Northern DB1k attempt

[topo]

Hi all,

Given that there's sooooo many doing the 2 day dusty this year i figured i'd show you lot how its supposed to be done (well try too at least:shutup:)


I've pinched the missus's "smart" phone for the day so you'll be able to follow along at,
http://www.greenalp.com/RealtimeTracker/index.php?guestmode=1&viewuser=topo1
it'll update every 5 min when in cell range.

Given the issues with the onamalutu i'll have to make up some km's somewhere, but illl work that out at the end of the ride. I'll be starting/finishing from my place in tasman too but these are the only real changes from Ryan's original route.


Bike's all ready:drinkup:
http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn175/topo-t-south/IMG_1935-1.jpg

[Box'a'bits]

Topo, appreciate the thought, but you do realise that you've given everyone that logs into this your home address? :facepalm: Might pay to have a 'neutral' start & end point...

[Eddieb]

Thats pretty cool, both the bike and the tracking.

I wonder however if you should have left turning it on till you were at least a block down the road. I now know exactly where a cool DRZ is parked up.

Snap, Nutty beat me to it.

[JATZ]

:2thumbsup Topo, take care.
I'm just a ph call away if it turns to shit :eek5: Now you'd best post a pic of the big Fuck Off ! dog that guards your bike

[Transalper]

When u planning to do this ??
How's the Mangatapu now?
I understand the Rainbow is still blocked at this moment too... better double check that.

[NordieBoy]

High guard?

Weirdo.

[topo]

When u planning to do this ??
How's the Mangatapu now?
I understand the Rainbow is still blocked at this moment too... better double check that.

Oh yeah when... tomorrow actually, 28th is the molesworth opening :woohoo: will be departing at 5.30am hoping to be home by 6.30pm if all goes to plan.

shewolf posted on the 21st that accorcing to doc's marlborough office the rainbow is open to high clearance 4wd's and bikes at that stage so should be all good. if not i'll doubble back and start making it up.

Thanks for the offer of assistance Jatz:rockon:

[Padmei]

Go Topo:Punk:

I still have your bloody tube here - if you pm your addy I'll drop or post it over

I'd be interestsed in your fuel mileage if you are that way inclined:facepalm:

[topo]

Go Topo:Punk:

I still have your bloody tube here - if you pm your addy I'll drop or post it over

I'd be interestsed in your fuel mileage if you are that way inclined:facepalm:

I forgot about the tube, i'll pop out now if thats ok?.

I've done a couple of test runs, i'm getting around 15.3km/l if i'm giving it some on gravel roads (80km/hr avg speed+), crusing on the seal or dirt will see anything up to 17-18km/l, playing in the dirt will drop that to 10-11km/l. thats running a 158 main jet at the moment.

[Padmei]

I forgot about the tube, i'll pop out now if thats ok?.

I've done a couple of test runs, i'm getting around 15.3km/l if i'm giving it some on gravel roads (80km/hr avg speed+), crusing on the seal or dirt will see anything up to 17-18km/l, playing in the dirt will drop that to 10-11km/l. thats running a 158 main jet at the moment.

Don't want to get off topic my friend but would appreciate some help at some time checking out the jetting on my Green POS. I'm still chewing thru far too much gas...:blink:

[topo]

PM sent

FTCR

[NordieBoy]

The snotty carb needs pulling just to see what is in there, settings wise.

[Transalper]

Oh yeah when... tomorrow actually, 28th is the molesworth opening :woohoo: will be departing at 5.30am hoping to be home by 6.30pm if all goes to plan....:

Yea, I clicked the tracking link a few times but you didn't appear to have made much progress yet :Oops:

I know the Northern route was a bit easier than the Southern ones but I think 13hours will be a new record, though me memory is a bit patchy... think a lot of us done it nearer 18 to 22 hours... guessing now, not actually going to trawl back through the old threads to check.

For crist sake make sure you take care with blind corners and crests !!

Also think I read it's $15 for a bike in the Rainbow now.

Good luck, will watch the progress if I'm not out riding myself.

[topo]

I know the Northern route was a bit easier than the Southern ones but I think 13hours will be a new record, though me memory is a bit patchy... think a lot of us done it nearer 18 to 22 hours... guessing now, not actually going to trawl back through the old threads to check.

For crist sake make sure you take care with blind corners and crests !!



the unofficial reccord (not that i'm competitive or anything) is 14hrs i believe claimed by racingdave on a 1150gs adv in 09 i think:rolleyes:, not planning on taking too many risks given i'm going solo.

[Waihou Thumper]

the unofficial reccord (not that i'm competitive or anything) is 14hrs i believe claimed by racingdave on a 1150gs adv in 09 i think:rolleyes:, not planning on taking too many risks given i'm going solo.

Enjoy the ride, it is better to have tried and succeeded, than to have to dial 111 or use that EPIRB mate :)
OR worse still, the bike comes a cropper due to a misjudged rock or pothole....
Have fun....

[CrazyFrog]

Topo FYI, Sharlands/Teal Saddle access to Mangatapu is only open from 7am -7pm so you might need to rethink that one with your depart time.
I checked it out this morn, so it may have to be road to Pelorus.
And yes, Rainbow is open to bikes.

[NordieBoy]

Topo FYI, Sharlands/Teal Saddle access to Mangatapu is only open from 7am -7pm so you might need to rethink that one with your depart time.
I checked it out this morn, so it may have to be road to Pelorus.
And yes, Rainbow is open to bikes.

Sharlands is good to 9pm or so. There's another little sign saying it's open for longer and through the week after work too.

But yeah, no early starts. Although he could go up from the Duckpond, back to the dam, down from the Teal Lookout and through the Maunga.
That would also add some km's which wouldn't be a bad thing after the Onamalutu closure.

[topo]

Sharlands is good to 9pm or so. There's another little sign saying it's open for longer and through the week after work too.

But yeah, no early starts. Although he could go up from the Duckpond, back to the dam, down from the Teal Lookout and through the Maunga.
That would also add some km's which wouldn't be a bad thing after the Onamalutu closure.


which duck pond? might come in from the top of the whangmoas and down central rd/sharlands then drop down to the start of the munga, is tha gate from teal saddle down to the dam open all of the time?

[Taz]

if I'm not out riding myself.

This just sounds wrong..... :shit:

[Padmei]

Duck pond road is at the bottom of Whangas on this side . Just out of Hira you see a big lefty & on the right is that reserve where the campervans hangout. Go down there & there by memory should be a clay mound to get around the gate. I think you end up at the top before boiler gully???

[topo]

Duck pond road is at the bottom of Whangas on this side . Just out of Hira you see a big lefty & on the right is that reserve where the campervans hangout. Go down there & there by memory should be a clay mound to get around the gate. I think you end up at the top before boiler gully???


THought that may be it. cheers.

[CrazyFrog]

Sharlands/Teal saddle then drop down to the start of the munga, is tha gate from teal saddle down to the dam open all of the time?

I would be wary of getting access into Duckpond Rd, the forestry owners have been digging trenches everywhere and fencing off lots of access roads out that way. Nordie, do you know the lowdown on this one lately?

My pick (guaranteed access) is from top of Whangamoas and backtrack to Teal Saddle.

Choose whichever way you want to get to Teal Saddle, then drop down hill by the caretakers cottage. The gate is rarely unlocked, BUT you can sneak along the fenceline to the left of the road (before you get to the gate) and squeeze yer moto past the gap in the fence where the gum trees are.

Do you need a guide out of town in the morning ol' chap?

[topo]

a "guide" would be just smashing:scooter: will be coming through nel at 6pmish via rocks rd/SH6 maybe wait for me at the end of atawai drive?

[CrazyFrog]

a "guide" would be just smashing:scooter: will be coming through Nel at 6pm-ish via rocks rd/SH6 maybe wait for me at the end of Atawai drive?

6pm-ish? Dusty Butt by night, hard man bro!

[Transalper]

About a 75% chance Janet and I will go up the Rainbow then round to Murchison and down the Maruia Saddle tomorrow for a cruisy day run.
Will be two up on the Transalp, we'll wave as you go past if we happen by the same place at the same time.
The Transalp is still 3 shades of blue but now has white handguards and crash bars to make me easier to spot. :wavey:

[topo]

About a 75% chance Janet and I will go up the Rainbow then round to Murchison and down the Maruia Saddle tomorrow for a cruisy day run.
Will be two up on the Transalp, we'll wave as you go past if we happen by the same place at the same time.
The Transalp is still 3 shades of blue but now has white handguards and crash bars to make me easier to spot. :wavey:

Cool, i've got the stebel all wired up so you should hear me coming:crazy:

[NordieBoy]

which duck pond? might come in from the top of the whangmoas and down central rd/sharlands then drop down to the start of the munga, is tha gate from teal saddle down to the dam open all of the time?

First right at bottom of the Wangamoas. Duckpond Rd.

Teal Saddle to the caretakers has been open as far as I can tell, since they closed the road at Smiths Bridge for the pipeline work.

[NordieBoy]

I would be wary of getting access into Duckpond Rd, the forestry owners have been digging trenches everywhere and fencing off lots of access roads out that way. Nordie, do you know the lowdown on this one lately?

They use Duckpond Rd for the log trucks occasionally. Was good a couple of weeks ago. I went up it and down the Wangas but there was too much traffic so went around again just for the halibut.

On some maps (Google Earth for example), Duckpond Rd is known as Central Rd and everyone knows Central Rd is a public easement...

[Racing Dave]

the unofficial reccord (not that i'm competitive or anything) is 14hrs i believe claimed by racingdave on a 1150gs adv in 09 i think:rolleyes:, not planning on taking too many risks given i'm going solo.

BMW R1200GS Adventure, actually. And I had to fill the tank once, too. That cut into my average speed...

[Gremlin]

BMW R1200GS Adventure, actually. And I had to fill the tank once, too. That cut into my average speed...
The stopping, or the waiting for the tank to fill? I'm learning to find the clip that holds the nozzle open, that car drivers use, otherwise my arm cramps up when filling from near empty. :yes:

[NordieBoy]

I'm learning to find the clip that holds the nozzle open, that car drivers use, otherwise my arm cramps up when filling from near empty. :yes:

Don't have that issue with the 9L TT tank.

Dammit.

[alane]

:woohoo: THIS IS GUNNA BE GOOD. :yes:

Hope the support crew get some good pics.

GOOD LUCK TOPO.:wari: :drinknsin

[topo]

well i'm off:wings:

[CrazyFrog]

Well, he's off.
Weather : Absolutely dead calm, and fine, plenty of stars out. Northerly forecast to pick up mid morn, so tailwind down the Molesworth.
Daybreak is around 0520, actual sunrise is 0550, so will only have a road "liason" stage in the dark before SS1 through the forestry road and Mangatapu on daybreak.

I suppose I should really get on my moto and lead him out of town......:headbang:

[CrazyFrog]

Well that first part was fun!
We left right on 0530 from town, and travelled SH6 to the top of the Whangamoas to avoid the Maitai Rd closure, then took the forestry roads descending into Boiler Gully and over Teal Saddle, then onto the Mangatapu track.
Our ave speed by GPS was 69 kmph at the top of the Mangatapu, pretty good considering the condition of the track and forestry roads, so I'd say Topo will give this 1000km target a good nudge in a respectable time. His riding was smooth and consistantly quick, was like following any one of the Dakar riders, very nice!

I unleashed the Mapua Kid at the top and made my way down to Pelorus at a slightly more leisurely pace, then gapped it back home for work, grrrrrr.

He's just summited Altimarloch at 0815 by the looks of his tracker, all good so far.:2thumbsup

[topo]

Well that was a bit of a disaster:facepalm:


had a steady run till just before the molesworth where the ignition barrel/key decided not to function for some reason, managed to bypass that fairly quickly only to get 2km down the road and have to stop for a front puncture.

once i got that fixed it was a great run through to hanmer and up the rainbow (which is in great condition). put a few extra litres in the tank in st arnurd and cracked on to murch, unfortunatley i "stacked it" on the way up the porika putting the bike off the side about 10m from where javahead did it in 09. no major dammage done to me but a stick went through the front wheel breaking the speedo cable and somehow tweaking the banjo bolt on the caliper rendering the front brake useless:bye:

eventually made it into murch at 2pm and called it quits, if anyone wants a real challenge try riding down the porika into lake rotoroa with no front brake - talk about a relief to get to the bottom still upright.

at the pace i was going without the problems i reckon sub 14hrs would have been possible, so Dave if you really did it in 14 on the beemer full credit to you!

Anywho, i'm off for a shower.

Topo

[javahead]

Glad you're back in one piece. Sounds like a good day's riding nonetheless.
A

[Underground]

Nice try Topo, glad you survived the attempt intact and the bike only seems to have minor issues.
I've done the porika on the AT in the other direction with no rear brake but I think if I was in your situation with no front I would have been turning round and heading back.
That downhill is a bit of a clencher with everything working.

[NordieBoy]

We did 508km for the day which is a nice 2 day pace.
Apart from the dust it was perfect conditions.

Lots of traffic too.

[topo]

We did 508km for the day which is a nice 2 day pace.
Apart from the dust it was perfect conditions.

Lots of traffic too.

i did 515km till i broke the speedo cable/brake so prob 700ish all up to murch and home, feeling pretty good really.

the molesworth was empty for me but i passed 15-20 4wds on the rainbow!

[Woodman]

Good work and bad luck.

Did you go over a different Rainbow than us? Parts were ok, the rest was not.

Seems to be broken bike day today.

[Transalper]

Well J and I did 595km today (Rainbow and Maruia Saddle were the only gravel). We were well behind topo when we entered the Rainbow after lunching in Hanmer. The DOC survey guy mentioned the rider doing a 1000km ride was through earlier. I thought the Rainbow was a bit of a mess, potholes and corrugation as big as ever early on and after the old homestead.
Couple of places were better than usual, but they were fairly short bits in the overall picture.
Grader was moving about near Hells Gate and several areas with no wheel tracks to ride in.



Sorry to read of the crash to DNF.... wonder were you pushing too hard to loose it on the Porika or was it just as likely to happen at a pace set to conserve rider and machine in order to finish?

[topo]

Well J and I did 595km today (Rainbow and Maruia Saddle were the only gravel). We were well behind topo when we entered the Rainbow after lunching in Hanmer. The DOC survey guy mentioned the rider doing a 1000km ride was through earlier. I thought the Rainbow was a bit of a mess, potholes and corrugation as big as ever early on and after the old homestead.
Couple of places were better than usual, but they were fairly short bits in the overall picture.
Grader was moving about near Hells Gate and several areas with no wheel tracks to ride in.



Sorry to read of the crash to DNF.... wonder were you pushing too hard to loose it on the Porika or was it just as likely to happen at a pace set to conserve rider and machine in order to finish?


I guess road conditions are in the eye of the rder at the time eh, the loose stuf doesn't worry me too much anymore, and the holes/bumps are fun to jump over.

My crash wasn't a major one, basically it started wheel spinning on a slippery section then hooked up unexpectedly leading to a forced 180deg wheelie/spin with the bike ending up off the bank facing the way i just came from. I ended up sitting on a big rock wondering what the hell just happened. dammaging the brake banjo bolt jas just a freak incident and is alreday fixed ready for a ride tonight.

[_Shrek_]

puting knobblies back on, can't just read about you guys having so much fun out there, but a great read all the same :niceone:

[alane]

Yea!!!

Taa to a toppled topo.:laugh: