I've had Level 3 Supabike school booked for ages which meant I could maybe look at any bargains going around the Taupo region and pick up along the way. Sitting in an office all day means you can have TM running in the corner.....spotted an R100, rang up and said " I'll take it" ...had not been run in two years and not currenty running..... worth a punt.... So the R65 went on TM.....so can now play the futures market....... spotted a 1976 R90 in Whycaneye ...near Welly...... " original towel and tool kit" was enough to have the mouse saying " click me...you know you want to..." Click...... pay......then ring owner......the internet has changed how we buy stuff..... Packed up BMW into van and headed off on Sunday at 6:30.....got to New Plymouth around 11:00, found the street and the deal was completed, bike was in much better condition than expected. Grabbed a Maccers and headed to Bulls....from Bulls to Whycaneye took forever.......got there around 5:00....could sence time running away on me. The r90 was very tidy and unrestored and even came with......panniers, and all the original receipts. " I'm going to look after this one, not thrash it, " The old fella was misty eyed seeing his beloved BMW of 22 years heading down the drive..... I got to Wairuru and it was quite warm still and as I crossed the desert road it started to get dark and wet...... I had rung ahead to make sure they would leave a key out for me at the lodge..... but still was looking like 9:00....and I was hungry and tired. Passed Turangi and the battery light came on....and the steering got suddenly heavier....... dang....thats what the squeeky noise and smell was...the belt had snapped....... onwards pressed the VW van thru the dark and wet night with a draining battery and armstrong steering....... I had to be at the track at 7:00 am and did not need this......how long could a battery last with lights on...and wipers......... grimly we pressed on....... Taupo gliniting in the distance like a lucas taillight on a Morris Minor..... Finally made Taupo but I had printed out the wrong map.....had changed accomodation at last minute and forgot to print it out.....fortunately the man in the garage knew.....yey Got to motel....well more like a shed with a bed and a tele but hey $30 a night.... " where can I get something to eat in walking distance' , wishing to conserve power for run to Track. " weee'll nothing es open here after 9:00 on a Sunday mister.....your not in Auckland now...." he drawled in the local Safrican acccent.... Had a rummage in the van and found a tin of beans from HD racing....... cold beans and water for dinner......had a shower and went to bed. Day Two: Superbike School. to be continued.....
When can we expect chapter 2?
epic effort john, rather riveting! waits patiently
Monday arrived at 6:00 am and it was dark and wet....oh yay..... packed up then reattached the trailer....er where is the shackle ......dang it fell off as I was moving the trailer to the designated park......found the shackle but no bolt.....oh well....the trailer had not come off so far.... Driving to the track was lights on when vehicles approaching and off ...... Got to the track, unloaded, got the bike checked....... so no dinner and no breakfast......they say anarchy is only 3 meals away..... I grabbed a free coffee with lots of pick me up suger and a couple of handfuls of cookies......only 1 meal, a tin of beans and six cookies away from anarchy away now.... Did one lesson and out of the track....BMW running rough, did a couple of laps and it got no better so came in. My new mate 'Sid' an English chappie with a new R90s track bike suggested draining the carbs..... it sort of helped but then the bike felt all squidgy and I took it off the track.....damn the tyre was flat......hmmm the choke lever is sticking on..... oh. Got transported back to the pits....a second time at Taupo...... but the tyre bay guys had no tubes and either did I......bugger. I pondered over a bike hire.......me and 100 HP in the wet......maybe not. Eureka.......I have a 36 year old bike I have never ridden in the van...... Sorry old chap.....desperate times. " can I run with this?" " have it checked out and yes" " er......um.....yes it checks out" Whoo hoo..... on the track with the awsomeness that is old Dunlop K70's...a tyre developed in the war for North Africa conditions..... Well 36 year old BMW peformed faultlessly for the whole day much to the admiration ( ammusement) of fellow bikers) High point was passing the Harley....then lapping him.......sticking with moderns thru the corners...... go the Dunlops. Did all the units and got me cert...... you don't need a fast bike to learn stuff..... The BMW seemed to keep up in the wet too.. Then the day was over and still 60 minutes of shop time, so grabbed my wallet and off into town on the BMW ( with no mirrors), they had a belt for the van, and I bought a charger as plan b. The track closed at 6:00 so only had a short time to fit the belt....modern vehicles have no room to work and I could not work out how the belt fitted so bollocks to that. Went to campground, plugged in the charger and headed off into town on the mighty 90 for a meal.....the world could rest easy that anarchy was prevented. Had a couple of pints and went back to the van for the worst sleep I can remember....note to self...get better mattress. Today dawned and I fitted the battery and we were off....no stopping other than fuel. Arranged to meet Maxheadroom at Bombay so he could inspect the booty......he approved but the battery was dead. Max who also runs a VW van was in need of a new battery himselt and raced of to Puke and came back with a new one. I was mobile again. made it home and was able to explain way over a wine how my purchase of 1 BMW led to bringing 2 home...... So.....there is more to handling than fancy bits, the rider input ( or lack of it) counts for a lot. I was able to get the old beamer thru a series of bends with ease using their methods...... not using them the bike bucked and shook. all in all a rather intersting weekend that I have no wish to repeat for some time. I had the " hasn't been run for two years and won't start" BMW running in about 10 minutes.......on the 2 year old gas. thats the end of my weekend away, taking the new R90 to work tomorrow as the R65 has 82 watchers. I have some photos that I will upload tomorrow.
What pressure did you run in the K70's ? They were made for lower pressures than we use today, I used 20 front and 25psi rear in mine, these tyres need to flex to put down a good contact patch.
excellent read. You make it sound so easy
Great stuff John, I enjoyed the read very much....thanks
Motu: 30 psi...... do they have leather tubes? Can you still get them new as they look pretty old......to old to do what I was doing on them. Ratti: that sort of weekend happens very rarely, I gotta say I was feeling pretty knackered when I got home....... still there was a bloke there who was 62.....
Clarkson couldn't have written a script like that. Or had so much fun.
What a diary Volty. Great read. BTW, do you get much work done at work? (looks at TM for a minute, works for 2, looks at TM for another minute...you get the idea)
You can still get new K70's, but the price has gone up, that's why I'm on race compound K180's at $124 - it's a pity grip comes at the expense of wear rate.
nice pic of R90 in action http://clmintiepix.photoshelter.com/...000Vd0jA1i3UTA
soon these might be in the far south so you can collect more BMWs on the way opens this weekend http://www.highlands.co.nz/Facilities/Track-Maps.asp
Big opening weekend ! EVENT SCHEDULE FOR SATURDAY 30TH & SUNDAY 31ST MARCH -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Saturday 30th March 2013 09.00 am Gates open. 11.00 am Official opening of track by Jim Richards. 11.15 am First lap of the track by Jim Richards 11.30 am Single laps including McLaren M4 12C, 1906 Darracq Grand Prix car, PDL Mustang II, Zaspeed Escorts, McLaren M23 F1 car, Stanton Cropduster, Fahey FVC Escort — almost 80 spectacular cars in all 12.30 pm LUNCH BREAK – LUNCHTIME - Superkarts - Sailing boats on lake - Demonstration go-karts - GT Radials Utes – - Drifters in Skid pan 1.00 pm McLaren MP412C Supercar departs Gasoline Alley with Craig Baird driving to set lap record followed by helicopter 1.15 pm. Laps for pairs of matched cars commences. Zakspeed Escort vs Ferrari 288GTO, Ford GT vs Ford GT, Aston Martin vs McLaren, FVC Escort vs Texaco Sierra, Bastos Rover vs BMW, Formula Ford vs Formula Ford, TRS vs TRS, Shellsport Datsun vs Shellsport Datsun, etc 2.30 pm For the first time in NZ — V8Supertourers and NZV8s meet for combined laps. Greg Murphy and other top drivers 2.45 pm Orchestrated Race – Grand Finale 3.15 pm Race Driver autograph signing in Gasoline Alley. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sunday 31st March 2013 09.00 am Gates open. 11.00 am Official opening of National Motorsport Museum by Sir Colin Giltrap. 11.30 am First of single laps — Single laps including McLaren M4 12C, 1906 Darracq Grand Prix car, PDL Mustang II, Texaco Sierra Cosworth, Zaspeed Escorts, McLaren M23 F1 car, Stanton Cropduster, Fahey FVC Escort — almost 80 sp4ctacular race cars in all 12.30 pm LUNCH BREAK – LUNCHTIME ENTERTAINMENT - Superkarts - Sailing boats on lake - Demonstration go-karts - GT Radials Ute - Drifters in Skid pan 1.00 pm McLaren MP412C Supercar departs Gasoline Alley with Craig Baird driving to set lap record followed by helicopter 1.15 pm Laps for pairs of matched cars commences. Zakspeed Escort vs Ferrari 288GTO, Ford GT vs Ford GT, Aston Martin vs McLaren, FVC Escort vs Texaco Sierra, Bastos Rover vs BMW, Formula Ford vs Formula Ford, TRS vs TRS, Shellsport Datsun vs Shellsport Datsun, 11906 Darracq vs Cropduster etc 2.30 pm For the first time in NZ — V8Supertourers and NZV8s meet for combined laps. Greg Murphy and other top drivers 2.45 pm Orchestrated Race – Grand Finale 3.15 pm Race Driver autograph signing in Gasoline Alley.
