Hitcher
1st February 2004, 11:28
Yesterday was fine and Mrs Hitcher and I had time on our hands, so what to do? You guessed it. Over the 'takas we went to the Flying Fish at Martinborough. Here we met Mangell6 and Mrs M who were out taking their respective steeds for a gallop. It's always good to hear what other bikers enjoy doing and to see what they ride (great to meet you guys too).
After a most pleasurable chat with the Mangells, Mrs H and I decided that we would go to Castlepoint via Gladstone and Masterton. It started to spit at Masterton but I decided to employ my sometimes successful "climate denial" technique (and Mrs H said it was too hot to wear wets anyway) and so we headed off to Castlepoint.
About 30km out of Masterton it became evident that "climate denial" was not going to do the biz, so stopping under the fast-dampening shelter of a roadside tree, on went the wets. No sooner was the top dome fastened, then the heavens opened. Thoughts of a Castlepoint excursion were quickly abandoned and we headed back to Masterton, initially through a torrential downpour. It's amazing riding when the road is a fuzzy blur of exploding raindrops.
About 5km short of Masterton the rain stoppped, never to be seen again (well, on Saturday where we went anyway).
After a compulsory cappuccino stop at Salute at Greytown (great coffee and food here -- highly recommended) it was time to head home.
Great riding conditions, light traffic, bike running superbly well -- on a clear right-hander nearing the top of the 'takas I clipped a rock, lost the front end and it was all over Red Rover. Possibly what passes for a fair attempt at a "classic lowsider". I forgot to check the judging panel's scorecards...
Fortunately the damage to bike and rider is annoying but not too serious (hopefully). The Zrex will need a new fairing and front right indicator. There's a graunch on the RH side of the radiator, on the front of the engine, the bottom of the exhaust can and, surprisingly, the tailpiece behind the seat has cracked. The RH mirror and brake lever are also scraped but surprisingly unbent. I think that I must have broken the fall for 225kg of Kawasaki...
I have a badly-strained right ankle, badly bruised right hip and three puncture wounds in my right knee, sore shoulder and shabby self-esteem! Mrs H has not been unslow to remind me that things could have been much worse (for me) had she been on the back...
The Zrex is rideable, so after twisting the levers back into position and setting mirrors, I threw my getting-sorer-by-the-minute leg over and rode home.
I owe a big vote of thanks to the cagers following -- two guys in a Subaru WRX who were immediately behind me at the time, and to a local firewood contractor. They pulled the Zrex out of the bank, stood it up and dusted it down and waited round until everybody (including me) was convinced I was good to go. One of the guys in the Subaru was a biker himself and had a similar off years ago when he collected a bolt in similar circumstances (I think his bike came off worse for wear, but he was doing 100kmh whereas I was doing 70, plus or minus).
Another lesson well learned was the value of good gear. I have now written off my waterproof overtrousers and have a well chewed right Daytona boot. The helmet is looking a bit the worse as Mother Earth's talons had a good grab at one side of it.
"It could have been worse!" I guess I will come to terms with that in the fullness of time. Meanwhile this week I will be off to make the proprietors of Motorad a bit richer.
The rest of you buggers -- STAY UPRIGHT, OK??
After a most pleasurable chat with the Mangells, Mrs H and I decided that we would go to Castlepoint via Gladstone and Masterton. It started to spit at Masterton but I decided to employ my sometimes successful "climate denial" technique (and Mrs H said it was too hot to wear wets anyway) and so we headed off to Castlepoint.
About 30km out of Masterton it became evident that "climate denial" was not going to do the biz, so stopping under the fast-dampening shelter of a roadside tree, on went the wets. No sooner was the top dome fastened, then the heavens opened. Thoughts of a Castlepoint excursion were quickly abandoned and we headed back to Masterton, initially through a torrential downpour. It's amazing riding when the road is a fuzzy blur of exploding raindrops.
About 5km short of Masterton the rain stoppped, never to be seen again (well, on Saturday where we went anyway).
After a compulsory cappuccino stop at Salute at Greytown (great coffee and food here -- highly recommended) it was time to head home.
Great riding conditions, light traffic, bike running superbly well -- on a clear right-hander nearing the top of the 'takas I clipped a rock, lost the front end and it was all over Red Rover. Possibly what passes for a fair attempt at a "classic lowsider". I forgot to check the judging panel's scorecards...
Fortunately the damage to bike and rider is annoying but not too serious (hopefully). The Zrex will need a new fairing and front right indicator. There's a graunch on the RH side of the radiator, on the front of the engine, the bottom of the exhaust can and, surprisingly, the tailpiece behind the seat has cracked. The RH mirror and brake lever are also scraped but surprisingly unbent. I think that I must have broken the fall for 225kg of Kawasaki...
I have a badly-strained right ankle, badly bruised right hip and three puncture wounds in my right knee, sore shoulder and shabby self-esteem! Mrs H has not been unslow to remind me that things could have been much worse (for me) had she been on the back...
The Zrex is rideable, so after twisting the levers back into position and setting mirrors, I threw my getting-sorer-by-the-minute leg over and rode home.
I owe a big vote of thanks to the cagers following -- two guys in a Subaru WRX who were immediately behind me at the time, and to a local firewood contractor. They pulled the Zrex out of the bank, stood it up and dusted it down and waited round until everybody (including me) was convinced I was good to go. One of the guys in the Subaru was a biker himself and had a similar off years ago when he collected a bolt in similar circumstances (I think his bike came off worse for wear, but he was doing 100kmh whereas I was doing 70, plus or minus).
Another lesson well learned was the value of good gear. I have now written off my waterproof overtrousers and have a well chewed right Daytona boot. The helmet is looking a bit the worse as Mother Earth's talons had a good grab at one side of it.
"It could have been worse!" I guess I will come to terms with that in the fullness of time. Meanwhile this week I will be off to make the proprietors of Motorad a bit richer.
The rest of you buggers -- STAY UPRIGHT, OK??