brass monkey

[xj750man]

hey im heading for the brass monkey need to get some decent gloves and pants
any suggestions ? leather/textile? any feedback would be a appreciatied
cheers dennis :banana:

[Hitcher]

Stay home and watch a video!

I don't "get" the Brass Monkey. Riding your bike on roads covered with grit and/or snow; freezing cold weather; tenting in freezing cold weather. Sorry, I'm missing what the "charm" is...

Oh, and welcome to Kiwibiker. Remember; no sudden movements and don't feed the trolls.

[Skyryder]

Stay home and watch a video!

I don't "get" the Brass Monkey. Riding your bike on roads covered with grit and/or snow; freezing cold weather; tenting in freezing cold weather. Sorry, I'm missing what the "charm" is...

Me too.

However if you insist on this masochistic adventure and many do get some good thermals. As for the leather well if you can off...............but then if your leathers get wet..............I'd go for the textile. Warmer and dries out quicker.

Skyryder

[Holy Roller]

Last year I did not have leather pants but wore my ski suit.
Long johns 3 pr wollen socks, Wollen singlet, bush singlet, padded shirt, padded jacket under leather jacket. It rained nearly all the way fron Invers to Queenstown so had the yellow plastics over top. Wollen gloves inside my leather gloves with waterproof over mitts(ski type). Warm as toast, a bit too warm once arrived at the campsite 18deg and sun.
One great rally but due to family commitments (have to go to Surfers with the family) won't be able to make it this year even though I would like to.

Only got coldish on the Sunday with 2inch of snow and solid ice all the way to Ranfurly, then the Pig Route got snowed in (rode through while it was still snowing to Palmerston) and many had to wait on the side of the road.

Some of the guys from work are going.....Its one of those trips one has to make at lest once or twice or more times.

(Remember to take your spedo reading before you leave and keep all petrol receipts. The guy last year who did the "furtherest travelled" came from Hikurangi, you may be the one to get the trophy this year if you do a bit of zigzaging across the island. I just missed out :angry2: but such is life.)

[dangerous]

buggered if I know mate, nothing keeps me warm. And after seeing the results of last year then you had beter get some spikes put on ya wheels.
Done 10 of them started in 85... the dumb ass things you do as a teenager aye :ride:

[Mongoose]

Me too.

However if you insist on this masochistic adventure and many do get some good thermals. As for the leather well if you can off...............but then if your leathers get wet..............I'd go for the textile. Warmer and dries out quicker.

Skyryder\

IF you insist you can cruise up there, bubble wrap used as a vest makes it less 'cool', however it's not the best rally to go to, 'course if you're brainless like scumdog it makes no differences!!!

[dangerous]

\

'course if you're brainless like scumdog it makes no differences!!!
fark... you noticed that too huh, must run in the family :niceone: or it could be the HD that does it too him :ride:

[Aitch]

Cos if it is, you'd have to be in-fucking-sane to want to go there!!! I was up at Paradise Valley Camp, which is east of teh summit of the Desert Rd in JANUARY a lot of years ago, and it snowed! And I was in Waiberia itself from august to november 1990 and I have never EVER been so cold for so long......That place really is the colon of NZ......

[Mongoose]

fark... you noticed that too huh, must run in the family :niceone: or it could be the HD that does it too him :ride:

Yeah but unlike that wanker I ride a Moto-Guzzi!!!

[dangerous]

Is this the one in Waiourou?
Cos if it is, you'd have to be in-fucking-sane to want to go there!!!
Na.... Oturehua Central Otago, and a shit lot worse than the cold Kiwi.

[Aitch]

Na.... Oturehua Central Otago, and a shit lot worse than the cold Kiwi.
good grief! mad bastards......

[Mongoose]

What happened to your yoof? Remember them were the days Ya said "Hmmm, Brass Monkey time, that is anuvver pair of jeans AND a black wooly jersey to put on, Oh, and a bread bag to keep the hands warm"

[Holy Roller]

Oh, and a bread bag to keep the hands warm"
Been some of the kit I've ever used over the years.

[idb]

Well I've only missed one in twelve years, that's the first thing that goes into the diary at the beginning of each year.
The main thing is to keep your toes & hands warm. There's nothing more miserable than cold bits.
I wear leathers and polyprops. I don't actually own any wet weather gear.
The coldest time is usually the next morning (assuming that you get to the site before the sun goes down).
Mind you I've never gone over the Pig Root at that time of year and I think you can get a bit of snow and ice in there.
All the pubs around Central have open fires and soup & pies over the weekend so you just have to make sure that you have plenty of stops. Only drink soup mind!!! :msn-wink:

[scumdog]

Yeah but unlike that wanker I ride a Moto-Guzzi!!!

Don't listen to this soft-cock, he's the other type of rider, you know the one that wants a H-D!! :2thumbsup!!

[LB]

.
.
Call me a girl, but I'm with Hitcher on this one.

:cold: :cold: :cold: :cold: :cold: :cold: :cold:
.
.

[dangerous]

What happened to your yoof? Remember them were the days Ya said "Hmmm, Brass Monkey time, that is anuvver pair of jeans AND a black wooly jersey to put on, Oh, and a bread bag to keep the hands warm"
Not sure about the bread bags but jeans it was and in the 1st couple of years it was a wooly jersey and cheap jacket.

A couple of pics at the Brass in the 80's at least as a teenager I had hair to keep me warm.

1) 1987 me on the only CX650 turbo in OZ/NZ friging awesome bike
2) Snow in 1988
3) Now thats a bon fire 1989
4) A sea of peop'sbikes and tents, It was massave back then, often the ground temp was as low as -22*

[dangerous]

What happened to your yoof, pair of jeans, black wooly jersey
Dont forget the wooly hat.

Just found this pic of the Brass in.......... 1985 my 1st rally at 17yrs old, reckon it was the best time ever.
thats me in the black/green wooly hat and again out at the gate the next day were I have my foot up on the bike waiting for all the non... Honda bikes to be jump started, the cold rooted ya battery, Im on a CX500 behind me are mates bikes a GS1100 and a CBX400ss.

[Lou Girardin]

Check out the Spidi NT or Thunder gloves. Dririder summit pants with a set of Oxford chill outs underneath will keep the pins warm. You can also get heated grips that wrap over your standard grips too.

[Hitcher]

I'm still not "getting" it, guys. Riding on frozen, gritty roads, with the risk of binning your bike; freezing your nuts off; eating cold baked beans; sleeping in a sleeping bag in a tent; freezing your nuts off; drinking way too much spirits; looking at a bonfire; freezing your nuts off; riding home hung over on frozen roads with a higher risk of binning your bike. And did I mention freezing your nuts off? I thought motorcycling was meant to be enjoyable...

[F5 Dave]

. . .Mind you I've never gone over the Pig Root at that time of year and I think. . .

So what time of year do you root pigs? You South Islanders are funny folk.

Best thing you can do is put on some MX guards which will keep the worst of the water & wind chill off your digits. Many layers, several T shirts.

I went on a borrowed XJ several years back, the sidecover was missing so I made up one out of real estate sign & wrote “Piglet” on the side partially as it’s former working life & partly as it suited the bike’s character.

In previous years I’ve taken the RZ, the GS11 & the RF. Don’t think I can be bothered this year. Some of the stories sort of make it worthwhile.

Like last year when we stayed at the Hermitage Mt Cook on the way down to the rally & had to push the bikes out of the carpark in the morning as there was 2 inches of snow & you couldn’t get traction & filter out for 10km at 10kph.

And Lynda: You're a girl. (well you asked).

[GN1NiteStnd]

Yeah I'm not one for the brass monkey either. snowyroads+learner=trouble. Id rather just stick to the one nite stand and the cold kiwi at the moment.
There are rumors of these two rallys not being on any more, is that true? Tell me its not!!!! Where else would i get my Hundred for the wet-t?

[TonyB]

I'm still not "getting" it, guys. Riding on frozen, gritty roads, with the risk of binning your bike; freezing your nuts off; eating cold baked beans; sleeping in a sleeping bag in a tent; freezing your nuts off; drinking way too much spirits; looking at a bonfire; freezing your nuts off; riding home hung over on frozen roads with a higher risk of binning your bike. And did I mention freezing your nuts off? I thought motorcycling was meant to be enjoyable...
Never been to it myself. Couldn't see the point when I was a 'real biker' as I used to ride all year round anyway doing stuff like battling through the frost grit on the Lewis or deliberately leaving Nelson for Chch when it was pissing down as I knew there would be no ice around Murch. Now I'm a fair weather rider I'm starting to feel the need to do it.

[clint640]

I commute in pretty frosty weather sometimes. I've just got some basic R-Jays textile+armour+liner pants, they're pretty warm with long johns & jeans underneath. I also have some Orina Chicago winter gloves which I have used on a few frosty mornings & they've been OK, however they are tearing around the cuff closure so I wouldn't recommend them.
For serious cold the trick is to buy a size larger so ya can fit lots of clothes, jackets, inner gloves, socks etc inside ya gear. My leather jacket is fairly close fitting, so when I bought a textile jacket for winter I made sure I could wear that over the leather one for extreme cold trips.

Cheers
Clint

[idb]

So what time of year do you root pigs? You South Islanders are funny folk.


Yeah well I was sittin' on the porch in my favourite rocker the other day just doin' some whittlin' and chewin' my tobaccy when a couple o them city slickers pulled up out front in their fancy car.
She looked like she hadn't had a square meal in months. How she would ever carry a wether in from the house paddock to the killin' shed I'm blowed if I know.
He didn't look much better, all soft hands and perfume - in fact without the bumps it woulda been hard to tell them apart.
Anyways, they came up and he said "have you lived around here a while old fella?".
I spat and answered "all me life, was born on the kitchen table durin' the snows of '63".
The girly-lookin' fella then asked "what do you do out here?"
"Huntin' & fuckin' "
"Oh, what do you hunt?"
"Mostly somethin' ta fuck" :killingme

[Mongoose]

I'm still not "getting" it, guys. Riding on frozen, gritty roads, with the risk of binning your bike; freezing your nuts off; eating cold baked beans; sleeping in a sleeping bag in a tent; freezing your nuts off; drinking way too much spirits; looking at a bonfire; freezing your nuts off; riding home hung over on frozen roads with a higher risk of binning your bike. And did I mention freezing your nuts off? I thought motorcycling was meant to be enjoyable...


Oh Mr Hitcher, what a disappointment you turned out to be, you always struck me as a man who would enjoy a challenge, and that is half the fun, the challenge of getting there. :cold: :ride: :drinknsin :shake: :banana:

[Hitcher]

Oh Mr Hitcher, what a disappointment you turned out to be, you always struck me as a man who would enjoy a challenge, and that is half the fun, the challenge of getting there.
No to mention the "challenges" of surviving whilst there and returning home.

[vifferman]

Oh Mr Hitcher, what a disappointment you turned out to be, you always struck me as a man who would enjoy a challenge, and that is half the fun, the challenge of getting there. :cold: :ride: :drinknsin :shake: :banana:
He's been softened by the cossetting and comforting afforded by his new steed. :yes:

[Hitcher]

He's been softened by the cossetting and comforting afforded by his new steed.
I was "softened" long before that. There's nothing like a double bed, hot shower and carpetted walk to the wizzer in the wee smalls, with other desirable options like spa bath and in-room plunger coffee thrown in. I don't see the Brass Monkey offering anything like that of an evening...

[campbellluke]

Southerners can endure the cold.

Ive arranged payment already. If it's like last year it should be good.

25th anniversary too, so I think that this one should be big.

I thought that last year was awesome. The weather was all good, until about midnight when snow settled really quickly. I thought that the ammount of people that were there to withstand the cold was outstanding. But from what I heard they were disappointed with last years turnout. Neverless there was a shit load of bikes there.

I felt sorry for this guy who dropped his Ducati in front of me last year. On the way back through the pig route. And for the old guy who broke his arm. But that doesn't discourage me from going again.

I think that it is an experience, that everyone should take up sometime if they can.

[dangerous]

I'm still not "getting" it, guys. freezing your nuts off; freezing your nuts off; freezing your nuts off; And did I mention freezing your nuts off?
Mate...... about an hour and a half into the ride south, you loose all feel and sight of ya nutts...... so theres way more serious things to worry bout.
BTW.... usually withen the 1st week or 2 from getting home from the brass, the nutts, drop back down and the pain of thoring out returns... then its all sweet till an hour and a half into the ride next year :cold:

[Jantar]

hey im heading for the brass monkey need to get some decent gloves and pants
any suggestions ? leather/textile? any feedback would be a appreciatied
cheers dennis :banana:

You just can't go past leather gear, and if it gets really :cold: then wear thermals underneath. Apart from the Sunday last year, the past few Brass Monkeys have been a bit too :sunny:

The best one was the year that we had to scrape the snow off the ground so that we could pitch the tents.

Unfortunately it looks like I'll miss this year as I have to work. So someone else can win the "Best Post Classic" award this year.

Enjoy the :ride:

[dangerous]

The best one was the year that we
Jantar found this pic with all those others its mid to late 80's.... dont reconise it do ya?

[doc]

What ever happened to the real kiwi attitude of giving it a go. No one wants to face a challenge anymore I suppose now day's you can wait till it comes out as a playstation game and know more about it than those that were there. Also you can get all abusive without having to front up to anyone in the flesh. Who cares I'm goin.
Doc. Just trollin along

[Jantar]

Jantar found this pic with all those others its mid to late 80's.... dont reconise it do ya?

I sure do. Its the very first RE5 I owned. I can pick that its mine by the Suzuki mudflap from my TS125.

That particular RE5 is still in going order and is currently owned by a friend of mine from Allanton (near Dunedin). :banana:

[Skyryder]

I once rode from Christchurch to Hamner in the middle of winter and at night. The battery failed somewhere near Wairau and had to light the road from with the gernerator. This entailed traveling at about thirty miles and hour. This was in jeans and a black pea jacket. I got so cold I stopped and searched for newpaper to stuff inside my jacket. When I got to Hamner my legs had siezed up in the knees and I could not walk. Done my brass monkey then and never again.............anywhere.

Skyryder

[scumdog]

For Brass Monkey attenders;
Hot tip (a) : If it snows too much and builds up on your visor just look to one side, if you're going fast enough the wind will blow the snow free from the middle bit :niceone:

Hot tip (b) : If you spew in your tent leave it until morning, - then you can tip the whole frozen mess out onto the ground! (looks like a cheap pizza!)

[vifferman]

For Brass Monkey attenders;
Hot tip (a) : If it snows too much and builds up on your visor just look to one side, if you're going fast enough the wind will blow the snow free from the middle bit
When I lived darn sarf, I rode a coupla times while it was snowing. It was OK, except for the 'snow on the visor' thing. I wasn't going fast enough for it to blow off, and so I was stuck: couldn't see with it down, and with it up, my helmet filled up with snowflakes. :eek:

[Hitcher]

For Brass Monkey attenders;
Hot tip (a) : If it snows too much and builds up on your visor just look to one side, if you're going fast enough the wind will blow the snow free from the middle bit :niceone:

Hot tip (b) : If you spew in your tent leave it until morning, - then you can tip the whole frozen mess out onto the ground! (looks like a cheap pizza!)
I rest my case.

[pete376403]

I'll be going again (13th) If nothing else there is the good ride there and back and 4 of the 5 nights will be in proper accomodation so one night on the ground isn't too hard.

As for soft comfy beds - theres plenty of time for that when I'm in a coffin - and I expect it will be warm, too, where I end up.

[xj750man]

thanks everybody for takeing time to reply, even the mockers :banana:
cheers dennis

[dangerous]

thanks everybody for takeing time to reply, even the mockers :banana:
cheers dennis
dude... the mockers are in town...... cool :wari: :spudguita :spudbooge :spudguita :wari:

[BRETT B12]

Not sure about the bread bags but jeans it was and in the 1st couple of years it was a wooly jersey and cheap jacket.

A couple of pics at the Brass in the 80's at least as a teenager I had hair to keep me warm.

1) 1987 me on the only CX650 turbo in OZ/NZ friging awesome bike
2) Snow in 1988
3) Now thats a bon fire 1989
4) A sea of peop'sbikes and tents, It was massave back then, often the ground temp was as low as -22*


Carrot top rules!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
where have the years gone, poor old Stew, no Simpsons in the 80s

[dangerous]

Carrot top rules!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
where have the years gone, poor old Stew, no Simpsons in the 80s
hey... at least I'm still a carrot top...... which is more than I can say for you LOL.... guess ya dont need hair in Brissie :whistle:

ps: did ya see the pic of ya GS1100 on page 2?

[zooter]

I rest my case.
Hoorah.
There's plenty of folks who would write off the whole motorcycling experience as absurd. The Brass Monkey just cranks things up a few more notches.

[Hitcher]

Hoorah.
There's plenty of folks who would write off the whole motorcycling experience as absurd. The Brass Monkey just cranks things up a few more notches.
Absurdity piled on absurdity?