Gav's Big Day Out

[gav]

had a big day planned for today so tried to get an early nights sleep Saturday night, fat chance, bloody Guy Fawkes, think it was after 1.30 before I got some sleep. Alarm goes off at 5.00am and I get up and watch the AB's kick Welsh butt (enjoy that did ya Biff?). About 6.30 I get dropped off at the airport and jump on a plane to Wellington, land OK at 8.00am and meet a nice man with a red VFR800 (MY new VFR800 ) He's a top bloke and throws in awhole lot of other stuff, its a 2001 Honda VFR800Fi last model before the vtec, has a carbon fibre Remus hi rise pipe, zero gravity dark screen, only 26000km and hes the only owner. The bikes a minter and with the improvements its better than new. I give him a cheque, mount my Ventura double back pack and ride off into the morning sunrise. Hang on, I'm in Wellington, make that early morning wind and drizzle... I only get lost a couple of times despite instructions from some of the Wellington KB crew, but eventually find my way to the interislandere where I have a booking for 9.30, I get there about 9.00am just in time for the rain to set in. They take pity on me and send me over to a shed by the coke machine and I can stay inder shelter. Youre suppose to book in before 9.30 but some bloke comes over and says it will be 9.50 before you can board. Great......
Eventually I get the OK and get onboard the boat, one other bike shoes up, guy heading to Chch and on a Buell, oh well, never mind.
Tip for ya, take your own tie downs, I thought they use to have there owns, but all the motorcyclists kept stealing them, so now some basic rope with a hook is all you get, seem to do the job, though.
Once on board I get to watch the rugby again and then some of the Aussie cricket . Sailings a bit lumpy in bits and the paper bags are being used overtime.
Part 2 to follow.

[gav]

We get the go ahead to return to our vehicles and find my two bags that zip together have a problem, the zip wont stay attached at the bottom keeps unzipping. I try and force the little zip handle back together and manage to break the friggen handle bit off . I eventually get the bag off and repack all the stuff from two bags and mange to get it all in one bag including the second bag. We (VFR/Buell) ride out of hold and he proceeds to disappear into the distance. Suits me, I'd been reading the paper work that came with the bike, and he'd noted when he'd fitted tyres etc. I count off the months and discover the rear tyre is close to 3 years old. Its cold and drizzly in Picton and decide I'll just cruise at my own pace. Around 120km/h is real good and the off beat vee four lilt is music to my ears, (could be abit louder though). Now for some idea, I thought that at Renwick there was a turnoff that took you to Kaikoura been awhile since I'd been over that way and didnt have a map, so turn down Raupaura Rd and end up in Renwick, Waiau Valley/Westport says the sign, bugger, oh well back into Blenheim, so much for that short cut!
Seems theres been a rally on, and there a bikes everywhere, thers some cool open swooping roads that the VFR just revels in. Then theres a straight that the Speed Cops revel in $120 later, oh well lucky it wasnt abit earlier on.
About this time in dawns on me that I'm not to sure how far I can get on a tank of gas, the fact that I hadnt actually put any in, as the guy I got it off said yeah nearly full, just one block gone (on the fancy fuel gauge). I'm cruising along watching the last fuel block flashing away thinking, "umm, isnt Kaikoura around here some where?"
And lo and behold it was, I fill up with 98 Ultimate and see the Buell from the ferry parked outside the pub across the road. Nah, give that a miss...
I carry on my way and notice the temp gauge displaying 11 degrees, (fancy aye) Its started raining again and to be honest I'm struggling abit. The raod looks slick as ice on the shiny bits, I've got a dark visor and the wind is whipping off the sea. I tail a XR8 for a bit and I'm happy to be following him. Suddenly in one tight corner I'm aware of something next to me as a earlier model VFR750 rides around the outside of me, carves up the XR8 in a similiar fashion and buggers off, couple of mates follow him. I decide what the hell, and try and tag on for a while, but they're going real well, and end up letting them go (or cant keep up, whatever...) This happens a few times before eventually getting back in a groove and running an OK pace. Had just passed through Cheviot when noticed a car flashing its lights at me, I think the number plate looks familiar. Wifey had decided she wanted to see the bike and had driven north to catch up with me. End up cruising back at around 110km/h with her in tow in the Civic. Pull up to KB South Island HQ and show Dangerous what a real bike is like. Get home around 6.00!
Heres some photos, first two are in the rain waiting for the ferry, next two are in the boats hold area, and lastly one of the new scoot parked up at home!

[k14]

Nice gav, sweet if I come round tomorrow night and take it for a spin?

[dangerous]

Pull up to KB South Island HQ and show Dangerous what a real bike is like.

S/I HQ huh... I like it
Yip the Very Fast Road bike is a sweet number and passes the dangerous KB new bike requirements.. so it does not have to return to the N/I, HOWEVER...... it has not yet been wheelie tested... I mean road tested so we will catch up in the w/e
Excellant choice of bike Gav

[SDU]

Good one Gav- Look forward to seeing the new bike on the next ride.
Cheers
SDU

[vifferman]

What a horrible ugly bike! What did you have to go and buy one of those for?!?

[Edit] Oh yeah, that's right; you asked people about VFRs and a whole lot of them told you they were alright.

[James Deuce]

Good stuff Gav! Sorry I didn't catch up with you, but EVERYONE in my house was sick, so I didn't even got to go on the ride I organised.

Looks like an absolute minter there.

[judgeshock]

Cool Gav im glad you got yourself such a nice ride.

Fantastic colour also.

[SPman]

MMMMMMM - nice bike - very neat and tidy.

Maybe I should get a "real world" bike?

Nah - wheres the fun in that!

[Biff]

I get up and watch the AB's kick Welsh butt (enjoy that did ya Biff?).

Although somewhat ashamed to admit it, I did enjoy watching the match. Pure rugby. Brilliant.

Nice write up G.
Nice bike too. An all time great.
Needs a few more BHP though IMO.

[ajturbo]

hey gave ya woooos should have PH me .... had time for a coffee... next time ok!!!!

[Sniper]

Nice write up Gav. Good work on the new bike.