RRRR 2010 March 6-7

[gav24]

Hey, great photos guys. Really captured the spirit of the ride; lots of riding on great roads with just enough challenge thrown in to keep you honest

Looking back through them, what is it about that KLR of stormtroopers?
So 80's, so cheap, some might say so ugly, but it just looks cool man!

Great to bench race with you Wade, loved all the stories about the events I read and dreamed of as a kid in Dirtbike and other US mags. To me they were the stuff of legends and seemed so far away from my muddy little welsh village where I grew up... Cool

Finally is Tony on Kiwibiker? cant find his id.? need to get in touch with him about a helmet, could someone PM me his number.

[bart]

13. Gorge, near Taihape
14. All you need for a camping trip, tin of spag, drink, tent, fuel, and a DR650
15. Lunch at Taihape
16. I've dropped my bike 3 times since Christmas, and they've all been on this crappy little nothing track. Gear lever somehow turned on the spline, so I held the guys up for a few minutes.
17. Luckily the bog hole had dried up. Would be mighty slippy in winter.
18. Lovely gravel

[bart]

19, 20, 21. Mmmmmm, gravel
22. Bet you can't spot the 2 bikes. Mangaohane, love that road. One of the best.
23. Gav, doing what Gav does best.
24. Crop circles

[bart]

At the river after the Gentle Annie (shortcut to the Hot Springs). Gav was showing us how easy the river crossing was. We didn't believe him, so he crossed about 4 times. River was running brown and fast, so the rest of us bloused out. Looked to be raining quite heavily in the hills anyway, so was probably a wise move to abandon the Hot Springs idea. We all headed into Napier to the Westshore Holiday Park and nice warm showers, and even nicer cold beer.

[Howie]

I've dropped my bike 3 times since Christmas, and they've all been on this crappy little nothing track.

So do you want to do that short little track again Bart, third time lucky?

Luckily the bog hole had dried up. Would be mighty slippy in winter.

Nah it'd probably be that wet it wouldn't be slippery.

Great photo's as usual from all of you, sounds like a great trip.

[bart]

So do you want to do that short little track again Bart, third time lucky?

Yeah, first time with you Howie, it was a broken Clutch lever. This time I dropped it once on each side. Gear lever rotated on the spline, so I had to ride out in first gear until I got a chance to fix it. Trail Wings and grass do not mix.

I'll get Sundays photos up tonight.

[gav24]

Got my new tyres today!!! Michelin MT23's Best (well, most expensive) tyres I 've ever bought, and first time not made in a third world country! Hope these do better than the "Trail wolf's" (or Death wings!) that lasted about 1500kms of road and gravel before the canvas is showing...
So all ready for the next one guys, Just needs heaps of warning to plan my time around it.
Such a shame we didnt get to the hot springs, we really should try and get a backcountry camp trip together, DOC site or similar...
I'm gonna go off and look up some good locations in the lower north Island, and suggestions that combine some good offroad riding to get there, and back?
Have Tent, have bike, have "tin -o-spag", have tyres! will camp!

[Box'a'bits]

Pirelli MT21's or Michelin T63? Didn't know that they have been allowed to breed?
Yup another weekend like last would be great, & yes I was looking forward to tenting.
Top job so far with the photos Bart

[gloves]

Hi gav finally registered on this forum my number is 0277 827 119
cheers to all you guys to a excellent weekend away, specially Bart for being camp leader

[Woodman]

Bart for being camp leader

Theres a DR joke there somewhere.

[junkmanjoe]

we really should try and get a backcountry camp trip together, DOC site or similar...
I'm gonna go off and look up some good locations in the lower north Island, and suggestions that combine some good offroad riding to get there, and back?
Have Tent, have bike, have "tin -o-spag", have tyres! will camp!

there is a good DOC camp ground out at ocean beach.
one at the pinicles on the ngawi rd
just a couple..

[Howie]

Such a shame we didnt get to the hot springs, we really should try and get a backcountry camp trip together, DOC site or similar...
I'm gonna go off and look up some good locations in the lower north Island, and suggestions that combine some good offroad riding to get there, and back?
Have Tent, have bike, have "tin -o-spag", have tyres! will camp!

Sounds like a good idea to me.
Most of the Doc campsites are listed for the various regions on the links on This page . Other than that do a search for regional parks, as lot of them have camping areas as well.

The problem I have with camping is I end up carrying heaps of gear, need to learn to take less

[gav24]

Pirelli MT21's or Michelin T63? Didn't know that they have been allowed to breed?

Definately Michelin, sure they end 23, could be 63, sure its a 3...Ha Ha Ha! Anyway, round and black and knobbly!

[bart]

On Sunday we decided to head south early, in case the forecasted bad weather did turn up. We found an awesome windy sealed road off highway 50, then onto a track that folllows the Waipawa river.

29. Start of the track, discussing the meaning of life, or maybe the optimum tyre pressure for a white KLR front tyre. 5 psi might be a bit low.
30. Steve, coming out of the track.
31. On the Waipawa river. Luckily we don't have to cross.
32. Pourerere. The planned beach section was out. The forecasted storm was holding offshore, but was certainly stirring up a mean swell.
33. Somewhere near Porangahau.
34. Awesome hard packed gravel

[bart]

35. Tony
36. The Trooper
37. GPSman
38. GPSman's foot (airbrakes?)
39. That place with the really long name
40. Scrubbed in nicely. I'll get a couple more rides out of this.