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 The forecast for this day was sunny and 30 degrees which suggested summer riding gear, but setting off first thing in near darkness was a cooling experience. A cup of hot coffee at our meeting place helped to fix that. This was to be a Mornington Peninsula tour so we met and set off from the BP at the Thompsons Road/Mornington Peninsula Highway roundabout, led by Ed, his BSA barking out a classic British twin exhaust note.
I recall we headed in the Tooradin direction before turning back to the west towards Tyabb, all safely negotiating a large blue crate that had been dropped plumb in the middle of the road.
The next but more pleasant surprise was our first stop at the Old Aeroplane Company at Tyabb airfield where we were met and shown around by Rick, whose considerable experience of aircraft engineering and history along with the historic aircraft on show made for a fascinating visit. We saw aircraft restored to flying condition and undergoing restoration, among them a WW2 Mustang (fuel consumption 250L per hour), a 1941 Kittyhawk rescued from the jungle in Vanuatu where it crashed in 1942, a 1937 Tiger Moth, a German WW2 Fieseler Storch, a 1962 De Havilland Vampire ex Rhodesian Airforce, and two Harvard trainer aircraft.
We left the hangar in which these treasures are housed and emerged to the bright sunshine and warmth that the forecast had promised, a quick group photo, then on with the gear and follow Ed into the peninsula heartland of shady tree-lined local roads and gently rolling countryside. We traversed the Red Hill and Main Ridge areas emerging at Balnarring, a pleasant spot for our lunch with a choice of cafes and seating areas.
Rested and fed we rode back into the best motorcycling roads of the peninsula, but should you visit its worth remembering that though they look like country roads there are numerous domestic and winery driveways leading onto them, many concealed. Reg and I encountered a car inexplicably doing a three-point turn in the middle of the road for which we had to come to a complete halt, so a few hazards lurk.
Next stop was Jon Munn’s Classic Style motorcycle business at Seaford near Frankston. Here on the showroom floor it was like being transported back 40 years to a large bike shop of the period. Mostly British bikes were arranged in neat rows in varying condition from fully restored and pristine to those showing the ravages of time and use. Triumph and Norton twins were well represented. A great place to visit. From here we headed home in the sunshine of a hot afternoon, Ed leading some of us back to the beginning of Eastlink.
Thanks again to Ed for organizing and leading a top day, Adrian for lining up the visit to the Old Aeroplane Company, all those who marshaled and Bill for riding tail end.
John Best
Participants
Conor Murphy, Indian Chief, 1946
Dennis Wright, Triumph Bonneville, 1961
Ed Sleightholm, BSA Lightning, 1971
Tony Border, Ducati GT750, 1972
Frank Hutchinson, Yamaha 650, 1981
Tom Myers, BMW R100CS, 1981
Adrian Smith, Kawasaki Z250, 1982
Jack Youdan, Triumph Sprint ST, 2002
Bill Weedon, Honda ST1300, 2003
Reg Hammond, Honda Transalp, 2006
Ian Roddick, guest rider, Yamaha FJR, 2007
John Best, Suzuki Bandit, 2008.
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