A Big Week Before The Final Push

What a week the last seven days have been, and now with less than another week to go to the start of the Long Ride things are really starting to come together.

Thanks to Frontier Touring for

Bryan Adams tickets & signed book.

The great news started just over a week ago with the Bryan Adams signed book and concert tickets being purchased through auction by Karin Ewart.  Karin purchased the tickets for her mum who is a huge Bryan Adams fan and were therefore given to her as an early Mothers Day present.  I really hope Karin's mum enjoyed the show, and a massive thank you to her for helping the fund raising.  I've really got to thank Frontier Touring for helping out with the donation to help raise funds.  Thanks guys.

 

Things continued throughout the week with a few smaller fund raising efforts taking the total up closer to the $10,000 mark, before a few personal donations then a great corporate donation by Saferay Pty Ltd took the total raised well beyond the magical mark.

 

Saferay is an industry leader in offering safety standards solutions for ionising radiation used in medical applications.  Saferay offers a comprehensive, prompt and reliable radiation safety service which is backed by over 35 years experience in radiological and nuclear medicine physics and radiation protection.

 

Already involved in this very important branch of medicine and experience with treating cancers Saferay have come onboard to help with the Long Ride.  I can't thank Saferay director Ray Budd enough.

 

With the fund raising efforts in full swing and edging ever closer to the target of $15,000 one thing that had to get done was a major service of the XV1600.  This fell to the hands of Python Choppers in South Melbourne.  Not only was a service needed, but also replacement of the brakes and a new rear tyre.  The bike had also developed a major backfire which caused some concern.

 

George and his team at Python Choppers were a little perplexed to start with.  Was the backfire being caused by the wrong jetting in the carburettor, after all the bike was fitted with a K&N airfilter as well as opened up pipes.

 

The carby was checked and seemed to be in good order, through a careful examination it was soon discovered that the manifold had a crack in it, essentially there wasn't enough back pressure and therefore the bike was 'farting' a bit too much.

 

The guys did a great job and got the bike sorted and is now back on the road running as good as it ever has, it's certainly ready to go.

 

The last week before the ride will see more fundraising and preperation ... the count down is really on.