andianjul wrote:
In the universe of Motoplat electronics.
After blowing up many of them I finally worked out is was always after dewatering.
Ossas only had a kill button, not a switch and it seems that unless the spark plug is earthed when you kick the bike over it eventually blows up some electronic part encased in that epoxy. 

Ian Robinson wrote:
Did'nt you mean to say "in that poxy" 

Ian Robinson wrote: Haha. I remember when we first started using MOSFets at work in the late 70's and early 80's. The MOSFets couldn't cope with an 'open' circuit and they'd fry themselves internally when a wire fell off or became disconnected. They were expensive back then and they always blamed the apprentice (read: me). We used a lot of other components to 'protect' these newfangled MOSFet devices, but they still failed regularly.

Alpine Tours

What became known as ‘Alpine Tours’ were an annual feature of the club’s ride program in the 70’s. The Wonnangatta o/nights were already a regular ride in the calendar late in the year. The ‘Alpine Tours’ as they became known were run over the 3 day Labour Day weekend in March. From my
recollection the first couple were led by Leigh Bradstreet, the first one being in 1974 from memory; into Wonnangatta from Licola via the Caledonia and Butcher Country, then through to the Pinnacles via Wombat Spur and Billy Goat Bluff then on to Briagalong for the second night. The last day was back across to Licola via the Avon River and Castle Hill. (…as far as I can remember on this ride were Leigh, Guy Slingerland, Colin and Jeanette Boyd, Lance Sheppard, Chris Daley, David Baxter and myself). After Leigh’s first couple I led the next 3 or 4 with Colin Boyd taking over the lead of the tours in the early 80’s. The cast varied but later regulars included David Baxter (360 Yam), Bill Canters (Honda 350?) Laurie Power (Bultaco Matador/ PE), Bruce Dryburgh (IT and Ossa 350 from Sport and Road on the ’78 ride) John Maddock (Honda XL250), Mick and Chris Barnes (Yam DT360s). Norm Watts (250 Ossa) rode up from Maffra to meet up with us on a couple as well.  (Others on at least one tour I recall included Jeff David, Dave Braddock and Ken Percy …with apols to those I’ve missed.). Starting points varied-Stockmans Reward, Mirimbah or Licola, the ride usually taking in such places as Red Jacket, Violet Town track, Mt Useful, Butcher Country, the Caledonia, Wonnangatta, Billy Goat Bluff, Bull Plain Spur, Mt Mc Donald, Mt Clear, Mt Buller, Mt Stirling, The Bluff, Sheepyard Flat, Woods Point, Cobbler Lake and the Buffalo valley. We usually managed one stopover for fuel, usually Licola or Mirimbah. In those days at Licola you just camped by the river next to the store. 40 years ago, tracks were still rudimentary, largely Forests Commission dozer cut for fire access with navigation by ‘leader’s experience’ or Forest Commission watershed maps. No GPS, Google Maps and not too many signposts for that matter! It could be a bit of an adventure! A feature of any ride that took in Mt Buller was a rolling race from the summit down to Mirimbah which could be interesting. Riders carried all camping gear/food etc, usually in a rucksack and 1 or 2 gallons of fuel tied on however we could manage. Distances ridden over the 3 days varied but prob in the vicinity of 400+km depending on the route taken. I have attached a ride report by John Maddock for the ’77 Alpine Tour. I always loved these extended rides where we got to ride some great tracks in magnificent alpine country for an extended period of time, and being self sufficient over the 3 days.
Nb. The ‘Impossible Hill’ mentioned by John in his trip report was one of 3 ‘short cuts’ cut by a dozer driver on the Sheepyard Flat/8 Mile Gap road. The last one was ‘Steep’ and the source of many spectacularly failed efforts over the years to make it to the top…not sure if anyone ever
did! A descent of the same, as we did on this ride, was equally exciting.




 Leigh Bradstreet near Mt Shillinglaw
 

Wonnangatta Valley in 1974



A night visit to the Wonnangatta Cemetery- Lance Sheppard, Jeanette Boyd, Leigh Bradstreet, Guy Slingerland and Colin Boyd - Alpine Tour 1974


Laurie Power (Bultaco Matador Mk5) crossing the Jordan River below Violet Town Track  -March 1976


David Baxter and Bruce Dryburgh  at  Licola, first night camp - Mar '76


David Baxter (Yamaha DT2 360)  loaded up, crossing the Macalister River on Butcher Country Track, March '76
 
NB. .....System couldn't handle all the pics so will have to do another post!


Le fin!

ALPINE TOURS ...Part 2


John Maddock (Honda XL250) crossing the Macalister River on Butcher Country Track, March '77


Bill Canters (Honda XL350?) crossing the Macalister River on Butcher Country Track, March '77


Bruce Dryburgh (Ossa 350)  coming down from Mt  Buller near Howqua Gap on the Mt Stirling Track-March '77


My trusty old Bultaco  250 Alpina  coming off Buller near Howqua Gap on the Mt Stirling Track-March '77


Bruce Dryburgh reflecting and recovering in the Howqua River after a get off on Mt Stirling which did in his ankle ...and his Ossa sidestand and swinging arm which parted company (along with Bruce!)


Early morning camp on the Howqua River at Bindaree Hut -March '77 (note the frosted tents ...some didn't have down sleeping bags!)



Looking back towards the Cross Cut Saw and Mt Howitt near No 1 Divide - March '78 (Bill Canters, Jeff David and John Maddock)


Bruce Dryburgh  (Yamaha IT 175?) above Helicopter Spur,Mt Lovick -March '78


 David Baxter (Yamaha DT2 360)  Mt Stirling track (?)March 1978

Le fin!


nnn

Fantastic Kerry, thank you. 

Great story and pics (as always) Kerry.

Thanks for taking the time to 'digitize' your old slides and make them available for us to see.

Keep 'em coming, please.

Thanks Kerry great piece amtra history 

Good stuff Kerry.

Digging back into the slide archive....AMTRA  Christmas Camp December 1974



Christmas Camp at Bentley’s Plain out of Ensay/Swifts Creek, Dec ’74…Leigh Bradstreet (DKW 125) crossing the Tambo river on Nunniong Plain. 

 This was a bit of an epic ride for those days - Bentley’s Plain, Nunniong Road/ Trail ( after
Nunniong Plain it was a beautiful narrow ‘track’  back then, grassed down the middle, overhanging trees!),  Brumby Rocks, Forlorn HopeTrack (now closed) crossing the Buchan River, along the Cobberas Trail to  Cowombat Flat. (I recollect having a substantial ‘get off’ on a rocky, rutted downhill section of the Cobberas Trail). From Cowombat Flat (where there was still some substantial RAAF DC3 wreckage ) we rode rather naughtily along The Pilot Fire Trail (through what became Kosciusko Nat Park) to Dead Horse Gap (where I, being at the tail, was the one to be met by an ‘understanding ranger’…I explained to him that there was no signage at Cowombat Flat to  say we couldn’t ride the Pilot Trail!) Then into Thredbo for a refuel, down to Tom Groggin, fording the Indi, up along Tom Groggin Track, to Buenba and back to Benambra, Omeo, Mt Nugong and  home in the dark to Bentley’s Plain. From memory on the ride were; Leigh Bradstreet (DKW125) leading and navigating as usual, Colin Boyd (Yam RT2 360), Chris George and Sean Kilbane (and possibly Len Bray) - AMTRA SA members on early Honda XL 250s, I think…(Chris could have been riding an DT/RT2, not sure) and myself riding my trusty old Bultaco Alpina 250. Hopefully I didn’t forget anyone…it was 45 years ago! Looking back at the map we covered around 250 odd km for the day.  I think we rode off early morning and got back to Bentley’s Plain in the dark around 10pm.…most likely stiff and sore, suspension being what it was back then.


Chris George fording the Suggan Buggan River on the CobberasTrail.


Leigh Bradstreet crossing the Suggan Buggan.


Colin Boyd NOT fording the Suggan Buggan River!


Chris George fording the Indi at Tom Groggin.


 Colin Boyd just making it across the Indi!