Riding Wgtn - Palm Nth (Sun 6 Sept 2009)

[chef]

planning on going to palmy on sunday after work around 3pm. to go and see my lovley gf, usally i would catch the bus but sick of it. anyway this will be my first full open road experience and need some pointers and good advice.
thanks.

if anyone wants to join me on my epic adventure i will be leaving around 3pm pm me if you would like to join thanks.

[sinfull]

Speed kills !

[Lurch]

Go via SH1 not via SH2 if it's your first time at 100k on open road. It will still be a fun ride and you won't be pressured by fast traffic on narrow and winding roads.

Relax, enjoy the ride, and keep your eyes up.

[crazyhorse]

Good time to be leaving Wellington rather than trying to go there on a Sunday arvo. Traffic should be ok. Just trundle along and you'll be fine. Its not as scarey as you may think. Take you time and enjoy the ride

[cowboyz]

dont stop in te horo.. youll never get out of there........

[ajturbo]

Speed kills !

only if you get caught...

[sinfull]

dont stop in te horo.. youll never get out of there........

Who'd want to !!! Leave that is !!

only if you get caught...

Or cut it badly !


Just do ya thing Chef ! Shit you prolly know the road code bettera than alot here (and on the road)
Don't assume ya gonna be given right of way though haha (but have the attitude "i'm gonna golf ball ya screen if ya do that cock")
Don't know what speed ya gonna do on the open road, but just remember if ya ride the left track cause a tailgaita makes ya nervous, he will try and squeeze through at the first opportunity (think golf ball and make him wait till he has tons of room, while allowing for some cock coming the other way to be cuttin the apex onto your lane)
Trucks will cause a wash of wind (like a suction) if it's an easterly going up or a westerly coming back, as will clumps of trees, hills etc etc learn to see it coming !
Best example was the S bends at the foxton bridge (prior to them widening the road, Ya had to be ready to throw yaself right then left to stay on yr lane as ya approached from south (and vice versa) ! (look for trees or shrubs laying over ahead and you'll be ready to be gusted left or right (if a truck comes and the winds coming from his side, you'll suddenly go to the right as the gust is blocked out by him and then over again when he's past) Don't be put off at all though lol (says he who has prolly made ya goose bump), as in most cases a simple tuck of the head and a bit of gas will keep ya going straight and it's all part of the fun of motorcycling, learn to read it !

[Lurch]

To summarise Sinful's post, Don't gass off in a wind gust!

[sunhuntin]

just take ya time and dont let those behind faze you. if needed, pull over and let the cocksuckers go. theres a few bridges that i would watch. one in particular, i cant remember where it is, but it always looks shorter and sharper bend than it really is and catches me every single time. heading south, its got a long straight with a passing lane. someone who knows the road might be able to say where it is.

[sinfull]

heading south, its got a long straight with a passing lane. someone who knows the road might be able to say where it is.

Has to be the bridge at the north end of manakau ! Only an issue if ya going flat out really ! but does seem to narrow up (only visual as the lanes are still the same width)

[CookMySock]

Just sit on the speed limit and stay well away from other cars, and ride in where the cars right-hand wheels go. You will be fine.

Gas up fully before you leave welly, and also before you leave palmy. You don't want to be thinking about gas.

Take care to monitor who enters your space in front of you. For the moment you can ignore whats happening behind you and direct all your attention forward.

If you are feeling at all stressed, pull over and do the biker-lie-on-the-grass-and-have-a-break thing.

Don't get confident and do something stupid. Just ride it. Practice steering with the bars only.

Have fun.

Steve

[Hitcher]

SH1 doesn't go to Palmerston North. Turn off onto SH57 just south of Levin and follow your nose. If it's windy, stay on 57 rather than choosing the SH56 option via Opiki. It can get a bit hairy out on the flats in a big wind.

[mowgli]

planning on going to palmy on sunday after work around 3pm. to go and see my lovley gf, usally i would catch the bus but sick of it. anyway this will be my first full open road experience and need some pointers and good advice.
thanks.

Focus on what's in front, not what's behind. If the stuff going on behind ever distracts you from what's in front then it's time to pull over. Wait for a straight section and move left carefully and deliberately. Do it on your terms. Don't let yourself be forced off the road.

Forecast for Sunday is fine with winds dying off so should be a nice ride. Might even be tempted south to join you.

[sunhuntin]

Has to be the bridge at the north end of manakau ! Only an issue if ya going flat out really ! but does seem to narrow up (only visual as the lanes are still the same width)

that could be it. every single time ive come back north, its always given me the creeps and i always slow down even when im not going fast in the first place. i *think* heading north its got a building on the left with an anti abortion billboard on top of it. been a while since i was down that way. i always find that once im on the top of it that it wasnt as bad as i thought, but i just cant get used to it. i think the corner is speed limited, not really sure though.

[u4ea]

I used to grab the handles to tightly and get sore wrists and stuff..just relax, listen to your intuition and enjoy the ride..the more you get out there and do it the more confident you will feel..