Photos of ride along Odlins Road by the Wellington Adv KBers

[merv]

Man it was a long time since I'd had a dirt bike out, but marks had said on the Welly where next thread that he was starting from Waikanae at 10am today so I thought I might as well take my XR250L out. Mrs merv said look after your body its a bit out of training.

The usual thing will be that the day after the day after I might get some stiffness, but what a shame I'll be back at work by then.

In the end I had a few hassles, not with my body but with the bike, firstly marks took his mirrors off but I thought oh mine will be OK. Well on the first leg in the right one came loose and then fell off and I had to walk back to find it. That will teach me to (a) take it off first, (b) if not, stop as soon as it comes loose, instead of thinking I'll do it when the other guys stop. Didn't break it so that is OK.

Then you'll see in the pics the boulders at the river are quite big. being a short arse if I got caught with wheels on top of two I was a bit tippy, so on the way back gunned through one of the river crossing and then promptly skidded in the soft sand I hit on the other side and decked the bike when it was virtually stopped. Bugger me the right front brake lever broke clean off. I had replaced the lever with an adjustable one but damn its not as strong as the originals.

They say things come in threes and damn the rocks are rugged in there and I pinched the front tube and had a bloody flat tyre. My first in about 10 years, but then I don't ride too often eh.

Back home now and everything is all fixed I had all the spares I needed here. The boys wanted me to change the tube in there but I left it until I got home because I tried Slime in it - no good - so cleaned all that out nicely with the hose, something we couldn't do in there. I have two rim locks on my wheels so I was able to ride out OK and there is no apparent damage to the rim or tyre, but there were two parallel tears in the tube like classic pinch marks.

Here's a few of the pics I took. The others may post there's somewhere and tell the rest of the story, as they went on but I headed home once we got back to Akatarawa Road.

The first pics are at the Waikanae coffee cart. Clean bikes.

[merv]

At the carpark at the top of Akatarawa Road.

[merv]

Part way in on Odlins Road.

[merv]

At the hut.

[merv]

Beyond the hut. These photos don't stay in order when I attach them I notice. The old KB didn't used to be like that.

[merv]

Bloody flat tyre.

[stormtrooper]

Nice one Merv great fun riding with you and the other guys, bummer about the flatty but you got to expect it now and then when your ripping it up at that pace, as for the green slime quick fix for the flatty we know not to get that stuff again.

[merv]

Yeah the tube had two tears about 15mm long, that shit just leaks straight out and I'd bought the one supposedly for tubed tyres. Nice to meet you stormtrooper.

[marks]

thanks for posting the photos Merv.

pity you couldn't do the afternoon loop

I don't know how you managed to get up that hill so damn fast without a front brake :no:

after you left we had a great coffee at the Staglands Cafe (recommended) and did an awesome loop of the Pram track and Rimu Rd etc (some bastard got photos of me dragging the DT backwards out of some gorse bushes - my poor prickle-riden bum:cry:) and we took that poor old klr places God never intended - how the heck Shane did that with a totally bald back tire - I have no idea. I am so fooked this morning.

what a great days ride

I'll post some photos on advrider tonight

[gav24]

Yeah, sorry I couldnt make this one, sounds like a ripper!
Shane's Klr knows no limits (and the rear tyre knows no knobs!)
I had to deal with a few Gorse issues of my own yesterday - Slash and burn baby!
Now that jobs done, I'm real keen to get out with you guys again - been too long...

[merv]

Mate I didn't need a front brake for going up hill so that wasn't a problem, the going down the other side with a flat tyre too, that was interesting. I came out thinking we were going for a leisurely ride so didn't have my full tool kit with me so couldn't be bothered attempting any changes on the track, easier to ride home and do it in the comfort of my garage as you said Mark.

As for tyres, I wouldn't have called that bald - I'd run mine until they are way down at the 1.5mm as they still get great traction with the knobs sticking out the side.

[Woodman]

thanks for posting the photos Merv.



I don't know how you managed to get up that hill so damn fast without a front brake :no:

can someone please explain to me why you need a front brake to go UP a hill.

[marks]

can someone please explain to me why you need a front brake to go UP a hill.

sometimes using your front brake while riding uphill will stop you from puncturing your petrol tank :whistle:
(or flatting your front tire...)

[marks]

As for tyres, I wouldn't have called that bald

you should have seen it by the end of the day - it got well pollished in the Mungy's

[stormtrooper]

Yeah, sorry I couldnt make this one, sounds like a ripper!
Shane's Klr knows no limits (and the rear tyre knows no knobs!)
I had to deal with a few Gorse issues of my own yesterday - Slash and burn baby!
Now that jobs done, I'm real keen to get out with you guys again - been too long...

Heya Gav, missed out on a ripper thats for sure and the pace we were going you would have loved it, will be great to see you out on the track again soon, plenty more fun times to be had, will have to catch you up on the next ride.

Stormtrooper

[andy mac]

Definitely a good days ride & I'm aching all over today.

Shane's speed & stamina on the KLR was an eyeopener "another Woodman?" Mark was vengeful leading Shane into the bogs behind Orange hut, but always gave a helping push - that tyre is toast, toss it. Good to see you Merv, also bloody fast, "sorry Andy I had to pass you, no brake couldn't stop" :wacko:

Photos in random order-
1 Pylon track off Hydro Rd - scenic spot for a breather but I had to veto the politics discussion!
2 Mark rides straight over the highest berm - what does his jersey say? .... SHIT!
3 Washout on Odlins Rd - glad we went to the end last month.
4 Shane in action - it was a clencher, riding over the hump behind him. No room to dab a foot, with either a drop into the bog or downhill into the pinetrees. :eek5:
5 Shane objected to riding under the tollgate, so on the return he just drove the steamroller straight over.

[marks]

I have finally posted a few photos here (http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?p=12218338#post12218338)

[merv]

I have finally posted a few photos here (http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?p=12218338#post12218338)

Nice one Mark, perhaps just as well I didn't do that next bit as the old out-of-practice body probably did enough for first day back on dirt for a while.

[stormtrooper]

Cheers to Mark, Any Mac and Merv for the great day out and putting up some pics of the ride catch up with you guys again soon

Stormtrooper

[Transalper]

Nice ride, something I'd be quite happy using my CRF on.
Can't believe you guys didn't have proper puncture repair gear (spare tube and tools to install it) with you.
Never seen an adventure or off road puncture that that spray in goo would be able to fix.

Herd mixed reports of the Slime that goes in as a preventative measure.

[merv]

The team had gear but honestly I couldn't be bothered changing it there, much better at home where I could wash it out properly and fit it all in nice clean conditions else I'd want to take it off again. I'd never had success with tyre pando type things but the slime is sold as suitable for tubed tyres and it would have been more like 5 years old not 10 but it was a failure all the same.

[Woodman]

Slime or tyre pando will never fix a big hole, but a small hole it can.
Actually Alane used tyre pando today and it worked, but he still decided to put a new tube in later on anyway when we were all sitting round at subway wondering what to do.

[Gizzit]

Looks like you guys had a great ride. The territory look interesting!

Good pictures Merv :niceone: