Update 19th July
After a MAJOR website failure, I have been able to get it restored (only offline for 3 hours).
Sorry to anyone that was inconvenienced.
I had been working on a new feature of a Calendar with events, meetings and rides added to it including an interactive list in the sidebar that shows events coming up within the next 30 days.
All of this has now become LIVE.
Ride Safe,
Geoff
The President Writes
Wednesday, July 7th, 2010 6:50 PM Posted by Geoff
When I was elected as President of the Royal Enfield Club of Australia at Talbingo I put the proposition to the Committee that we should try to hold our Annual General Meetings as widely throughout Australia as we could because we are an Australia-wide Club.
To that end we held we held our AGM at Murwillumbah so as to involve our Members in Southern Queensland.
This year our AGM is being held in Tanunda in South Australia.
Last year some of us were fortunate in being able to ride to Alice Springs and meet up with some of our more remote members, Jeff and Cheryl.
This year some of us were also fortunate in being able to get across to Western Australia and meet up with another of our more far flung branches, and ride with them to the Principality of Hutt River to meet our Patron.
These are great people and enthusiastic Members.
There is a proposal to be debated at Tanunda that we have our next AGM in Tasmania.
Having the AGM in Tasmania is designed to coincide with a visit to Tasmania proposed by our West Australian Members.
It enables them to attend an AGM which they have not been able to do previously and enables our Tasmanian contingent to also have some input into the running of our Club.
You maybe aware that we haven’t heard much from the Tasmanians in recent times and it may be that they feel less involvement in the Club.
We are a Club for all Royal Enfield owners and enthusiasts in Australia.
I am aware that this is expensive for our mainlanders to get their bikes across Bass Straight and a long way for many of our most distant Members.
On the plus side is the continued growth and strength of our Club.
Bruce Walker.
Update 2nd July 2010
The club is pleased to announce and also share The Royal Enfield Club of Australia Inc 2010 calender. Thanks for your efforts Simon.
You can save a copy on your computer by right clicking here, and then Save Link As… .
It may take a few minutes to download as it is a large file [19.5MB].
The President Writes
Wednesday, June 9th, 2010 9:36 PM Posted by Geoff
Some folk in the wider motorcycling community seem to regard our Royal Enfields as a bit of a joke.
Even Peter Thoemig, the respected editor of Road Rider magazine doesn’t understand what these bikes are about.
Most of the knockers haven’t ever ridden one and are used to the engine characteristics of their boring, high revving, but oh so reliable Japanese mounts.
One of the great charms of the Royal Enfield motorcycle is its torque.
(Lady readers will be starting to glaze over at this point, but bear with me.)
I believe that it’s mostly the torque of the engine that people love.
I see red and my blood starts to boil when I read some motorcycling journalist describe a 600cc single cylinder dirt bike engine motor as really ‘torquey’ when lower down I read that maximum torque is developed at 6500 rpm.
True, it may give high torque figures on the dynamometer at those revs but I know that its on-the-road manner will require you to rev the hell out of it through the gears and if you’re in the wrong gear when the revs are too low the motor will want to jump out of the frame.
Do a test ride on a modern BMW Boxer Twin for instance, and see what happens when you’re in third gear and you should be in second. Try opening the accelerator in one of the higher gears when the revs drop below 2000.
You’ll see what I mean. None of that happens on a Royal Enfield.
The engine pulls smoothly from just above idle and when riding in traffic which most of us have to do before we can get to some decent roads, that’s just what you want.
Royal Enfields (and Harley Davidsons for that matter) develop maximum torque at around 3000 rpm.
Most of the modern engines have their torque maximum at over 6000 rpm.
(Note that the Harley Davidson V Rod has its maximum torque at 6000 rpm which may be why traditional Harley owners aren’t buying them.)
Sadly the ignorant often describe engines which have their torque at low revs as ‘tractors’ which although insulting does, to some extent, describe their pulling power.
I need to point out that four cylinder motorcycle engines usually have useful amounts of torque at lower revs (because of two power strokes for each revolution) and can pull from a little above idle in most gears.
But comparing the torque of singles and twins with fours is unfair.
(The new 4 cylinder VFR1200 Honda and BMW’s K1300 have their maximum torque developed at 8500+ rpms!)
So next time you’re out and about on your Royal Enfield pay attention to the wonderful torque of your engine.
Bruce Walker.
The President Writes
Monday, May 24th, 2010 7:36 PM Posted by Geoff
The Hutt adventure was quite a feat: nine days of riding just to get there!
There were no hardships but the journey was arduous and just for once, the journey was not the destination as it usually is with Royal Enfields.
I think most who went had a great time.
The people of Hutt put on a tremendous welcome for us.
Prince Leonard and Princess Shirley were gracious, self-effacing and thoughtful hosts.
It was a real pleasure for me, meeting and talking with our RECOA Patron, Prince Leonard.
Visiting the Principality of Hutt River, having conversations with Prince Leonard and Princess Shirley and reading some of the history in William Pitt’s book ‘An Australian Monarch’, I would be very surprised that anyone could leave not being a supporter of the family and of this enchanting little country.
The place is a testament to an ideal that ordinary folk can take on the madness of a massive impersonal bureaucracy and defeat it.
On behalf of our Members I offer a huge thank you to Prince Leonard and Princess Shirley for inviting us and for being such wonderful hosts.
Members of the Royal Enfield Club of Australia should look forward to some more great road trips in the future.
As the world diminishes in size folk need to find real adventure and what better way of exploring this great continent is there than on a motorcycle, specifically a Royal Enfield ?
Bruce Walker.
Update 3rd May 2010
Tuesday, May 3rd, 2010 7:36 PM Posted by Geoff
Firstly I would like to appolagize for the time between updates of the website.
Racing commitments have been full on this season.
The Events list has been updated to show the current club calander and it is definitely looking healthy.
The News section has been updated showing the continued growth of the club.
The amount of new members each month from all over Aussie is great.
The “Run to Hutt” went well and from the reports everyone had a safe trip.
Remember the “Club” is your club and if you want features added to the website or “MEMBERS ONLY Forums” ask.
Ride safe,
Geoff.
Update 1st April 2010
Thursday, April 1st, 2010 5:36 PM Posted by Geoff
Events list updated to show the current club calander and News Updated.
Geoff.
Update 5th March 2010
Friday, March 5th, 2010 3:27 PM Posted by Geoff
This weekend has couple of events running. There is the Bungendore / Gippsland Retreat, and 2010 Right to Ride Poker Run in Victoria (Hells Angels)
There is only 2 weeks left until the Vic Mob Pre-Hutt Planning BBQ and the calander is looking good for the next few months.
Geoff.
Welcome to Recoainc
Sunday, January 31, 2010 7:27 AM Posted by Anthony
Welcome to the new website of The Royal Enfield Club of Australia Inc.
Firstly I would like to thank our sponsors as without their generous support alot of what we do would not happen.
We have both a Yahoo group with email notifications and a Forum that are available to members of RecoaInc.
There is alot to talk about so keep coming back to the site as we will be adding information on a regular basis.
Until next time,
Anthony.
Why I started The Royal Enfield Club of Australia Inc.
- There wasn’t one
- I wanted to have friends to ride with as you never saw them on the road
- and millions of other reasons!
I planned a lot of this when I was about 14, When we are riding through the highlands or the outback, I am pleased because that is what I have always wanted to do.
Anthony.
What the club means to me.
The club is a place to share the triumphs and heartaches of Royal Enfield ownership.
It is a forum for technical help and social interactions; a place to share our passion – motorcycles.
Jeff Cole
Alice Springs, Australia
The journey IS the destination
