Touring & The Bikes You Use

Damn those Wellingtonian riders. While chatting at the end of the Grand Challenge, Wuzards-Eugene and XP@ had tried to talk me into doing the C1KC, or Capital 1000km Cruise. Organised by KoroJ, its a 1000km ride starting in Wellington and runs each year. Aimed at attracting more riders into longer distance riding, it's a ride I have never done before.

Of course, there was a small hitch. It started in Wellington at 0630 on a Saturday morning. I was in Auckland. Rather than take a day ...

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With the Grand Challenge complete, Monday was a comparatively leisurely affair. Going to bed late the previous evening, missing the usual breakfast affair on Monday morning was an obvious choice. Afterall, with the nice bakery down the road, where's the motivation to get up early?

Up around 9am, packed up, and Toto and I were probably last to leave the holiday park just after 10am. We weren't even going very far, popping down the bakery probably 1km away, where we waited for Toto's ...

It’s “only” been a 12 month wait since the last one, but the 2010 one was finally here. The plan was to try and finish off any work by mid-afternoon, then pack, load the bike and head down in the early evening. This year, I even have a handy helper, in the form of Toto, who is doing his first. He takes the entire day off, heads down early, and then proceeds to txt me. “Should I take my laptop”, “When are you coming”. I suggest he ask for two rooms near each other, so we can find each other. The ...

Around Tuesday I collected my new textile trousers from Quasievil and with the microphone sorted, I was only waiting for my helmet to be finished with the wiring. Mileage on the bike meant it needed almost 2000km put on during the weekend, service was organised for Monday (well, drop off, and they service as soon as they have time). The initial plan therefore called for 2x 1000km over the weekend, service, tyres and everything will be ready for the Grand Challenge (next weekend).

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I bought a new helmet a little over a couple of weeks ago, as my new long distance helmet (still have the Shoei XR1000), but I've been looking at the speed of my stops, and concluded that if I don't have to remove the helmet, I don't have to remove the plugs, balaclava etc, balaclava needs jacket adjusted, as it slides underneath etc. In short, a flip front helmet was called for. Get to station, lift front, ea, drink etc, and no potential problems with fuel station attendants either.
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Saturday night, I had spoken to Toto about riding on Sunday, but he was working. He did want a txt to see where I was going, as he wanted a short ride somewhere, so perhaps he could meet up. I got to bed late on Saturday, ok, 4am Sunday, with Daylight Savings taken into account, so I wasn’t up before midday Sunday anyway.

Once I had read up on the Zumo 660 vs 550 (currently have the 550, and I won’t upgrade to the 660) and planned a route – maximising the fuel range, as the 2nd fuel ...

After enjoying the Coro Loop, I knew I didn't need to do much to tempt GiJoe into a Cape Reinga ride. For those not familiar, its the top of the North Island. Not considered a day trip by most, its a little over 1000km with the route we take, and we finish during the night (depending on when we leave Auckland naturally). In the past two trips up, the first, we helped a biker who broke his ankle on the gravel at the top, delaying our trip by over 4 hours, getting home around 5am, and the chap who ...

After joining Toto and GiJoe in pootling down to see Mr Qmoto himself this Wednesday just past, Toto was keen for more riding. Hassling GiJoe during Thursday, who in turn hassles me, we decide on a Coro Loop at night, excusing it as training. Have to do night rides I guess.

Naturally, there's no time like the present, so Thursday night it is. Scampering home to swap into more appropriate gear (draggins to Quasi the previous evening were just a tad cold), I get caught up in a problem, ...