Words by Syd Leach
Welcome to MOFAH at Lakeside. For those who don’t know, that’s the Motorcycling Old Farts At Halcyon.
The group has five members (so far).
- Syd Leach: President (only because I was the founder).
- Howard Cox: Secretary (the only literate member).
- Bob Marsh: Treasurer (he said he could count).
- Noel Mason: Ridemaster (the only one worthy of this title).
- Carl Spencer: Marketing guru.
What we lack in numbers we sure do make up for in experience. Our combined age is almost 300 and collectively we’ve owned 37 motorbikes - including many “longgone-broke names” like AJS, BSA, Francis Barnett, Norton, Panther, Velocette and Vincent. Our club motto is simple… ’The older I get the faster I was’. If we can find a sponsor, we’ll buy some club t-shirts with that slogan printed on.
The group averages about three to four rides a month, each between 150 and 250 kilometres.
We no longer talk about the joys of riding with the wind in our hair ‘cos we no longer collectively have enough to trouble the wind anyway.
We don’t do rain, and these days tyres tend to wear out in the middle and not on the sides like they used to some 50 years ago.
What we do have however, in abundance, is an unquenchable passion for motorbikes that started many, many moons ago.
Our current rides are:
- Syd Leach: Royal Enfield Interceptor 650cc
- Howard Cox: Indian Scout 1133cc
- Bob Marsh: Suzuki V Strom 1000cc
- Noel Mason: Kawasaki Versys 1000cc
- Carl Spencer: BMW R1250 GS
Noel is a Sunshine Coast local who knows every motorcycle friendly road in the Coast Hinterland. He is the best ridemaster in the entire Halcyon empire, although of course, he is also the only one I know of.
The club welcomes any riders from other Halcyon locations but would advise that Harley Davidson owners need board approval and must arrange their own return transport after breakdowns.
If there are any other two-wheeled Mr Toads out there (remember Wind in the Willows) in the Halcyonosphere who want to join us, please email Syd Leach on syddyis@bigpond.com.
We look forward to hearing from you and all car drivers please remember what your wing mirrors are for.
