Taming the 'Takas?

[Velox]

I saw a photo on the front page of a Wairarapa newspaper today that was showing a proposed realignment of a section of the Rimutaka Hill Rd. I didn't get to read it because I tucked the paper into the tail of my mate's bike for 'safekeeping' so I could read it later and it subsequently flew out somewhere between Castlepoint and Masterton. It was enough to get me quite worried though because above one of the corners was the trig, which I'm guessing is the one right near the top of the hill. And it looked like that nasty, wide right hander (Wgtn side heading up) with the big run-off was in it. I'm hoping I might have got this all wrong but what have other people heard? Is this all pretty common knowledge already?
I'm disturbed. Very disturbed.

[wari]

YOu can take stuff to fixa dis-turbulance ... :doobey:

... and I hope you went back and picked upp yurr litter ...

LETs keep NZ grreen in cllean people ... :sunny:

[wari]

OH yeah ... sorry VElox ...I haven't heard anythink ..and nothin' gitts parst me mate ... nothin' ... :sunny: ... I love summrr

[Slingshot]

They will probably continue to work on that piece of road until it's dead straight.

I say, build a tunnel through the hill and leave the hill road open only for motorcycles!

[Coyote]

Went up there, didn't know we had to go over gravel. Got bloody stone chips from the cages :angry:

[Biff]

I'm disturbed. Very disturbed.

Honda!!! Where are you? Sounds like Velox needs some of psychiatric nursing help and some happy tabs (any spare for me?)

[Hitcher]

They will probably continue to work on that piece of road until it's dead straight.

I say, build a tunnel through the hill and leave the hill road open only for motorcycles!
Amen to that! Wellington's biker community should lay a wreath at the opening ceremony for the Kaitokes' realignment. What a tragic waste of cash. All it will do will be to get people to the Takas or the Upper Hutt traffic lights two minutes quicker. The road as it exists is not dangerous and it is shit hot fun on a bike! Meanwhile, on the other coast, a little girl waits...

[Coyote]

There needs to be more passing lanes on downhill lane on the Upper Hutt side of the hill. I'm constantly getting stuck behind cars that won't go to the side of the road and let me pass, and I have got enough power/skill to overtake them on the corners

[bungbung]

.. I have got enough power/skill to overtake them on the corners

So overtake them on the corners, like everybody else.

[Coyote]

I need to follow some people. Then I might learn something

[riffer]

There needs to be more passing lanes on downhill lane on the Upper Hutt side of the hill. I'm constantly getting stuck behind cars that won't go to the side of the road and let me pass, and I have got enough power/skill to overtake them on the corners


It's a fear thing alarumba. Takes a while to get used to going around them. Just keep doing the hill. Get to know it and you will realise where you can and can't pass.

You have an advantage over those of us with larger and heavier bikes, although you don't realise it yet.

Find some other guys who are going over the hill and join them.

[Coyote]

It's a fear thing alarumba.
Didn't seem to have a problem with fear on the track day :p

I've definately seen improvement from when I first went out on the road. Roundabouts are quicker to go round when your not afraid of leaning. The KX was a much easier bike to lean on, the CBR is a all new experience for me

[jrandom]

Meanwhile, on the other coast, a little girl waits...

Oh, you're good. Very, very good.

[Slingshot]

There needs to be more passing lanes on downhill lane on the Upper Hutt side of the hill. I'm constantly getting stuck behind cars that won't go to the side of the road and let me pass, and I have got enough power/skill to overtake them on the corners

Passing lanes downhill are generally a bad idea...you get cage drivers (and sometimes bikes) underestimating their acceleration and then having to brake heavily. On the hill, this normally means braking heavily into & around corners which creates all sorts of problems.

There are quite a few places when heading downhill where you can pass, but often it pays to take it easy.

I generally find that the uphill parts are more fun and that's normally where I ride quick, then on the downhill parts I have a bit of a rest.

[Coyote]

I generally find that the uphill parts are more fun and that's normally where I ride quick, then on the downhill parts I have a bit of a rest.
On the uphill parts, the bike screams and I always have to shift down to get more power from the bike

[Skunk]

Ride like me and be happy :killingme :o

[Slingshot]

On the uphill parts, the bike screams and I always have to shift down to get more power from the bike

It's meant to scream. I remember when i used to ride my GSXR250 over there I'd normally be up around 15,000 revs.

I still think that I was quicker on the GSXR than I am on the CBR600 over the hill.

[StoneChucker]

Uphill : Fast, ridden for Fun
Downhill : Average, ridden to get to Martinborough or home

[FROSTY]

I went over the takas today welly north. its lookin bad on the kaitokes front with all the good corners being removed.
I really cant see any way the best bits of the Takas could possibly be straightened out. I could see how the first few corners on the north and south ends could be widened out but not straightened,-I think it would just make for faster corners at both ends.
As a cager for a day i was able to casually ask a roading bloke -WTF they were doing scattering gravel on an already slippery road.
The story as i was told it was that the big trucks just rip the hell outa the road surface on really hot days if they dont.The trucks literally drive the chip into the melted hotseal.
Ohh and the single lane downhill thing -the only reason they ever put passing lanes in is because the trucks go so slow uphill -but even a billy cart should manage the speed limit downhill.

[FROSTY]

oh and for the record --toyota echoes do not corner as well as bikes.

[Hooks]

oh and for the record --toyota echoes do not corner as well as bikes.


When does the towie get there ???? :Pokey: :kick:

[FROSTY]

Nahh nuffin like that -actually if i enjoyed driving cages -Blasphemey omg
I'd sorta say I had a heap of fun rowwing the 5 speed box and sliding that lil 1.3l tonka toy round the gravel corners --But of course every moment was total HELL
Mental image if you will
Frosty In 2004 toyota tonka toy.-helmet on -cart gloves on hands -racing up the Tukas - Baby biky got with it too and put his lid on-
Funny as hell the look on peoples faces as ya squirt past em.
But --I DID NOT have fun--ohh no not me.
- OK OK I NEED my bike back.

[Paul in NZ]

Yes I have heard rumours....

I blamed LTSA etc and all the despots that own a country property over the hill dontcha know and all the hayseeds wanting to visit the fleshpots of the capital in their 1956 Land Rovers on the monthly pay day. Apparently the veneral diseases you can contact here are vastly more sophisticated that the semi rural ones they have!

However, it turns out that there is a clandestine group of HD cruiser owners that are fed up with all these uppity young punks on fast affordable sportsbikes getting to the top before them. Originally they were going to install a secrent (and invisible) bike lift so that as soon as they disappeared from your mirrors they could turn off, load up the hawg and zip up there to be in the park by the time you arrived.

However they could not get a resource consent.

Therefore they resorted to plan B. Which is to take over Transit NZ and make the road into an enormous ski jump minus the take off ramp at the bottom (goddam motocross weenies). This will perform 2 functions.

1: Sheer grunt from their 9,000cc S&M strokers (with Julie Andrews cams, gears and matching leederhosen) will get them to the top in a competitive fashion (snipers stationed behind bushes will shoot out the tyres of all non HD's)

2: The steep slope, barely functional brakes and gravity will ensure world land speed record velocities on the way back down... (that will straighten the ole' ladies hair dude)

The simple plans are always the best plans...

Don't worry folks. The other side is safe because there are no chrome shops over there.

Paul N :ride:

2:

[FROSTY]

Paul--I actually heard the same rumour. The difference was that it was the eurobike fraternatety -specificcly a club called guzzlers unite--or did I hear wrong. :angry2:
was gonna stop in and see ya on the way back up but went the west way instead-bugger. :crybaby: