cap. Fortunately Ian Brill had some spare ones at home, so Bill and I drove to Woodford via Ian’s house and I was sorted. It was funny showing up at Woodford, as more people had now joined in, and you could hear the lull in conversation as Bill and I arrived with the Lambrettas. You could just imagine the new people thinking “What the hell?”
Day 3 started at Woodford then on to Mt Mee, Clear mountain to Samford to fuel up, Mnt Nebo, Mnt Glorious around the Dam to Fernvale for lunch. Finally Back to Woodford. Getting a decent breakfast was a struggle as Woodford is not much of a town. I went off with the group, and Bill went to an old friends place to resolve the issues with the C racer. The ride that day was around the Glass House Mountains, and was simply stunning. There was also a motorcycle journalist, Motorbike Writer, covering the event, which was posted up on the web a few days later. Again the views were stunning, especially at Fernvale and by this time, I was in with a group of riders who were basically pottering along, and I was screwing the arse off my poor machine succeeding in keeping up with them. I was clocked by one Ducati at 110kph that day, whilst going up an incline, and I had her up to 120kph on the flat. This was a tough day though, as the breakdown vehicle was so busy that they had to return to centre and go back out to pick up more machines. One of the Motomorini’s had also come off. Whilst damaging the bike slightly, they had hurt themselves quite a bit and so they were out for the duration.
Day 3 started at Woodford then on to Mt Mee, Clear mountain to Samford to fuel up, Mnt Nebo, Mnt Glorious around the Dam to Fernvale for lunch. Finally Back to Woodford. Getting a decent breakfast was a struggle as Woodford is not much of a town. I went off with the group, and Bill went to an old friends place to resolve the issues with the C racer. The ride that day was around the Glass House Mountains, and was simply stunning. There was also a motorcycle journalist, Motorbike Writer, covering the event, which was posted up on the web a few days later. Again the views were stunning, especially at Fernvale and by this time, I was in with a group of riders who were basically pottering along, and I was screwing the arse off my poor machine succeeding in keeping up with them. I was clocked by one Ducati at 110kph that day, whilst going up an incline, and I had her up to 120kph on the flat. This was a tough day though, as the breakdown vehicle was so busy that they had to return to centre and go back out to pick up more machines. One of the Motomorini’s had also come off. Whilst damaging the bike slightly, they had hurt themselves quite a bit and so they were out for the duration.
Day 4, Bill was back. It had taken him all day on Day 3, but he was going again! This day was to be from Woodford over Mt Mee down Bells Pocket road to re group D’Agular. This was not good for me, as the road was abysmal and, going around a very sharp right corner, I hit a pot hole. This meant I had to straighten up and so ran out of road, and went into the grass verge…. and then it was all over. Fortunately, being in the group they other guys stopped and helped me up. It was a low speed accident, but I smashed a side mirror and my fly screen, and also slightly twisted my handlebars. Still, up I got and then on to the Glass House Mountains look out for a photo shoot. There was a 5 minute rule in terms of repairs (If you can’t fix in 5 mins, it goes in the support vehicle), so I took the opportunity to open up my headset and straighten the headset…. and still had time for the photo shoot. Then it was off to Baroon pocket dam via many twisted roads for lunch at Maleny where a few of the machines got more repairs and some got back on the road. After lunch we headed back via Stanley River Road, Belthorpe range and back to Woodford. Unfortunately, the knuckle joint on Bill’s C gave out, and so he was now out of the event permanently.
Day 5 was,a gain, quite short, so there was time for presentations and for people to leave and go home. Stopping first at Mary Cairn cross park then to Kenilworth for ice cream then to Lunch. Finally meeting up with the Ducati Club of Queensland. Fortunately, the day was event free with no breakdowns or off’s and just a lovely ride.
Day 5 was,a gain, quite short, so there was time for presentations and for people to leave and go home. Stopping first at Mary Cairn cross park then to Kenilworth for ice cream then to Lunch. Finally meeting up with the Ducati Club of Queensland. Fortunately, the day was event free with no breakdowns or off’s and just a lovely ride.
Finally back, and for the award presentations. Bill won the vintage class mainly, we believe, because his was the only vintage that was there for more than 1 day. On the last day, a 1951 Goto Guzzi had shown up. It was finally time for us to say our good bye’s. I think we had shown well. We had certainly surprised a few people, especially my machine and a number of times we were asked if we were going back in 2016. I do hope we get invited again. Bill certainly will not use his shafts though, as they really are too slow for the event. You really need a minimum of a 200 to do the event, or a kitted small block. Even then, I’d recommend a kitted 200 to give you that little extra power.