HU Queensland 2015 Meeting - new date 24-27 Sep
 

HU Queensland is on again at the Beaudesert Showgrounds, note the earlier dates:

Program for 2015 will return as follows:

- Onsite on Thursday 12 noon 24 September 2014
- Open Registration from 4pm Thursday
- Last Presentation is on Saturday night 26 September 2014
- Packup and farewells on Sunday morning

We have a bunch of new ideas for presentations including field and workshop repairs as well as inspiring travellers. Come and join us and take in the event or get really involved as a volunteer; its even more fun.

Online registration is open now! Super Early Bird Rates until Jan 31, 2015!

Volunteers sought - we can't do it without you.
 

Hello!


To kick start the preparation for this year’s meeting, we’re having our first organising team get together. We’ll be:
· - Reviewing the feedback from last year
· - Discussing what can be changed / added / deleted
· -Setting the ‘how to’ session part of the program
· -Suggesting possible presenters across a range of topics
· -Looking at some of the key team leader roles and timeframes
· -Brainstorming some promotional ideas
Your thoughts and opinions are vital for a successful 2015 event! We’d love to see you there.


Meeting details:
·

Date: Saturday 31st January

· Place: Esk Grand Hotel, 121 Ipswich Street, Esk
· Time: 12noon
· Helen’s contact number: 0468 355 881
· If you think you can make it could you let me know via email helen@thechangeteam.com.au


Want to go on a pre-meeting ride out?


For those of you who want to explore the area before we sit down for a meeting over lunch, be at the Esk Grand Hotel at 9am - we’ll travel up the range on ½ tarmac - ½ easy gravel. It won’t be fast (I’ll be on it!) but it will be scenic. Let me know if you want to come or check the SE Qld Horizons Face Book page for updates closer to the day.


As Karen reminded me – don’t forget to vote before you come!
Google Map for Venue: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Esk+Grand+Hotel/@-27.23886,152.421285,17z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x6b94206dfe8db493:0xb41a4df8f50c6 0fa?hl=en

Cheers

Publicity for HU Queensland 2015
 

Hi everyone,

Helen called together the troops and we had an excellent roll-up for the first organizers' meeting for 2015. Helen went through the feedback from 2014 and there were some real gems. One things that we can work on is publicity and so here are my questions for you:

Are you a member of different groups outside of HU that are interested in adventure travel? This includes other motorcycle adventure travel groups, pushbike and 4WD travel for example. If it has wheels and travel, it is welcome.

Would you be interested in spreading the word? Whether in person, print media or social media including forums, facebook, twitter etc?

If this is something you would like to help with, please let me know ( shane@horizonsunlimited.com ). A solid coordinated effort with publicity will really help spread the word.

Some people are only on the HUBB, some on email and some on facebook and so I will need to use all three. My apologies in advance for those of you who get bombarded via multiple methods of communication. Most of all, thanks to everyone for ongoing help and support.

Elektrickery Workshop
 

Thought I may make a mention of what I am planning to include in the Electrical (not electronics) basics workshop:


1. Basic tools include crimps and different crimp jaws, soldering irons, wire strippers, multi-meters. Did you know that there are different jaws for different connectors or insulation/no insulation options? Neither did I until six months ago!


2. Selecting wires.


3. Soldering basics.


4. Insulaton, including heat shrink.


5. How to avoid setting you bike on fire. Perhaps even a practical demonstration, still thinking about that one.


6. Other stuff that I haven't thought of yet. Feel free to add your 5c worth and I'll see if I can include it.

The new venue "The Outlook" at Boonah"
 

All this rain has made me think about the facilities at "The Outlook". Feedback from last year that we needed to take on board included:
1. Concerns about the sound equipment. The Outlook takes care of both or those as the conference rooms are properly lined and airconditioned. They also come with their own projectors and sound and so NO ECHO!
2. Concerns about heat. The conference rooms are airconditioned and the dormitory rooms that are available have two beds in each with ceiling fans and we are told the the site gets a very pleasant afternoon breeze.
Of course, the other issue is what about rain? Most of the cabins are highset and there is parking underneath for bikes for all.
We have taken the feendback seriously and hope that the new venue will resolved all of these and make it a brilliant event. It even has fireplace pits

Wheel Bearing workshop
 

Just thought I would mention what we hope to do in a field workshop on changing wheel bearings. Our hope is that we can inspire confidence in everyone to have a crack at this sort of thing themselves and to also show how to do things properly but without expensive tools. Here's what is on the planning board:

1. Will a milk crate hold a 200 kilo + motorcycle? A word about bike stands and safety.

2. Don't let the cushions from that cush drive go everywhere. Using re-usable cable ties to keep the sprocket and cush drive together.

3. Keep that sprocket and brake disk off the ground. Using an old Ford Falcon wheel as a rim stand. Holden wheels will never be strong enough!

4. Who needs a bearing drift? Using a dyna bolt to remove a bearing. This will also apply for tricky bearings such as triple clamp/steering head bearings.

5. There's no such thing as too much grease. Packing the bearing.

6. Tapping the bearing back in and using a DIY bearing press. The bearing press will probably not be needed but again, useful to show for things like triple clamp/steering head bearings.

Hopefully it will all work. I've not done it before on this DR800 so fingers crossed. Otherwise I'll be walking home.

Duck Creek Road ride Sat 18 April 2015
 

Just thought I would mention that a bgroup of us, eight so far I think, will be travelling along Duck Creek Road on Sat 18 April 2015. Meet at Macdonalds at Beaudesert at 9:30 AM. We will leave from there and go up Duck Creek Road, then up to O'Reillys. Bring your own lunch to have in the QLD Parks and Wildlife area or have it at the O'Reillys cafe. Return journey TBC, depending on how everyone feels about the journey up.

To give an idea of the conditions, Duck Creek Road when recently graded can be traversed by large 2wd cars such as Falcons and Commodores. However we drove it in a 4WD last week and the first 1/3 is rutted enough for me to put on a Mitas E07 on the rear wheel and will be stopping to deflate tyres to 20 PSI.

Should be a good day. Let me know if you are coming so we do not head off without you.

Shane, what bat Canbus, I think that's what it is, I had to know which model bike I had to order some HIDs because of it.

Ken

Hi Ken,

A CANBUS system is a vehicle bus standard designed to allow microcontrollers and devices to communicate with each other in applications without a host computer. So with a bunch of different computers sharing information, you need to really know where the various computers are, what they do and the vulnerabilties. Just a change in voltage draw or a significant drop could shut part or all of the system down. Basically, you need proper training that I haven't had and also to use tools and aftermarket equipment designed to run with the CANBUS system. Most (perhaps all?) modern BMWs, Bombardier Spyders and some other bikes use it. However older Japanese bikes use only a single transistorised device known as a CDI unit or Ignition unit and you need only isolate that and you battery before doing any electrical work.

Hope that this helps.

Regards,

Shane

Photos from Duck Creek Road ride Sat 18 April 2015
 

If you would like to see some photos or am curious about what the local rides have to offer, here are some links for you:

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...and-ride-81452

https://www.facebook.com/events/1629910773904242/

Sanity on Two Wheels: Duck Creek Road Ride

It was a great day and hope to see you at a future ride.

Modifications Workshop
 

Thought I might give a sneak peak on the modification workshop. Here is an example of a ghetto mod that works better than the "write a cheque" path. I have used a drainage grate as a heat shield for a total cost of Australian $3.00. We will be looking at a lot more, from the inexpensive to the full across-the-counter solutions to hopefully point you in the right direction that suits you, your riding style, your destination and your budget.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jfSy62DhK6...0/P1010311.JPG


Sanity on Two Wheels: Ghetto modification - Exhaust heat shield

Rides around Boonah
 

The red roads are tarmac (in theory, some recent damage and road works have left Mt Lindsay Road with some gravel stretches)

The grey roads are gravel but graded.

The blue pen are dirt tracks some of the locals just love. They shared this knowledge over coffee and lemon cheese cake at Flavours Cafe in the heart of Boonah:

https://www.facebook.com/download/15...1%20300dpi.jpg

https://www.facebook.com/download/77...2%20300dpi.jpg

VSM Adventure Ride & Information Weekend
 

Anyone riding up to HU Queensland at Boonah from down south and with some time to spare may want to check this out. Vince Strang is a legend in Suzuki off-road setups.

19th & 20th Sep 2015, Inverell. Link to more information:

DR650 News VSM Vince Strang Motorcycles

I did the Carneys ck road last year on tiger 1050 with roD tyres, mate on a R100. More dirt orientated would love it. Think we headed nth from abt Old Koreelah to the Queen Mary Falls rd then tar to to the falls. Nice ride

Payment
 

I paid for the event through the website but couldn't see how to book for 2. Do I have to make another bookings?