Wairarapa gravel riding - AM Sunday 12 August

[Aslan]

Hi - if this wind that has currently closed the Rimtukas abates tomorrow - I'll be leaving Caltex Rimutuka North of Upper Hutt (on Yellow BMW 1150GS) at 8am for Hinakura (and beyond) returning to Gladstone via Admiral Rd.

Others wishing to come - own risk and responsibility for saftey - are welcome - Cheers Aslan :scooter:

[Garry.W]

Have fun, sorry won't come with you this time. I have chores to take care of around here so I can get away Friday for Assault #3 :innocent:

[Aslan]

cheers Garry - looks like you had fun on the route last week. Enjoy Adv Ride #3 around Waikaremoana etc - sorry I won't be able to join you on that one :yes:

[Aslan]

Not heeding my wife’s concern I set off at 8am this morning for a quick gravel fix in the Wairarapa. As I left Upper Hutt, Transit NZ still had the electronic sign up at Te Marua warning of high winds on the Rimutuka Hill which had been closed yesterday. Thinks …. “Am I being foolhardy? No not windy here at Te Marua…. I’ll just go to the summit for a recee”

Apart from some mist and wet road surface, my travel over the Rimutukas was uneventful. The Wairarapa was pretty damp for much of the time I spent travelling from Featherston out through Martinborough and on past the Hinakura Community Hall where I hung a left to head out through what I refer to as Summerhill Station.

I stopped only briefly for a couple of shots of the scenery which is astounding on a clear day. Today was too wet for much of the journey to be pulling the camera out. En route to Hinakura there was much evidence of Saturday’s stormy condition with broken tree branches and foliage on the road in many places.

KSlider, Garry W and others were through this route last Sunday and KSlider warned me the gravel was quite deep in parts. The total gravel over this route is only about 25km but a lot of fun. The deep stuff beyond Hinakura lasted for about 10km of this distance.

I was keen to see my bike felt with a Tourance tyre on the rear and a TCK80 on the front – most of the time I run TKC80’s front and rear but having a partly used Tourance from when I first bought the bike I thought I’d try to conserve the near new TKC80 I have for the next serious adventure ride. My verdict – this is a good tyre combination. The TKC on the front provides the necessary bite in deep gravel. Rear TKC is needed for serious adventure rides where mud and really soft surfaces can be encountered.

All in all I head a great ride – the fact that it was solitary was not a bad thing – plenty of reflection time. I met other BMWOR members heading out for their ride to the Fell Museum at Featherston as I returned over the hill about 11am.

The mandarin 1150GS (that I affectionately refer to as ‘rubber ducky’)feels like an old trusted friend and continues to put a grin on my face. IMHO they’re a great bike for NZ ‘all roads’ – shame they’re sealing so many of them 
Cheers Aslan :scooter:

[tri boy]

Pleased the day went well for you mate.:yes:
Wondered if you had indeed gone out there. Waikato was pretty shitty this morning.
Nice to know the combination of tyres worked well.

[Garry.W]

Hi,

Spotted you heading out this morning as I was on my way down to get the paper. Jo called from Martinborough last night to say it was a bit messy so I was hoping you wouldn't run into anything too nasty.

Funny, I ran the same combination (Tourance rear and TKC front) last weekend and found it just right for gravel sliding. Was thinking I might run the Tourances for the Motu ride next week - but I've got one good trip left out of the TKCs and you never know where we'll end up :yes:

Good photos despite weather, a ride by oneself every now an them is not a bad thing.

Cheers,
Garry

[jeff]

We thought about joining you at 8am, but the weather was a bit poopy!

Left the Hutt at 9am and went over the hill - road was wet and a few spits of rain at Kaitoke. Heavy rain between Featherston and Greytown. Decided to head back down the south end (the bit with blue sky). Went out to Cape Palliser to the lighthouse (had our lunch at the picnic tables at the track up to the Pinnacles) and then came back across the east west road and out to Ocean Beach. Had sun for most of the day. There is some gravelly bits through there and a couple of creeks to cross. Went past the last of the baches at Ocean Beach to the gateway past Corner Creek. A bunch of four wheel drive people came through. Anyone know what the road is like past Corner Creek.

We have the same Tourance tyres front and back on our Transalp and find them really good on the road and gravel. Did 330k today.

Chrissie and Jeff

[Aslan]

Pleased the day went well for you mate.:yes:
Wondered if you had indeed gone out there. Waikato was pretty shitty this morning.
Nice to know the combination of tyres worked well.

Yip -only the really keen ones (or is mad) get out in weather like this morning. Cheers for your response - enjoy your ride next weekend - sorry not to be coming - later :scooter:

[Aslan]

Hi,

Spotted you heading out this morning as I was on my way down to get the paper. Jo called from Martinborough last night to say it was a bit messy so I was hoping you wouldn't run into anything too nasty.

Funny, I ran the same combination (Tourance rear and TKC front) last weekend and found it just right for gravel sliding. Was thinking I might run the Tourances for the Motu ride next week - but I've got one good trip left out of the TKCs and you never know where we'll en up :yes:

Good photos despite weather, a ride by oneself every now an them is not a bad thing.

Cheers,
Garry

Cheers for that Garry - I suspect the deep gravel you guys encountered last weekend had setteled somewhat with the rain. The rear Tourance works fine in those conditions. Have a good time next weekend Garry

[Aslan]

We thought about joining you at 8am, but the weather was a bit poopy!

Left the Hutt at 9am and went over the hill - road was wet and a few spits of rain at Kaitoke. Heavy rain between Featherston and Greytown. Decided to head back down the south end (the bit with blue sky). Went out to Cape Palliser to the lighthouse (had our lunch at the picnic tables at the track up to the Pinnacles) and then came back across the east west road and out to Ocean Beach. Had sun for most of the day. There is some gravelly bits through there and a couple of creeks to cross. Went past the last of the baches at Ocean Beach to the gateway past Corner Creek. A bunch of four wheel drive people came through. Anyone know what the road is like past Corner Creek.

We have the same Tourance tyres front and back on our Transalp and find them really good on the road and gravel. Did 330k today.

Chrissie and Jeff

Sounds like you had a great ride Jeff. The road out to the lighthouse beyond Ngawi with those small water crossings is good eh? Glad you had fun - hope to meet sometime - cheers Aslan :scooter:

[merv]

I see Zukin did a solo HB ride too while I've been staying indoors. Glad you had some fun mate.

[pampa]

I'd have liked to join u but my syster was visiting us and also had to do a bunch of things before heading to Argie next week (4 a couple of weeks). I was thinking on going again to that same ride sometime but i'll have to wait... Anyway I see u have some fun in a day that was looking bad and end up being very nice one good on u :D.

Cheers,
Pablo

[Ian.S]

Cheers Aslan,

Sounds like a good ride, I'll be back and raring to go in November so keep that in mind. I will miss the weather over here though.:sunny:

Ian

[young1]

Great post thanks Steve, after reading yours and Scotts posts it makes me think that I should have got out today for a ride by myself )after the late call not to go to Santoft reasons why on the Santoft post) instead I spent it in the garden....

[ahebron]

Nice post Aslan. We followed your route early this afternoon. I have driven that route several times in the car but still got slightly confused at the intersection before the first gate and after the middle gate. That deep gravel section was interesting to say the least. Interesting your comments regarding tyres. My R1150GS has Avon Distanzias front and rear and was a bit vague to say the least on that section The better halfs F650 has Conti Enduro front and Michelin T66 on the rear and she had a minor off just before the last gate on a downhill right hander. But a fantastic road never the less and I can only imagine how it would be with proper tyres like Conti TKC 80s. I had a TKC 80 on the back of my old R80G/S and few times I had it off tarmac it was fabulous. We got caught out in the rain that passed through but it all adds to the experience on the day.

[Aslan]

I see Zukin did a solo HB ride too while I've been staying indoors. Glad you had some fun mate.

Yes I wondered whether I might have your company Merv - sorry to see you've been fighting a bug - hope you're feeling better soon. :scooter:

[Aslan]

thanks for the comments Pablo & Ian S.

Pablo - KSilder suggested I call you yesterday on your cell phone - which I did - went through to a fax machine - enjoy time with your sister and travel to Argentna.

Ian S - great to hear from you pal - Lookin forward to riding with you again on your return

Cheers S

PS - All - by acknowledging all your individual posts I'm not trying to drive up my post count - really

[Aslan]

Hi ahebron - thanks for your comments - I really need the confidence a TKC80 on the front wheel gvies me in the deep gravel. I was standing on the pegs through that deep stuff attempting to keep the front light.

I was thinking as I rode that a maxim it's taking a lot of time to learn and apply is "in gravel ride like you mean it - there's no room to be tentative" - this not the same saying we should go hard out everywhere - rather that in gravel you have be somewhat aggresive.

Hope to meet you and your partner some time.

Cheers Aslan

[Shiner]

Think I spotted you on your way back as I headed out up the hill. I am on a little red 650F. I too thought it still looked a bit iffy at 7am.
I decided to do something so headed out over the hill and towards Lake Ferry, with the plan to go to Cape Palliser. Got caught in a shower of rain along that stretch of road and had the rear wheel let go in a corner. Luckily and I do not know how, managed to keep the bike on the road despite the tank slapping front end. After a few four lettered words in my helmet, dropped the speed and took it easy to Lake Ferry and back. A little more excitement than I need out riding alone.
Have decided to ditch the TKC 80s as even though they are fantastic in the gravel and give me more confidence, this slip certainly has left me not so confident with them on the seal. Maybe I just change the rear tyre?

[Aslan]

cheers Shiner - yes I recall seeing you on your red Funduro - glad to hear you stayed upright when the rear broke loose. I'm a huge fan of TKC80's as are most beemer riders who like to get their GS's dirty. I'm really only using the Tourance cos I had it and want to conserve a near new TKC80. That said - on wet shiny seal on TKC80's I have had the back end move disconcertingly.

Whilst solo riding can be good for the soul, if you get into difficulties its good to have someone to help :-)

Was reflecting on an earlier comment I made in this thread about 'attacking' when in gravel - I think I'd want to modify my maxim to 'when in gravel, ride intentionally rather than tentatively' Cheers Aslan :zzzz: