The run in process begins...

[James Deuce]

Having achieved the grand total of 70kms Wed-Fri (I know, I know) on my brand new purchase (swoon)..............

Where was I?

That's right! Mooch. Or Moocherini as he is sometimes called, given his penchant for Italian shi.., errrr stuff, is moving to the UK for a year to join his lovely wife who is already there teaching P&O HQ how to work like a Kiwi. This meant we needed one more "last" ride so we could remind him how unpoulated NZ is and how fantastic the scenery and roads are. Plus I get to put some kms on the R6. It's brand new you know (swoon)...........

R6 induced narcolepsy. That's a tad unforeseen.

The plan was to meet up at 9am at Caltex Upper Hutt so I could help finish off a few last minute things with Mooch's intra-planetary shift in the afternoon. Anyone who knows Mooch will know that getting him up before 9am on the weekend is fraught with peril.

I woke up at 5am. I think it was a combination of what I like to call "Christmas anxiety" and the pulsating pregnant belly of my lovely wife playing a tattoo in the small of my back. Whatever, I was up, wild eyed and staring, and assembling riding gear into a pile before I was truly awake.

I arrived at Caltex Upper Hutt at 8:40 am, having successfully posted Heather and the kids off to William's under-6 Rugby game at 8am and discovered a text message from Mangell6 on my phone. "Mooch has locked himself out. Will be late. Keys are still inside."

It really isn't worth trying to make the starting time before 10am on a Mooch ride. He's useless before 9am.

With a bit of re-shuffling we ended up getting our group together, and after a chat with a husband and wife team on a "proper" Triumph Trident we headed over the Hill to the legendary Flying Fish. The roadworks are proceeding apace, and one lane of the new road is now open. We've definitely lost a part of Wellington motorcycle culture, with many people, myself included, regarding the stretch from Te Marua to Kaitoke as the best and most technical part of the "Rimutaka" ride. The best bit was the overtaking lanes that was a left, right, left combination that started tight and opened out. It was also off camber in the last, very quick left-hander, so it was great for peg scraping, knee-down practice.

Back to the point though, we now have a section at the start and end of the day's ride where we will be able to put the log jams of cars behind us. Plus given the more open and forgiving nature of this section when it is complete, there is a chance that the traffic won't concertina quite so badly. Though there will probably be lots of accidents at the first corner at the bottom of the Rimutaka hill road now, as clueless car drivers sail into the first tight corner far too fast.

The R6 is sublime. Being limited to 5,500 rpm (redline 15,500 rpm!!) puts you back into 250 days where corner momentum is EVERYTHING. It's a great way to learn about the handling characteristics of a bike, and points at gaping wounds in technique where you've used torque or the stability of greater mass to paper over the cracks. Conclusion: I suck and I'm timid. The guys I was riding with (Mooch, et al, Mangell6) kindly let me ride point, and while it was an ultra-legal ride (5,500rpm is 100km/hr in top) I still managed to overtake stuff. Slingshot did give me a hell of a fright though!

By the time we reached Flying Fish, I was starting to get the idea that maybe the R6 could just fling itself round corners. 111kms done. Chicken strips reduced to still laughable, though less hilarious levels than the ones I had when I arrived at Caltex Upper Hutt. Head screwed. I can't ride for shiznit.

We met up with flyin, Bear, and Steve on his R1 at this point. I had a lovely 2nd breakfast at Te Ika, having devoured the first at 5:30am. Whilst 2nd breakfast was being consumed, mangell6 proceeded to demolish my now fragile ego, by regaling the traditional "massed bikers" of Martinborough, with how slow I was on the R6, and how embarrassing it was to watch me be overtaken by a truck. All lies of course, but it is better to play along with our little greying pixie, or the taunting becomes much worse.

I'm off for a ride. More later.

[Paul in NZ]

It was worse than a truck... You got over taken by a tractor...

ha! :killingme

[Storm]

You're all just jealous of his spunky new bike. You wait till he's got it broken in :Punk:

[John]

http://mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

It works, I've seen it - I suggest you do this also.

[Paul in NZ]

You're all just jealous of his spunky new bike. You wait till he's got it broken in :Punk:

I'd have to understand it before I got jealous and happily I stopped developing bike wise about 1976. (music wise about 10 years before that) Thus I consider the Mk2 pretty damn space age.. You know it has not even got a place to fit a kick starter.. Pretty clever that...

Cheers

[James Deuce]

http://mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

It works, I've seen it - I suggest you do this also.

Thanks John :niceone:
I've had a about 100 theories thrust on me in the last few days. The only one I care about is the one that doesn't invalidate my warranty.

I've run in a bike before and had no dramas following manufacturer guidelines, and I couldn't tell the difference between 80HP or 120HP.

I had read that one before, but quite frankly given the amount of respect most Merkins seem to show expensive vehicles, I'm a bit dubious. After all, the money for a new bike is a much smaller fraction of the average Merkin's pay packet than it is a Kiwi's.

[Hitcher]

It's still red. And lovely.

God, wasn't today in the Wairarapa just brilliant. Even the southerly was warm.

I reckon we should organise a wreath-laying ceremony for the Kaitokes. It's truly tragic what THEY have been and gone and done. Sob.

My favourite bit was/is the east-bound descent from the summit opposite the passing lane, winding down into the "75kmh" right-hander, then the climb-out through the big left/right sweeper to the incline intersection. The next lot of descending corners used to be great fun too, until Mr Goodman started dumping dirt and shit on it. Sob.

[bear]

Good to meet you fellas! The weather was great, and just continued on today.
Mighty fine purchase Jim2!

[Slingshot]

Slingshot did give me a hell of a fright though!

Sorry.:Punk:

I wondered what the hell you guys were up to riding so slow, I saw the group at Caltex but I didn't click that it was a running in ride.

I though I'd seize the opportunity to scream past at full noise (I'm normally on the receiving end of the scare).

Anyway, I hope your ride this afternoon went well. We had a good feed at the fish then a great ride back over the Takas.

There was something about riding this weekend, I can't put my finger on it...but it was just an all round fantastic experience.

[Hitcher]

There was something about riding this weekend, I can't put my finger on it...but it was just an all round fantastic experience.
Indeed. Mrs H and I got two rides in -- yesterday and today. All up about 700km. Just a terrific burst of autumn weather. And some great biker mates to stop and yack with. The Fush (Te Maroro) rocks!

[et al]

Ah yes Mr Jim2, that is a nice bike. I especially like the rear shock, it is a nice looking piece of kit. Also like the minimalist side stand - by the way are we going to see those photos of you stress testing it (taken at Caltex before ride)?

[John]

Thanks John :niceone:
I've had a about 100 theories thrust on me in the last few days. The only one I care about is the one that doesn't invalidate my warranty.

Just on that note, I'm pretty sure it doesnt invalidate the warrenty?..

But I have seen a new GPX250 Ninja taken apart it was a 2003 I think and it was perfect no oil burns perfect perfect perfect!

I took apart my ZZR, and that was a nasty mess.. Very unclean and not healthy.

ALSO (lol) I took apart my ZXR to an extent and its also in a very respectable condition, the pistons still have perfect sheen at 18,000k - and no oil burns, then took it to the mech's and they commented on the awsome cams and low ends.

But the choice is yours I'm so so very jealous its not funny, and either way the pleasure of riding a new bike is something that everyone must experience at some point, good luck with one manly piece of machinary. :niceone:

[James Deuce]

From the Flying Fish we headed off round the Gladstone loop. The most annoying part of the run in process is how much attention you need to pay to the rev counter. I think that was the most annoying for me. The most annoying thing for everyone else would have been my random speeding up and slowing down on the straights to avoid spending too long at steady revs. Still it was really cool to have a formation of fellow riders with me and the "Arse-ix" proved time and agoin that I'd made the right purchase. Braking late and apexing late worked fine, classic corner carves are a hoot, and you can change line merely by thinking about it. In fact casual glances at the scenery can cause major changes in direction.

The water tower road was a hoot. Paul-in-NZ came roaring past on the Guzzi as soon as we turned on to it. I may well have been paid back for doing the same on an old bike of mine. I think flyin may have gotten a strap from his jacket caught on the rear of my bike because he glued himself to me. All I could see in the mirrors was a menacing silver ZZR with coolest exhaust note I've ever heard from a kwaka parallel twin. Trying not to "lug" the Arse-ix was the biggest challenge on the way up the hill. This factor probably necessitated some corner entry velocity retardation that flyin possibly wasn't expecting. That ZZR got VERY loud sometimes :). Half way up the clay on the road meant we had to slow a lot. Slips from the heavy rain that have apparently destroyed the Castlepoint road were very much in evidence, and any cutting we passed through had distributed a fair old amount of mud on the road. This was now dry, but had set into lumps of concrete-like patty bricks all over the road, and the trail of clay dust up and down the road was a bit of a trial for the guys going faster than me.

The original plan had been to descend the Water Tower hill on the far side and head out to Flat Point until the tarmac ran out, but my slow progress meant that we would be lucky to meet up with my wife Heather at Wild Oats in Carterton at the appointed time if we did so. We headed straight back and were going to go via the Gladstone pub road, but et al realised that we had lost most of the group. Apparently, Steve's R1 decided to see just how far the taseal went on the Flatpoint Rd, irrespective of the directive to proceed directly to Carterton. Mangell6 and Mooch, and I think also Bear, made a dread filled ride back to look for him, searching for R1 sized holes in the scenery, only to find that Steve had punched up the wrong Autopilot settings. I think all concerned were actually quite pleased to get to ride their motorcycles at a pace different to "Jim2's mega-legal run-in romp".

The group basically went their own ways at Wild Oats, and Mooch and I finished off his farewell run by taking what we call "the middle road" back to Martinborough, and then on through to Featherston. We were treated to a "Sparky-Bill's Superlative Single-wheel Salute" just out of Featherston. Bloody good stuff Sparky! :)

The ride back over the hill was great fun, but once again the rev limit was very frustrating. The Arse-ix was calling, nay demanding, that I nail it out of every corner. We continued back to Mooch's Mum's house so I could help him move some stuff, and then we had a final meal of fat, salt, AND sugar before I wished him Bon Voyage and headed home.

412km - not even half way! Aargh.

[James Deuce]

Good to meet you fellas! The weather was great, and just continued on today.
Mighty fine purchase Jim2!

Really good to meet you at last. The weather has been absolutely magic!

[James Deuce]

Just on that note, I'm pretty sure it doesnt invalidate the warrenty?..



I'm just being wussy and paranoid.

[James Deuce]

Everyone knows now what a perfect day Sunday was. After a leisurely start to the day, I met up with my lovely wife Heather, Hitcher and Mrs Hitcher, and another couple of mates at the Flying Fish in Martinborough. Hamish was also there, and it was marvelous to see him holding forth. He really can speak you know! :)

By the time we'd finished a leisurely lunch, everyone was ready to head off in various directions that invariably seemed to involve mowing lawns. Aha! I have the Gladstone Rd to myself and no one to hold up.

Travelling alone through limpid golden autumnal sun, bombing apexes of corners that usually require a button off and a change down on less sporting machinery, and drinking, postively wallowing in the bucolic wonderland that someone so lovingly framed with twisting bits of tarmac. Rolling into gullies shaded by deciduous trees turning golden brown, darting through the dappled sunshine painting a monochrome tapestry on the road surface, and rising to see the perfectly tended farms extending their patchwork across valley floor, spreading their varicoloured paddocks across valley floor and hillside alike.

Birds of prey hover, their laser-like precision gaze watching for the darting movement of rodents gathering food, Magpies darting out from roadside grasses long since gone to seed, dodging flocks of sparrows feasting on the seed distributed over the road by a gentle April breeze. Country roads off in the distance wend through gentle hills, promising side to side, apex to apex delights that only a lone motorcyclist, focused on finding the perfect line, the perfect entry, the perfect application of throttle that tests traction, tyres, suspension, and the self-preservation limits of rider marvelling at the perfect surroundings.

Here and there, houses, architectural marvels that challenge the settler mentality of weatherboard, and small windows so the furnishings won't fade, thrust their airy structures up from the top of hills, windows ajar, illuminated by nature, and beckoning it in, face a mighty mountain range in the distance....

SHIT, SHIT, SHIT....... Fuel light??? How much gas does this tank hold? WTF is F-Trip!!!? Oh bugger! 500km, time for 7,000 or so rpm and not enough knowledge of the bike to know if I can get the 40kms to the next gas pump.

Pause. Get off the bike. Take another sup of the peace and tranquility (even though you know the ruminants have been bred to produce more milk than they should, that they hurt while they wait for their turn in the maze of hoses and pipes that will bring relief) climb back on and use the extra rpm all the way toward the feed the noble steed beneath you needs. The extra pace brings extra focus, but the view cresting hills of the bigger valley, the bigger settlements, the bigger hills and mountains still gives the heart pause, so the brain can truly F E E L.

Distilled essence of hydrocarbon. The opposite relief of the ruminants funding the view. Full. Filled. Delighted. Content. Home.

667kms.

[bear]

So damn poetic! A man of many talents it seems.

[Ghost Lemur]

Lots and lots of words...

Damn Jim2, Hitcher and Paul will be damn proud of such an articulate and heartfelt write up.

Tis amazing what the right bike can do for a man. Bet it feels like the lust filled spring times of youth. :msn-wink:

[Hitcher]

Almost as good as literature!

[gav]

So has it broken down or something? Wheres the rest?????