Saturday, October 28, 2006

Get Noticed?

One of my other passions, when not taking people for a Harley Ride is in the area of Motorcycle Safety and related issues. This video came to my attention yesterday and I encourage everyone to have a look at it. You can view it at:

www.pleaselooktwice.com

Its always a pleasure to share ones's love of motorcycles with others - especially when they are in the planning stages decidinh how to get started and which bike they should get. I had just that experience yesterday. A woman booked a 3 hour Dandenong Ranges Tour for her husbands birthday and it just so happens that, after a 20 year break, he is planning to go out and purchase a H-D as soon as he can.

Its surprising just how much you can talk to each other during a Harley Ride. I was able to give him lots of hints and tips. The important thing is to get them focussed. That is why their freinds book a Harley Ride . Got a wife who won't ket you get one? Give them just one hour with me and they will come back "demanding that you get one." Trust me, I have seen it happen all too often.

The other factor that I always stress is motorcycle safety. Its not the motorcycle which is dangerous - its what's between the ears of the person riding the motorcycle which is really dangerous. Fortunately, there is a lot of good information about for "learners" and "return to riding motorcyclists".

The best source of information can be found at www.spokes.com.au . I was involved in some of the content of this site. Have a look at the Riders Hints and Tips - I have two articles published.

Tuesday, October 24, 2006

What a Week!

Thank god its Monday! As the weather starts to warm here in Melbourne, the workload soon heats up and demand for Harley Rides begins in earnest.
This past week has certainly proven that year in year out the story remains the same.
Just to give you some idea of what we get up to, I'll detail several of the rides underatken over the last week:

On Thursday, we took two girls for a half day ride up into the Yarra Valley. It was for a 25th Birthday surprise gift, which certainly made its impact. First we rode from Cheltenham out to Emerald and then on to Healesville where we stopped for a coffe break. Needless to say the girls certainly had a big smile on their faces when we stopped. My passenger kept saying, "How cool is this!". Yes, we get paid to make people happy.

On Friday, it was off down the Great Ocean Road to Apollo Bay. This stretch of road never gets boring and is always spectacular. The weather was magnificent and there wasn't much traffic on the road, so we didn't get held up. But, we also didn't break any speed limits, this is a treacherous piece of winding road which I treat with considerable respect. But, I do love it...

The weekend saw me working with my sidecar at the Stringybark Festival. October is "Festival Season" in Melbourne. Here I was taking people - 3 at a time - kids and their parents mainly - for short rides. It was round and round the same circuit for two long days. On Saturday I did 40 laps and on Sunday I did over 55 laps. Needless to say there were many photos taken and many smiles all round. On Sunday night I went to bed very early - pushing a sidecar around all weekend is exhausting...

On Monday morning I took my bike in for a service. The service interval is 8000 km and I like to make sure that my bike is kept in perfect condition - I can't afford to have it break down - so I look after it. After all it is my "tool of trade". The bike goes in for a service about every 6 weeks and I cover around 60,000 kms each year. I'll be replacing this one with a new one at the end of next year!

While the bike was being serviced, I received a call from a girl who wanted to give a friend a surprise ride. She decided that she need to do it that afternoon. She even came in and paid me at the dealership where my bike was being serviced and off I went to end the day by making another woman happy..... Its a hard life!

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

People Who come for Harley Rides with us

Here is a link to a Photo Gallery of people we have taken for a Harley Ride.