Welcome to the Mansfield Vic Muster 2019

Fatman

Well-Known Member
An eventful few days guys. Was a last minute decision to come down due to other things, but a great catch-up. Fantastic bunch of riders.

Yes, I left early Sunday and got about 30 km towards Benalla when a big bastard buck roo came off the RHS embankment at full hop. I would normally call an 'Oh Shit' moment, but didn't even get as far as the 'O'!

Saw him as I hit him. Had slowed to 90 in the 100 zone anyway, but absolutely no chance to do anything useful.

There is nothing much in the way of plastic forward of the headlight. Headlight grill is bent like a banana, so he hit head on and central. I swear he tried to kiss me on the way past. Bike went down hard RHS. Me too. Gear is shredded, but I'm pretty much ok. Bit of deep bruising from the fall, and a tiny graze RHS elbow where the armour wore through. Spotties all stuffed, forks marked up, radiators probably trashed. Steering head feels notchy. Crash bars saved the engine. Bars now stuffed. Soft Andy Strapz panniers (my new ones!) saved the rear end. Instruments intact but whole assembly is hanging on the leads. Roo demolished RHS tank plastics on the way through. Road did the rest. Only slid 10 or 12 metres, but new and very coarse bitumen.

May be a write-off. Rescued by a truckie with an empty Pantech and a big platform loading ramp. Wonderful assistance. Left the bike at the pub for last two nights. Owner was pleased to provide a home for it.

Collected bike today and brought it home. Discussed with insurer (Western QBE). Taking it to Rolfe BMW tomorrow for start of appraisal and then assessor.

Not sure about front wheel, disks, steering, suspension, tele-lever etc etc etc. Wait and see.

Bike can be replaced. I'm ok (mostly). Add me to the roo-strike list. Will post some pics when I get the chance.

Cheers, Mick.

Glad you were ok Mick, the bike did look pretty second hand when I saw you with it as we left town.
 

MIXR

Well-Known Member
Glad your pretty much OK physically Mick, what at buggar of a thing to happen :( Roo strikes shake us up but I find the freedom, fellowship and the thril of riding outweigh the risks.
Too true Karl. We all consider the risks, and then accept them. Otherwise we wouldn't ride the bikes when and where we do. My job (the real one) has been risk management and safety for too many years to count. The current terminology (AS/NZS ISO31000) is to 'treat' the risks and not 'control' them. How? Wear decent gear. Add good lights. And all the other shit we do. You 'treat' either the consequence itself or the 'likelihood of the consequence occurring'. I chatted with an awful lot of visitors and locals on Sunday while waiting to park the wreck and then get my lift. People were amazed that I was the rider. There was a bit of 'good luck' involved, but I like to think I made some of my own luck with quality riding gear and a crash-protected bike (as far as reasonably possible). Had the roo-hit been either side of the bike, I very much doubt that I would be sitting here typing this. The central hit was hard, but the bike took the impact amazingly well.

So long as the frame and tele-lever attachments are ok, I can live with a rebuild of the entire front-end. This bike has had a particularly sweet engine from day-one. I'd hate to lose that. This hit was a bit harder than my previous ones where you 'clip' a roo (or it clips you) and you either stay up or fall down in a slide. I've stayed up last three hits (and many close calls). This one was like hitting a wall at 90 kph. The carcass I looked at today on the way home with the bike on the trailer was the right size to have been the culprit. He probably died of delayed shock after the accident. He hopped away with a slop limp. I'd have chucked a rock at him on Sunday if one was handy!

Scotch and bed. Been a big few days. Mick.
 

Vlad

Premier Member
That’s a bummer Mixr ,good that your not too banged up. That type of hit is the one we all fear.
Beemers are pretty tough, I had a head on , on my GSA when it was only 3 months old, couldn’t replace it , last of the oil heads, the dealer promised me that it would be as good as new, only cost 16000 dollars, that was 130000k ago and I’ve never had a complaint. Sweet boxers are a thing to covet so I hope it works out for you.
 
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Martin Little

Premier Member
IBR Finisher
Mick,

Having seen you Sunday morning fresh from your dust up with the Roo you looked in remarkably good shape and are a role model for managing the risks (the right gear, the right bike and the right approach/attitude)

I've had two headons with Roos, one on a GSA and one on a Honda ST1300 and I know which bike I prefer to be on in that situation, the GSA wins hands down. As Vlad succinctly stated, when you have a sweet boxer, hang onto it.
 

MIXR

Well-Known Member
Thanks all. Looks like the big hit by the roo followed by the hard hit on the road when the roo took the RHS out might have been too much, even for a tough Beemer. Frame has been tweaked in a bad spot at a crash-bar mount point and there is an awful lot of cockpit damage to some expensive parts. Unofficial word is a write-off. Should know tomorrow or Friday. Should also be a 'new-for-old' if it is written off (apparently). If so, then I'll be on a new 1250. If not, then a very low km 1200GSA same year as mine. I need a beer. Mick.
 
Thanks all. Looks like the big hit by the roo followed by the hard hit on the road when the roo took the RHS out might have been too much, even for a tough Beemer. Frame has been tweaked in a bad spot at a crash-bar mount point and there is an awful lot of cockpit damage to some expensive parts. Unofficial word is a write-off. Should know tomorrow or Friday. Should also be a 'new-for-old' if it is written off (apparently). If so, then I'll be on a new 1250. If not, then a very low km 1200GSA same year as mine. I need a beer. Mick.
Hey Mixr so glad you're ok (mostly) as I said to you Sunday morning, Bikes are replaceable You're Not.
It was great to catch up, it's been to long between drinks! Looking forward to seeing you back on the road again soon
 

Tele

Premier Member
Best wishes Mick for the future biking and riding endeavours. So pleased you are well enough to type up the note after such a harrowing experience.
Love your comment about managing the risks. Good bikes, good lights, good gear and good rider skills are the best defences we have in regard to maintaining the love of our activity and negotiating the hazards that arise from time to time.

I headed north from Mansfield in the early morning and my mistake there was the rising sun. Roads and scenery were beautiful but rounding some corners put me full into the morning sun and resulted in that temporary "white-out" that one gets in such circumstances. Very little other traffic, so I reduced my speed to allow room for error into the sunlight. Thank goodness I did. My only real pucker moment came when rounding one forest bend and seeing what I thought was a horse on the road in front. Became quickly clear it was a deer .... shocked me how big the damn things are. Thankfully, my reduced speed gave me the room to avoid any collision as the deer moved off the road. Other than a few small wallabies, no other major signs of roos alive or dead which was a good thing.

Overall, I was very pleasantly pleased across my ride to and from Mansfield that the animals stayed off the bitumen and out of the way of my GSA.
At one stage late on Friday night I was following a semi down the highway and he flashed his blinker a few times to let me know it was clear to pass. I elected to stay behind in the dark to utilise his bulk as a form of defence. He was making good time and I had four hours to spare, so I erred on the side of caution.
 

MIXR

Well-Known Member
My bike is officially a total loss. Big impact with the roo bent a frame bracket at the front of the frame that normally doesn't bent. Big impact with the road was taken by the Altrider bars. These saved the engine (it still runs with all the cockpit damage!) but transferred the load to the upper rear mounting point.

Sad to see the big yellow 'Not to be registered in any State' sticker slapped on the tank. Pluck a Duck and Buck a Roo.

If the process is true to form, I should end up with a new replacement bike (R1250GS) but may have to add some reddies to do some upgrades or even go to a GSA.

Thanks all. I'll be quiet for a while until this all gets sorted.

Mick.
 

Hop

Active Member


View attachment 3539

Another Muster completed

Thank you to each and everyone that attended
and
to those that assisted to make this event happen
TJ, Skidoo, Jeff the Chef, Nico, Kwaka, IBA Tiger, Philmor & Fatman (just a chauffeur)
(apologies if I have forgotten anyone)

without all your support it wouldn't happen


Now to start finalising the 2020 Muster

Was anything said about where 2020 might be?
 

kwaka

Premier Member
Just catching all up with this tread.
Bugga MIXR, bloody roo's. GTK your not a "write off" mate.

2020, Sth Aust. sounds good to me.