28 May - Honda Shadow VT400 For Sale

So, the time has come to pass my VT400 cruiser on to someone else who wants a stylish and well equipped cruiser suitable for a beginner or returning rider.

I bought this bike new in 2010 the day I obtained my learners permit. Click here to read blog on the day of purchase.

It has been my constant companion on numerous short and long rides including a trip around Tasmania. Blog of Tasmania trip here. The bike is in excellent condition, has always been garaged and has been dealer serviced throughout. The most recent service, a few weeks ago was the 36,000 km service. The Honda is registered until next February and the tyres have at least 10,000 km to go before they need replacing. This bike has been ultra reliable and features Electronic Fuel Injection and Shaft Drive.

The bike is fitted with the following optional extras:

- Oxford grip heaters
- Eagle windscreen
- Air horn
- Quick release pannier bags
- Sissy Bar and Luggage Rack
- 12 V Auxiliary power socket.

I am asking $5,000 which includes a Road Worthy Certificate (RWC).

You can find a review of the VT400 here!

For further information please email me or leave questions in the comments section.

27 May - Too wet to ride

Our run of exceptionally fine weather has come to an end with today shaping up to be a dark and damp day. Just as I was thinking that any motorcycle activity was out of the question, the front door bell rang - the postman delivering a set of footboards I had ordered on eBay just a few days ago.

So,  out with the tools and into the garage to figure out how to fit the boards. Getting the pegs out was as simple as removing a split pin and a locking pin and out they came. The front boards fitted with only a little persuasion from the hammer, but getting them adjusted to achieve the most comfortable position and still operate brake and gear levers took a bit of time.

The rear (pillion) pegs were a bit more trouble. The actual stem on the board was slightly too long which meant the mounting holes wouldn't line up. The obvious solution was to grind them down a bit but I was concerned that that would remove the chrome plating and reveal the underlying steel. Still there was no alternative and a fairly tedious grinding session began. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the pegs were not chrome plated but where in fact stainless steel all the way through. Anyway, although the boards weren't exactly 'plug and play' a couple of hours of head scratching and effort and all was well. Took the bike for a run and everything was fine.

As my bike is the 2006 model it did not have any kind of clock, unlike the VT400 and my BMW. Once again eBay came to the rescue with a rather smart handlebar mounted clock which also arrived a few days ago. Fitting that only took a minute or so and I am rather pleased with it.

25 May - Ulysses Club Ride to Metung

Today was the last Sunday of the month which means our local branch of the Ulysses Club monthly ride was on. Early start today - 9 am at the Green Olive Restaurant in Traralgon for a ride to Metung. Metung is a beautiful little village located right in the middle of the Gippsland Lakes. Now, you can ride there along the highway in just under two hours but of course that is not the point of Ulysses rides which avoid major roads as much as possible. And so we meandered through the Gippsland countryside for our first stop which was coffee at a bakery in Sale. Then on to the back roads from Sale to Bairnsdale via Meerlieu and Bengworden. After a brief interval on the Princes Highway we once again headed for the wilder side via Bruthen and Swan Reach. Lots of dining options in Metung, some (including me) opted for the bakery others chose the very good Metung hotel located right on the water's edge.

After kicking back for an hour or so it was time to head in the direction of home but once again our ride leader showed us many roads I didn't even know existed. We travelled through Lindenow, Briagalong with another afternoon coffee stop in Stratford. From there another hour to get home after a great day out. I particularly enjoyed meeting a number of new members and catching up with others I hadn't seen for a while.

Total Distance 385 km.

21 May - South Gippsland

Our glorious autumn weather continues and is currently setting 'all time' weather records for this time of the year. Knowing that some awful weather is just around the corner provided enough motivation to fire up the VT750 and head to South Gippsland over the Strzeleckis. First stop was Yarram to stock up the freezer with some goodies from the Yarram Bakery, and a fuel stop for the bike.

Then, west along the South Gippsland Highway, past the wind generators at Toora and then on to Meeniyan before turning back into the hills and towards home via Boolarra and Morwell.

One sign of the unusually warm weather is that the bike is now totally covered in dead bugs and it looks like I'll have quite a cleaning job to do tomorrow. Can't believe we're only a week or so from the start of winter and I was actually a bit too warm in the thermals.

Total Distance 220km

18 May - Ride with SRA members

Joined a small group of Shadow Riders (SRA http://www.shadowbikers.net/index.html) today. The four guys were all coming from Melbourne  and we arranged to meet in Warragul. From here we took the Warragul to Korumburra Road, and then continued on to Wonthaggi and San Remo. Lunch (fish and chips) was in San Remo in the shadow of the famous San Remo bridge.

The long run of fine weather continued and it was very pleasant on the coast but eventually is was time to say goodbye to the guys who were heading back to Melbourne while I turned east to go back to Traralgon.
In Leongatha I was confronted with flashing level crossing lights on a railway which I thought was out of service. It seems that a group of enthusiast operate a train between Korumburra and Leongatha on Sundays. The train is called the South Gippsland Railway.

An interesting web site can be found here http://www.sgr.org.au

An unexpected but very pleasant day out on the Shadow.

Total Distance 307 km.

14 May - Warburton, Marysville and Healesville - Checking out the Viking Bag

Here in the SE corner of Australia we are experiencing a long run of calm, sunny days and today was no exception. As I indicated a few blogs ago the folks at www.vikingbags.com had asked me to check out and review one of their bags, and today was a great opportunity to check out the bag under real riding conditions. I chose the route through Neerim, Powelltown, Warburton and the Reefton Spur to Marysville. Riders familiar with this part of the country will know that it is a beautiful ride through the countryside and interesting towns, through pristine eucalyptus forests and over a mountain range. I really wanted to check that the bag would be stable on the bike and stay in place.

The bag I selected is a large sissybar bag for the VT750 Cruiser. (BR-LEATHER-S)

This bag which measures 43 x 56 x 30 cm is large enough to accommodate an extended trip on the bike.  The info page including videos of fitting options is here: http://www.vikingbags.com/leather-black-backrest-studded-motorcycle-sissy-bar-bag.htm
I will group my comments on this product as follows:

Mounting:

This bag is designed to mount either in front of the sissy bar or on the luggage rack behind it if there is one. With special attachments (included with the bag) it can even be fitted directly to the pillion seat if there is no sissybar. The bag features a unique rod system for ensuring the cuff over the sissy bar is a snug fit. As well as a range of straps to accommodate almost any fitting method the bag also includes straps to convert it to a backpack.

Build Quality:

This product is extremely well constructed. Internal supports ensure the bag retains its shape and structure when empty. All zips and buckles are of high quality and should last for a long time and many a long motorcycle adventure. The bag is constructed of an extremely tough, synthetic leather material which should be very weather resistant and easy to keep clean. Additionally, a rain cover which extends over the whole bag is also provided.

Usefulness: 

This bag holds far more than any other product I've ever used. Between it and my Honda panniers I would be able to travel indefinitely. The side and top pockets would be useful for storing items such as phones, iPads and even laptops and all the charging equipment. Most parts of the bag are lockable using the small luggage locks available for suitcases. Generally speaking though I think the rain cover, which is fitted in seconds would discourage the curious or the larcenous.

Value for Money:

At US$139 this bag represents very good value for money. For Australian riders, even with postage, this product represents twice the value of anything I've come across.

Because my parcel rack is reasonably small, I mounted the bag in front of the sissybar - where the pillion would sit. For me that is not an issue as I don't ever ride two up.

Mounting it on my bike, with the straps provide took a couple of minutes and once attached the bag was rock steady. After I had ridden for a couple of hours I stopped to check everything at this interesting shop at Millgrove.

Nothing had moved and all the straps were still nice and tight. From here I pushed on through Warburton and into the Reefton Spur. This mountainous, windy road through magnificent eucalyptus forests proved to be a good test - the bag came through with flying colors. After lunch at the bakery in Marysville, I fitted the rain cover (despite it being a beautiful sunny day) to make sure it fitted OK and would stay in place.

Reached home after 400km of some of the best motorcycling roads on offer which provided not only a great day out but also gave me the confidence that the Viking Bag can easily cope with the sort of travel I do. It's a great product and I can't wait to organise a longer trip in the near future.

Viking offer a huge range of bags to fit just about anywhere on any bike and anyone interested in checking out this or similar products should visit www.vikingbags.com

Total Distance 400 km.

12 May - Paynesville

Brilliant day for riding today and decided to visit our friends John and Sandra in Paynesville. Paynesville is a resort town in East Gippsland. It has a population of around 3,000. It is located 290 km east of Melbourne and due to its location on the Gippsland lakes it is a major centre for recreational boating.

The Gippsland Lakes are a network of lakes, marshes and lagoons, fed by a number of rivers and connected to the ocean at Lakes Entrance. Collectively the Gippsland Lakes cover an area of 350 sq. km.

Today, a typical still, sunny autumn day resulted in beautiful calm waters and the view from John and Sandra's was fantastic. By mid afternoon, and after a very enjoyable lunch, it was time to go home. It was still mild and sunny so another enjoyable ride home.

Total Distance 280 km.