firefighters | MotorCycle News

The free Fire Aid Ride this Sunday (23 February 2020) will be the first in a series of rides every two months for the rest of the year to draw visitors to towns that have been drastically affected by the recent bushfires.

There is no fee to join the ride but riders are asked to spend their money locally and to donate to the Fire Aid Ride GoFundMe page.

Click here for more details on how riders can help various bushfire appeals.

Inaugural Fire Aid Ride

The first ride this Sunday takes off from Macquarie Park, Windsor, in Sydney’s northwest from 9am and heads along the Putty Rd to the popular motorcycle stop, Grey Gum Cafe.

Donations will go to the Putty Rural Fire Service and local businesses.

Among the riders will be TV and radio presenter Osher Gunsberg, radio presenter Brendan ‘Jonesy’ Jones and designer and TV presenter Barry Du Bois.

Yamaha Australia will provide a recovery vehicle and mechanic.

Local charities, farmers, vendors and makers will establish a mini-market at the cafe.

There will also be live music, ‘Buy a Firefighter a Beer Bar’, food from local vendors and riders can buy a special event patch.

While the Grey Gum Cafe escaped damage, owners Kim and Will worked tirelessly preparing up to 80 meals a night to keep firefighters fed.

A GoFundMe page was started in November to help the cafe cover costs. It raised more than $20,000 of a $5000 goal!

Fire Aid Ride series

No dates or locations have yet been organised for the other rides in the Fire Aid Ride series, but stay tuned for details.

The events are being organised by Sydney rider Jimmy Woodriff with the help of Mark Hawwa who established the now-famous The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride.

There are no administrative costs with the full amount of funds raised going toward local firefighter services and businesses.

The Fire Aid Ride series is not designed as a fundraiser, but to encourage tourism to fire-affected areas.

“There’s not a lot of people in Australia who haven’t been impacted by these fires,” says Jimmy.

“Now that the fire threat has eased there’s a real economic, social and psychological danger to people in affected areas, giving back should be our focus.

“Going to meet people, saying g’day, spending money with them or just rumbling through towns on a bunch of cool bikes and being present tells our regional communities that we care, that they’re not alone.

“We’re planning to visit and bring more cash, bikes and smiles to other areas of NSW every two months to help stimulate these shattered local economies.”

Organisers hope riders will spend their money with local businesses such as petrol stations, cafes, accommodation venues, and shops.

There are several bushfire charity rides in other states that you can attend. Check your liked Facebook pages.

Or simply go for a ride with your mates.

Fire Aid Ride

When: Sunday, 23 February 2020
Time: 9am until 3pm
Where: Meet at Macquarie Park, Windsor; End at The Grey Gum International Cafe, Putty.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Former volunteer firefighter John England is selling his collection of Aussie motorcycle racing memorabilia and donating a portion to aid the bushfire appeal.

John says his collection of 22 commemorative bottles of Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix port, six Mick Doohan plates, various mirrors, signed prints and collectible toys could be worth as much as $10,000.

“But it’s only worth what someone is prepared to pay,” says the Logan City rider whose Can-Am Spyder we featured in a 2014 article.

John and Rose England’s patriotic Can-Am Spyder and trailer

He is also selling his 1981 Honda Bol d’Or 900, bored out to 1000cc, with handmade exhausts.

John and his wife, Rose, plan to retire this year and hit the road in their caravan, towing their Can-Am Spyder around the country.

“We don’t want this collection gathering dust in storage, so we thought we would sell it,” John says.

“I used to be a volunteer firefighter, so we’d be happy to make a donation of a portion of the sale of this collection.”

“I just want it go to a motorcycle lover who appreciates it.”

He says he would prefer to sell it as one collection and the bike separately.

However, he would also consider splitting it up, preferably in groups such as all the ports or all six commemorative plates honouring Mick’s five consecutive GP titles plus a sixth lap of honour plate.

John, a former Sydney track racer, started collecting when he bought the first Australian GP port for $25 in 1989.

John has been told by the seller of the commemorative port that his first bottle could now be worth as much as $500.

“How that didn’t get drunk I’ll never know,” he laughs.

“It was all bought to drink. I’d usually buy two bottles each year; drink one and keep one.”

The commemorative port line ceased in 2008 and John has one from each year.

He also has a Harley-Davidson-styled port holder with six ports released each year. He says the “gearbox” bottle of port, alone, cost $196.

Harley port carrier

Most of the items in his collection come with certificates or letters of authenticity.

If you are interested in buying his collection and helping the bushfire appeal, you can contact John on 0408 880616.

Bushfire appeal

Like many Aussie sports stars and celebrities, two-time Dakar rally winner Toby Price and MotoGP racer Jack Miller are raising money for the bushfire appeal.

Toby is auctioning his starting jersey and pants with proceeds going to the NSW Rural Fire Service.

It is open worldwide, just send in your bid in Australian dollars on his Facebook page or Instagram.

Current highest bid is still $13,001.

Auction closes on 18 January at 5pm (AEST).

If you can’t bid, please donate on this link. So far he has raised $2777.

Jack Miller’s MotoGP helmet

Aussie MotoGP racer Jack Miller is also putting his 2018 MotoGP helmet up for auction to raise money for the bushfire crisis.

The auction is open worldwide until Friday at 5pm (AEST).

Bushfire appeals

There is a host of bushfire appeals you can donate to. See the list below.

Otherwise, we suggest helping local communities by waiting until the emergency has passed, then visiting the areas and spending your money on fuel, food and gifts.

Royal Enfield Australia has announced a five-day “Coastal Tour” departing from Melbourne on 7 March 2020, navigating the east coast to Noosa on 11 March.

The event is open to all Royal Enfield riders for the full ride or partial rides in their local areas. Click here to register.

• Australian Red Cross Disaster Response and Recovery Fund;

• WIRES Emergency Fund for Wildlife;

• Port Macquarie Koala Hospital GoFundMe;

• Bendigo Bank Bushfire Disaster Appeal;

• Vinnies Bushfire Appeal;

• Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park owner Dana Mitchell’s GoFundMe;

• Fire Relief Fund for First Nations Communities GoFundMe;

• Mallacoota Fires Support Fund for East Gippsland on GoFundMe;

• Australian photographer Kara Rosenlund’s koala crisis bushfire recovery GoFundMe;

• Mogo Zoo on the NSW South Coast GoFundMe established by MP Emma Husar;

• South Australian Adelaide Hills Wine Region Fire Appeal GoFundMe;