Long Flat Rally

[Mick DMember]

Saturday morning I took my son Connor out to Gasit’s track so he could practice the rhythum section he has just built. By 10 am it was getting to hot so we headed home,on the way home there were heaps of bikes in town and it dawned on me that the annual Long Flat rally was on.In my road biking days,the Long Flat Rally was a must do,I haven’t been to one for 20 years , so I thought I might take a run up there for a bit of a look.
I kitted up and headed of via Beechwood and Pipeclay road,which was like riding on 30km of marbles,great fun on the big XR power sliding around the corners!!

Upon my arrival at Long Flat pub it became obvious the rally had changed somewhat and was more directed at our Harley riding friends as the front of the pub was chokers with The big V twins in all shapes and sizes.

Not intimidated by their presence I backed the XR into a free spot amongst the line up of Harleys. I took my helmet off and it became obvious there were many sets of eyes following my every move. Unduanted,I made my way to the front door of the pub,on a mission to grab a schooner,politely acknowleding a glance from a 7 foot dude with dredlocks and a ring in his nose.

I grabbed my schooner and headed out side again,only to see a gaggle of vest wearing tattood dudes milling around my trusty Japanese stead. Now rather concerned that they were about to drag it out onto the Oxley Highway and burn it,I wandered over to do my best to protect it,my only weapons being a schooner glass and my charm.

As I got close to the group a big Lebanese dude,says to me “Mate that XR650 is fully sik and if I was gunna get a dirtbike that would be the one for me”. Much to my releif the others that were standing around started to agree with him.

Then my concerns started to escalate again when the said Lebenese dude says ” Mate give me a go on it and I will pull some fully sik wheelies” I politly declined his request only to have him offer for me to take his Harley for a spin.”No thanks I said” Dressed in full motocross gear riding a pimped Harley,in front of that group would have invited a public stoning I think.

Anyhow,I managed to keep my bike and enjoy a schooner with the Harley crew.They bade me farewell and I headed back to Wauchope via the Oxley Highway. On the way back I caught up to a group of 6 dudes with ape hangers happening,so one more go at tempting fate,I over took them all in one foul swoop and peddled like buggery to stay ahead of them. My advantage,even thoug I was on a retread with only 8lb in it was that I knew the road,so I left them for dead.

A rather entertaining morning out,for an unplanned ride. :woohoo:

[Jason GreenMember]

I had a similar experience about a month ago,I went for a ride on my trusty xr out to Wallacia and ended up ridding with about 200 bikers doing a chairity run for breast cancer these guys were ok they stopped traffic and it was a different experience for me.I think they cop a bad wrap ever since the Millperra biker battle and then just recently the airport fight they are not all bad blokes I know they are involved in drugs and guns but its not all of them its just media hype

[DeanMember]

Funny you mention that long flat run Mick, on the way back to Krams place we came across two foriegn Lads from Switzerland one was on a Honda V twin transalp and had been doing a world tour. He had already clocked up over 260,000 untroubled KM’s. ol mate had also won the “rat” trophy from the rally.I was spewing because my camera had a flat battery and so we didnt get any Pics. Nice enough lads and he sure knew a lot about bikes. He was rapped that we stopped and gave him some local knowledge for some camping spots.

Ollie

[Bruce CurtisMember]

Hey Mick used to do Long flat myself amongst others, you’re right about the cremonial burning of Jappas, used to be a tradition at many rallies, until I think some of the jappas started becoming classics themselves.

The olde timey 1%ers like the viet vets and so forth had a good code of honour, it was primarily about the ride and the road. Now I find some of the younger ones aren’t really into bikes or any particular code, it’s just cashing in on a fearsome Rep to peddle their brand of intimidation.

Have ridden with a few that my uncles and ex brother in law were part of, most of the blokes can take a bit of ribbing about leaking noisy harleys and old brit bikes, just mostly live a different life by choice.
Once had a full on no-holds barred dirty riding race with several of the Jokers ( on speed triples and late model Trumphets), next fuel stop they pulled in behind us to have a gander at the three big jappas that annilated their fastest bikes and riders, I think I got a triumph stuck in my ram-air tube that day too…. :ohmy:

all respect all the way for and from them.

bruce

[GregMember]

Ollie wrote:

Quote:

Funny you mention that long flat run Mick, on the way back to Krams place we came across two foriegn Lads from Switzerland one was on a Honda V twin transalp and had been doing a world tour. He had already clocked up over 260,000 untroubled KM’ss. ol mate had also won the “rat” trophy from the rally.
Ollie

Funny you mention that as well Ollie cause I saw a transalp on the weekend that someone had just purchased thats done 110,000kms + and it looks original to me. The bolt heads and joints all look original You hear a lot of Honda stories of big miles like that
I figure Rats 1.2milion kms riding would have been mostly Jap as well eh Rat :laugh: And in your sleep

TB

[Anonymous]

Me and Matt went for a ride at Ourimbah one day and as we used to back then we rode out from the coast as neither of us had a trailer. As we got the roundabout by the servo a heap of Harleys had come down the off ramp from the F3 and a couple of dudes had parked straight across the road to stop us from entering the roundabout.

Annoyed that they have the gaul to do that I sat there and watched what I later found out to be 400 bikes riding up the road the same way we were headed to get into the bush. Once the knuckle heads moved out of my way I sat right behind them getting even more annoyed they were doing 30Km/h.

With a rush of blood to the head I jumped onto the grass verge and started to overtake them all leaving Matt in my dust. As I got the next roundabout a couple more guys had stopped and were clearly upset that I was riding past their group. As I was on the other side of the river of bikers to these dudes I just kept going under the bridge and hammered up the next part of the road.

It was only when I rode past the cemetery that I realized they were attending the funeral of one of their top guys! :laugh: No wonder they were cranky

Me and Matt still laugh about it today :laugh:

[mikeMember]

hey mick a good read there mate. i remember a few years ago goin out past the pub with the inlaws for a bbq when the long flat run was on and comin across oldmate on the new v model harley down in a gully with a shit load of bark off him and his mates doing a bit of traffic control before the ambos and cops arrive. On the way back we stopped in at the pub for a look and even judged some bikes. that best harley, the best paint job and stuff. the bike that crashed was there aswell and it was pretty bent. the bloke that came off was in port mac hospital but his mates reckoned he was gunna be alright. all in all it was a pretty interesting day and i found all the crew out there pretty friendly. that old sayin still applies alot in that “ya jugde a book by it’s cover” . well mostly anyway.

[Old MateMember]

G’day. You must have left before I got there. Didnt see any XRs. I rode out on my modified 74 Suzuki Waterbottle. It too had a crowd around it with not many knowing what it was. I bumped into Matts- one of the Swiss blokes. He is actually a bike mechanic by trade and told him Rod at Mud n Tar could do with some help.
Had a great time rounding up the Harleys on the way out and back. 750cc of ported, expansion chambered two stroke triple will do that!
Old Mate.

[DeanMember]

Good onya Old mate The swiss boys sure were passionate about their bikes. 750cc of ring a Ding Ding :woohoo: I think I cracked a woody :blush: Small world eh

Ollie

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