THE CLUBMAN TOURERS MOTORCYCLE CLUB INC.

The Clubman Tourers Motorcycle Club is a group of about 90 motorcyclists based all over Sydney, NSW and beyond.

We are a disparate group covering all ages, walks of life and sexes (with a healthy proportion of Clubwomen). “Variety” would sum us up in a word but we are united by a love of all kinds of riding and of spinning exaggerated stories about it later over a beer.

We are an informal club. We have a badge but it’s not a “patch”. We’re happy to give advice but we don’t give “orders”. We’re here to enjoy the riding and to encourage others to do the same. Most importantly, we are active!

If we had to categorize the riding we do the terms “touring” and “sport riding” would probably come up along with loud reminders not to forget the dirt-touring either. We do day runs, rallies, track days, long tours, short tours, and all this on tar or dirt or both. There’s a social aspect to the Club too. Apart from the monthly meetings to discuss past rides & plan coming ones, there are the parties, pubs, and restaurant nights (and the gossip).

Our bikes range from P-plated 250s to chook-chasers to the latest sports machinery to aging hacks and, of course, touring bikes. Some are shiny, some are wrecks, some are loved, some are cursed but they all get used. They get us out there.

How big is the club?
Currently the club has about 90 members.

Who is in the club?
We have members from all over Sydney and a few beyond, from all walks of life with ages from 20s to 60s.

Is it all blokes?
At the last count 20% of members were female, almost all of whom are riders.

Where and when does the club meet?
Meetings are held on the third Tuesday of each month at the PJ Gallagher’s, 195 Victoria Rd, Drummoyne, Sydney. They start at 7.30pm and members, friends and guests are welcome to attend. The meetings are where runs are planned, tales are told and decisions made amid heckling and gossip.

What do you do?
Well, we ride bikes. We also like to encourage others to ride their bikes and get out there to enjoy as many great roads as we can get to. In a typical month we would have a couple of Sunday day runs of varying length and a weekend away camping, staying at pubs or at a rally. There might also be a party, restaurant night or some sort of social event. We like to take advantage of long weekends and holidays to plan something special and take advantage of the opportunity to travel further afield and we also organise occasional longer holidays including international trips. Other special events include dirt-bike days and exclusive rider training.

Where do you go?
We try to go wherever the roads are interesting. Usually that means avoiding the major highways (and traffic) as much as possible and seeking out good twisties. We’ll go anywhere within striking distance of Sydney and on longer runs we have been as far afield as Phillip Island, Brisbane, Cameron’s Corner, Adelaide and even Cairns. We usually try to pick a destination with something of interest to see or do such as cave tours, bush walks, good pubs, festivals, goat races(?), …

How do I join?
Simply get in touch with the committee using this website

How much does it cost?
Membership costs $25 for a year.

Where does the money go?
The money pays for the running the website, a bit of postage and the like as well as providing the occasional subsidised club event like the Christmas Party and Annual Borree Log.

Why join a club?
There are probably as many reasons as there are people in the club. Here are a few: There are a lot of experienced riders in the club, full (often overflowing) with good advice. Riding with a club means you have support if something goes wrong on the road. Someone else organises the meeting place and accomodation, you just have to show up (though you are welcome to organise an event yourself). You arrive somewhere with a bunch of mates who have all just ridden the same great roads. You get good value for money from group bookings etc. There’s a strong social aspect to the club too, it’s a great place to meet good honest open-minded bike-riding people. But let’s not forget the mean twisted bigots, the open-hearted helpers, the clean cut professionals, the warm friendly smilers, the wizened die-hards, the wild, the willing, the weird, wooly, wretched, and the wrinkled. They’re all there too.

Why join this club?
The Clubman Tourers has been organising events for years. We know the good roads, the fine sights and the best pubs. Come and draw on our experience. If there’s somewhere you want to go, some product you want to try, some technique you want to master, chances are there’ll be someone in the club who can give you advice. Some of it may even be useful. The combined riding careers of our 80 odd members amount to centuries of experience and millions of kilometers of all sorts of roads from race-tracks to goat-tracks. This knowledge base is a resource you can draw on to improve your bike, your skills, your confidence but probably not your golf handicap.
Where can I get more info?

Look at the rest of the Web site and if you still want more, try the “Contact us” bit.

What happens on a run?
It depends what sort of run it is but typically we meet up at a service station somewhere on the outskirts of Sydney where everyone can fill up. There will usually be one person responsible for co ordinating the run. They will discuss a suggested route and location of stops and generally try and keep track of everybody. However,the information provided about routes in advance of runs is indicative only. Final decisions about which route to follow to a destination are for those going on the ride and sometimes different people choose different routes, perhaps to include some dirt for those so inclined or perhaps because some riders want a less challenging route. However, we all tend to meet up at fuel/food stops or the final destination. When everyone is ready (or late) we’ll head off with each rider riding at their own pace. This means that we rarely ride as a single big group but everyone makes sure any person behind doesn’t miss the turn-offs. Its important to note that when on the road each rider is fully responsible for their own riding decisions and on road behaviour including speed, rest stops, distance traveled etc.

How far do you ride?
We like to cater for all tastes so the length of a days ride may be will vary considerably but typically we cover 300-600kms in a day. We invariably do not take the most direct route so there is usually the option to take a shorter one especially on longer days and, of course, you can always do more if you want.

How fast do you ride?
The Club does not endorse riding in a manner contrary to road rules. Each rider has to be responsible for their own decisions about what speed is appropriate to the conditions, including their level of experience. The most important thing on a club ride is that everyone rides at their own pace! Some like to go faster, others like to take it easy. Some fly by on the straights, some sweep past in the twisties, some disappear in a cloud of dust on the dirt, some show a clean pair of heels in the wet, some are saving points, some sit back & relax but all ride at their own pace for the conditions. You won’t get lost if you don’t keep up and there is no pressure to perform.

What fuel range do I need?
The stops for a particular run will be arranged to suit the bike with the lowest fuel range so even FireStorms are OK 😉 On longer runs it’s good to keep the stops to a minimum but it’s healthy to stop every couple of hours so a typical 200kms range is quite sufficient.

What should I bring?
This is down to common sense really. Bear in mind the conditions (weather & road) you expect to encounter. It is always wise to bring a few basics: wet weather gear, puncture repair kit, basic tools (enough to get the wheels off, bodywork off and spark plugs out). You should also make sure you have a map of the area just incase.

Do you ride in formation?
No. This would force people to break the golden rule of riding at their own pace.

Are there any rules?
Apart from riding at your own pace? No, but we do have “techniques” to cope with some of the problems of group riding. If you are turning off the road you are on, wait for the person behind you and make sure they have seen where to turn. If we’re re-grouping in a town we usually stop at the first service station on the left. Bring a map & at least know the name of the destination!

Will there be any dirt roads?
Many club runs are entirely on sealed roads, some runs are mostly on dirt roads and many runs will have a little bit of dirt because it leads to great things beyond. The run co ordinatior will be able to tell you whether there will be any dirt on the route and, if so, how much & what it is like. We like to foster an attitude that a bit of dirt shouldn’t stop you from getting to great roads. There is a dedicated band of dual-sport riders in the club on big chook-chasers so we do go on specific dirt road runs. Also, with larger groups, the dirt-lovers may split off to tackle dirt road alternatives while the rest take the tar.

What happens if I break down/get a puncture?
Well, if you’re well prepared, you fix it while the rest of the club stands around giving you far too much advice. If you’re not confident about fixing it yourself then there is sure to be someone in the group who can help. If it can’t be fixed then you can get a lift to a phone, a garage or all the way home with someone in the group and there are several members with the capability to transport a dead bike at the cost of a slab or two.

Do you have support vehicles?
Not generally (although Tom has been known to shadow club runs in his Ghost Riders van hoping to pick up business!).

Do you do any racing?
No. Clubman Tourers is not a racing club. That is not to say that members cannot, have not or do not race, but they don’t do it through this club.

Do you do any training?
Yes. We like to encourage members to develop their riding, learning and practicing the survival skills needed to stay one step ahead. In the past we have booked groups onto public rider training courses but we also have enough interested members to arrange exclusive courses just for the club so you can learn & practice (and ride a track) in the company of friends. We’ve done advanced rider training, defensive riding courses, cornering courses and there are plans for dirt riding coaching too.

Are pillions allowed?
By all means. The more the merrier.

Are learners/P-platers allowed?
Certainly. On longer runs the 80km/h P-plate limit can be a chore but that hasn’t prevented P-platers from coming with the club as far afield as Lightening Ridge and Queensland just on long weekends!

Are Harleys/scooters/dirt bikes allowed?
If it’s got two wheels and it’s registered, it’s welcome. Oh, and sidecars too.

Do I need to be experienced?
No. If you’ve never ridden outside Sydney then what better way to start than with a bunch of people who know what they’re doing. You might want to limit your initial excursions to the shorter day runs but you will find that riding with the club you will learn & gain confidence quite quickly.

Do I have to keep up?
No. The urge to “keep up” is probably one of the most dangerous aspects of riding in a group. We always encourage people to ride at their own pace, however slow that may be. Riding within your own limits means you can relax, enjoy the ride and be safe and don’t worry about being left behind or getting lost because the person in front of you will be waiting at the next turn-off and the whole group will be waiting at the next stop.

Are there rides for beginners?
Yes. Occasionally we do runs specifically with learners and P-platers in mind but don’t feel you should be restricted to these runs. Learners are welcome on any short day runs.

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THE CLUBMAN TOURERS MOTORCYCLE CLUB INC.

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