Andy's writin' at ya again...
| | | | | | | No Way Vember
| | Hi achternaam, Yeah alright, fair cop, I did miss October's newsletter. I talked to the bloke in charge and he's let me off... This time. Actually, I think I'm in the 'nuer 'cause this one's late too.
In my defence... I've been busy as a cat burying crap on a hot bitumen road and hardly had time to scratch the landing gear in the last six weeks or so. The GP Shop thing came and went in a blur. The van had another trip on the back of a truck, it lunched a water pump on day one of shop set up, Tontine brought the "Cold from Hell" to said shop and I managed to tweak my back with the second last box load of gear on pack up. Sheeesh! During the course of that week the garden shed got totalled by a tree branch. Amazingly not a single thing was damaged other than a slight crack in the belt-guard of the cement mixer. I'm not sure why "she that must be adored" won't let me spend the insurance money on a bike.
On the good luck side, there have been a few products to test. So the wheels on the bikes have spent a few days going 'round and 'round. Gippsland never ceases to amaze me. We took a couple of nights not 150km from the Mudbourne CBD but ensconsed in the middle of nowhere. Well that was until about 2am when the road next to the campground turned into a Log Truck Freeway! Chuck Me Farley, every twenty minutes a roar of exhaust brakes and rumble of wheels made for a very long night. The next night was spent in a motel at Cann River on route to The Horizons Unlimited meeting, same bloody result! Rain Gear Change over time Technology never sleeps and this is true of modern fabrics. The days of stiff vinyl, yellow sauna, wet weather gear are gone. Unless you trash a set or leave 'em at home and need to pop into the hardware store for cheapies to get home of course.
Held's new generation "Rainblock" wet weather gear is pretty impressive stuff. The multi-layer fabric is thin but tough, breathable with some stretch built in.
| | We need to quit the last of the Rano and Tempest gear to make way for the new Rainblock pants and tops. It's going out at close to cost. Follow the link to see if we've got something to fit you. Be quick there are only a few items on offer. The new range will be making its way onto the shelves before Chrissy depending on availability. The small amount of stretch in the new Rainblock 2.5 layer fabric allows a snugger fit. I really like the way it feels on, in fact getting them on is easier due to that bit of stretch. I'd never have thought it, but there ya go. |
| Due to closer fitting there's less flapping. I've found pretty true sizing. I'm in an XL jacket and use an XL Rainblock over jacket. Test one It's time for work and its been raining all night. Thinks I, "magic, a great chance to text the Rainblock". By the time I got to the end of the driveway the rain stops. Test two On the trip below we left Noojee under cloudy skies but not a lot of rain threat, I thought. Three klicks up the road we smashed into a wall of water, not just rain. It's a narrow road so safe stopping places are rare. By the time I got the gear on I was already wet. When I took the jacket off at home (yes, it stopped raining some 10 kays from where I finally got the gear on) there was still quite a bit of water inside the dry overjacket. Sheesh!
To be fair, had I not had it on I would have been saturated. Sizes Small to 5XL.
Click here for more info. I'll build up stock in the next few weeks as it becomes available from Held HQ. | |
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| | | Extra Opening and Silly Season Times We'll be trying to find the balance between service and a few days off over the Chrissy and New Year holidays. For those of yers in Melbourne around that period, we'll have extra openings on a Thursday evening before Christmas and a Saturday morning. Normal hours will be in force in the lead up of course.
The coffee machine will be pressed into service and a few nibbles will be laying around. The Phone and Showroom will be errr... Personed December 13th Thursday - 9am 'til 9pm December 22nd Saturday -10am 'til 1pm December 24th Christmas Eve -10am 'til 1pm December 28th Friday -10am 'til 1pm December 31st Monday -10am 'til 1pm January 2nd Back to normal hours
January 5th Saturday 10am - 1pm, First Saturday of the month will continue in 2019
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| Long See No Time My supplier assures me that we'll see the fabulous Honiton 111 piece tool kit by mid-December These get a rave review from everyone who's ever had the pleasure of fettling with a set. It is still my go-to kit after 10 years. By some miracle I've only managed to lose one socket in that time. Flick us an email to secure one for Santa to deliver or order on the web page. They weigh 8kg so postage can be a bit sharp to far flung places but, I guess you're used to that if you live there. | |
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* | Him a Layin' Down I had my first proper ride on an Enfield Himalayan the other day. Dr Z and I set off with a mate on a "stolen" overnighter into the wilds of Gippsland. We were only an hour from the daily grind but felt like we were in the middle of nowhere. The bike was full of surprises, suspension was far better than I'd ever thought it might be, the engine though high-geared, pulled strongly for its 411cc. Not that it has the Docs punch, but not bad. Ergonomics work well and the seat is pretty comfy. Unfairly comparing the two my ride mate felt like the DRZ was looking after her where as she was looking after the Himalayan. The rear brake was a concern. It was so sensitive it was dangerous. A light touch saw the back trying to over take the front wheel. I considered allowing some air into the system to "soften" the feel of the pedal.
At last weekend's Motorcycle Expo the new Interceptor 650 twin was given a bit of curry (leave me alone) around the track. It sounded like a Brit twin of old, rasping and cackling it's way from turn to turn. I wonder if RE will use that engine in the next generation? I hope so. I've got me reservations about their slogan however... 'Made Like a Gun'. Give an Aussie that to play with and it won't end well. "It goes bang?" comes to mind without stretching both neurons too far.
| | | Moto Expo Future
This year's Melbourne Motorcycle Expo is all over bar the shouting as they say. Firstly let me apologise for not being there for you. I really couldn't justfy three or four months rent for three days in a carpeted box. Site fees are only one small part of the equation as you might imagine. My mates are extremely generous and give their time to help but they deserve a good bed, a solid feed and a few drinks. Accommodating staff, feeding and 'watering' them adds up too. Geez, even coffees at $5.50 a time makes a dent. The space looked pretty sparse this year. Not only didn't Andy Strapz turn up to play, Honda, Suzuki and Ducati left their toys at home. From a punter's point of view, was $15 parking and $35 to get in (let's face it – to get flogged stuff) a concern? I know jack about the costs involved in putting on such an event, the venue mustn't come cheap and there would be a brain snapping amount of compliance and nanny state costs. Buggered if I know, but the crystal ball looks pretty foggy from where I sit. | | That's about all I have to write at ya for now. Copyalater | | | | | | | | | Read More | | |
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