2004 Rusty Nuts 18th Grand Challenge - 1000 miles 24 hours

**Lee Rusty** · 27th November 2003, 13:45

Due to the interest created by the articles here and in Kiwi Rider and BRM magazines on this years Grand Challenge we are giving advance notice of dates for the 2004 Grand Challenge.
The event will start and finish in turangi Central NI and be held on 16th and 17th October - Only ten months to get your selves sorted out.

Details rustyinfo@rustynuts.co.nz

**matthewt** · 27th November 2003, 19:27

Hi Lee,

Why not put up the entry forms on your www site. Then people can download them directly.

**Lee Rusty** · 28th November 2003, 02:50

details and entry forms are on site under upcoming events and can be downloaded from there.

I havent put up 18 Grand Chalenge entry yet tho - will do so over the weekend

**Blackbird** · 28th November 2003, 16:31

Crikey Lee - we've only just got over the pain of the last one, haha

Geoff

**Big Dog** · 30th November 2003, 13:42

Originally posted by matthewt
Hi Lee,

Why not put up the entry forms on your www site. Then people can download them directly.

So you would be the Matthew T on a MV in BRM's follow up to the GC then?

I hope you had a good supply of haemerhoid cream handy!

If so a round of applase for the biggest "hardarse".

**Blackbird** · 30th November 2003, 13:51

It was my hands and wrists that took the hammering - the other end was well taken care of with a sheepskin!

**matthewt** · 30th November 2003, 14:46

Originally posted by Big Dog
So you would be the Matthew T on a MV in BRM's follow up to the GC then?

I hope you had a good supply of haemerhoid cream handy!

If so a round of applase for the biggest "hardarse".

Geez, I don't know. I've gone from a rich C**t to a Hardarse !!

Yup, a couple of photos of my MV in BRM and Kiwirider. The "Wasps" t-shirt in the kiwirider article on the GC is also me.

I should get the MV dealers to pay my gas as advertising

**matthewt** · 30th November 2003, 14:56

Forgot to say, arse came out of it OK'ish. Like Geoff and many other sensible riders I had a sheepskin seat. Wrists were a bit sore but not to bad. I finished the event around 10am and then rode home (from Turangi to Wgtn) in the afternoon after a wee snooze on the grass and some food.

I think on www.rustynuts.co.nz there is a photo of me crashed out on the grass sleeping.

**Blackbird** · 30th November 2003, 18:44

How are the new pipes Matt? Going to post a pic?

Geoff

**matthewt** · 30th November 2003, 21:20

Originally posted by Blackbird
How are the new pipes Matt? Going to post a pic?

New pipes are going really well. They make the MV sound like it should of out of the factory and gave a quite healthy HP increase.

I've got some photos at :

www.nitor.co.nz/family/pipes_w

or if you have a big screen and fast internet connection :

www.nitor.co.nz/family/pipes_l

I think Mark (from Neptune) has used a couple in his gallery now.

**Lee Rusty** · 2nd February 2004, 15:40

and early start numbers are being picked off. only 10 months to go.

gee some of you guys and girls are keen

**Kickaha** · 2nd February 2004, 16:10

Might have to look at doing that again, did it in 92 and 93 so I've had time to recover lol

**wari** · 2nd February 2004, 19:13

The MotoGP at Phillip Island is on about then ... but if my plans to attend that fall through I will seriously think about my "alternatives" ... and this one'll be on my list

**Blackbird** · 3rd February 2004, 06:03

Originally Posted by wari

... and this one'll be on my list

Good on you Wari. You'll learn more about riding and especially about yourself in 24 hours than you've ever done before

Geoff

**matthewt** · 18th October 2004, 21:22

Well the grand challenge was on last weekend.

The weather helped make it tougher than the other two I'd done. Some heavy rain on the way to Opotiki and the fog around Te Kuiti slowed us all down.

I rode up with mangell6 and dave (not on KB), saw Hitcher and Mrs Hitcher, Rider in Black and Jackrat. Not sure if any other KB'ers where there. Pretty sure I saw Velox, Melonman and a couple of others on the Desert road as we were heading to checkpoint #1.

The Brutale's fuel consumption added probably an extra 6 gas stops when compared with the other runs. Most of the legs were around 230k each so with a max range of 190 my refills where usually small ones to get me to the next checkpoint. To give a comparison Dave was on a VTR1000 firestorm which aren't the worst with fuel comsumption but hardly a saint either. The Brutale used about 40% more gas for the same mileage. I won't even try to compare against mangell's FZ1, that thing could run for days on smell of an oily rag!

All in all it was a good ride, everything up to Gisbourne was great and once the weather cleared on Sunday coming back from New Plymouth was a blast.

The attached photo's show:
1) the route, start by going south from the red dot (which I added)
2) everyone waiting inside for the start (those looking closely can see Hitcher and Mrs Hitcher)
3) collection of bikes outside
4) Dannevirke sunset (checkpoint #2)