James Deuce
11th October 2009, 22:08
I bought some new tyres (http://kiwiriderproducts.blogspot.com/2009/10/jim-walsh-contimotion-tyres.html). Sorry about that weather bomb thing. You know how it is though. The great thing about three days of eyeball freezing Wellington Southerly is the stunning days that follow on. Cool, sunny, cloudless; perfect biking weather.
So I text Clivoris and we meet up and agree on a short ride (a quickie - heh) to Martinborough for a coffee. Being geniuses and all, we've both actually fuelled up before we meet up. Some of you guys should try it. Means a 1 hour ride doesn't have to take 2.5 hours.
As I pull away from the carpark I mentally remind myself to take it easy on my brand new tyres and consequently slew sideways through a mudhole just on the edge of the road which slingshots me straight into a mudhole in the middle of the road, which then straightens me up nicely after a little bit of thoroughly inconsequential fishtailing. Throttle control eh? Naaah, blind luck. Don't have to pay for drugs with this much adrenalin pumping either.
Contrary to "popular opinions", I reckon the double yellows on the hill have improved the experience. Cars and trucks move over willingly. They don't hate us at all, and I think a surprising number are more than happy to make sure we can grasp our little chunk of mind clearing nirvana of a weekend. I sent Clivoris off first, thinking I was going to gently scrub my tyres and meet him on the "other side". Thank Dog Clivoris isn't fixated on motorcycle carpark masturbation. You can see what I did there right? It's a CARPARK. Bikes don't belong.
Anyhoo, thanks to cars friendly and unfriendly, Clivoris of the sonorous Tuono never got out of sight for long, and my new tyres ended up getting the express scrub. That new tyre feeling is so cool, and combine it with a total change in manufacturer, compound, targeted role, radius profile and "feel" and you can break your mind out of its Dullard's Road profile into an, "Ooo lookithat" celebration of Springtime.
What I am about to say next could be misconstrued as "Not Right(tm)" by about 50% of the population, but I'm going there because it's Springtime, and a young man lives within still. Toppy's is "staffed" by the 8th Wonder of the Wairarapa. She is worth the visit alone, and even though she kept ignoring the "long" in front of machiatto, I forgive her because she almost sat in my lap, thanks to "poor" table design. I really must congratulate the bloke who built that outdoor furniture. Stands to reason it was a bloke.
Clivoris and I were joined by Wilber, whom I hadn't seen in a year or more and we had a companionable chat in the warm sun watching an increasing number of bikes rolling in to our "biker hangout". Mr & Mrs Hitcher and their mate M. rolled up with them. Mrs Hitcher has had her bike "Robert Taylored" just this weekend and was all aglow. Could someone please contact Mr Hitcher about getting Mrs Hitcher's sidestand shortened? The Bandit has been lowered and we all know what that means. It can now be stolen by midgets, but seriously, the stand needs to lose about 15mm.
This time of year seems to bring out the less miserable bugger in me, and the sheer green-ness, the smell of fruit blossoms, and the distant snow-clad ranges give you that little bit of extra joy you need to keep you treating other people well.
New tyres and double yellows. That's all it takes.
So I text Clivoris and we meet up and agree on a short ride (a quickie - heh) to Martinborough for a coffee. Being geniuses and all, we've both actually fuelled up before we meet up. Some of you guys should try it. Means a 1 hour ride doesn't have to take 2.5 hours.
As I pull away from the carpark I mentally remind myself to take it easy on my brand new tyres and consequently slew sideways through a mudhole just on the edge of the road which slingshots me straight into a mudhole in the middle of the road, which then straightens me up nicely after a little bit of thoroughly inconsequential fishtailing. Throttle control eh? Naaah, blind luck. Don't have to pay for drugs with this much adrenalin pumping either.
Contrary to "popular opinions", I reckon the double yellows on the hill have improved the experience. Cars and trucks move over willingly. They don't hate us at all, and I think a surprising number are more than happy to make sure we can grasp our little chunk of mind clearing nirvana of a weekend. I sent Clivoris off first, thinking I was going to gently scrub my tyres and meet him on the "other side". Thank Dog Clivoris isn't fixated on motorcycle carpark masturbation. You can see what I did there right? It's a CARPARK. Bikes don't belong.
Anyhoo, thanks to cars friendly and unfriendly, Clivoris of the sonorous Tuono never got out of sight for long, and my new tyres ended up getting the express scrub. That new tyre feeling is so cool, and combine it with a total change in manufacturer, compound, targeted role, radius profile and "feel" and you can break your mind out of its Dullard's Road profile into an, "Ooo lookithat" celebration of Springtime.
What I am about to say next could be misconstrued as "Not Right(tm)" by about 50% of the population, but I'm going there because it's Springtime, and a young man lives within still. Toppy's is "staffed" by the 8th Wonder of the Wairarapa. She is worth the visit alone, and even though she kept ignoring the "long" in front of machiatto, I forgive her because she almost sat in my lap, thanks to "poor" table design. I really must congratulate the bloke who built that outdoor furniture. Stands to reason it was a bloke.
Clivoris and I were joined by Wilber, whom I hadn't seen in a year or more and we had a companionable chat in the warm sun watching an increasing number of bikes rolling in to our "biker hangout". Mr & Mrs Hitcher and their mate M. rolled up with them. Mrs Hitcher has had her bike "Robert Taylored" just this weekend and was all aglow. Could someone please contact Mr Hitcher about getting Mrs Hitcher's sidestand shortened? The Bandit has been lowered and we all know what that means. It can now be stolen by midgets, but seriously, the stand needs to lose about 15mm.
This time of year seems to bring out the less miserable bugger in me, and the sheer green-ness, the smell of fruit blossoms, and the distant snow-clad ranges give you that little bit of extra joy you need to keep you treating other people well.
New tyres and double yellows. That's all it takes.