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James Deuce
24th February 2004, 15:27
Seeing as no-one else did it, I thought I would.

Bear in mind that this is entirely from my perspective, and I just met a bunch of new people. I can remember all your faces, but your names are fading…..Nurse!! Nurse!!! It’s getting dark!!!

Where was I??

Ahh yes. I’d just popped on to the site on Sunday morning and spotted some sort of loose arrangement for a ride leaving Caltex Upper Hutt at 1:30pm. Celtic Sea Lily was very keen, and Mr Melon and Blink also. MatthewT was chomping at the bit to get some more k’s on the Brutale (drool – I hope the 38 litres of saliva washed off).

I pulled up at the Caltex Rimutaka station to find a horde of dodgy looking critters blocking access to about 4 pumps. I thudded up and got the “evil eye, who does this fella think he is?” treatment. Introduced myself to bungbung and Celticno6 and then we all moved out from the pumps. Said hello to everyone else and then we stood ‘round meeting introducing ourselves (James, Matthew, Darren, excuse me if I missed anyone!) and eagerly awaiting the stinkwheel twins, oops…. mrmelon and blink, and Celtic Sea Lily. Celtic Sea Lily pulled up with the lads in tow (not literally, but looking at blink’s TZR you’d have to wonder ;)) at a suitably feminine interval past 1:30pm and we were all on! Or off. Or away. Or something.

Bungbung took charge and led us out into some reasonably heavy traffic. The roadwork section through to Kaitoke is just a pain now. Covered in crap (irrespective of the previous week’s bad weather) and traveled by people with little respect or understanding of just WHY those speed limits are in place. Your average piece of earth moving equipment barely rocks on its suspension when a Toyota Corolla impacts at 100km/h.

Bungbung quickly dispatched the cars in front and buggered off. I had a little bit of a moment when I was on the last stretch of the uphill overtaking lanes (now sadly reduced from their former racetrack smooth glory to a single lane, badly damaged, bumpy goat track. :disapint: ). The Stinkwheel twins and I managed to get past the traffic and we raced off in our own little group. I glanced at the Fire Engine coming down the hill (butterfly brain :doh: ) and missed the big sheet of water streaming over the road. Nary a twitch from the TRX, but it makes you think! The Stinkwheel Twins both reported a touch of twitchiness traversing the damp bit, so I can only put my apparent smoothness down to luck and that widely spaced firing order of the TRX engine.

The next section was a bit of a drone, and when we got to the 100km/h bit down past Kaitoke Gardens we ran up behind an older lady doing 80km/hr, no 70km/hr, no 60km/hr, no 50km/hr, Oh FFS!!!! A quick glance in the cockpit on the way past sees the old dear cowering in fear as I hoon past. Bad naughty motorcyclist.

The ride from here to the top was mega fun. The Stinkwheels stayed more or less in touch all the way to the top. Every time I relaxed a bit, a little red and white terror (or is that terrier?) would be nipping at my heels. I felt a bit mean torque-ing away from them mid-corner on, and I could have been a bit quicker into corners, but it was way more fun to play with the TZRs.

Ever noticed how you can ride with fangs out and hair on fire and the people who take it easy roll in about 2 minutes after you? We regrouped and recounted our trips up the hill. We met up with Stu from TSS Motorcycles, who knew Darren well enough to give him a hard time about James beating him up the hill on his old bike.

Now Stu is hardcase, a good rider, and has a wicked sense of humour. He’s doing a great job of networking his shop by getting out and meeting riders instead of sitting behind the spares counter and waiting for people to roll up. Stu really deserves our support, and I hope he and Darren get the 250 club roaring along.

Bungbung made a tentative suggestion to try the East-West access road. I followed Matthew down the hill for a bit so I could gaze at his gorgeous rear-end – the BIKE you deviants! That Brutale is just sex on wheels. We met up at the bottom of the hill where Darren’s “comments” (I won’t say whinging, I won’t – he’s too nice of a bloke!) about the apparent lack of performance of his ZXR prompted Stu to swap his lovely TL1000 for Darren’s ZXR. We headed off down the turn off that leads around Lake Wairarapa, only to find the road closed. Bugger! We went straight to Martinborough instead, and I was most impressed to see how we formed up into a staggered group riding formation without thinking about it. Bungbung kept it at sensible speed along here as the road is straight and clear, and is an obvious revenue collection zone. Sensible until Stu zoomed past with debris streaming off the ZXR at what COULD be described as insensible speed :lol:

The debris was actually half of Darren’s L plate. The pace wicked (that’s wick – ed not wicked as in “Cha wicked bro!”. Turn the wick up as in make the lamp burn brighter, but I could be labouring the point now) up a bit at that point and got into, “You’ll need a bloody big trailer to confiscate all our bikes, Officer!” range. As we got closer to the Martinborough turn off I though about slowing up a bit, but rapidly gave that up as Celticn06 tried mate the front of his bike to the rear of mine. Brake lever back to the bar apparently. The next stretch was even more insane as everyone tried to keep up with Stu on Darren’s ZXR250 – the look on Darren’s face as we parked up in Martinborough was priceless!!

We had a drink :apint: and a chat and EddieK turned up on his lovely 888 Ducati with his partner on her VTR. Was great to finally be in the same place as Eddie on a bike ride for a change and really nice to have a chat.

Everyone split up and left at different times on the way back. It seemed that everyone had family related jobs to do and needed to move on. I had a ball on the way back, trying ( and failing) to keep up with blink and bungbung. I think bungbung may be right in that I’m not making enough opportunities, but I prefer to err on the side of caution (young family and all that) so I was happy with my performance and attitude in general. I was also deeply impressed that no one fell off, no one reported a potentially life threatening near miss, and everyone was good value to spend time with.

Looking forward to the next one!

Jim2

White trash
24th February 2004, 15:33
Great report Jim2.

I'll try to make the next one myself as it seems like you guys had a hell of a lot of fun!

Dont forget, I have a ride every Thursday (not this one, Brisbane for the weekend) leaving Wellington Motorcycles at 6:45 for an evening blast then on to Lower Hutt later on for a bit of a laugh with the boy racers.

Everyone welcome. :wavey:

darren
24th February 2004, 17:58
I second that jim2

it was one of the best days I have had yet on the bike
and meeting everyone. cant wait for the next.

STEW i want another L plate
oh well maybe not

darren

LB
24th February 2004, 18:13
Hey, a NEAT write-up Jim2. You guys really had a great time.....

PS: like my new avatar? Thanks 4skins!!

Blink
24th February 2004, 18:57
haha nice write up :)

lets just hope all this fine weather stays with us, so we can hit the hill again :)

Stew
24th February 2004, 21:37
Sorry Darrin but i am sure you could explain how the L plate broke in half & please no more grizzling about you bike not being able to handle or perform :scooter: :angry2: jim thats a great write up & thanks for saying the things you said I hope to meet more riders in the future , remember if anyone wants to meet me or talk to me you guys & girls can come down to TSS Motorcycles at 421 cuba street Alicetown lowerhutt or ring me on 5693989 anytime if any of you know of rides or events e mail me so I can let others Know at tssmotorcycles@xtra.co.nz see you guys soon.