North Waikato Gravel road ride 8 jan 06

[XTC]

A ride around the north waikato mainly on gravel roads between Port waikato and Raglan. Would suit adventure bikes or those on road bikes who can keep a reasonable pace on gravel. See events calender. So who's in? Click here (http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/calendar.php?do=getinfo&e=662&day=2006-1-8&) to register your attendance

[rogson]

I'm in - I've put it on my calendar.
Freewilly again, but probably two-up.

I'll bring a camera this time.

[oldrider]

A ride around the north waikato mainly on gravel roads between Port waikato and Raglan. Would suit adventure bikes or those on road bikes who can keep a reasonable pace on gravel. See events calender. So who's in?
So what's a reasonable speed on gravel in your world? Just a simple question no shite intended! :scratch: John.

[Motu]

That's a saturday,I hope I'm not too busy and don't have to go in that day.

[XTC]

So what's a reasonable speed on gravel in your world? Just a simple question no shite intended! :scratch: John.

Put that in for those who might consider the ride but not get out of first gear or fall on their side every corner.... If that were to happen we'd probably not get the ride done in one day :) I'm thinking that if you can average about 50kmh on gravel you should be right.
Anyones welcome just may have to alter route or destination according to the skill levels of those that turn up.

How fast are ya then eh? - Andy.

[XTC]

That's a saturday,I hope I'm not too busy and don't have to go in that day.
No that's a sunday - Just for you......:woohoo:

[Motu]

So it is,I looked on 2 calendars and got 2 different dates,pays to look at an actual 2006 calendar.

Blundering around with both feet down in first gear might be a bit slow for us,but someone with a reasonable level of confidance on a naked or retro style bike won't be far off a dirt bike for pace.

[XTC]

So it is,I looked on 2 calendars and got 2 different dates,pays to look at an actual 2006 calendar.

Blundering around with both feet down in first gear might be a bit slow for us,but someone with a reasonable level of confidance on a naked or retro style bike won't be far off a dirt bike for pace.
Nicely put Motu. I was trying to put it nicely but we are not allowed to discriminate against age, gender, hair colour, weight, height, eye colour, penis length, or speed on a bike..... What's the world coming to? Most people can ride gravel at a reasonable pace... Even Mr Skid might be nearing "reasonable pace" on gravel by now.

You all know your own limits, If this ride sounds like you then come along!

BTW motu just where did you find that 1905 callender??:rofl:

[clint640]

I might be a starter, after riding the roads south of Raglan earlier this year I'd love to have a look further north so I'll try & keep that day clear. Where are we starting/finishing?

I'd better pull finger on getting some new tyres...

Cheers
Clint

[XTC]

Starting Les Batkin Reserve - Under the Tuakau Bridge on S.H.22. Finishing where ever you want. Will try to ride from tuakau thru to port waikato then down towards raglan for a pint. From ther we can head back up SH22 or if going well do some more gravel.... But will be well into the afternoon by then i suppose. - Andy.

[oldrider]

How fast are ya then eh? - Andy.
Like I said, no shite intended. you have answered my question.:yes:
I only go as fast as the sign says. :blip: Honest John.
PS:Enjoy your day.

[Cary]

All my pussy's should be fed by then, try my best to get the 'boss' to give me time off.

[XTC]

Y'all can register your attendance here (http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/calendar.php?do=getinfo&e=662&day=2006-1-8&) if you like...... (almost got the hang of this KB events thing)......

So old rider are you and the transalp coming or what??

[oldrider]

So old rider are you and the transalp coming or what??
Thanks for the invite I dare say your ride will be a good day out :yes: but your thread said Waikato gravel roads! :confused:
:shit: I may not be able to make it on time even if I left now. My location is Waitaki! (North Otago) :no:
Have a good day guys. :scooter: Cheers John. :sunny:

[XTC]

Thanks for the invite I dare say your ride will be a good day out :yes: but your thread said Waikato gravel roads! :confused:
:shit: I may not be able to make it on time even if I left now. My location is Waitaki! (North Otago) :no:
Have a good day guys. :scooter: Cheers John. :sunny:
But it'd be a great ride up here.... Got a room could put you up for a few days.. :) Waiuku and Waitaki aren't that far apart (in a dictionary).

[Oscar]

I'm in.
I can show you a few of the roads around Raglan (Waanga & Ruapuke) if you want...

[XTC]

I'm in.
I can show you a few of the roads around Raglan (Waanga & Ruapuke) if you want...
Sounds good Oscar. Cary and I did the road from raglan to ruapuke and beyond a little while back and it was great. Will look forward to meeting you all on the 8th. - Andy.

[Al]

I'll also be there!

Al

[Dutchee]

Could be keen, but dunno as yet. I'm not quick & prefer not to fall on the gravel (still have scars from doing that as a kid & remember mum shoving me in the shower with her to wash the gravel out of my face).
It'd be 2-4 of us.

[XTC]

the gravel out of my face).
Ouch! Brings back memories of my BMX days.... Mecurichrome was great! had red splotches all over me.

[Warr]

I should be around so hope to make it this time...will keep an eye on the thread :)

[Cary]

I'm not quick & prefer not to fall on the gravel

And nobody wants to do that so come along and go slow:confused:

Mind you, don't wanna take too long to get to the pub!! :ride:

[Dutchee]

Mind you, don't wanna take too long to get to the pub!! :ride:
I could always just meet ya at the pub ;) Nah, am looking forward to this. It'll be just 2 of us. Tried talking a guy we met into coming along but couldn't remember the name of the park we're meeting at (gave him the gist of it though).
After reading the ride report of your last trek, I decided to try hitting 130 but just didn't have enough balls for it (& that was on the tarmac).
Do you guys use radios at all? If I'm too slow, will peel off the back & carry on our own ride.
BTW, ttt.

[Motu]

What tyre,what tyre??

Now I've got a bike with an 18in rear wheel again I can delve into my stock of 20 yr old tyres - look out,it's gunna be something scary! Finaly wore my rear IRC out and took the wheel out of the DT today - looks like I'm doing wheel bearings too.

[XTC]

What tyre,what tyre??

Now I've got a bike with an 18in rear wheel again I can delve into my stock of 20 yr old tyres - look out,it's gunna be something scary! Finaly wore my rear IRC out and took the wheel out of the DT today - looks like I'm doing wheel bearings too.
From what i've heard you'd leave us all behind even if you had a slick on the rear ;) Wheel bearings eh? You got the necessary mechanical know how for such a large and complicated task? :)
Can't wait till the 8th....

[Oscar]

What tyre,what tyre??

Now I've got a bike with an 18in rear wheel again I can delve into my stock of 20 yr old tyres - look out,it's gunna be something scary! Finaly wore my rear IRC out and took the wheel out of the DT today - looks like I'm doing wheel bearings too.


I'm looking forward to giving th KTM a bit of an airing - it's been ignored since the V-Strom turned up. I did think of bringing the Zook, but heh, why make it hard on yerself?

[Motu]

Wheel bearings eh? You got the necessary mechanical know how for such a large and complicated task? :)
Can't wait till the 8th....

I felt like it was the first time I've done wheel bearings! The bloody spacer is spool shaped and there is a rib around the middle too,so it won't flip out of the way,plus I didn't realise it had a double drive side bearing and was smacking on the inner bearing at times...duh.

I want to try a competion trials tyre as my adventure/road tyre....and I have a couple of old Kenda 4 plys I used to use on the dirt track,I've cut them on the left side for traction...I'll reverse it on my DT.They are hard as rock and I did a bounce test to find the softest one,I'll fit it today/tomorrow and see how it goes in a test over New Year,if it's too slippery I'll rethink the plan....

As for fast - I'm a pale,and more rotund,shadow of my former self....a distant glorified speck in my rose tinted glasses.

[Oscar]

I felt like it was the first time I've done wheel bearings! The bloody spacer is spool shaped and there is a rib around the middle too,so it won't flip out of the way,plus I didn't realise it had a double drive side bearing and was smacking on the inner bearing at times...duh.

I want to try a competion trials tyre as my adventure/road tyre....and I have a couple of old Kenda 4 plys I used to use on the dirt track,I've cut them on the left side for traction...I'll reverse it on my DT.They are hard as rock and I did a bounce test to find the softest one,I'll fit it today/tomorrow and see how it goes in a test over New Year,if it's too slippery I'll rethink the plan....

As for fast - I'm a pale,and more rotund,shadow of my former self....a distant glorified speck in my rose tinted glasses.


The older I get, the better I was...

[XTC]

You see the silkriders did the whole trip on metzeler enduro 4's? I'd always considered them street tires at best. Still i'm going for something less knobby next time as i'm 90% seal - mainly commuting and the Kenda on the rear is scary in the wet.

[Oscar]

You see the silkriders did the whole trip on metzeler enduro 4's? I'd always considered them street tires at best. Still i'm going for something less knobby next time as i'm 90% seal - mainly commuting and the Kenda on the rear is scary in the wet.

Try a Continental TKC80.
9/10 on the seal ~ 10/10 on Gravel ~ 6/10 Easy Offroad.

[Motu]

I was talking to a guy the other day whose mate bought one of the Silkroad GS650 PD's of the famous owner - he was asured that it only had ABS on the rear wheel - all that way and he never pushed it hard enough to know it had ABS on the front?????

It better not rain,or my ancient Kenda may as well be made of bakelite.

Oh,and as Oscar say,the TKC80 does a bloody impressive job in all conditions.

[Oscar]

It better not rain,or my ancient Kenda may as well be made of bakelite.

Don't be a baby.
Rain on gravel keeps my dust out of your eyes...

[XTC]

yeah i've got the tkc80 on the front. but the kenda on the rear although slippy in the wet has clocked up 8000kms so far and still has about a millimeter left.... gonna refit my vee rubber 147 for the ride on the 8th as the kenda will be shot by then.

[Oscar]

yeah i've got the tkc80 on the front. but the kenda on the rear although slippy in the wet has clocked up 8000kms so far and still has about a millimeter left.... gonna refit my vee rubber 147 for the ride on the 8th as the kenda will be shot by then.


I got a TKC on the front and a Pirelli Knob on the back.
After going through a TKC and the a Karoo (which lasted about 900k), I went back to having a knobbly on the back. After all these years of dirt bikes I actually feel more comfortable on the road on a knobbly than anything else...

[Motu]

It's been good working on the DT230,I don't feel I know a bike until I've ripped it apart and put it together again.I thought the previous owner looked after this bike pretty well,But I guess he took it to a shop for tyres,most people don't have a tyre machine with bike adapters like I do.The axle was damn near seized in,and I wasn't too happy with the bearings and seals,so all new there....took the chain off for a clean,and broke the spring clip....the FT100 no longer has a chain link clip,I wonder if I'll remember that? Lots of crap around spoke nipples and I tightend the spokes.

Even with a tyre machine rim locks are a PITA,and I put in a new heavy duty MX tube I had lying around - it was like stuffing a wet suit into the tyre,man it's thick! The only on road use the bike had was adventure rides,and the rear wheel was unbalanced,after a few rides a vibration set in,and the tyre wore out of round,so I balanced this one - 90g of weights! Bloody rim locks again.The 4.00 trials tyre is taller and narrower than the 4.60 that came off,more top speed eh? I'll take it for a blat around town tomorrow afternoon,maybe a blat out to Huia and find some gravel,then I'll bring it home on the trailer and go for a test ride monday or tuesday.I like playing around with tyres - sometimes I'll just go around the block,come back and take it off again...you learn what doesn't work,and how to change tyres....

[XTC]

I have to do my tyre changes the old fashioned way. Still been changing tyres for years so get real good at it.

[Motu]

I've just come back from a shake down ride out to Whatipu and am pretty happy with a 20 yr old tyre.On gravel it makes and breaks traction more,which makes me think it's finding more traction,the R22 IRC just spun up until it hit hard pack,it's certainly got some drive and braking seems ok,at least I didn't go out the otherside of corners out of control.The run up the hill out of Whatipu was a blast,and I did the Mt Donald McLean road twice,the second time after I knew no one was at the top and I couldn't be suprised on a corner...kinda like a rally sprint,a heap of fun and there's some good scorch marks going up now.

No dramas on seal with my pace,I got some movement back there,but it didn't let go with a bang which is what I expected....after a ride and a bit of heat into it the compound feels softer,maybe that's all it needed.I was running 17lbs rear,15lbs front,and it's good to look at a trials tyre and see that they actualy work the tread - the second row of knobs have been touching the side knobs....so on a corner there is a lot more tread down than you think,imagine how much more flex you would get with a real trials tyre,a more flexable sidewall and softer tread compound.

I'm an old friend of this tyre,I think it was on my TS400 when I got it...and it has the distinction of being at the scene of the only time I've dumped a bike on gravel - caught out with the TS400 below it's powerband it had enough traction to punch out the new front 21in knob.Then I made it a hybrid TS/TM for the dirt track and cut the left hand tread blocks...we've been down and out many a time together.....

[XTC]

Just a reminder... this ride is on this weekend. To all those participating please ensure you have a full(ish) tank of gas before we leave. (there is one gas station in Tuakau) We'll see you all on Sunday. Leaving les Batkin reserve at 9:30am so see ya there.
Andy.

[Warr]

No-can-do. I'm out now I've realised its Sunday !!
Pity was looking forward to it as well. :(
Keep posting the gravel trips XTC, I'll get on one of them one day.

[Dutchee]

Is there a # we can let know if we're going to turn up or not? For us, it's weather dependent (want to hit Waiheke with friends, but it may end up on the weekend rather than Friday as planned). Looking forward to it, but as a friend is going in for medical treatment next week, she's more important.
XTC, if we can't make it, can you pm your address or phone so can tell you a bit about the trip to Coro.
Cheers

[Big Dave]

Yeah, I'll play.
That's the park near the bridge before the port waikato turnoff, yeah?
9.30am.

[Motu]

I came back with a whole new plan - the knobs were ripping offa the trials tyre.So now it's Kenda K760 Trackmasters all round,used...from my black rubber collection.Man these tyres get hard if you leave them lying around for a few years.

I got a 21st in Matakana saturday night,I'm gunna have to duct tape the alarm to my head.

[Cary]

Yeah, I'll play.
That's the park near the bridge before the port waikato turnoff, yeah?
9.30am.

Yep, thats it. leaving @ 9:30

[Big Dave]

Yep, thats it. leaving @ 9:30

If I'm not there start without me. I'll catch up.

[Oscar]

If I'm not there start without me. I'll catch up.

Why don't you drag Vege, Stretch and Collie along?

[Big Dave]

Why don't you drag Vege, Stretch and Collie along?

Rang stretch - cagiva in bits and ironing petticoat.
You try the publisher.

[clint640]

Got me new rubber on, TKC 80 front cos everybody seems to rave about em, Pirelli MT70 rear which I've had before & liked. Would have tried a TKC on the back too but at $100 more than the Pirelli & reportedly similar wear rate... Nah. Damn Pirelli mold release compound bloody near put me on my arse pulling out of the bike shop, was only just above idle too.

So I'll be seeing ya all there, maybe with another couple of hangers on if they get organised... wx forecast looks OK too.

Cheers
Clint

[Motu]

Ditto the TKC 80 rear,it's hard to justify the expence when it's not going to be there long - but the front will keep you happy.Don't look at the chicken strips on seal...there won't be any,it disapears off the side of the knobs real early and it's a real worry how it manages to stay upright.I'll be keen to see some of these KTM thumpers in action,I'm gunna be a tiddler in a sea of sharks.