James Deuce
19th July 2004, 09:05
I had a brilliant ride yesterday. Well, excepting the first bit that is.
I kinda slept in, as you do on a Sunday, and got going about 9:45. I was really hoping to see SOMEONE, ANYONE, at 10:30am at the top of the hill but I saw no one except a bunch 4 cylinder types who grunted at me but wouldn't talk. I waited 'til 10:45, and then managed to almost push my bike off it's sidestand while trying to get my leg over my tailpack, and starting downhill from the bike. The 4 cylinder jobbies just looked at me like I was mental while I slowly, mm by mm edged my way back from disaster. Thanks guys. The extra burst of adrenalin allowed me to aviate my leg over the tailpack like a circus performer, and I managed to get out of the carpark just ahead of a campervan.
The new tyres are outstanding. The previous version of Michelin Macadam, the 90X, has been universally bagged by everyone that has ever experienced a cold, wet ride on them. With no warmth in them the 90X would slide round like it was made of frozen snot. The 100Xs have the same high silica compound as the Michelin Pilot Road tyre, so while tentative I thought I would give them a go, the Macadam being OEM for the TRX. I'm renowned for making decisions that are likely to scar me permanently and make life uncomfortable for people who have a casual acquaintance with me, however, just for once, I done made a good decision. I had a brillant ride down the hill, as the road was dry, and the chicken strip has all but vanished from the rear, and the tread was a little bit balled. Can't wait for Summer, as I reckon these things will stick like the proverbial unfrozen snot to a blanket.
The front end is working so well after the spring upgrade that corner transitions are like rolling round on one of those big exercise balls that some people use as office furniture. The new tyres are defintely part of this equation and I can trail brake without it standing up, make rapid direction changes without the front going light (for those moments where people drift on to the wrong side of the road, because maintaining lane discipline on a hill road, is just like, you know, too much like hard work) and brake hard, really, really, tyre howling ending in a small stoppie because some plonker sitting in a passing bay decided to pull out while I was almost alongside.
I was of course a bit rattled now, so I took the back road via the Martinborough road to Greytown to get some freedom from other traffic. I only saw one vehicle, and that was a Yamaha Venture Royale that pulled up alongside to see if I was OK because I was doing (gasp) 100km/hr. I gave him a nod and he hooned off. It always amazes me how those guys on big tourers manage to pilot those giant land yachts at very respectable speeds. He was taking the same road, so I hunted him down and followed him in to Greytown. There are a couple of corners through here that have blind entries, particularly "at speed", and the new suspension/tyre combo really shone through here. I had in the past experienced a little bit of a pitching moment braking into downhill corners, but that is all history now.
I toddled off to Carterton and met up with the wife for a coffee, and then did the "Sunday Roast" thing with the extended Iwi.
The ride home was superb, with little traffic, people who got out of the way really thoughtfully, and I even managed to piss off a BMW 7 series driver on the Rimutaka's enough for him to flash his lights at me. I think I offended his sensibilites by overtaking him on what used to be called "Jim's Corner" and completing the manoeuvre before the car came round the corner on the other side of the road. I no comprende. Whatever, BMW dude.
I kinda slept in, as you do on a Sunday, and got going about 9:45. I was really hoping to see SOMEONE, ANYONE, at 10:30am at the top of the hill but I saw no one except a bunch 4 cylinder types who grunted at me but wouldn't talk. I waited 'til 10:45, and then managed to almost push my bike off it's sidestand while trying to get my leg over my tailpack, and starting downhill from the bike. The 4 cylinder jobbies just looked at me like I was mental while I slowly, mm by mm edged my way back from disaster. Thanks guys. The extra burst of adrenalin allowed me to aviate my leg over the tailpack like a circus performer, and I managed to get out of the carpark just ahead of a campervan.
The new tyres are outstanding. The previous version of Michelin Macadam, the 90X, has been universally bagged by everyone that has ever experienced a cold, wet ride on them. With no warmth in them the 90X would slide round like it was made of frozen snot. The 100Xs have the same high silica compound as the Michelin Pilot Road tyre, so while tentative I thought I would give them a go, the Macadam being OEM for the TRX. I'm renowned for making decisions that are likely to scar me permanently and make life uncomfortable for people who have a casual acquaintance with me, however, just for once, I done made a good decision. I had a brillant ride down the hill, as the road was dry, and the chicken strip has all but vanished from the rear, and the tread was a little bit balled. Can't wait for Summer, as I reckon these things will stick like the proverbial unfrozen snot to a blanket.
The front end is working so well after the spring upgrade that corner transitions are like rolling round on one of those big exercise balls that some people use as office furniture. The new tyres are defintely part of this equation and I can trail brake without it standing up, make rapid direction changes without the front going light (for those moments where people drift on to the wrong side of the road, because maintaining lane discipline on a hill road, is just like, you know, too much like hard work) and brake hard, really, really, tyre howling ending in a small stoppie because some plonker sitting in a passing bay decided to pull out while I was almost alongside.
I was of course a bit rattled now, so I took the back road via the Martinborough road to Greytown to get some freedom from other traffic. I only saw one vehicle, and that was a Yamaha Venture Royale that pulled up alongside to see if I was OK because I was doing (gasp) 100km/hr. I gave him a nod and he hooned off. It always amazes me how those guys on big tourers manage to pilot those giant land yachts at very respectable speeds. He was taking the same road, so I hunted him down and followed him in to Greytown. There are a couple of corners through here that have blind entries, particularly "at speed", and the new suspension/tyre combo really shone through here. I had in the past experienced a little bit of a pitching moment braking into downhill corners, but that is all history now.
I toddled off to Carterton and met up with the wife for a coffee, and then did the "Sunday Roast" thing with the extended Iwi.
The ride home was superb, with little traffic, people who got out of the way really thoughtfully, and I even managed to piss off a BMW 7 series driver on the Rimutaka's enough for him to flash his lights at me. I think I offended his sensibilites by overtaking him on what used to be called "Jim's Corner" and completing the manoeuvre before the car came round the corner on the other side of the road. I no comprende. Whatever, BMW dude.