Dusty Butt 2015: 14-15 February

[flashg]

These are the correct dates. Lets use this thread

[rigley]

Hi,

Does anyone know of a Friday the 13th ride starting from the Waimakariri river recreation area heading thru the Orari Gorge to Fairlie this year? Would be keen to do it again.

[flashg]

Hi,



Does anyone know of a Friday the 13th ride starting from the Waimakariri river recreation area heading thru the Orari Gorge to Fairlie this year? Would be keen to do it again.


Hi rigley,i haven't heard of anyone doing that ride as the guys that organized it in the past are not doing the dusty this year i believe.
My son and i are looking for another riding partner and plan to do all the challenges it would be good to ride with you again if you're keen rigley.
Our bikes are in perfect condition so hopefully no mechanical problems

[rigley]

Hello again! I have been a bit slack this year with getting things organised, I am prepping the bike and the tow rope will included in my kit! ;) Yes it would be good to touch base on the Friday, there are a few new faces I am bringing along who are db1k virgins, hoping it will go ahead with all the fires that have been happening down there.

[flashg]

Fingers crossed all goes well and we have no hick ups. I Will be watching out for you and the virgins, remember i was one last year

[rigley]

We must of broke you in gently, as you are coming back for more!

[flashg]

Very true. I will be on a WR again and Scott on XT 660.

[Transalper]

Lots of snow down there right now.

[flashg]

Lots of snow down there right now.


Just what we need to dampen things down. Hope it's gone by next Friday though

[rigley]

Not heard from Epic Events yet, hopefully the Dusty will still be on???

[flashg]

Not heard from Epic Events yet, hopefully the Dusty will still be on???


I rang and spoke to Claire and it's all go. Also they sent out emails. Track files will be sent next week. They are waiting to see what weather is doing as some areas may be to higher fire risk to allow us to ride in. Doc may close some areas. The snow might help though.
Rigley you should have received an email. If you don't get track files in time they will load them for you on the Friday night.

[rigley]

I rang and spoke to Claire and it's all go. Also they sent out emails. Track files will be sent next week. They are waiting to see what weather is doing as some areas may be to higher fire risk to allow us to ride in. Doc may close some areas. The snow might help though.
Rigley you should have received an email. If you don't get track files in time they will load them for you on the Friday night.

Yes I received an email last week, just wondering if there had been any further updates on fire risk areas that might prevent us doing any of the " Interesting" stuff. I know the Rainbow track and the Molesworth has been closed.

[flashg]

Yes I received an email last week, just wondering if there had been any further updates on fire risk areas that might prevent us doing any of the " Interesting" stuff. I know the Rainbow track and the Molesworth has been closed.


Yes i heard about rainbow, molesworth etc and that inspired me to ring. The 1000 river crossing's would be fine I'm sure but we want to do the awakino challenge and others. I've been in training ( riding trail every weekend ) so I'm ready for it.

[thepom]

hey I,ve been riding with you and you don't need no training mate ....you ll do the awakino easy mate...hey what gps you using ?..

[Woodman]

Awakino is more of a physical challenge rather than a technical challenge. Once you are over the first staircase part anyway.

[flashg]

hey I,ve been riding with you and you don't need no training mate ....you ll do the awakino easy mate...hey what gps you using ?..


Cheers kenny. I have a Garman Montana 650. It was recommended, It's great and TA recommended it as well. I can read it easy without glasses, a 4" screen and you can zoom it much bigger, easy as.

[Transalper]

Flash knows the Awakino, this year he'll do it without sweating and go on with plenty of energy and time up his sleeve to complete the day and get dinner before sunset.

[flashg]

Flash knows the Awakino, this year he'll do it without sweating and go on with plenty of energy and time up his sleeve to complete the day and get dinner before sunset.


Thanks for all the faith Kenny & Carl. I have a lot to live up to now, lets hope you're right.
Finished prepping the bikes today and we will have no problems, WR is new with 549 km's now, so nothing worn out yet and not been swimming yet so bearings all good. Changing tyres on XT last week i found main sprocket bearing on wheel about to collapse. $10.50 and a new bearing in place. All other bearings perfect. Removed DB killers from the arrow mufflers and wrapped spark arrester mesh around them and refitted them, a test ride and they are not too restricted,WR has a factory spark arrester so now we are sorted and safe.

[pete-blen]

Changing tyres on XT last week i found main sprocket bearing on wheel about to collapse. $10.50 and a new bearing in place.


next time replace the sprocket carryer bearing with a double row deep groove ball race..
need to machine the carryer deeper & shorten the interal spacer...
bearing & cush rubbers last 3 times as long...


good luck... have fun...

[flashg]

next time replace the sprocket carryer bearing with a double row deep groove ball race..

need to machine the carryer deeper & shorten the interal spacer...

bearing & cush rubbers last 3 times as long...





good luck... have fun...


Yes i have heard about that, it may have been you that told me. I think i will do that in future. Still running original cush drive rubbers @ 26,000 km's.
Thanks Pete should be fun with my older son on board.

[thepom]

as we were leaving skippers canyon last week on the Bannockburn bike week Col said he felt and heard a bad noise from the rear wheel. On inspection his bearings were shot....we were lucky we were close to queenstown so we knocked the bearings out and managed to get two in queenstown and fit them by the side of the road and another next day at Cromwell.....for the price of a few bearings can save a lot of trouble if you are in the middle of nowhere....

[Woodman]

as we were leaving skippers canyon last week on the Bannockburn bike week Col said he felt and heard a bad noise from the rear wheel. On inspection his bearings were shot....we were lucky we were close to queenstown so we knocked the bearings out and managed to get two in queenstown and fit them by the side of the road and another next day at Cromwell.....for the price of a few bearings can save a lot of trouble if you are in the middle of nowhere....

I always carried spare wheel bearings on the KLR after having to get trailered home one time.

[pete376403]

Any suggestions how to make a spark arrestor to fit into a GSXR muffler? (Is there any form of scruitineering?)
Otherwise may have to refit the original KLR deadweight

[Woodman]

Any suggestions how to make a spark arrestor to fit into a GSXR muffler? (Is there any form of scruitineering?)
Otherwise may have to refit the original KLR deadweight

Just stuffed chickenwire in mine. Not a gsxr one, but same principal applies. No scrutineering the previous 5 DBs.

[flashg]

Just stuffed chickenwire in mine. Not a gsxr one, but same principal applies. No scrutineering the previous 5 DBs.


True no scrutineering but we sign up knowing spark arrester's must be fitted and we must carry fire extinguishers. I'd feel like shit if a fire started and i hadn't taken the necessary precautions. There's been fires all over the country this summer. We need to be very careful

[flashg]

Any suggestions how to make a spark arrestor to fit into a GSXR muffler? (Is there any form of scruitineering?)

Otherwise may have to refit the original KLR deadweight


My original XT 660 tenere muffler that weighs heaps did not have a built-in spark arrester. Yours might. Good luck getting it sorted

[flashg]

We are off to the Nitro Circus shortly. Might pick up some handy tips to help me through the challenge sections haha

[pete376403]

i will be carrying an extinguisher. The standard KLR exhaust does have a US Foresty approved arrestor in it, the GSXR can apparently not. Googling now to see about making / buying something suitable

[flashg]

i will be carrying an extinguisher. The standard KLR exhaust does have a US Foresty approved arrestor in it, the GSXR can apparently not. Googling now to see about making / buying something suitable


I went to Briscoe's and bought a stainless sieve cut it up and made mine from that, but the tenere runs twin arrow mufflers with db killers, pulling them and wrapping was easy. Maybe harder for you but best of luck.

[flashg]

Might have found a way of crossing rivers and staying dry

[Transalper]

Snow should be all gone now, back up to 30C in the general area today.

[flashg]

Hey Rigley MX nut has a thread Christchurch to dusty butt Friday 13th. The one mattsdakar has organised in the past. You'll just have to search for it, he's looking for numbers.
Also how are you getting on with your leaking fuel tap ?

[Transalper]

So the GPS files are out. Much better job this year.

[flashg]

So the GPS files are out. Much better job this year.


Cheers TA for the help and loading the files onto my GPS

[rigley]

Hi flashg, new fuel tap arrived on Tuesday, bit close for comfort. ... Not impressed with new metal omg fuel tap from Safari tanks, has been fitted for 3 days and started to weep fuel. Not impressed!

[flashg]

Glad thats sorted for now, shouldn't get any worse hopefully. See you tonight

[XF650]

All the best to you Dusty Bummers. Rogson left here at lunchtime to hook up with a Friday pre ride.
Meanwhile TimG & I will be rescuing damsels in distress with my jet boat in the Coast to Coast.

[Transalper]

They're doing it reversed this year, all the views that were in the rear vission mirrors will be laid out in front of them this year, all that were nasty hill climbs will be nasty descents and all that were nasty descents will be nasty climbs.
Look forward to hearing some reports, the first one I've missed since the original Dustys conception.

[timg]

damsels in distress I knew there was a reason I doing this :bleh:

[Woodman]

Enjoy your ride guys.....

[rigley]

Just arrived back from the Dusty, not the best I DB1K I have done, GPS coordinates sucked for the Garmin, following ghost trails all day Sat, not the only one though. Sunday morning sucked even more, went across the track from Clyde to Cromwell and went down a FWD rut, clipped my boot on the side, and hey presto one broken ankle.

Trip down was great to Fairlie, oh well, 6 weeks in a cask will fly by I'm sure :wacko:

[Waihou Thumper]

Trip down was great to Fairlie, oh well, 6 weeks in a cask will fly by I'm sure :wacko:

You might get a tad pissed and die from alcohol poisoning from the fumes though! :whistle:

[Woodman]

Just arrived back from the Dusty, not the best I DB1K I have done, GPS coordinates sucked for the Garmin, following ghost trails all day Sat, not the only one though. Sunday morning sucked even more, went across the track from Clyde to Cromwell and went down a FWD rut, clipped my boot on the side, and hey presto one broken ankle.

Trip down was great to Fairlie, oh well, 6 weeks in a cask will fly by I'm sure :wacko:


Bugger, sorry to hear mate. Same ankle as last time?

[Transalper]

Just arrived back from the Dusty, not the best I DB1K I have done, GPS coordinates sucked for the Garmin, following ghost trails all day Sat, not the only one though. Sunday morning sucked even more, went across the track from Clyde to Cromwell and went down a FWD rut, clipped my boot on the side, and hey presto one broken ankle.

Trip down was great to Fairlie, oh well, 6 weeks in a cask will fly by I'm sure :wacko:

Bugger about the ankle, bet yours isn't the only injury though.
Which Garmin and how much GPS experience have you had? and keep ya toes in, lift your feet when the ruts are deep !

[Night Falcon]

Trip down was great to Fairlie, oh well, 6 weeks in a cask will fly by I'm sure :wacko:

Fractures are a pain but 6weeks is a doddle, least there's the cricket to watch. :banana:

[pomgolian]

Just arrived back from the Dusty, not the best I DB1K I have done, GPS coordinates sucked for the Garmin, following ghost trails all day Sat, not the only one though. Sunday morning sucked even more, went across the track from Clyde to Cromwell and went down a FWD rut, clipped my boot on the side, and hey presto one broken ankle.

Trip down was great to Fairlie, oh well, 6 weeks in a cask will fly by I'm sure :wacko:

Know the feeling i cracked a bone in my ankle on the DB a couple of years ago by that churchy thing in the middle nowhere, everyone else headed for home but i carried onto Milford then up the west coast then home, spent six weeks in a one of those velcro boots when i got home.

[rigley]

Bugger, sorry to hear mate. Same ankle as last time?

Yep, I have a accident prone ankle, hospital tomorrow, hopefully no op!

[rigley]

Know the feeling i cracked a bone in my ankle on the DB a couple of years ago by that churchy thing in the middle nowhere, everyone else headed for home but i carried onto Milford then up the west coast then home, spent six weeks in a one of those velcro boots when i got home.

Yep, done the same thing 4 years ago, hit some ice up the Maitai, heading for the Maungatapu, best part of a year before the swelling would go down.

[rigley]

You might get a tad pissed and die from alcohol poisoning from the fumes though! :whistle:

The only way to go! :)

[rigley]

Fractures are a pain but 6weeks is a doddle, least there's the cricket to watch. :banana:

All the tickets were sold for the Ireland - West Indies today, that would have been a match to watch!

[rigley]

Bugger about the ankle, bet yours isn't the only injury though.
Which Garmin and how much GPS experience have you had? and keep ya toes in, lift your feet when the ruts are deep !

I was standing on the pegs at the time, and yes having penguin feet never helps!
To answer your question about the Garmin, I had a crash course of about two hours, (borrowed Umopom's the night before we set off for the Dusty). I was warned by Gordon from Epic Events that they were having problems with the old Garmins taking the route coordinates for some reason he could not explain?

[flashg]

Just arrived back from the Dusty, not the best I DB1K I have done, GPS coordinates sucked for the Garmin, following ghost trails all day Sat, not the only one though. Sunday morning sucked even more, went across the track from Clyde to Cromwell and went down a FWD rut, clipped my boot on the side, and hey presto one broken ankle.



Trip down was great to Fairlie, oh well, 6 weeks in a cask will fly by I'm sure :wacko:


It sure sucks you breaking your ankle, but it was great catching up at the pub last night, i got home @ 10.30 that's about 700 km's in one day on a standard WR seat

[rigley]

It sure sucks you breaking your ankle, but it was great catching up at the pub last night, i got home @ 10.30 that's about 700 km's in one day on a standard WR seat

How is your Monkey Butt feeling?

[Transalper]

...and yes having penguin feet never helps! ...
I've been lucky a couple of times in only kicking edges lightly, bit of pain but not enough to strain or break anything, my toes like to face out a bit by default too.

...I was warned by Gordon from Epic Events that they were having problems with the old Garmins taking the route coordinates for some reason he could not explain?

The older GPS's simply can not handle the files in the format and size they are supplying, they truncate at 500 points for a track file or 250 for a direct route file. Zumos have their own issues filtering stuff and cutting off points potentially making it hard to find some gates or turning points. Their supplied file contained several tracks quite a bit over 500 points long which is good for detail on the newer GPS's but too many points for the older ones.

I did a file conversion and fairly major tweak to make things work on the older garmin units for a friend, pity it was not more highly stressed that the older gps's would be problematic in the sign up process. I wondered how Epic were going to handle that this year, the track files were certainly better done but still not suitable for the older gps's.

[flashg]

On the friday night we stayed at the top ten holiday camp. The guy running the camp said no bikes in front of room's but we all did it, he had his push bikes and broken umbrella in front of his which was next to us. Then he talked all night to some woman in his room at midnight i banged on his window and asked him to be quiet, he said you be quiet, i called him a fucken inconsiderate asshole. He continued to talk for some time then fell asleep snoring his fucken head off. We couldn't sleep so started our epic adventure early 3.30 am. It was drizzling and dusty and dark (wet visors & dust) makes it hard going and slow it was 7am when we got to omarama, nothing open (getting hungry). Next we do omarama saddle challenge. Oturehua next stop for fuel. Time for bed (still feeling a bit jaded ) more tomorrow night

[Bluft]

On the friday night we stayed at the top ten holiday camp. The guy running the camp said no bikes in front of room's but we all did it, he had his push bikes and broken umbrella in front of his which was next to us. Then he talked all night to some woman in his room at midnight i banged on his window and asked him to be quiet, he said you be quiet, i called him a fucken inconsiderate asshole. He continued to talk for some time then fell asleep snoring his fucken head off. We couldn't sleep so started our epic adventure early 3.30 am. It was drizzling and dusty and dark (wet visors & dust) makes it hard going and slow it was 7am when we got to omarama, nothing open (getting hungry). Next we do omarama saddle challenge. Oturehua next stop for fuel. Time for bed (still feeling a bit jaded ) more tomorrow night

We were in tents and herd some yelling about midnight there. We left about 2.45-3am also. That drizzly rain dust was a barstard. Some people are bloody inconsiderate. Hope you enjoyed yourself

[pete376403]

As a Dusty Butt virgin I'd like all the people who stopped to assist when gravity overcame my (limited) riding talents and put me and the bike - the green KLR with considerable panel damage - in places it shouldn't have been. Without your help I'd probably still be out there.

Two days of alternating between "shit this is great" and "WTF were you thinking..."

However we (Miss Piggy and I) made it back to Fairlie in daylight, skipping the Awakino challenge was probably the best idea I had all day.

Would I do it again? Not on the KLR, a 250 would be a better choice.

Once again, thanks for the assists.

[Aslan]

As a Dusty Butt virgin I'd like all the people who stopped to assist when gravity overcame my (limited) riding talents and put me and the bike - the green KLR with considerable panel damage - in places it shouldn't have been. Without your help I'd probably still be out there.

Two days of alternating between "shit this is great" and "WTF were you thinking..."

However we (Miss Piggy and I) made it back to Fairlie in daylight, skipping the Awakino challenge was probably the best idea I had all day.

Would I do it again? Not on the KLR, a 250 would be a better choice.

Once again, thanks for the assists.


Pete - I've been part of a large group ride with you - round the Coast from the Wainuiomata Road end to the Wairarapa and i realise that like myself you're a 'senior' - possibly at least a decade younger than me - in my 60's and closer to 70 than 60.

Having done the DB from 2009 to 2012 when I last did it (broke my collar bone in Blue Mountain Station on the way to the DB); as we age the DB and other events become more challenging.

I was pleased to complete the Pukemanu without an off last year. Now each ride I count as a 'bonus'

Cheers Oaters

Ps like you I've contemplated a 250, deciding in the end to stick with the old faithful DR650

[Woodman]

As a Dusty Butt virgin I'd like all the people who stopped to assist when gravity overcame my (limited) riding talents and put me and the bike - the green KLR with considerable panel damage - in places it shouldn't have been. Without your help I'd probably still be out there.

Two days of alternating between "shit this is great" and "WTF were you thinking..."

However we (Miss Piggy and I) made it back to Fairlie in daylight, skipping the Awakino challenge was probably the best idea I had all day.

Would I do it again? Not on the KLR, a 250 would be a better choice.

Once again, thanks for the assists.

Goodonya. KLRs are a great weapon for the DB, but picking them up too many times can be tiresome.

[flashg]

How is your Monkey Butt feeling?


My butt was ok although moving from left cheek to right cheek helped on the last hour home

[flashg]

We were in tents and herd some yelling about midnight there. We left about 2.45-3am also. That drizzly rain dust was a barstard. Some people are bloody inconsiderate. Hope you enjoyed yourself


Yes we heard you leave and we thought we're not getting any sleep either so we packed up and left. We had a great time mostly.

[flashg]

Oh yeah i almost forgot about the wallaby that ran out of the dark and straight into Scotts leg, i was following and saw the whole thing. Bloody dangerous being attacked by wildlife. The omarama saddle challenge was not to bad this year, river levels a little lower this year, but those rocks were just as slippery as ever. The WR had a wee lie down ( must have been tired ) but not me. Oturehua next stop. Newspaper in boots (dried out a bit) fresh socks and finally food. Toasted sandwiches for me. Serpentine challenge was easy as it was so dry. The lammamores were easy and fast because of the dry, into Lawrence next and make our way to Alexandra via some more gravel roads. Day one finished yay.....

[pete376403]

Pete - I've been part of a large group ride with you - round the Coast from the Wainuiomata Road end to the Wairarapa and i realise that like myself you're a 'senior' - possibly at least a decade younger than me - in my 60's and closer to 70 than 60.
Cheers Oaters


"only" 62 but yeah heading to the downward curve of my rainbow. And of course, the older I get, the better I was. Not ready to trade the bike on a Zimmer frame yet, though!!

[flashg]

Day 2 ride to Clyde, over the bridge, Bannockburn which was great, hard to see at times from the dust and rising sun, on to Cromwell for fuel and refreshments, over the Cromwell bridge , up the road and over a saddle (sorry can't remember name) into omakau, many bikes fueling up so we shot over to Ranfurly for fuel. We then had this great idea to go to Naseby and up mount buster which joins the Awakino ranges, that was great all the way to the hut, then it turned real hard for me and my limited ability ( doing Awakino backwards is harder i think) Once off the Awakino things got way better and the pace picked up, some more gravel roads and farm tracks and it was all over. A great weekend and bloody tiring.
A special thanks to TA for loading the map's into my Garman Montana 650 and setting it up. Scott had never even seen one and never put a foot wrong all weekend. He said it was so easy to use and read even at speed.
Thanks heaps TA