gijoe1313's Blogs

Its at this point in time, I am pausing to effect a small reflection of my zeal for two wheels of freedom. The CB919 aka 900 Hornet aka Big ol'Hornet has helped layer another patina of rose coloured experiences to my life.

I well remember the anticipation and petulant way I acted at Botany Honda, demanding from Richard that my bike shall be ready and on road for the next day!

Ah the halcyon day when I rode it down to Wellington and back for its maiden journey, a small smidgen of a ride for its first 1000km service virtually the next day!

My one regret due to the inexperience and usual disdain I have for fancy gadgets on my pure naked bike experience was not to have a ScootOiler Touring kit installed straight off the bat!

Imagine gentle reader how I always at 500km intervals stopped to relube the chain and check over the links to ensure my riding was free from errant slacking of it. Now at the 50 000km mark, I finally relented and got aforementioned device installed in a pique of "I must be getting soft in my old age!"

These last two weeks has seen liquidity of my bank balance fast evaporating into the nether sphere of the Biking God's realm. It is my sacrifice to their altar in pursuit of that zen and the art of motorcycling.

Has it really been two weeks which has seen a 48 000km service performed (which I was 2 000km over, but the long suffering crew at Botany well know my pecadilloes for riding).

Now there has been a touring kit installed for less chain maintenance rituals, a new sprocket and chain to replace the old that gave me such a lustre to my big bike riding experience ( 50 000km from them sounds like a fair deal to me!), and the addition of heated Oxford grips has been quite the event!

The expenditure has been akin to amounts of $770, $600 and finally $300 today for a new pilot front and new pads to replace the skinny well used previous ones.

A small amount I say! Not small was the pleasure I derived from meandering my merry way across the face of God's own green land, resplendent with the unique icons of Aotearoa. Doing daily combat with the riding conditions, but basking in the sights, sounds and memories of the places and people I met on my journey.

All hours of the day, in all weathers, situations and scenarios.

The Big Ol'Hornet is my riding compadre, we are brothers of the ride, its motor purring and the feel of the blacktop lane that wends its wiles into our biking hearts.

What new adventures await us? I cannot speak nor guess at, every ride I do always has me learning something new, increasing that cautious balance between that blind corner or riding into that rare state known as the zone.

I just hope the next 50 000km on the Big Ol'Hornet is just as interesting!

And yes, I will still keep riding my little family of steeds, the lil'ol'hornet has set a big mark for his brother to meet with Daisy, Betsy and Pippi cheering from the sidelines!