Greetings all. I have just moved back home (I am in Melbourne) after living overseas (USA then Canada) for the past 17 years. Aside from wife and child, I also dragged back my other baby, my 1992 FXR. "Alice", which is her name (tell me I am not the only one to name the ride?!), just got off the boat yesterday (personal import option) and will soon start the rounds of the compliance process (VASS, RWC, etc). I am told already my Vance & Hines pipes might exceed the 90dbl @ 3700rpm test, so I just cannot wait for the circus that is compliance and registration to begin! Not. Though a few engineers have already said if the bike fails the noise test I can go away, borrow some pipes for the test, and . . . well, put my own back on later. This strikes me as the farce to end all farces!
But anyway, I hope to see some of you out on the road soon. I'll be the one NOT wearing a hannibal lecter mask, at least until I am reminded by the bugs how bug-infested is my home-land and I take to wearing the masks I see riders wearing (or just dump my 1/2 for my 3/4). In Canada such masks only come out when Fall heads toward Winter, though about Fall the half-helmets go and 3/4 or FF helmets start appearing anyway. My first riders observation upon returning home is that a higher percentage of riders here wear 3/4 or FF helmets, more than Canada, but certainly more than the USA. Though the USA is not a good base-case, given places like New Hampshire allow no helmet at all. Seeing someone fly by on the freeway at 120km/hr sans helmet is like watching evolution silently plot someone's hereditary extinction!
cheers,
Darrin
welcome mate. might see you around as i am in Essendon which is the suburb next to Moonee Ponds.
Welcome .
Aido, someone told us we have to support Essendon if we live in the area. Is that true?! I am one of the League idiots (don't start me on how bad Parramatta is).
Brake lines for compliance? Here I was thinking a brake line is a brake line.
Given that my employer (Uni of Melbourne) paid for my moving costs, no matter how much I get slugged for compliance, it will be more than ten times cheaper than having sold the FXR in Canada and get a new Harley here (or even a used one of similar quality). I almost fell over seeing the prices of new HD's in the Stealerships here.
Welcome home
Welcome
Welcome back home to the nanny country, where fat cats and beaurocrats rule. I bet a lot has changed for the worse since you left.
Mickle, someone told us 'anyone but Carlton'!
But if those Essendon folk ride scooters, well, it better be Carlton for us. Though the wife has promised she will eventually graduate to a scooter, so that will put me in a tough spot as a scooter trash hating Carlton fan, won't it?!
Aido, even though dropping the Eels for the Storm would be a rational thing to do, whoever said supporting a sport team was rational? Been an Eel since birth. Doomed since birth.
But it I will be at the game when the Eels come down to get whipped by the Storm. There in the stands shaking my head, again, saying why me oh why me.
Cant wait to get out on the road. If some cop pulls me over for excess noise I could just say I follow Essendon, it's par for the course to break the rules.
PS: do t know enough about Aussie Rules to know if that joke is funny or annoying!
to the forums Darrin.
Thanks to all for the welcome and especially to those offering their services as tourist guides on some cool runs close to the city.
Go Essendon! I mean Carlton! I mean North Melbourne! Oh frak it, i don't know who to follow.
