Richard Mc F
2nd October 2006, 22:30
Had a family get together to attend in Napier so decided to do the scenic route on the old Ducati ( brave or stupid :bleh: ), chucked on some soft saddlebags, change the oil & filter, big time prep :2thumbsup
Managed friday off, early finish thursday, off through Paeroa, Waihi, Tauranga and down to a Mates place in Opotiki, more bugs than I have ever seen, had to stop 3 times to de bug the visor, nice ride though, highlight was the crazy local in a falcon ute, it was dark but he "towed " me along at quite "ahem" silly speeds.
Friday morning off through the Waioweka (?) gorge, now i don't know about other people but seeing a sign indicating that the next 50 KM was of a twisting winding nature, well 1) most people are at work, 2) I am riding a Ducati, it was fanbloodytastic, did not push hard but got into a nice smooth groove, damn that is a nice ride, scenic with it .
Coffe in Gisborne, and the discovering that I had left my cell phone on the charger at work, agonised, went WTF and bought a cheap prepay, cruising off saw a bike shop, Gisborne Honda, stopped bought some light gloves, I was dripping into my winter weights, and set for Napier, about 40 km out of town the old girl did a big lurch bang type of thing, pulled over and the chain master link lock and plate had f****ed off, hrmmm ...where is that phone, the call to 018, Gisbone Honda, and a plea for help, WHAT AT TEAM, sent out a ute with trailer, dragged the sad mess back to their workshop, replace the utterly shagged chain ( hangs head in shame )with a new RK X ring, FANTASTIC people, Dave Mc Millan and his team deserve full recognition they went hard to get me on the road, and were very reasonable with their charges, 06/8689109, e mail is gishonda@xtra.co.nz.
So on to Napier, great ride, arrive about 5 hours later than planned but hey, that ride from Gisborne to Napier is another gem, strange but the persistent vague vibration had gone too :doh: :doh: :doh:
Vineyards...food.... bars...blur, yup, that was Saturday.
Did the Napier Taupo, up through Rotorua, Matamata for lunch, all very pleasant, just cruising ( 120/130 max as most if the trip) Red Fox Maramarua for a pint while I put on me wets and into the filthy pissing down Auckland weather to arrive home in rain like I have never seen, around 1250 kms, slung a litre of oil in tonight, and found a cracked header I need to repair,the joys of old bikes :scooter:
now.....where to next
Managed friday off, early finish thursday, off through Paeroa, Waihi, Tauranga and down to a Mates place in Opotiki, more bugs than I have ever seen, had to stop 3 times to de bug the visor, nice ride though, highlight was the crazy local in a falcon ute, it was dark but he "towed " me along at quite "ahem" silly speeds.
Friday morning off through the Waioweka (?) gorge, now i don't know about other people but seeing a sign indicating that the next 50 KM was of a twisting winding nature, well 1) most people are at work, 2) I am riding a Ducati, it was fanbloodytastic, did not push hard but got into a nice smooth groove, damn that is a nice ride, scenic with it .
Coffe in Gisborne, and the discovering that I had left my cell phone on the charger at work, agonised, went WTF and bought a cheap prepay, cruising off saw a bike shop, Gisborne Honda, stopped bought some light gloves, I was dripping into my winter weights, and set for Napier, about 40 km out of town the old girl did a big lurch bang type of thing, pulled over and the chain master link lock and plate had f****ed off, hrmmm ...where is that phone, the call to 018, Gisbone Honda, and a plea for help, WHAT AT TEAM, sent out a ute with trailer, dragged the sad mess back to their workshop, replace the utterly shagged chain ( hangs head in shame )with a new RK X ring, FANTASTIC people, Dave Mc Millan and his team deserve full recognition they went hard to get me on the road, and were very reasonable with their charges, 06/8689109, e mail is gishonda@xtra.co.nz.
So on to Napier, great ride, arrive about 5 hours later than planned but hey, that ride from Gisborne to Napier is another gem, strange but the persistent vague vibration had gone too :doh: :doh: :doh:
Vineyards...food.... bars...blur, yup, that was Saturday.
Did the Napier Taupo, up through Rotorua, Matamata for lunch, all very pleasant, just cruising ( 120/130 max as most if the trip) Red Fox Maramarua for a pint while I put on me wets and into the filthy pissing down Auckland weather to arrive home in rain like I have never seen, around 1250 kms, slung a litre of oil in tonight, and found a cracked header I need to repair,the joys of old bikes :scooter:
now.....where to next