Castlepoint ride pix - 06/04/07

[KoroJ]

Here's a few pix.

Haven't got time to write a review right now but I enjoyed my day out managing 412 km with the couple of extra bits through The Water Towers & Gladstone. Thanks all.

PS, Anyones guess why bikes would all stop on that stretch of road.

[KoroJ]

And two more.

[Trudes]

Looks like an awesome day. Thanks for the photos!:sunny:

[Ronin]

PS, Anyones guess why bikes would all stop on that stretch of road.

Yeah well, I wasn't planning on stopping there but I didn't have a lot of choice in the matter. Although, to my credit, I did stop before my bike did.

[merv]

Thanks to Str8 Jacket for organising the ride to Castlepoint. I only read about it late last night after I got back from Dunedin and thought the weather forecast was looking so good we'd better go in case the Sunday ride gets rained out. Me and Mrs merv got the VFR out the garage and I seemed a bit disorganised - still hadn't unpacked from being away - and we got over to Rimutex just after 10.30am. A couple of guys on Kawasakis not on Str8's ride is all that was there and they tell me about 15 bikes left a few minutes ago. Usually our guys are hanging around prior to a ride so I thought the best thing to do was head up the hill and see who was up there.

So my photos start at the top of Rimutaka hill this time. Hawkeye was up there just relaxing because he'd already been over the hill and was on his way home. He assured us Str8 hadn't gone past yet so we spent time talking to him.

The first pic is of Hawkeye who can now legally ride his CB500.
Ronin and Kinje arrived from the Wairarapa. 2nd pic is Kinje just to the side and Mrs merv.
3rd pic merv with the VFR and bike lineup - shadow stuffed up the exposure on that pic.
4th pic is you should have seen the traffic jam at the top - cars everywhere.
5th pic meeting up at Mobil Masterton. KoroJ, GarryH, Lissa, is that Ronin behind Str8?, Str8 Jacket (back on as usual), Kinje.
6th pic bike line up with kiwisfly at edge of pic.

[kiwisfly]

Yeah well, I wasn't planning on stopping there but I didn't have a lot of choice in the matter. Although, to my credit, I did stop before my bike did.

How you feeling man?
Came round the corner saw you lying there & as I hit the anchors to stop & check you I guessed pretty quickly you were reasonably Ok when I heard the "f*ck, f*ck, f*ck" as I went past!
How was the bike on the way back?

[kiwisfly]

Here's a few pix.

Haven't got time to write a review right now but I enjoyed my day out managing 412 km with the couple of extra bits through The Water Towers & Gladstone. Thanks all.

PS, Anyones guess why bikes would all stop on that stretch of road.

Nice to meet you John.
Excellent pace on the way back from the beach, enjoyed that!
Had to petrol & pee otherwise would have joined you through the back.
Cheers
Mark

[merv]

Yeah well, I wasn't planning on stopping there but I didn't have a lot of choice in the matter. Although, to my credit, I did stop before my bike did.

Yeah well I thought it would be polite for me to let you tell that story and I left my camera in the bag at that spot.

More pics at Mobil Masterton.

I noted those on the ride as:
merv & Mrs merv VFR750F
Str8 Jacket FZR400
Ronin GS500F
Kinje CBR600RR
GarryH SV650
KoroJ STX1300
Lissa GN250 (yay!!!)
kiwisfly GS1200SS
pauldarney CBR600
rua Hornet 900

Now a guy Adrian spoke to me at the top of the hill but did he not come with us as he doesn't appear in the pics - who was he any one know? Hawkeye was on his way home so didn't come with us from the top of the hill.

[Trudes]

Yeah well, I wasn't planning on stopping there but I didn't have a lot of choice in the matter. Although, to my credit, I did stop before my bike did.

Oh mate, that sucks!! Glad you're ok!

[MrMelon]

Ah that's a bugger bout the spill. I saw you guys heading out that way just before we hit the hill on the featherston side this morning coming back to town. Was a pretty nice day to head out there.

[Ronin]

Oh mate, that sucks!! Glad you're ok!

Cheers Trudes.

[Ronin]

Details http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=47530

[merv]

Ronin took the lead out of Masterton but Str8 Jacket had asked that she be shown Uncle B's corner. I was in front of her at that point and put my hand up to stop to show her the spot and that caused a bit of confusion with all the bikes stopping and once we got going again I found myself in the lead with Str8 following me. I kept speed to under 110 on my GPS - more accurate than the speedo (that's what the cops let you do don't they and I figured Lissa could cruise at that speed OK). We come to this nice downhill right hander curve that drops away from the crown where it is signposted at 25km/hr - so I guess its a tight one. Once I was around the following left hander and down the road a bit - hello no headlights behind me - I'm thinking ah Hels what's happened? ... but then she comes up behind me and its no headlight after her where Ronin had been - so we'll leave him to elaborate further, but me and Str8 turn around to go back to see what happened.

Like I said I left my camera in the bag. I cleaned Ronin's visor for him because that had got gravelly dirt all over it and Str8 decided she would ride back to Masterton with him while the rest of us went on to Castlepoint. My pics continue at Castlepoint.

[Ronin]

How you feeling man?
Came round the corner saw you lying there & as I hit the anchors to stop & check you I guessed pretty quickly you were reasonably Ok when I heard the "f*ck, f*ck, f*ck" as I went past!
How was the bike on the way back?

Yeah very sore to be honest. Was it you behind me most of the way out?

Bike was fine. had a ermmmm 'spririted' ride back and got boot down so can't be to bad.

[merv]

Ah that's a bugger bout the spill. I saw you guys heading out that way just before we hit the hill on the featherston side this morning coming back to town. Was a pretty nice day to head out there.

Yeah spotted you going the other way - who was that crew you were with?

Anyway one last pic at Castlepoint then we headed home.

[Kendog]

Now a guy Adrian spoke to me at the top of the hill but did he not come with us as he doesn't appear in the pics - who was he any one know?

Did he have a 750 Bandit?

[merv]

All in all except for Ronin's wee problem it wasn't a bad day, the weather was near perfect and while the hill was a pain with traffic in the morning it wasn't so bad going home.

Thanks again Str8 for setting this up. She probably won't come on-line for a while but basically she wasn't too pleased with her bike which was running rather erratically when she got to the top of the hill. It was running at a very fast idle and she said it had been surging a bit too, but I think Hels you can take comfort from the fact that for all that you were going well especially just recovering from your op. While I was following your nice arse that Ronin had difficulty with ( I never crashed because of it) I thought you were riding pretty smoothly and while I was in front of you it all looked good in my mirrors too, just a shame you never did push on after the incident as we were very close to Castlepoint, but then someone had to nurse Ronin.

[merv]

Did he have a 750 Bandit?

Is there such a bike - you got 750 on the brain boy?

However, never saw his bike - oldish guy, kinda freckly face - seen him before somewhere. Otherwise I think I've got our list of attendees right. Any errors guys let me know. I figure its the only way I'll remember names is keep asking them and then put them on the thread.

[Ronin]

Str8's bike shat it's self on way back to welly. 80 k's tops so she says.

[merv]

Looks like an awesome day. Thanks for the photos!:sunny:

Hey babe you going keep the rain away for the Sunday ride?

[merv]

Str8's bike shat it's self on way back to welly. 80 k's tops so she says.

The way it was behaving was like it had crud in the carbs because a fast idle happens when its too lean probably from blocked jets and maybe it sucked some more shit on the way back. Did she get home OK though?

[Ronin]

The way it was behaving was like it had crud in the carbs because a fast idle happens when its too lean probably from blocked jets and maybe it sucked some more shit on the way back. Did she get home OK though?

Yeah. Strange thing is, when she left my place the idle was fine. Go figure.

[Trudes]

Hey babe you going keep the rain away for the Sunday ride?

I am certainly going to try!!!:sunny: Lovely to see your smiling face as always in your photos!:yes:

[merv]

I am certainly going to try!!!:sunny: Lovely to see your smiling face as always in your photos!:yes:

Yeah gotta have fun eh.

It was either go on the ride today or strip down Mrs merv's DR650SE.

Don't get me started on Suzukis (you get what you pay for), but its not a Honda and it should not be leaking oil when its only 2 years old, but if it rains tomorrow that will be a good day to work on the bike and hope it all clears up by Sunday and then I can see your smiling face.

[GSVR]

Goods days ride except for the Ronin road runoff incident. Just as the group were about to head back from Castlepoint the slow group turned up ie Fizzerman ,Flame, Jimbo, Jay , Skelstar etc. Decided to stay and ride back when they left. Got to see the corner Bruce lost his life at on the way back as Skelstar had stoppped there. One of those corners that could catch you out. Blue police paint marking the point of impact.

Rode home though the Alfredton backroad and had a couple of slides due to loose stones in the middle of the lane where cars tyres don't run. That road has been resealed in quite a few places also so the loose stuff probably fell off the trucks carting the stuff in. So that road is not at its best at the moment.

Cheers to Straight for organising the ride. Maybe you will be able to do the whole thing next time.

[merv]

Garry was the Uncle B corner the one I thought was which I'd picked up from Jimbo600's comment after the accident?

[Hawkeye]

Yeah well, I wasn't planning on stopping there but I didn't have a lot of choice in the matter. Although, to my credit, I did stop before my bike did.


Hi Ronin, Sorry to hear about the 'stop' and that all's ok. Make sure you have a good supply of panadol.
I was very tempted to join you all when the group left the top of the hill. When I got down to the bottom on the Hutt side I ended up turning and went back up again. Too nice a day to be stuck indoors.


Merv. Good to see you got my worst side in that pic.

[Lissa]

Good day... except for when I had a heart attack coming around the hill to find you all stopped on the side of the road... thanks to Ronin!! :angry: Glad you are ok buddy...... just take it easy.

Edit/ why are there two bum shots of me?!? Damn I'm going on a diet!! :D cheers Merv!!

[MrMelon]

Yeah spotted you going the other way - who was that crew you were with?

Anyway one last pic at Castlepoint then we headed home.
Was just with an old workmate on his cbr250rr, and a few of his workmates. Had a bit of a dice with one of them who had a new 636, but old technology was the winner on the day hehe :D

Saw mikey thrashing the takas on his nsr on the way home too haha.

Haven't been out riding for fun for a while.... just commuting. Gonna have to do more of it I think.

[Str8 Jacket]

Well, I almost got to Castlepoint. What a mint day! Cheers for coming along. That road is pretty cool. Shame I didnt quite get to Castlepoint but there's always another time.... Once I fix my bike. It died on the way home while going over the Taka's on the way home. I managed to startit and and ride it to the summit, where I stopped and smoked a few ciggies. The bike had been revving at 3-4000 while idling all day then on the way home it started jumoing and lot power going up hill. It died but it started again. On the way home I couldnt go faster than 80 and up hill 40. I was worried that a cop was gonna pull me over for going to slow! Anyway i got it home. Gonna throw it down a cliff tomoro.

[Trudes]

Oh Hels, I feel for you, that bloody bike!! I think it seriously needs to go to the naughty corner! (Next time I see it, I'll give it the lazy eye and a stern talking to for ya!)

[Kendog]

Is there such a bike - you got 750 on the brain boy?

It is a magic number :innocent:

But yep, there is a 750 Bandit. A friend of mine (Adrian) has one. Imported it from somewhere.

[merv]

Merv. Good to see you got my worst side in that pic.

Seeing its a full frontal are you saying your backside is the best? Ronin has got you guys all thinking nothing but arses.

[merv]

Edit/ why are there two bum shots of me?!? Damn I'm going on a diet!! :D cheers Merv!!

Why are you concerned you look good? I'm having problems this year, must be my age, I've never weighed so much before and with us blokes it goes straight to our guts. Mrs merv reckons I should back off on the weekday lunches and all the eating and drinking while I'm away working but a man's gotta have fun eh!

[GSVR]

Garry was the Uncle B corner the one I thought was which I'd picked up from Jimbo600's comment after the accident?

Not sure Merv as I'm not sure which corner you picked out. It has a reasonably fast flowing bit of road before it and the actual corner tightens up at at point where the crash occured. Theres a really big bulge/lump in the road on the outside of the corner that would be easy to spot and the inside has forestry with a belt of trees then some bulldozed piles of dead tress behind that. Theres a small sign on the side as well saying something about forestry. Hope that helps.

[GSVR]

Good day... except for when I had a heart attack coming around the hill to find you all stopped on the side of the road... thanks to Ronin!! :angry: Glad you are ok buddy...... just take it easy.

Edit/ why are there two bum shots of me?!? Damn I'm going on a diet!! :D cheers Merv!!

Thanks for alerting me to the photos! You don't need to go on a diet what you need is a couple of sizes smaller jeans or better still get some leather pants.

[GSVR]

Well, I almost got to Castlepoint. What a mint day! Cheers for coming along. That road is pretty cool. Shame I didnt quite get to Castlepoint but there's always another time.... Once I fix my bike. It died on the way home while going over the Taka's on the way home. I managed to startit and and ride it to the summit, where I stopped and smoked a few ciggies. The bike had been revving at 3-4000 while idling all day then on the way home it started jumoing and lot power going up hill. It died but it started again. On the way home I couldnt go faster than 80 and up hill 40. I was worried that a cop was gonna pull me over for going to slow! Anyway i got it home. Gonna throw it down a cliff tomoro.

You stopped and smoked "few ciggies"? Maybe your bike suffers from asma and you brought on an attack. I thought my bike had died on the trip back as the engine died then it let out a huge explosion from the exaust and there was no power as I was slowing down threw the gears trying to get it back into life. Fortunately it did. Some sort of feul issue.

Do you have a fuel filter on your bike as it a good idea to put one on older bikes as there tanks can be pretty dirty. Sounds like you may have some blocked jets.

[Hawkeye]

Merv. Good to see you got my worst side in that pic.





Seeing its a full frontal are you saying your backside is the best? Ronin has got you guys all thinking nothing but arses.

My backside! I don't think so! I was thinking more about the squinting due to having the sun straight in my face and not having the sunnies on.

Oh! and Merv. I don't do full frontals for anybody :gob:

[KoroJ]

After all the ‘bumming’ around on this thread, here’s a ride review.

An early(ish) start to the day, and on my last bar for fuel, I commenced by filling at the Caltex Kaiwhara’ before heading the 30km on to Rimutex.

After years of travelling in cages on main hiways and utilising ‘big’ signs, I have found my nav skills to be wanting as I find myself forgetting to look for the small yellow jobbies for directions. (No ladies, this is not an admission that men don’t know where they’re going). This can be further compounded by going on group rides whereby you follow the leader, enjoy the scenery and don’t really bother to take note of where you’ve actually travelled. How many of you have done a group ride, then tried to work out what roads you had taken and had difficulty?

This accepted I decided I needed to either get a GPS Nav Unit or a decent map book and being a Jewy Bastard, it was the map, complete with all the road names, yellow roads for sealed and white roads for unsealed. However, on studying up for potential rides, I soon discovered there were white roads that I new were sealed….bugger!!

Well, the reason for this wee digression is that when looking at possibilities for the day’s ride ahead, I noted that there was a potential ride around the Gladstone Water Towers then along Te Parae Road to Tauweru, but it was a white road. I would have to check it out.

With this in mind, I pulled into Rimutex at 1035, fuel economy on 18 km/l, and checked in with Hels for the planned route, advised her I would meet them at the Masterton Mobil, and off I went.

What a blast, I think most of Wellington were heading over the ‘takas and I probably passed 15 – 20 cages on the way up and 30 – 40 on the way down, including 2 on a yellow line with a cop coming the other way. Fortunately the cages had left enough room to slide through inside the line. (NB. I rarely pass any cars going down the northern side except for a couple of places near the bottom but the traffic was soooo slow.)

Anyway, through Featherston and onto Martinborough, round the square and out past the golf course for Gladstone, this was great, rolling countryside and I only encountered 4 or 5 other vehicles in about 50kms. Past Gladstone, then the water towers and looping around, I found Te Parae road and it looked sealed so on I pushed but about a km down the road, sure enough, great berms of thick stuff. It was definitely a white road so back I went and continued on to the Mobil where I found Lissa & Garry H waiting. I must have been travelling at 1 or 2 klicks over the limit as my economy at this point was down to 16 km/l…..like I said, what a blast.

About 10 or 15 minutes later the rest pulled in, we chatted for a bit then moved out. As I had already had a good time, I was quite happy to go sweep behind Garry H. We settled into a comfortable pace around 110 kph and the group stayed together until a brief stop (at Uncle Bruce’s corner I believe) after which I ended up following Lissa on the GN, which I didn’t find a distraction, but it did make me appreciate having tons of grunt. She was good as gold till it came to cages, some with boats, and short overtaking opportunities. Consequently we slipped behind the others until we roared around a 25kph corner and there they all were, lying about and milling around like they’d just come out of church. I parked up the ST by the apex with the hazard’s on and waited for about 30 minutes (who knows how long) until a decision was made for Ronin and STR8 to head back while the rest pushed on for the coast. A few minutes later and we were there, drinks were had, food consumed, views taken in while sitting on the rocks and ‘chewing the fat’ and before long it was time to leave.

We were all ready to go but no one was moving so I took the initiative and led out. I tried to keep the speed around 110kph again but often found it drifting up and before long we were back over Bennett’s Hill and I was indicating to turn off toward Stronvar. I stopped at the corner to let the others decide what they were doing and just two of us continued on, back past Gladstone and into Martinborough where he had to fill up. He went off on the Paliser road, but that was too straight for me so I continued directly back to Wgtn and heading up through Khandallah I noted 412 kms for the day and 16.9 km/l on the economy. Indications that we’d had a great day.

Thanks to Hels for organising the day. I’m just sorry that you’ve ended up the butt of all the jokes…or is that…your butt has everyone’s attention. It was not a ride I had thought of doing but what a great road and it’s about 30 years since I was last out there. (I think from memory, there were 7 of us in a Fiat Bambina)??!!

Sorry Ronin, bad news sure gets around on these forums. Next time you find yourself getting distracted, feel free to think of my hairy arse…and snap out of it.

Here’s looking forward to the next awesome adventure !!

RE attachment.. it's cropped from the originals posted on this thread.
What else can you do when someone bins?

[Lissa]

after which I ended up following Lissa on the GN, which I didn’t find a distraction, but it did make me appreciate having tons of grunt. She was good as gold till it came to cages, some with boats, and short overtaking opportunities. Consequently we slipped behind the others until we roared around a 25kph corner and there they all were, lying about and milling around like they’d just come out of church.

It was the first time I had been all the way to Castlepoint on the bike. I kinda had a really bad ride out there, and not just because of coming across Ronins Accident. I found some of the corners terrible... slipperly shiney looking. I tried to keep up with the rest of the guys, but I just dont have the power to do it,esp like you said with all the cages, and the fact I cant get up speed quick enough to pass safely, so took my time finding the right time to do it. Felt really bad for you having to sit behind me KoroJ, I hope it didnt spoil your ride out there. Its days like that, that I get really disappointed in my bike.... but then again, at least I made it out there safely ;)

And best of all the weather was PERFECT :sunny: Cant wait for the next one.

[merv]

Was the ride home better though Lissa? Glad you made it out to the beach, it'll make the next time much easier.

[WasPhantom]

looks like a fun time was had by (almost) all - where are rides like this "advertised"? As I'd definitely be keen to come along on the next one.

[KoroJ]

Felt really bad for you having to sit behind me KoroJ, I hope it didnt spoil your ride out there.

Not a problem, Like I said in the report, I had already had loads of fun before getting to Masterton and I was quite happy to take it easy. Besides you didn't look like you were having any problems except for a lack of grunt to overtake in real short straights. Doesn't help when the cages go real slow round the corners and take off on the straights either.

[merv]

looks like a fun time was had by (almost) all - where are rides like this "advertised"? As I'd definitely be keen to come along on the next one.

Sometimes on the home page otherwise keep an eye on new posts each day.

[elle-f]

great reading koro :yes: thanks