Auckland - rolling protest ride

[Kiwi Graham:Me]

You looked great with ya back shot on the news tv1 mate
You had heeps of Kb cheering around our place tonight seeing a snappy of ya

Ha ha my back is the best profile
Alot of KBers have picked up on the shot and I have had people coming up to me today saying they'd see me on the telly (well the back of me).

I've seen both TV1 and TV3 coverage now.
It's good to see TV1 covered the event and why it was held and all TV3 did was cover the accident the dude had leaving the event but nothing else!

On reflection it was and awesome achivement getting so many bikes 'safely' to the domain on time Total numbers quoted as attending have been as low as 2-300 from TV3, 300+ from TV1 to nearly 500 on the radio. To be honest I have no idea how many were there, but it was alot and it had an impact, Its not every day you see a kilometre + of motorcycles on our roads is it?

Well done again to all that were involved and good luck for a huge turn out next week in Wellington.

[GOONR]

..... To be honest I have no idea how many were there, but it was alot and it had an impact, Its not every day you see a kilometre + of motorcycles on our roads is it?

Well done again to all that were involved and good luck for a huge turn out next week in Wellington.

I was very near to the front. At the turning points I had a grin from ear to ear seeing all the bikes still heading the other way. I am proud to have been a part of a successful event like that and the success is due to the organisers, well done all of you!!

Good luck for Tuesday to everyone who is going, stay upright and show these pricks that they have picked a fight with the wrong crowd!!

[Tink]

We'll have no honda bashing thx there's nuffin wrong with them (unless you've got to pull them apart which can be a bitch)

Just had to mention did the Dairy Flats / Kowkopakpa / Wellsford loop to Puhoi today on a Honda VTR250... and I loved it!!!!

Off topic but seems I have just spent my day with you lot I thought I would share something.

I have had a great day out on the bike, met some really cool people, sat down with a beer in front of the football (no not that one, the one with the round ball) and..... have just found out that Mrs GOONR is expecting Midget GOONR number 2.

Does it get any better than this

Oh man did you buy a lotto ticket too... CONGRATUALATIONS!!!!!

[Devil]

It was this hairpin. Now even more notorious. Shown here so it doesn't catch anyone else out.

That would explain why I went sideways in the wet there today after whatever it was dumped coolant or oil on the road.

[Gremlin]

Most credit to The three riders at the front who dealed with traffic mangement Maha, Kiwi Graham and cant exactly remember name but rode a black hornet 919.

Me...

Thanks to Gremlin for getting us the Motorway at Wellesley st

no problem... I didn't repeat my effort on the cheesecutter ride, going past Titoki St

I stopped at the right turn into the Museum grounds, as we didn't have anyone pointing into Titoki St and got down to counting. Counted over 270 bikes, then I also went looking and found a few more stragglers, which would have edged it closer to 300, and this was only for those entering via that route (I know others took different routes).

One of the most important things for riders on the route to do, is to maintain your distance the bike in front, and try to do it smoothly. We were aware of the elastic band effect, and deliberately accelerated slowly out of roundabouts etc, but the effect was still large (although it sounds like bikes stopped at the NW roundabout, which explains a lot).

[PhantasmNZ]

Just had to mention did the Dairy Flats / Kowkopakpa / Wellsford loop to Puhoi today on a Honda VTR250... and I loved it!!!!

Hmm.. yeh.. careful with that route - me an a few mates got pinged around there a couple-a-years back with a mufti and a marked car - and some cops with a mojor attitude problem...

Took all my diplomacy skills not to get all 4 bikes not impounded through an over-liberal interpretation of the boy racer act by said plod

(admittedly one of our number did have a bit on an anti-plod stance!)

Anyway - keep your eyes open in that area (or your speed down-ish!)

[PhantasmNZ]

That would explain why I went sideways in the wet there today after whatever it was dumped coolant or oil on the road.

Hmm yes - it was a little hairy round there today after the rain... On the way to Ixion's NZ Herald photoshoot - had a car behind me thinking "if this is the bloody photographer, and this goes wrong - I'll be fcked!"

Crawled around those bends at about 10-15kph!

turns out it wasn't the press - but makes you think - there were a bunch of us went past there today - in the wet, oil making it slippery as foook ... and yet still nobody else managed to bin it...

[klingon]

...

Who was the rider at the rear, 2-up, panniers, and hazards going. Just after Tristram Ave (heading south) there was a car right up your arse and NOT liking the idea of sensible following distances??
Sorry mate. You waving me through wasn't going to happen.
Dropping in behind you and signalling this tosspot to fall back, then slowing him away from you guys just had to be done.
I think he got the message.

That was Lars with Mom on the back! Just as well you 'rescued' them or the day would have been a whole different event!

[Mom]

That was Lars with Mom on the back! Just as well you 'rescued' them or the day would have been a whole different event!

That, ummm, bike thing, we were on did not allow for pillion rear view

I did not feel threatened at all. We did not have panniers though, I had my trusty tank bag as a back pack and was holding Lars' tail pack on my lap.

http://world.honda.com/news/2008/208.../images/04.jpg

Surprisingly comfortable pillion ride all the same

[klingon]

That, ummm, bike thing, we were on did not allow for pillion rear view

I did not feel threatened at all. We did not have panniers though, I had my trusty tank bag as a back pack and was holding Lars' tail pack on my lap.

http://world.honda.com/news/2008/208.../images/04.jpg

Surprisingly comfortable pillion ride all the same

It just looked like you had panniers because of the weird rear end on that thing (the bike thing, not Lars)

[MaxB]

Thanks to the organisers for all their hard work. Hope the pollies sit up and take notice. I had the rug pulled from under me on the Wellington trip (work) so I hope you guys stick it to them.

A good day out catching up with some familiar faces and riding with my Dad which does not happen so much these days. All good.

[gunnyrob]

Latest follow up
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/ar...ectid=10609475

[RiderInBlack]

Well written Herald

[caseye]

Have sent an email to Mathew the reporter who wrote that article.
I thanked him for telling it in plain language and not putting any slant on it. I hope he gets some more good feedback from us!
Welly here we come!

[Mom]

Have sent an email to Mathew the reporter who wrote that article.
I thanked him for telling it in plain language and not putting any slant on it. I hope he gets some more good feedback from us!
Welly here we come!

You ride safe ya hear!

Yeah Mathew is a good guy, I have spent many hours jawing with him off and on over the last 18months or so. He is a fair reporter too. Funnily enough he is on the mailing list for updates on what we are doing