cowboyz
25th October 2010, 21:41
Well. I really wanted to do the 4 points again this year but it wasnt to be really. New job means no time off and and my bike being converted to a racebike and too much work to do to get it back road legal and about 400 other excuses meant I stayed at home for the weekend while Meanie, Monie, Yod , Dogs and Dogs handler went on a pootle round the North island.
The weather has been just too good so I had to get out there today, if only with a loaner bike..
So Sunday night I pick up a 2003 Volusia 800. First time I have ridden a cruiser and it become apparent very early on that this was not a sports bike. i didnt have time to ride it Sunday night so parked it up ready for Monday morning.
Monday morning come round and the plan was to meet the 4 points crew in Tekuiti at 9.30ish. ... First point... I been in Ashhurst nearly 6 years and youd think I would have learnt about the Ashhurst clocks by now..................
Anyhow, NZSarge was going to be over between 5am-5.30am and I was up at 4 getting sorted. I was itching to get going and I figure cruiser 800 Vs ZX14 it wouldnt take him long at all to catch up so I might as well head up Vinegar hill and see what its like to ride.
left home at 5.05am. It was mild and the weather was obviously gonna be a mint day for riding and I got into the flow of striaght road riding pretty quick. It all got a wee bit pair shaped the first corner I got to when I chopped it down a couple of gears and lent on the front and nothing happened. Lesson 1. Cruisers dont stop!. Right! Readjust riding style (or lack of) rapidily! I took it easy and was getting the hang of swinging the bike into the corners. Next lesson began at the start of the 35k corners and involved something about ground clearance. TBH it was only in the really tight stuff that ground clearance become a big issue. The temp was dropping and a misty fog made an entrance so everything was just getting colder and wetter.
By the time I got just outside Taihape Id had enough and I was so cold I had to stop and do a bit of warming up. Checked phone and found NZSarge was in Woodville at 5.10am so figured he wouldnt be long behind me at all. had a smoke and then decided to press on to Taihape. Just as I was about to hope back on the bike I heard the distinct sound of the mighty 14 coming up the hill. Awesome!.. Right. On to Taihape for a smoke and warm up.
6.10am and sent a few texts to monie saying we were enroute. Mucked around a fair bit and didnt get back on the road till 6.45am but at least the temp had picked up slightly and the sun was getting up.
Had a good run up to Waioru and absoutly magic views of the mountain covered in snow. It was just starting to warm up so wasnt anywhere near as cold as I thought it might be.
National park was fun on the cruiser. Usually it bores me quickly but the cruiser has a way of making 110km/hr seem alot faster. Pulled into National park for gas but decided we could make taumarnui where the food would be better so turned intoa drive through and carried on making Taumarnui at 8.10am.
Fuel stop and some hot food and thinking we now had just under 2 hours to make it over 8 mile we were feeling kinda pleased with the progress so far.
Headed up over 8 mile with the 14 dutifully following.. Actually he followed for a surprisingly long time before finally getting the 14 out doing what its good at. I think I saw it go past... I spent my time on 8 mile at a smooth pace enjoying just being out on the road.
Got to TK at about 9.40 so had time to have a smoke and wait for the others.
Actually had time for a few smokes as it turns out we were using the alternative clock and 10am become 10.20am.
Bit of a catch up and then it was a convoy to New Plymouth. Awakino was fun. Road is in mint condition and I had a wee bit of catch up to do once the corners started flowing. On to Mt Messenger which was covered in cars and usually this would bug me but even at very low speeds the cruiser made the corners fun! I was having a ball!. Pretty uneventful for the run down into NP for fuel but by now I had gotten to grips with the handling of the cruiser and it was going round corners better. Fuel in spotswood and I was going to have a smoke before heading off but that got delayed in pressing on to Rahotu. So very spirited ride to Rahotu. cant deny a man of a ciggy!
Good relax and feed in Rahotu and then I got to lead the bunch through the rest of surf highway. nice of them to let me lead right until the corners showed up.. Oh... Roundabout in Mania is worth a second look too!.
Pretty much truck and trailer all the bikes lane splitting plenty of traffic down the main rd will Dogs took us off course down a goat track. This would have been the only real time I wished I had my own bike. Very twisty narrow road and the 9 would have loved it. As it was it was really hard work! Still finished the run into wangas with a huge smile though!.
Dropped Dogs off at home and more chatting and then headed to Halcombe hill. Pretty much had the poor little cruiser tapped out over halcombe hill and it was pretty much like bringing a knife to a gunfight seeing the sportsbikes disappear into the distance.
Home before 6 after 745km. thats an awesome way to spend a Labour day monday!
The weather has been just too good so I had to get out there today, if only with a loaner bike..
So Sunday night I pick up a 2003 Volusia 800. First time I have ridden a cruiser and it become apparent very early on that this was not a sports bike. i didnt have time to ride it Sunday night so parked it up ready for Monday morning.
Monday morning come round and the plan was to meet the 4 points crew in Tekuiti at 9.30ish. ... First point... I been in Ashhurst nearly 6 years and youd think I would have learnt about the Ashhurst clocks by now..................
Anyhow, NZSarge was going to be over between 5am-5.30am and I was up at 4 getting sorted. I was itching to get going and I figure cruiser 800 Vs ZX14 it wouldnt take him long at all to catch up so I might as well head up Vinegar hill and see what its like to ride.
left home at 5.05am. It was mild and the weather was obviously gonna be a mint day for riding and I got into the flow of striaght road riding pretty quick. It all got a wee bit pair shaped the first corner I got to when I chopped it down a couple of gears and lent on the front and nothing happened. Lesson 1. Cruisers dont stop!. Right! Readjust riding style (or lack of) rapidily! I took it easy and was getting the hang of swinging the bike into the corners. Next lesson began at the start of the 35k corners and involved something about ground clearance. TBH it was only in the really tight stuff that ground clearance become a big issue. The temp was dropping and a misty fog made an entrance so everything was just getting colder and wetter.
By the time I got just outside Taihape Id had enough and I was so cold I had to stop and do a bit of warming up. Checked phone and found NZSarge was in Woodville at 5.10am so figured he wouldnt be long behind me at all. had a smoke and then decided to press on to Taihape. Just as I was about to hope back on the bike I heard the distinct sound of the mighty 14 coming up the hill. Awesome!.. Right. On to Taihape for a smoke and warm up.
6.10am and sent a few texts to monie saying we were enroute. Mucked around a fair bit and didnt get back on the road till 6.45am but at least the temp had picked up slightly and the sun was getting up.
Had a good run up to Waioru and absoutly magic views of the mountain covered in snow. It was just starting to warm up so wasnt anywhere near as cold as I thought it might be.
National park was fun on the cruiser. Usually it bores me quickly but the cruiser has a way of making 110km/hr seem alot faster. Pulled into National park for gas but decided we could make taumarnui where the food would be better so turned intoa drive through and carried on making Taumarnui at 8.10am.
Fuel stop and some hot food and thinking we now had just under 2 hours to make it over 8 mile we were feeling kinda pleased with the progress so far.
Headed up over 8 mile with the 14 dutifully following.. Actually he followed for a surprisingly long time before finally getting the 14 out doing what its good at. I think I saw it go past... I spent my time on 8 mile at a smooth pace enjoying just being out on the road.
Got to TK at about 9.40 so had time to have a smoke and wait for the others.
Actually had time for a few smokes as it turns out we were using the alternative clock and 10am become 10.20am.
Bit of a catch up and then it was a convoy to New Plymouth. Awakino was fun. Road is in mint condition and I had a wee bit of catch up to do once the corners started flowing. On to Mt Messenger which was covered in cars and usually this would bug me but even at very low speeds the cruiser made the corners fun! I was having a ball!. Pretty uneventful for the run down into NP for fuel but by now I had gotten to grips with the handling of the cruiser and it was going round corners better. Fuel in spotswood and I was going to have a smoke before heading off but that got delayed in pressing on to Rahotu. So very spirited ride to Rahotu. cant deny a man of a ciggy!
Good relax and feed in Rahotu and then I got to lead the bunch through the rest of surf highway. nice of them to let me lead right until the corners showed up.. Oh... Roundabout in Mania is worth a second look too!.
Pretty much truck and trailer all the bikes lane splitting plenty of traffic down the main rd will Dogs took us off course down a goat track. This would have been the only real time I wished I had my own bike. Very twisty narrow road and the 9 would have loved it. As it was it was really hard work! Still finished the run into wangas with a huge smile though!.
Dropped Dogs off at home and more chatting and then headed to Halcombe hill. Pretty much had the poor little cruiser tapped out over halcombe hill and it was pretty much like bringing a knife to a gunfight seeing the sportsbikes disappear into the distance.
Home before 6 after 745km. thats an awesome way to spend a Labour day monday!