Welcome to WE Ride (Whites Employees Ride), the series in which we share our passion for two wheels by introducing a team member, what they ride, wear and use in the shed.
Get to know one of our Aussie Reps and get motivated to get in the shed, in your gear, and out riding!
What’s your name, what do you ride, and what do you do at Whites?
Stuart Gorrie, a 2006 Shelbourne CBR600RR F2 Sidecar, and I am the Northwestern Victoria sales representative for Whites.
I visit my accounts monthly, making sure they are up to date with what is happening at Whites, showing them new products, fixing any issues and helping them get what they need for their shop.
How long have you had your sidecar and what mods have you made to it so far?
I’ve owned our sidecar for four years. As these are a custom-built chassis, there isn’t too much to modify.
I mainly try to make my passenger — my brother, Brad Gorrie — and myself comfortable when racing. Main things are keeping it light, serviced regularly and in top racing condition. Items we run and mods completed include:
- K&N oil filter.
- Putoline N-Tech Pro R+ Engine Oil - 10W50.
- Premier and Goldfren brake pads (I use a mix).
- I have added factory pro velocity stacks over genuine ones for more hp and better throttle response.
- Upgraded Maxton Suspension.
Do you have more plans for your three-wheeled race machine?
Knock more weight out of it and find some more hp, race in the Victorian and Australian championships, and hopefully race overseas one day.
What sort of riding do you enjoy and where do you like to do it?
I like a wide range of riding; road racing sidecars and historic bikes are my number one pick.
I also race dirt track and ride enduro.
Favourite tracks would be Phillip Island for the speed and Winton for a technical, fun track.
Are there any notable products that you use on the regular to enhance your riding?
- Putoline Brake Cleaner.
- Putoline Metal Protect.
- Putoline 1001 Penetrating Spray & PTFE.
- Gorilla Grip Tie Downs.
Tell us a bit about your life on two wheels...
I grew up with bikes. My dad has been riding and racing for the last 40+ years so my brother and I were always around it, so the bug was caught young. I started riding when I was about six or seven and started racing when I was 15 on the dirt and road racing when I was 18. It’s now a family affair with my dad, my brother and I.
I have raced a few disciplines from Vintage MX and Dirt track to historic road racing and modern F2 sidecars.
Results wise, this year would have to be one of the notable ones, placing 3rd in Australia and 2nd in the Victorian championship on the sidecar.
Also, Brad has just secured a passenger ride in this year’s sidecar world championships in Europe. He’ll be racing with driver, Rupert Archer, for Team Hannafin Racing. The six-round series kicks off at Le Mans in April.
Tell us about your gear — why you chose it and what you like about it.
Brad and I wear the LS2 FF805 Thunder Carbon Helmet for racing — it's light, quiet and sits well at speed... such a great helmet.
See what else WE Ride
If you’ve enjoyed learning about Stuart and his machine, have a gander at our previous issues of WE Ride and see more of our team and their bikes.
View WE Ride Issue #1