Great Story by CNN, proud to be a member of SCCC……this is the article they wrote about us.
The article was published by CNN today 02 28 08
By CNN’s Saeed Ahmed
(CNN) — Two masked and machete-wielding men who barged into a club in Sydney, Australia, couldn’t have picked a worse night for their robbery — a monthly meeting of bikers.
The robbers chose the wrong night to burst into the club where the Southern Cross Cruiser Club have their monthly meeting.
About 50 burly bikers fought back with tables and chairs — pretty much anything that wasn’t bolted down. One would-be robber was tied up; the other in the hospital.
Police arrested both.
“These guys were absolutely dumb as bricks,” Jerry Vancornewal, leader of the bikers, told CNN Thursday. “I can’t believe they saw all the bikes parked up front and they were so stupid that they walked past in.”
Vancornewal and his buddies were at the Regents Park Sporting and Community Club in Sydney when the two men wearing ski masks stormed in Wednesday night. They yelled at patrons to drop to the floor as they emptied cash registers at the bar.
Hearing the commotion from an adjacent room, Vancornewal and his pals with the Southern Cross Cruiser motorcycle club stomped through to the bar area to intervene.
“They (the robbers) thought they had the upper advantage with their knives and their machetes,” Jim Webb, night supervisor of the club, told CNN. “They didn’t expect to run into a bunch of guys carrying chairs and tables.”
One of the would-be robbers crashed through a plate-glass door and jumped off a balcony.
“All he had to do was push the button and it automatically opened,” Webb quipped.
New South Wales police said they arrested the 20-year-old man a short distance away.
The second man made a break for it through the club’s service entrance, but the bikers tackled him near a neighbor’s fence.
“We just grabbed him, crash-tackled him to the ground, hogtied him with electrical wire and left him for the cops,” Vancornewal said.
Police confirmed in a statement that club patrons subdued the second man until officers arrived, but did not provide additional details. The suspect turned out to be a 16-year-old boy.
Both would-be robbers were charged with attempted armed robbery and “face disguised with intent to commit indictable offense,” police said.
A third person, who was waiting in a getaway car, took off when the bikers threw pieces of furniture at him, Webb said. Police have not located him.
The Regents Park Sporting and Community Club is a place where locals come to enjoy drinks and take part in various games: cricket, soccer, lawn bowling. The biking enthusiasts meet there once a month to plan rides and other club activities.
In the last year or so, criminals have struck the club about 10 times, Webb said. And Wednesday night’s incident, while unusual, wasn’t the most memorable.
“We have these old bingo players and they are really serious about their games,” Webb explained. “They do not like to be interrupted.”
When robbers barged in one evening and announced that they were holding up the place, the players turned around and testily told them to be quiet.
“They were making it difficult for the players to hear the numbers being called,” Webb said.
All About Sydney (Australia)
Other stories related to the robbery:
ABC Bikers foil Sydney machete robbery
The Sydney morning Herald Bikers stop ’stupid’ robbers
The Daily Telegraph Bikers foil machety robbery
Yahoo News Bikers detain bandits at Sydney bar
The 2008 Honda CBR1000RR: Built for the Street, but Unveiled at the Track
- The 2008 Honda CBR1000RR at Laguna Seca raceway.
The 2008 Honda CBR1000RR– along with its competition, which includes the
Suzuki GSXR-1000,
Buell 1125R, and to a lesser extent, the
Ducati 1098, is a lot of bike for the street. In fact, though Honda calls the CBR1000RR a street bike, its press introduction was held at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.
It’s no wonder Honda wants to show off their new CBR1000RR at a track; underneath its slightly updated skin, it bears almost no resemblance to its predecessor.
Read on to find out how this $11,599 superbike’s makeover enabled it to shed some weight, gain more power, and refine its road manners.
The Honda CBR1000RR’s Facelift: Above the Surface
Though it can appear quite different from its predecessor in photos, the 2008 Honda CBR1000RR doesn’t look so dramatically different in person. Sure, you can get graphics-free bodywork (like this yellow and black combination), but the main changes in the redesigned bike include a stubbier nose, a narrower body with turn signals integrated into the side mirrors (finally!), and twin ram-air intakes underneath the headlights.
The CBR1000RR’s tail is also cleaned up with a smaller, lighter seat and cowl. Honda parts and accessories now offers an eCushion seat which promises to be more comfortable than gel saddles.
The CBR1000RR is available in color schemes ranging from discreet to bold.
More Than a Pretty Face: An Overview of the CBR1000RR’s Tech Innovations
The CBR1000RR’s mass centralized exhaust hides valves that direct air through three chambers.
Photo © Basem Wasef
In order to make the CBR1000RR competitive, Honda knew they had to increase its power output to keep it on par with bikes like the Kawasaki ZX-10R and the Yamaha R1. Though many of its competitors have gained weight in order to cope with more stringent emissions standards, the Honda has lost 17 pounds (wet weight is now 435 lbs), while gaining an unspecified amount of horsepower.
The only thing more effective than weight loss is mass centralization, the practice of moving the weight towards the center of the motorcycle. Honda achieved this by removing the outgoing model’s underseat exhaust and replacing it with a stubbier, mid-mounted canister. The 4-2-1 exhaust hides a pressure-actuated valve that routes air through three chambers in order to maximize performance while staying within legal noise and emissions levels.
The all-new engine is narrower and 5 lbs lighter, and displaces 999.8cc– a touch more than the previous version thanks to a larger bore and slightly reduced stroke. The inline-4’s compression ratio is bumped to 12.3:1, and twin ram-air, revised cams and valves boost power.
A new slipper clutch replaces the old hydraulic unit, and the Honda Electronic Steering Damper has been relocated and lightened for further mass centralization. A new MotoGP-derived Ignition Interrupt Control System is designed to sense driveline lash and reduce it by retarding ignition when necessary between 2,500 and 6,000 rpm, and throttle response is also smoothened by an Idle Air Control Valve.
Riding the 2008 Honda CBR1000RR
The CBR1000RR’s body is noticeably narrower than its predecessor, and the bike feels impressively light at a standstill. The rider sits tall in order to produce the ground clearance necessary for steep lean angles. Riding 2007 and 2008 models back to back, the ‘08 rode noticeably smoother, with considerably more power available through a wider spread of the powerband. Handling is also more precise, with the bike communicating a clear sense of exactly what it’s doing and where it’s headed. The clutch engages smoothly, though a certain amount of lever feedback is noticeable during shifts (which is normal for the slipper mechnanism.) Overall, controls (including the shifter) are light and require little input.
Power comes on so strong– especially at higher revs– that my first few laps around Laguna Seca were relatively sedate as I acclimated. Mass centralization helps the CBR change directions more eagerly, and this nimbleness came in especially handy at the famous “Corkscrew.” More of the bike’s abilities were revealed after the second session: higher revs squirted the bike ahead, producing fierce acceleration that put the radially mounted, four-piston 320mm Tokico front brakes to the test. Lap after lap, the CBR inspired greater confidence (and, subsequently greater speeds.) Never did it feel underequipped for the task at hand, especially when compared to the already capable 2007 model.
Handling and braking are strong, but the most impressive feature of the CBR1000RR has to be its speed; on Laguna’s straightaway, third gear wheelies came easily and without much effort.
In Conclusion: Confidence-Inspiring Speed
The 2008 Honda CBR1000RR.
Photo © Basem Wasef
The CBR1000RR’s performance at Laguna Seca was stellar, but what distinguished it from other liter bikes was how easily it performed at such a lofty level. Unlike sportbikes like the Ducati 1098, which has high performance limits but demands much from the rider, the CBR1000RR handled itself with grace and made the rider feel more expert. Steering wobble was imperceptibly removed thanks the electronic damper, and the bike seemed to want to go exactly where you pointed it.
The handlebars are 6.5mm higher than the 2007 model, improving its ergonomics. Though the riding posture is still somewhat demanding, the CBR is far less extreme than the Ducati (as is its $11,599 price tag, which is only $100 more than the 2007 version.)
Agile, smooth, and outrageously powerful, the 2008 Honda CBR1000RR is a bike for riders interested exploring the outer levels of performance without breaking the bank. While it’s certainly not for everybody (especially those who lack the maturity to handle such extreme levels of performance), the CBR1000RR is an outstanding achievement in both technology and capability– exactly the sorts of qualities riders look for in an all-out performance bike.
