STORY BY MAHMOOD FAZAL, PHOTOS BY CHRIS TURNER

Hunter S Thompson, the most famous writer of motorcycle culture, writes, “But with the throttle screwed on there is only the barest margin, and no room at all for mistakes. It has to be done right...and that's when the strange music starts, when you stretch your luck so far that fear becomes exhilaration and vibrates along your arms.”

The Ulysses Club is a social club for motorcyclists over the age of 40 years. “And I started my passion for riding about 40 years ago, on a farm, riding bikes with my brothers,” quipps Macedon Ranges' first female club president, Sylvia Behan. “I taught my husband when he became my boyfriend too.”

Across Australia, The Ulysses Club is the largest social motorcycle club in the country. “The club is very inclusive, very welcoming, and made me feel like this is what I needed to do myself,” says Sylvia. “You could go up to a group of men who are chatting about bikes and be included straight away, it wasn't a big problem because you're a woman or you're riding a Harley. There's none of that in the club.”

When Sylvia retired from her work as a teacher, she bought herself a Harley Davidson Street 500 and applied for her motorcycle license. Sylvia asserts, “It was a fabulous little bite to learn on. I've now upgraded to a Street Rod [Harley Davidson]. A little more power. It's really good because it gets me past the trucks much safer.”

The club meets in Gisborne every Saturday for the weekly Tyre Kick. “People walk by and admire the bikes and we'll get together in small groups and chat about the modifications we've all done to our bikes. And then we’re off on our rides.”

Although the club motto reads “Growing Old Disgracefully”, the Ulysses Club bikers are not the type of outlaws we see on television. “We’re not 1%ers. We’re not bikies. We’re bikers. We've had guys from the police, we've had teachers, we've had accountants - we've had all sorts of people from interesting walks of life,” explains Sylvia. “My husband calls me Miss goody-two-shoes because I won't break the speed limit or road rules.”

The underlying principle of the club is to be well organised and safe. “My kids were terrified when I decided to take this up. We have two children and three grandchildren. So you're very glad to get back at the end of the ride.”

Now, at the front of the pack, Sylvia wants others to join in the fun. “It's a really good feeling to be riding in a group especially when on my first ride I led 23 bikes. It was just such a fabulous feeling,” says Sylvia. “If you want me to actually describe what it's like, when you're riding along with a group of people. You feel like you're one. You're one. And it's a nice feeling because you're part of something. And you belong to something.”

In 2018, three women from the Macedon Ranges Ulysses club took part in the Dubbo Babe Raid; an attempt to break the world record for the most women at an all-female bike rally. “And it was a great, great ride. Swimming in the pools. Going out together. We didn’t break the record but it was a really great atmosphere to be amongst so many women who are bikers,” explains Sylvia. “A couple of our ladies were part of the Women Riders World Relay tour last year too! They had a baton and joined a ride that went all the way around the world and finished up in Dubai.”

Every year, the club hosts an annual ride to the memorial cross in Mount Macedon to commemorate former members who have “ridden on.” Over a hundred bikes come from across the State. “they come from as far as the Grampians, Gippsland and Yarra Valley. But it's a really moving feeling to actually be part of so many bikes riding up the mountain.”

When asked about being the first female president of the Macedon Ranges club, Sylvia brushes it off. “Probably, I would say, because nobody else wanted to do it,” laughs Sylvia. “And I said to Mark, well do you want to do it? Because normally, the Secretary moves up to the President's job. And he said, ‘Nope, no way!’ So many of the guys were so supportive. Honestly, they were all cheering me on. One of the longest standing members approached me and said, you should go for it. Honestly, I had very positive reactions from all of the men.”

Macedon Ranges Branch Ulysses Club

committee@mrub.org.au

www.mrub.org.au