KoroJ's Blog

For some time now, I’ve been keen to have a go at doing a ‘Police Rodeo’, which is a slow handling event requiring balance and control to negotiate a course marked out with cones, as opposed to the Harley Style Rodeos which are more like a ‘Top-Town’ fun day on bikes.

The cops make it look pretty easy on You-Tube, throwing their big Electraglides around what appears to be some sort of maze and some googling revealed rules and courses, so over the last few months, I have checked out potential venues (there aren’t that many large, sealed spaces in Wellington), downloaded potential courses, printing them off and converting the measurements to metres, collected about 20 ice cream containers and 50 half-tennis balls, brought a couple of 30 metre measuring tapes…and I was pretty much ready to give a try.

I presented the plan to a couple of the Uly Rides Committee members, one of whom suggested a school ground as a practice area and we organized to have a go on Sunday…and me being me, I sneaked down for a lone recce on Saturday!


Fooking ‘ell……………!!!

Well bugger me, I pootled down To J’ville school on Saturday arvo, equipped with the 50+ half-tennis balls, 20 Ice Cream containers, 2 30mtr tape measures, the base and rod from a hearth set and plans for 3 courses: Black Rum; Shield and Offset Shamrock.

I inspected Onslow College on the way then found my way onto the top end of the school to find the two sealed play areas, which I noted that each one is big enough for one course and therefore, great to practice but not big enough to run an event.

I pulled the stuff out and proceeded to set-up Black Rum, which is approx 20mtrs long, using the base & rod as an anchor and measure point for one tape and a can of tennis balls for the other, fluffing around for ages, but finally got it set up, marking out the main points with containers then filling in the lines with balls.

Looked OK, now try it!!?? Fooking ‘eck.....I’m useless!!!! Or as the Gorillaz would sing...
I ain't happy, I'm feeling glad
I got sunshine, in a bag
I'm useless, but not for long
The future is coming on

...anyway, there is no way the ST was going to turn within these piddling dimensions and one suddenly had way more admiration for those Yank cops on the big Electraglides. (of course ....they must have shorter wheelbases than the ST and the way lower CofG must make it heaps easier).....more Tui please garcon?

After but a few feeble attempts, I gave up and tried setting up the Shield. This is a 55ft (16.76mtrs) long by 34ft (10.3mtrs) wide offset oval (a couple of feet wider at one end). That was much easier to set up and I was soon back on the bike......bugger me, this was never going to happen!!

I had to change the dimensions to 7metre (from 5.18) and 6metre (from 4.88) semi-circles and it was still bloody difficult. I could manage it intermittently and this reinforced that the event is definitely worth holding and will require some more planning to produce courses we can use.
Saturday night I hit the calculator, producing numbers that expanded the three courses by 25% and 40%, liased with Ken, then Sunday morning I put the numbers onto a spreadsheet to make it easy for future changes, headed off to the Hutt to have the spa water tested and check what the Riverbank carpark was like on a Sunday morning and check the size of the carparks at the Police College. From there I texted Ken to meet him in J’ville.

I arrived a few minutes before him and commenced to set-up the Black Rum course in the standard dimensions to see how the DR handled it….and I was relieved to see Ken having almost as much difficulty as I did the day before. After a few runs, he went close to managing and I had a go on the DR and had to put my foot down a couple of times but managed to stay within the radius but, there was no way the ST could handle it. (and naturally I feel way more comfortable on the ST)

We then set-up a 40% oversized shield course and that was much more manageable. Ken got it after a couple of attempts on the DR and I was OK on the ST after my attempts the day before, so a bit of discussion and we will move forward with our plans to introduce this to other riders and see how they go.

Riding slow is bloody hard and I obviously need lots more practice!!