[image: IMG_0878.jpg]
I am definitely going again next year! Have already been to two previous. In 2011 my father and I rode down while I was still Suzuki Bandit 250 mounted. This year was VFR year and I can't wait to do it all again next year!
Next year is the 20th running of the Island Classic so it is sure to be a massive event. Rumour has it an American team is planning the trek to contest the International Challenge. For some pictures and videos check out MCNews.com.au (http://www.mcnews.com.au/latest.htm). For those who don't know what it is, basically there are "Periods" in which all manner of bikes, from WLA Harley Davidsons, Velocettes, Manx Nortons and Indians through to Japanese superbikes up to 1982 compete. Two stroke Yamaha 250 and 350s and Bultacos against Honda CR72/77 500s and too many more to mention. Notable mentions are 175Hp Suzuki Katanas, many Honda CB900/1100Fs, the Irving Vincent 1300cc and of course what has to be the worlds fastest and maddest CBX1000 with 6 into 6 pipes!
A new category was created this year to meet the rolling ages of bikes. Period 6 allows 750-1000cc bikes from 1983-1990, so you end up with GSXR750 against ZXR750R and so many other models. Malcolm Campbell was to race his original Australian Superbike Championship winning RC30, however it remained in the pits. In the race was an awesome 1989 VFR750F racer. This thing ran third against what I would have thought were much stronger bikes. See pix below. I didn't get the chance to talk to the owner, so I couldn't find out any nitty gritty. Suffice to say I suspect this thing was slightly larger than 750. Does anyone know what common overbores these things took? Were the earlier VFR750Fs still limited to 837cc max? Were the 860s acually based on the older motors and therefore 360 degree crank? This VFR was a 180 degree.
Dad and I headed off from home Saturday morning. Took about four hours to get to our cabin ~40Km North of the racetrack. Weather was fine but very warm, about 35C. Visited the Vietnam Veterans Museum on the way to Cowes. Visting the museum is a MUST.
Stayed overnight and met up with one of Dad's mates on a ZZR1100 the next morning and got to the track about 8:30. Saw three VFRs, a dark purple/aubergene 4th gen, a red 5th and a RWB 6th (I think). I nodded to all of them just after paying at the booth. Anyone from here in that group?
Weather fine for the races, temperatures were between 33C and I reckon it had to have hit 36C+ later on. The beauty of this event is the ability to wander the pit garages. As long as you don't interrupt someone working on their bike, you're free to take photos and chat to owners. Left the track and it was a hot traffic jam. About 10Km from the cabin we could see dark clouds rolling in. I stopped to take my iPhone out of my jeans and put it in a waterproof jacket pocket. Took off again and 500m up the road it hit us. Dad was five minutes ahead by this point and just pulling into the cabin. Our mate on the ZZR was probably fiive minutes behind me. Visibility was down to almost nothing, cars still pushing 100Kmh in the wet. I pulled off down the service road that led to the cabin and out the front of a servo the VFR stepped sideways in a pool of water in front of at least 20 riders taking refuge! I didn't go down though! See the last attached pic of what we were still contending with back at the cabin. Suffice to say we were drenched!
Next morning (Monday) we took off and were met with more rain from there to Cranbourne. Stopped at Maccas for some brekky. Rain all the way to Melbourne. Luckily I had put my winter liner in the jacket. Note to self: get wet weather pants. I was lucky to have taken some zip-lock sandwich bags and handed them out to Dad and mate. Electronics guaranteed to be dry. Got home and had forgotten to protect the garage door buzzer in my pocket - toast. Our mate left us in Melbourne, Dad and I continued to Calder Park servo and it was sunny and very steamy. I checked Weatherzone on the iPhone and it said no rain up ahead. So with that info Dad took off his wet weathers, I removed my winter liner because it was 30 something degrees. 20Km North of Calder Park it BUCKETED down. For another 130Km we endured the rest - soaking wet.
Yes we could have stopped, but why bother when we were already wet? Put wets over wet jeans? Pull the winter liner out on the side of the road to get it wet before putting it over a wet T-Shirt? Nah, grin and bear it and enjoy the ride! It wasn't cold anyways, probably high 20s. All in all a great little adventure. Hope to see more of you there next year!
Malcolm Campbell's RC30
[image: IMG_0842.jpg]
[image: IMG_0844.jpg]
[image: IMG_0846.jpg]
[image: IMG_0852.jpg]
VFR750F Racer
[image: IMG_0880.jpg]
[image: IMG_0886.jpg]
And what we contended with after the race.
[image: VFR_RAIN.jpg]
I am definitely going again next year! Have already been to two previous. In 2011 my father and I rode down while I was still Suzuki Bandit 250 mounted. This year was VFR year and I can't wait to do it all again next year!
Next year is the 20th running of the Island Classic so it is sure to be a massive event. Rumour has it an American team is planning the trek to contest the International Challenge. For some pictures and videos check out MCNews.com.au (http://www.mcnews.com.au/latest.htm). For those who don't know what it is, basically there are "Periods" in which all manner of bikes, from WLA Harley Davidsons, Velocettes, Manx Nortons and Indians through to Japanese superbikes up to 1982 compete. Two stroke Yamaha 250 and 350s and Bultacos against Honda CR72/77 500s and too many more to mention. Notable mentions are 175Hp Suzuki Katanas, many Honda CB900/1100Fs, the Irving Vincent 1300cc and of course what has to be the worlds fastest and maddest CBX1000 with 6 into 6 pipes!
A new category was created this year to meet the rolling ages of bikes. Period 6 allows 750-1000cc bikes from 1983-1990, so you end up with GSXR750 against ZXR750R and so many other models. Malcolm Campbell was to race his original Australian Superbike Championship winning RC30, however it remained in the pits. In the race was an awesome 1989 VFR750F racer. This thing ran third against what I would have thought were much stronger bikes. See pix below. I didn't get the chance to talk to the owner, so I couldn't find out any nitty gritty. Suffice to say I suspect this thing was slightly larger than 750. Does anyone know what common overbores these things took? Were the earlier VFR750Fs still limited to 837cc max? Were the 860s acually based on the older motors and therefore 360 degree crank? This VFR was a 180 degree.
Dad and I headed off from home Saturday morning. Took about four hours to get to our cabin ~40Km North of the racetrack. Weather was fine but very warm, about 35C. Visited the Vietnam Veterans Museum on the way to Cowes. Visting the museum is a MUST.
Stayed overnight and met up with one of Dad's mates on a ZZR1100 the next morning and got to the track about 8:30. Saw three VFRs, a dark purple/aubergene 4th gen, a red 5th and a RWB 6th (I think). I nodded to all of them just after paying at the booth. Anyone from here in that group?
Weather fine for the races, temperatures were between 33C and I reckon it had to have hit 36C+ later on. The beauty of this event is the ability to wander the pit garages. As long as you don't interrupt someone working on their bike, you're free to take photos and chat to owners. Left the track and it was a hot traffic jam. About 10Km from the cabin we could see dark clouds rolling in. I stopped to take my iPhone out of my jeans and put it in a waterproof jacket pocket. Took off again and 500m up the road it hit us. Dad was five minutes ahead by this point and just pulling into the cabin. Our mate on the ZZR was probably fiive minutes behind me. Visibility was down to almost nothing, cars still pushing 100Kmh in the wet. I pulled off down the service road that led to the cabin and out the front of a servo the VFR stepped sideways in a pool of water in front of at least 20 riders taking refuge! I didn't go down though! See the last attached pic of what we were still contending with back at the cabin. Suffice to say we were drenched!
Next morning (Monday) we took off and were met with more rain from there to Cranbourne. Stopped at Maccas for some brekky. Rain all the way to Melbourne. Luckily I had put my winter liner in the jacket. Note to self: get wet weather pants. I was lucky to have taken some zip-lock sandwich bags and handed them out to Dad and mate. Electronics guaranteed to be dry. Got home and had forgotten to protect the garage door buzzer in my pocket - toast. Our mate left us in Melbourne, Dad and I continued to Calder Park servo and it was sunny and very steamy. I checked Weatherzone on the iPhone and it said no rain up ahead. So with that info Dad took off his wet weathers, I removed my winter liner because it was 30 something degrees. 20Km North of Calder Park it BUCKETED down. For another 130Km we endured the rest - soaking wet.
Yes we could have stopped, but why bother when we were already wet? Put wets over wet jeans? Pull the winter liner out on the side of the road to get it wet before putting it over a wet T-Shirt? Nah, grin and bear it and enjoy the ride! It wasn't cold anyways, probably high 20s. All in all a great little adventure. Hope to see more of you there next year!
Malcolm Campbell's RC30
[image: IMG_0842.jpg]
[image: IMG_0844.jpg]
[image: IMG_0846.jpg]
[image: IMG_0852.jpg]
VFR750F Racer
[image: IMG_0880.jpg]
[image: IMG_0886.jpg]
And what we contended with after the race.
[image: VFR_RAIN.jpg]