PDA

View Full Version : Kickaha on the Streets of Wanganui



Kickaha
29th December 2006, 18:55
My early memories of Wanganui were from TV and of Hugh Anderson and the McIntosh Vincent in the Battle of the Twins, a young Aaron Slight, and the GSXR Cup and of course the Sidecar guys and I’d always wanted to race there so after being a spectator for a couple of years and having done SI street circuits I teamed up with Diesel Pig to make the trip North to foreign lands

We left at 4am on Christmas day and shot through to Blenheim where little brother put on a BBQ breakfast and then we headed off to the ferry, a nice smooth sailing and then we’re on the road to Wanganui where we arrive 11 ½ hours after leaving home and pretty fucking tired :zzzz:

Off to scrutineering and we breeze through that and head off for tea

Mr Batch is up early and down to the pits at 6am to get us a spot and as we sit in the Hotel eating Bacon and eggs he give us a call to head down for riders briefing, so we wander down and listen to what they have to say and then I hunt up a “newcomers sticker” so I can do the extra 4 lap familiarisation

First impressions of the circuit are that it’s wide compared to the street circuits I’m used to and it’s also a much faster circuit, the bumps in turn 2 bother me a bit until I follow a line of bikes that take it tight and go between the manhole cover and the kerb, trying to find a nice line and carry the speed I want across the railway tracks is also proving difficult

Practice 1

I concentrate on working out my lines and braking points and aren’t to worried about how fast I’m going, I’m over geared for the circuit and haven’t bothered to bring anything lower so I’m stuck with what I’ve got

Practice 2

The gearing is turning out to be a problem as I’m either revving the nuts off it in 3rd or not quite quick enough to carry 4th across the railway tracks and through the left up into the s bends but as I have no other options I have to live with it and I settle for using 4th, there’s a group of bikes I can stick with and have high hopes I can stay with them during the race, I’ve sped it up a bit and knock 2 seconds off the first practice times which puts me 26th on the grid (last in other words) :bye:

Race 1

We get to the dummy grid and then due to crashes in F2 have to sit there for what seems hours, we eventually roll out onto the track and around to the grid, some people seem to struggle with the basics and don’t seem to know where they are meant to grid up but it gets sorted and the flag drops, I take it fairly cautiously I think I’m last into Turn 1, I set off after the group in front of me, there’s a RG framed DR600 in front and I take him into the corner that leads up to the bridge and set off after the S2 Kawasaki, I’m catching him up through the cemetery but everywhere else it’s pretty even and then I cock up the railway line and run out of laps

Race 2

I move up a few spots on the grid to 22 and get a marginally better start and I ride around the RG/DR in turn one and tag on the back of the S3 a with a XJ550 just in front of him and that’s pretty much how it stays for the whole race, I go a bit wider in turn 2 a couple of times and the bike doesn’t like it much, I’m a bit quicker through the cemetery and they’re quicker in other parts and we stay line astern a few lengths apart the whole race

Race over and I can’t get my gear off quick enough and bugger off to watch some of the other races while top bloke “Mr Batch” loads it all up, one of the things that becomes quite obvious is there a lot of fuckwits amongst the spectators with people climbing the fences and crossing while there are delays in the racing and ignoring the official crossing points and direction from the marshals :shit:

But I’d have to say ½ way through the day I’d decided I was unlikely to come back racing, as far as I’m concerned the event is pretty poor value for money compared to the South Island street races, the delays were worse than any other event I’ve ever competed at and whether I was on the dummy grid or watching the racing if a race was stopped no one bothered to tell you what was happening, I might be back next year but chances are it’ll be as a spectator

I'd have to say a big thanks to Diesel Pig and Mr Batch for carting us up and back and Joni for putting up with the early mornings and longs days up there and back:yes:

boomer
29th December 2006, 19:02
fast and happy i see :) Good to see you enjoyed it.

dangerous
29th December 2006, 19:11
Boomer... thought I already told you to fuck off today :dodge:

Kickaha... So the lesson of the day was to reserrect the XJ from its grave and race that as they are faster than a blue smoke? :scooter:
Glad it was a semi ok day, at least you can say 'been there done that'

doc
29th December 2006, 19:20
But I’d have to say ½ way through the day I’d decided I was unlikely to come back racing, as far as I’m concerned the event is pretty poor value for money compared to the South Island street races, the delays were worse than any other event I’ve ever competed at and whether I was on the dummy grid or watching the racing if a race was stopped no one bothered to tell you what was happening, I might be back next year but chances are it’ll be as a spectator

I'd have to say a big thanks to Diesel Pig and Mr Batch for carting us up and back and Joni for putting up with the early mornings and longs days up there and back:yes:

God man you sound like my father in law nothing in the North Island (Mainland) was ever as good as the South Island (Pig Island). Just wait until Immigration hits Christchurch them you will have something to complain about.

TonyB
29th December 2006, 19:33
But I’d have to say ½ way through the day I’d decided I was unlikely to come back racing, as far as I’m concerned the event is pretty poor value for money compared to the South Island street races, the delays were worse than any other event I’ve ever competed at and whether I was on the dummy grid or watching the racing if a race was stopped no one bothered to tell you what was happening, I might be back next year but chances are it’ll be as a spectator
Nice write up K. Your gonna have to sort that bike out, its the only bike I've ridden on that gets upset in the front end at Ruapuna.

Interesting what you say about the racing, Dangerous and I were talking about it today. When I read the first few reports and saw that each class only got 2 races I was thinking "EH?!?!?" Shit I grumble and complain about getting 3 or 4 races in a meeting- NOW I realise how good we've got it down here! Three good purpose made race tracks, two street races (more if the Burt Munroe event continues) and under 1 million people. For $50 you can turn up at Ruapuna any Tuesday or Friday and lap until your exhausted.... Never mind the weather, the SI is biker heaven!

Joni
29th December 2006, 19:44
It was a weekend of highs and lows for me...

Im not a morning person on the best of days... so Kick waking me up @ 3:30am was not fun...

However over all it was good.

Watching Kick do something he has always wanted to was great... being the girlie blouse I am, I burst into tears as he came past me in the practice run. I was really happy for him and pretty proud too..

Was really good to catch up with some friends again... MDU & Skelstar it was really really good to see you both!

Lots of familiar faces which is always nice, but was great to meet some new KB'ers too... especially Nicksta.

Lastly watching Sudeep ride for 2 amazing men was pretty heart warming. Good on you Sudeep and the people who helped you.

Anyway back to Kick, I reckon the LC did as well as it possible could... riding against the likes of Sugilites 750 was never going to be a winning combination for him... but hey, who the hell cares, we had fun, he was happy... we got home safely...to race another day.

Bring on the nationals, when Kick will be racing his favourite class... Sidecars...

All the best to you and Divvo babe...

:love:

doc
29th December 2006, 19:47
Nice write up K. Your gonna have to sort that bike out, its the only bike I've ridden on that gets upset in the front end at Ruapuna.

Interesting what you say about the racing, Dangerous and I were talking about it today. When I read the first few reports and saw that each class only got 2 races I was thinking "EH?!?!?" Shit I grumble and complain about getting 3 or 4 races in a meeting- NOW I realise how good we've got it down here! Three good purpose made race tracks, two street races (more if the Burt Munroe event continues) and under 1 million people. For $50 you can turn up at Ruapuna any Tuesday or Friday and lap until your exhausted.... Never mind the weather, the SI is biker heaven!

Exactly my previous post. It sucks up here. You in the Pig Island have very little to complain about, some of the best bike roads in NZ, even Helen finds them exciting. Great scenery and Mainlanders don't know what riding in a Nor Wester is like. You haven't even had a crowd down there yet.

TonyB
29th December 2006, 20:09
You haven't even had a crowd down there yet.
good point.

The SI is crap. Overcrowded. Cold! Our race tracks are shite (Ruapuna was recently graded though, the grader driver did a nice job, most of the pot holes are gone now), did I mention how cold it is? Cold has it's benefits though- the ice sticks all of the gravel down.... in summer... in winter it gets kinda thick and slippery

Joni
29th December 2006, 20:13
sorry boys, but wtf has this got to do with wanganui?

doc
29th December 2006, 20:18
good point.

The SI is crap. Overcrowded. Cold! Our race tracks are shite (Ruapuna was recently graded though, the grader driver did a nice job, most of the pot holes are gone now), did I mention how cold it is? Cold has it's benefits though- the ice sticks all of the gravel down.... in summer... in winter it gets kinda thick and slippery
Right that the last time I'm going to the Monkey or Burt Rally if its going to be like that again. Just remember if you are fooling with me there are more of us up here than down there and if you upset us, we might get nuclear electicity generation. Then what are you going to do with all that water. Floods mate and I mean lots of them.

doc
29th December 2006, 20:21
sorry boys, but wtf has this got to do with wanganui?
Sorry mistress

dangerous
29th December 2006, 20:31
sorry boys, but wtf has this got to do with wanganui?

OHHHHHHHhhhhhhhh... naughty boys :gob:

Kickaha
29th December 2006, 21:08
God man you sound like my father in law nothing in the North Island (Mainland) was ever as good as the South Island (Pig Island).

easy to see why you're grumpy you live next door to the worst race track in NZ :bleh:

I'll be there in March for the nationals I'll let you shout me a drink:apint:



So the lesson of the day was to reserrect the XJ from its grave and race that as they are faster than a blue smoke? :scooter:
Glad it was a semi ok day,

Diesel Pig was beaten by a LC at Wanganui, dunno what mods it had


at least you can say 'been there done that'

Been there,done that, couldn't be fucked buying the T shirt


Nice write up K. Your gonna have to sort that bike out, its the only bike I've ridden on that gets upset in the front end at Ruapuna.


Strangely enough the front end was fine at Wanganui and I reckon I could get a couple more seconds a lap out of it with better gearing and being a bit harder on the brakes

sugilite
29th December 2006, 21:19
Was good to meet you and Joni at Wangas.
Did you not realize there were only 2 races per class, except supermoto, they got 3.

As you know, I entered two bikes, qualified for the memorial races and scored 77 laps all up, whew!

I hear you on the long delays, did they have freaking 3 lunch breaks or something?

I have to ask dude, how come you went to all the trouble of coming to a new race track in a land far away, but could not be bothered to bring a few sprockets?

Kickaha
29th December 2006, 21:21
Was good to meet you and Joni at Wangas.
Did you not realize there were only 2 races per class, except supermoto, they got 3.

At the street races here you get a minimum of three races and can cross enter without any additional charge for $50

The first time I did Greymouth I did 11 races on two bikes for the day




I have to ask dude, how come you went to all the trouble of coming to a new race track in a land far away, but could not be bothered to bring a few sprockets?

Because I have a rare medical condition called cantbefuckeditis :yes:

I wasn't to concerned about it as racing the LC was second choice seeing as I couldn't get a ride on a sidecar

sugilite
29th December 2006, 21:28
Is that related to whymoanaboutitthenis :lol:

Fair enuff, you going to bring the sidecar next time then?
Is there sidecar support at the nats Ruapuna round so I can see ya in action?

Joni
29th December 2006, 21:30
Oh yeah, I nearly forgot... our travel companion Diesel Pig made the papers again...

Here he is, number 57...

sugilite
29th December 2006, 21:40
He should have been disqualified for being pushed along by the crashing bike, some people will do anything to assist! :dodge:

Joni
29th December 2006, 22:03
:lol:

but how close was that eh?

Kickaha
29th December 2006, 22:11
:lol:

but how close was that eh?


To close

now have a look at this pic here and tell me what the common factor is?

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showpost.php?p=843448&postcount=16

the moral of the story is Stay away from #57

gav
29th December 2006, 22:14
Man, he's always knocking someone off!!
Hey, one thing Kick, great reports and all, but can you strat by mentioning what your actually racing? Not just this report but all yours rarely actually mention what bike or if its even a bike! youre racing. Don't know why, but I read thta as you and DP were racing a sidechair, and was trying to imagine what a RG framed DR600 chair was like!! :shutup: OK, maybe its just me...god, I need a holiday!
Yeah, and sstop moaning FFS about people finding their grid spot, yours was obviously easy to find, behind everyone else! :dodge:
Nah, good on ya!!
Its the only thing about street circuits, generally you only get the circuit closed for one day, you try and run practice and qualifying for as many bikes as possible, try and cater for all types of bikes, but always end up with few actual races per bike. Was a nightmare when use to be on committee for Nelson Port Races too, but what do you do? Wanganui being such a big event now too, really need to get the Port races and Greymouth as part of the Street series, that'd be awesome!

k14
30th December 2006, 06:22
Diesel Pig was beaten by a LC at Wanganui, dunno what mods it had
I'd hazard a guess at only difference being a decent rider? :rofl:

Kickaha
30th December 2006, 06:42
I'd hazard a guess at only difference being a decent rider? :rofl:

Says the guy who couldn't do one lap at Ruapuna on a LC without running off the track :finger:



Yeah, and sstop moaning FFS about people finding their grid spot, yours was obviously easy to find, behind everyone else! :dodge:

As you got to the dummy grid they put a sticker on your bike with your grid number so there was no excuse for not knowing, I was pretty much were I expected to be



Its the only thing about street circuits, generally you only get the circuit closed for one day,

Theyre already talking about trying to get road closure Christmas day to run practice and qualifying


fast and happy i see :) Good to see you enjoyed it.

hmmmmmmmm if didn't know better I think you were being sarcastic but I was fast enough and happy enough with how my racing went pomgolian :bleh: