My current ride is a 1996 Badboy Springer, I absolutely love it, rattling front end and all. Got a few modifications so she goes rather well, still. Don't think I'll be upgrading to soon, unless HD come up with something radical..In 1999, i traded my old 87 softail in on the BB. Back then I was big into HOG...and we did alot of touring with the club..shit I was even a safety officer...but thats another story...
One fine saturday we go up and headed off to Canowindra (pronounced Can nown dra)...they fly or is it controlled crashing of hotair balloons there. We'd pre booked the entire Royal Hotel for the purpose of the weekend...It was a great ride..through the mountains and down onto the plains took the whole day...A few hot air enthusists were still making th most of the dry conditions when we arrived. No need to set up a camp we all had rooms..so we attacked the bar with vigour. 
The next day with the mob going home..I decided pretty much that the BB needed time for me to get to know it...So I struck out for Moree and my dad's house. Which was some 700 km north and east from where I was currently. Saying goodbyes to the Hoggies I hit the bricks. Solo...for a get to know how a springer really handles blast....things were sailing along smoothly till i got a cramp in my toes...I could feel them coming on..so I reached down and pushed the pillion peg down on the right side of the bike...then swung my right leg back and planted the toe of my boot, on the pillion peg. I then exerted force on my toes through the boot and peg bending them backwards...like instant relief for me...I was quite comfy riding along in this awkward position...so I stayed bolt upright for about 20 miles or so... the cramped toes soon went away..and about that time i swung my leg..back to the forward control....without looking I just placed my foot where it should have been...and it dropped down onto the road...not expecting this to happen, my boot bit the road and and came back...I leaned left and swung my whole right leg up....must have looked quite humourous from behind..stunt rider in action...but i nearly threw myself off...my heart was racing...I looked down and the whole forward control was missing...all that remained was the footbrake...Regaining the awkward postion i throttled down and made a U turn...I went back about 5 miles and there sitting all alone on the pavement was the wayward forward control...I just sat there stunned...looking at it..how could that come off. I looked down at the front of the bike..and here was the mounting bolt just hanging in space...I kicked the stand down and got off...I looked at the mount then the bolt, it was just hanging there..on closer inspection i found someone had put a rubber "O"ring on the end of the bolt...so it was prevented from falling free through the whole in the mount...handy idea. Vibration however had worked the bolt lose...I had left my tools at home.On this occasion..and i knew handtightened bolts never stay too tight....so i screwed it all together as tight as i could, and set out for Wellington. with my foot firmly planted on the peg...a local garage was open, and even though the sign said...we don't lend tools...no matter what!...being bigger and more threatening than the shop attendant..i managed to get a half inch ringspanner outa of him...for use on tightening a few more bolts....cont.......... 

cont......
Tightening up the bolts I set out once again for Dubbo, I learned something that I didn't realise, about 20 km outside Wellington. The speed limit jumps from 60 to 70 mph. which means you can sit around 75 to 80 mph and not have to worry about smokies..biggest problem with the jump up..is the faster you go the more fuel you use. Like I said this was a ride to get to know the bike. The bike I had before had 5 gallon tanks..good for about 300 km. The new bike holds 16 litres, which is about 3.5 gallons...10 km short of a town called Gilgandra disaster struck...I ran outa fuel....middle of nowhere...and outa gas. 10,000 metre push...nah....So I found a whopping great tree..and hid the bike behind it...I started hitching...about an hour later a big yellow F100 drives past...the driver looks at me...and then keeps going...I'm going to be here for awhile....so I pull up a roadside stump and sit..and keep my finger stretched out in the breeze...The next thing this yellow F100 pulls up...the driver is dressed in short sleeve T shirt with long sleeve tatts...jumps out and says...You a biker? Yep...says me..Where the bike...? Over there behind that tree....Mate says he...you can't do that...whats the problem...Not much I'm outa gas...Cool says he...I 'll go get ya some...so I fork over 10 bucks...he grabs it and takes off...Well thinks me..that dude made 10 bucks easy...I lit a smoke and sat on me log. I went and fished the bike out from behind the tree...and commenced the long walk in the sun again...About 15 minutes later the yellow F100 is back...sweats rolling down my brow...He comes over takes hold of the bike kicks the side stand down...and produces a can of gas...and a funnel..fills the bike for me...and then hands me a cold can of coke...I just look at him...Mate, says he, Us bikers have to stick together...drink up and I'll follow ya into town...True to his word he does...even took the can back for me...8.8 or so k's into Gilgandra...I paid for a full tank then went to give this guy some money for his trouble...he would wear it...The man drove 30 km outa his way to help a fellow biker...and wouldn't take a cent...So i asked him what he done...turns out he's a mobile bike detailer up in brisbane in Qld...So I grab a card off him...When I got home, I wrote to one of our National biker mags Live to Ride...and recounted the story...and mentioned that Mick from Mt Gravatt, was a bike detailer...that comes to you..and his phone number...The editor printed the little story..in the mag. The last i saw of mick was driving away from the BP Gilgandra honking his horn and waving.....to me. I fired the Springer and headed for, Coonabarabran....a town in central western NSW..and home to the Australian chapter of the KKK .....another something i knew nothing about.This trip was fast becoming an eye opener....cont.

cont....
Riding out from Gilgandra to Coonbarbran was epic as you swing from the plains back up into the mountains, you start to climb up into the Warrumbungle ranges, They have telescopes mounted on craggy cliffs for space exploration here..some of the scenes you pass, would resemble an outpost on mars, that is if your imagination is running high. Pulling into a grage in Coona was uneventful...and i didn't even see anyone running around in starched white sheets...such a let down..however i did see alot of signage suggesting i was in the right area. Back on the road saw me heading for Moree...the roads in the district had just opened up again..aftyer major flooding and there were visible signs of this next to the roadway...all the creeks were up...it was near here that another of my equipemt failed me...I lost my town lid...the strap broke and it fell off....this was becoming the trip from hell. I rode into and outthe outside of Moree...at 5pm. Went straight to my fathers 30 mile east...pulling in hisdusty driveway, he knew his son was visiting as I'm the only harley rider he knows...its great to be greted with a beer straight outa the fridge...that night my father took me to a local watering hole..just up the road..one of my sisters oldest friends was working behind the bar....I couldn't take my eyes from her chest, her girls just sit there defying gravity....bra less...and gorgeous...and super friendly to her best friends older brother......I'd loved to tell you what followed by why spoil it...cont.

GOOD STUFF BIG FELLA..WHEN WE TOURING?

when do you want?..other than Jul2 thru Sept 3...this yr lol....as i won't be in country mate

SEE HOW I'M TRAVELING NEXT MONTH MATE...I NEED SOME OUTTA HERE THERAPY..

cont...
Spent a few glorious days with me dad...saw some sights around the dust bowl that is Moree, Cotton and wheat area. But the call of road got to me again, so I headed east towards the coast once more. East through Crusher Cleal country aussie will know this legend Manly Football club, backrower. Inverell and Geln Innes then down to Grafton via Mann River and the Gibralter National Park...giant granite rock formations that wind their way down the escarpment to the river at the bottom.. The road thgat follows the river is high up on the cliffs and the mighty Nymbodia river with its rapids flows along the bottom. Coming round a particularly sharp bend near Grafton I almost bowled a lolli pop lady..standing in the middle of the road...Didn't expect her to be standing in the middle of nowhere. Nice girl....lol...Continuing I turned right in Grafton and headed for Scotts Head. Another overnighter...leaving the next day for climes further south along the Pacific Highway..and towards home..stayed a night in Gosford and managed to get a meeting in Wednesday night with the mother chapter of the club...then was home Thursday arvo...around 1800 km to get to know how the bike went... which is probably why I still have it to this day.... the end.....

Hey Jonesy, What a great ride story! Ya just gotta love those kinda things... Folks stopping for ya, gravity defying boobs and cold brews when ya most need 'em...
Thanx for sharing!
EdgeWalker

I like it,the only new Harley I'm drewling over is the 72 old school edition...........enjoy your new ride.....rubber down

ah Jonsey Its so wonderful to read that somewhere in this world the biker code still existis. It sounds like the madien voyage ride of that bike was like riding my old AMF, Random lost parts and shocking where certian things fall off, have a great one! "T

ah Jonsey Its so wonderful to read that somewhere in this world the biker code still existis. It sounds like the madien voyage ride of that bike was like riding my old AMF, Random lost parts and shocking where certian things fall off, have a great one! "T

ah Jonsey Its so wonderful to read that somewhere in this world the biker code still existis. It sounds like the madien voyage ride of that bike was like riding my old AMF, Random lost parts and shocking where certian things fall off, have a great one! "T