https://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/blog.php/13244-Shiny-side-up Kiwi Biker - New Zealand motorcycle community en Thu, 14 May 2026 17:12:47 GMT vBulletin 20 https://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/images/BP-Brown/misc/rss.jpg https://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/blog.php/13244-Shiny-side-up https://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/entry.php/2713-2013-Child-cancer-toy-run-Cambridge-to-Hamilton Sun, 03 Mar 2013 00:39:27 GMT It was the Cambridge to Hamilton Child cancer toy run this morning. I offered to take a friend of mine with me. She has a brain tumor and we never know if she has weeks or months left. She was VERY excited about having her first ride on a motorbike. As I went to leave to collect her the clutch... It was the Cambridge to Hamilton Child cancer toy run this morning. I offered to take a friend of mine with me. She has a brain tumor and we never know if she has weeks or months left. She was VERY excited about having her first ride on a motorbike. As I went to leave to collect her the clutch cable on my bike snapped. No shops open etc.... I was just about in tears (don't tell anyone that) with disappointment for her. I made a comment on FB about it and next thing a friend turns up (from Eureka) with a clutch cable from another old bike. he says "I know it is not the correct cable but if anyone can make it work you will" and then leaves. I bent a couple of brackets and used a couple of bolts and cable ties and made it fit (even had some adjustment) Jumped on the bike, picked up my friend and made it over the Cambridge for the start of the run. even got there before the chap that lent me the cable. My friend (the lass with the brain tumor) was absolutely thrilled with the ride..... Now I am sitting here feeling very pleased with myself. (but I am going to have to go and get a good coffee) ]]> Shiny side up https://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/entry.php/2713-2013-Child-cancer-toy-run-Cambridge-to-Hamilton https://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/entry.php/1976-A-letter-to-a-hit-and-run-cage-driver Thu, 03 Mar 2011 08:06:12 GMT From the Crash 7pm Tuesday 1/3/11
When I saw you slowing down I thought here is one to watch for.
When I saw you brake I thought what is the fool going to do, watch him closely. I then moved to be a bit further from you.
When you started to turn I thought how can that idiot not know I'm here. My bike is noisy and my horn is going. How far is this clown going to go before he realises that he is about to cause a crash. I braked hard and leaned the bike over as far as it would go. So far that the back wheel started to slide sideways. By now I am clearly visible in your window and windscreen. I am fighting to avoid a crash with you that could kill or badly injure me.
I see you move left and think you are also trying to avoid the crash and will stop so I can pass in front of you and have room to stop.
Then I realise I am mistaken. You are not trying to avoid hurting me you are simply trying to push and squeeze passed me.
Now I am right beside your driver's door with the bike leaned all the way over. You obviously have no intentions of giving me room and I now know I am going to get hurt and my bike is going to be damaged. I realise that if I crash into you with my bike leaning over this far I am probably going to get run over and suffer broken legs. At the last moment I throw the bike upright to avoid going under your car knowing that this is going to pin my leg between my bike and your car and possibly slam my head into your car.
My shoulder hits the side of your car with more force than the hardest rugby tackle I have ever done. I used to be a rugby forward and had a reputation for being able to stop anyone. This hit hurts. My head is launched sideways and my leg is bashed between my bike and your rear door. My tank is dented and my foot peg is smashed. My leg is saved from serious damage by the steel shin guard on my boots. the steel shin guard is bent.
I am now stuck against the side of your car and travelling at about the same speed as you. I am relieved, I am still upright and have avoided a painful and damaging contact with the tar seal. I expect you will now stop and I will have, against the odds, avoided serious injury.
What you did next puts you into a category of people that can't be appropriately named in public places.
I feel your car start to accelerate. You are not going to stop. Your only thoughts are for you and your comfort. You are going to cause me to slam into the road and leave me there.
Your car starts to pull away from me and I can do nothing to stop my fall. Now I am very angry. My head is up looking for your registration. I am determined to find you one way or another.
I land on the road heavily. The bike crushes down on my already pummelled leg. I slide to a stop. I watch you disappear down the road. My good motorcycle gear has done its job. I am sore but in one piece.
I pull my aching leg out from under the motorbike. I stand up and I yell your registration out. I want everyone to know it in case I have problems remembering it in the aftermath. Another driver calls back to say he recorded the same registration. I phone the police, I want you caught in the worst possible way. When you crash into a car you do material damage. When you crash into a motor cycle you risk killing someone. You effectively tried to kill me. As far as you know you have just killed me.
Now I look about me. A ute has stopped behind me to protect me from other traffic that could accidentally run over me as I lie on the road. Other people rush over to help me pick up the bike and make sure that I am ok. Few can believe the behavior they have just witnessed from you. Accidents happen but this can hardly be called and accident.
My sleeve has a tear in it, my helmet appears to have touched something three times during the crash. My trousers have been pulled they are no longer going to be water proof. My new gloves are scuffed and My old motorcycle boots have done a fantastic job of protecting my leg - I will have to straighten the shin guard later. The bike is a mess. A stranger helps me put it into the back of his ute to get it home. He then waits for nearly an hour while we talk to the police. He gives me and the bike a lift home. Another stranger stays and talks to the police about what he saw you do. He probably has a family waiting for him but he makes time to help.
I am now home and my shoulder is hurting and my leg has a bad ache. I can't stop yet because I have to get my bike rideable so I can get to work tomorrow. See, I have to work at least 50 hours per week just to make ends meet. I have a wife and young children to support. I don't have a flash bike because I can't afford one. I don't have a second car I have no room for one. So I work on into the night replacing a few broken parts and doing my best to straighten others. It is very hard to lift my left arm above my shoulder and my leg aches so much I should have pain killers so I can get to sleep.
The Police phone me and tell me they have found you. At first I am very pleased, then I feel a little sorry for you because you are going to lose your license. The feeling of sorry only lasts for a few seconds because I have another flashback of your car disappearing down the road as I slide along the tar seal. I am not a vindictive man and I fail to understand how you could cause me to get smashed into a car and slammed on the road then just drive off. How are you any different to a mugger, except a mugger would have to have the balls to face me. You caused me injury and ran away leaving me out of pocket by a few hundred dollars as surely as if you had stolen my wallet. I don't have much and what I do have I have had to work very hard for.
It is now lunch time the following day. The motorcycle shop has just phoned to say my bike is probably a write off. I will not get another bike for what the insurance company is likely to pay out so I have to find more money from somewhere to get new transport to work.
My shoulder still hurts but I cannot really afford to take time off to see the Doctor. That would take 2 hours out of my day and I don't think I can do an extra 2 hours on another day. If I stay at work any longer in a day I hardly get to see my kids.

Welcome to my side of your actions. ]]> Shiny side up https://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/entry.php/1976-A-letter-to-a-hit-and-run-cage-driver https://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/entry.php/1973-Hit-and-run-cage-driver-busted Wed, 02 Mar 2011 05:48:36 GMT Last night (1/3/11 7pm) I got skittled off the old XJ550 by a cage driver that decided at the last moment the he HAD to do a right turn from the left lane. He braked sharply and swerved across just behind the car I was following. I saw what he was about to do just before he did it and laid the bike... Last night (1/3/11 7pm) I got skittled off the old XJ550 by a cage driver that decided at the last moment the he HAD to do a right turn from the left lane. He braked sharply and swerved across just behind the car I was following. I saw what he was about to do just before he did it and laid the bike down to the right. The skid looks good. It was quite short and did an almost 90° turn. The moron in the car just kept coming. He tried to go around me instead of stopping so it became obvious that I was going to connect with his cage. At the last moment I hauled the bike upright again to avoid going under him. Hit his car broad side just behind the center pillar. Leg got a good squish between the car and the bike. Now the cage and my bike were hard side by side and at about the same speed. I though sweet, if he stops now I can avoid the nasty road rash on every thing. I then felt that mongrels car ACCELERATE hard. He took off causing the bake to bite the tar seal. I tell you my head was up watching for his rego before I even hit the seal. I got his rego and made sure every one else at the scene knew what it was (at the top of my lungs) in case I forgot it in the aftermath.
The Cops were called and got there fairly quickly and they were keeping an eye out for the car. A couple of real good blokes stopped and helped. One had seen the hit and hung around and gave the cops statement. The other put my bike on the back of his ute and gave me a lift home.
My jacket has a tear in the sleeve, my trousers have pulls in the cordura, My helmet had popped the visor and has some white paint on it, my leather boots are slightly scuffed and the shin guard in slightly bent (but 30 year old Roger DeCoster Alpine all Stars take more killing than that) and the carbon fiber knuckle protector on my left glove has white paint on it,
My left leg aches and my shoulder is rather stiff.
I got a call from the cops about 10:30 last night to say the had found the car and the driver had admitted it. Apparently my description of the driver for the, from the .25 second view I had of the back of his head was spot on.
The cops said that when I brought the bike up hard to prevent the bike from going under, my shoulder blew his rear drivers side window to bits. The pack rack had made a huge gouge down the right hand side and my leg had dented the door. I felt the car body roll when I body slammed it. (I'm about 95Kg).
It looks like they are probably going to write the old XJ550 off. Broken left foot peg, broken front indicator, twisted forks, airbox off the carbs, cracked alternator cover, bent pack rack and slightly bent handle bars. They estimate $1000 to fix. I recon I did more than that to the car....... He is going to start with a new door and 6 months loss of license.
So now I am looking for a cheap 600 (bandit or hornet)
I try and stay shiny side up but cage drivers make it so hard. ]]> Shiny side up https://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/entry.php/1973-Hit-and-run-cage-driver-busted