Gorgeous looking bike... lets hope it serves you as well as Big Red... but it needs a name you know.
Looks good John. I understand now why I didn't see you on the road. I came home from the Naki via Opunake and then a little flit up to the end of the Otaki Gorge (to check out a trout pool) to be at home by 4pm. You were still some distance away! Now ... about that YELLOW ST1300........
nice one KoroJ - great post to your blog - enjoy your new ride - long may you run - cheers Stephen aka Aslan
I was guided to this thread by the one and only Toto. Awesome write up Gremlin! I like how you word things, very funny!
I love it when you get curmudgeonly John!! So MANY spelling mistakes!!!
Hahaha Yes, I had similar when I booked a flight on Jetstar (except it didn't keep going up). Suddenly the "cheap" flight had options, like priority boarding, seat selection, insurance etc. You can fly without checked baggage (which may explain the $10 difference) or with, and so on. When the BMW was being shipped, I rode down to Wellington overnight, then flew out the following evening (first time I slept on a plane too). Jetstar is cheap alright, just don't screw up and arrive late or anything. You should be able to self check at the kiosks, using Air NZ, and they're really neat. As a general rule, the flights get more expensive as you get closer to the day. Looks like Wednesday next week is cheap cheap, and beyond the air nz site, I suggest Webjet (don't book jetstar there tho, the booking fee is less on jetstar's website).
Tell us what day and time you are coming through and I'll shout you a coffee in the Tron. I'm sure David would like a look at the beast also. Cheers Jim
Nice read Jim. Can't wait to do the Napier Taihape road myself, should be in November as part of the Capital Cruise. Pity I couldn't join you, but still waiting for the bike...
I do have Roadside Assist via NAC insurance. It was a nice afternoon and I didn't anticipate the problems with the ramp. I used them last time and hope I don't have to use them again. Report given via the agent that supplied and fitted. Didn’t ring and no direct contact. Bike now has 023’s front & rear. Felt nice coming home…but that’s just scrubbed them. Forgot to take camera but gash is huge. I’m positive it wasn’t caused by FOD, because one would see and feel anything big enough to do that damage. Interesting that there appears to be a patch of rust on some of the strands in the centre of the gash!!?? Amazing the destruction caused to an uninflated tyre over about 400metres.
where to from here?
Good read... bloody bastard getting to cavort around the island!
Thats a shame, I had a set of Avon Cobras on my Suzuki M109R for 23,000km, even on the last few k's they never gave me any grief, so I put some new ones back on. Having said that I do my tyre pressures before every time I ride and am not really fast rider and I like the twisty roads, so I did not get much squaring off.
why,wouldnt your bike come first,or am i just a nutter
Interesting, Iwas seriously going to have a go at putting Avons on My St (Sprint 1050), but may not now. I am running 023's and the seem to perform pretty wll, not that i am a expert but I have not had any trouble, actulally I have got some thing like 15000kms out of the front and it still seems to have life, I got about 13000 out of the rear before i changed it, even then it still had a bit of life in it. I will interested to see how your bike goes on the 023's it is a lot heverier than mine. Good luck with the new purchase....hope it happens for you. Roger
That looks really bad and I'm at a loss to explain it too! When the original Storm first came out, I was one of the first in NZ to receive it. They had a QA problem with the front hoop causing a steering shimmy and because a mate also experienced it, I went straight to Pete McNally, their Technical Manager in the UK and had a great response. Dold, the local importers were notified by Pete and the remedial action was excellent. In the intervening period, I've been asked by Dold to evaluate 2 sets of Avon tyres for them so have been pretty pleased with their interest and service. Was it them you wrote to? Have you tried ringing them? Incidentally, I no longer use Avons either! Not for a lack of performance but price! When I wore out the last set of Ultras which cost me $550 this time last year, they were $550. This year, they'd gone up to $650. I was offered a pair of Michelin PR3 B Spec tyres for $600 fitted so I've gone with them. Geoff
But no report about the nice ride... well, until H'ville. S'truth, you get all the fun eh? I shouldn't say this, but I've had one puncture in the last 80,000km odd, although it was during traffic on the Auckland motorway, and I kept riding it to my off ramp while it deflated (cats eyes were real interesting, bike got a whole jiggy going). Still, after a bit of help, you got home safe, which is the important part (and the hard feelings for Avon just a little understandable me thinks). Oh, also, give a thought to AA Plus membership. I joined when I figured after 2 years of 60,000km at all hours of the night throughout the country, luck was against me, and best I pay a little less than $150 a year for some piece of mind...
Well, in that case, from that position, no-one should be thinking they can dictate to anyone, what they can ride... Advice, if the person wants it, would be fine of course... As I said to the group of Harley riders when travelling the USA (during some good natured ribbing) the world would be a boring place if everyone rode the same bike. But seriously... BMWs are the best... best you buy one
It's half a day of expert time - $460.00
Of course different bikes are good for different purposes ans I agree, motorway/ open road commutes on a 100cc are not ideal. There are situations where they are awesome though and I guess my main point is that they are - and should be seen as - a valid choice. I know several people who have swapped big for little (CBR1000 for a ct110 is the most extreme example) for various reasons, and the negative reaction has been way out of proportion because that is not what people are 'supposed 'to do, ever.
Horses for course I think. As you say, if you're commuting a lot, then a small bike is the way to go (although I can't comment too much, as I use a CB900). Would depend if you have to constantly use the motorway however, if the small bike can't do 100kph and keep up with traffic. I wouldn't enjoy long distances on a 100cc odd bike however. Mid January to Mid October the BMW has done 26,500km, and I've only had it in my possession for 4 of those 9 months. I think it also depends what you have ridden. I do often say to learners to not spend big dollars on small bikes and wait until you have your full. If you've only ridden small bikes, then perhaps (in my opinion anyway) you don't know what you're missing (besides the increased gas usage and tyres disappearing in a matter of months or less). I've ridden pretty much everything between 50cc and 1800cc, but still prefer something around 1L, being 6'3, 100kg.
