Family, friends pay tribute to Stuart Harper, 74,

The devoted great-grandfather loved his family, his bike and freedom of the open road. Sadly he passed away after a motorcycle crash near Toowoomba.

Friends and family have paid tribute to Stuart Harper (right) after he died in a single-vehicle crash at Ravensbourne, picture here with Greg McPhee (left).

Stuart Harper has been remembered as a hardworking family man who loved his bike and the freedom of the open road.

Sadly, the 74-year-old Caboolture man died after he fell down an embankment after a single-vehicle crash on Esk-Hampton Road at Ravensbourne about 8.30am on Sunday.

His good mate Greg McPhee was leading the ride that day and said Stuart was respected by all who met him.

“Stuey loved a joke,” he said.

“We were both in the trucking industry and shared a passion for bikes.

“He loved his family and always talked about his family when we were riding.”

The pair were returning home after a ride to Cambooya with a group of mates when Stuart fell from his bike.

While the police investigation is ongoing it is suspected a mechanical fault may be at play with reports the rear wheel on Stuart Triumph Thunderbird seized up.

Mr McPhee said Stuart was sensible, skilled and had been riding for about 60 years.

“I met him at an invitation-only Triumph event about eight years ago, we went for a ride and I sat down with him and had a chat

“There was another invitation event a few months later and we met up again and went for another ride and he has been with us ever since,

“He was a great bloke and he’d talk to anyone.”

Stuart Harper enjoying a cold on at Bull and Barley Inn at Cambooya.

Peter Simpson said he would miss his riding mate.

“Stu didn’t suffer fools,” he said.

“He always said he couldn’t sleep the night before our rides because he was to excited.

“On the last trip there was very funny incident about 2.30am going to the toilet we passed in hallway and he noticed a full-length mirror on the wall.

“He never missed an opportunity, he stood there and said to me with his hands above his head dancing, ‘’have a look at this fine specimen.’

“I said, ‘Go back to bed you silly old b****d.’”

Stuart Harper (centre rear) with his mates (from left) Scott O’Neil, Wayne Hexell, Ash Badke, Greg McPhee and Lloyd Mcbrienat at Crows Nest on one of their final rides together.

Stuart leaves behind four daughters, 11 grandchildren, five great-grandchildren and his partner Cheryl.

She said the family is still coming to terms with the loss but she took comfort knowing he died doing what he loved.

“He went out the way he wanted,” she said.

“He would be p***** off if he died in his sleep.”

The couple met in New Zealand where Stuart worked as a diesel mechanic and volunteered with Round Table – a Kiwi service club akin to Rotary, Lions or Apex.

“Stuart used to do rally driving in New Zealand,” Cheryl said.

“He was passionate about anything to do with cars and bikes.

“He was tough on his apprentices and they had to do everything the old fashioned way but they had a lot of respect for him.

While the family is yet to finalise Stuart’s funeral, Cheryl said the family plan to bring him to the crematorium in the back of a semi trailer and to have his mates from across the country ride to the service.