Is it common in Napier for "Gotta spare helmet"?

[ckai]

I decided I'd finally do a decent haul on the bike (for the new one) and thought why not head to Hawke's Bay since the weather was gonna be so much better there in the weekend than in the Waikato.

So off we went, a mate who hadn't ridden his bike in 4 months, me and the partners in the "company" camper van. Left at 9am, arrived in Napier with decent weather at 5pm So you can clearly see we took our time.

What SHIT weather on the way though. I had the heated grips pumped at 75% and several layers under the leathers. Couldn't get to really enjoy the roads cause they were all wet (on the way back was a different story ).

Anyway, we park up on Marine Parade to go to the Info Centre so we could get an idea where to send the camper. Get off the bikes, and some early teens rock up "gotta spare helmet, bro?". Clearly not if you look.

Come back to the bikes after finding where we were going and we get the same question from some other kids, only this time they decided to ask while clearly my mate and I were in a conversation (interupting others conversation is a pet peeve of mine).

Off to the camp ground, park outside to discuss if it's gonna work, and AGAIN kids rock up, younger this time, and ask "Gotta spare helmet". These guys are younger so enlighten them with conversation instead of head-shakes, but again they talk while we're discussing things. So I ignore them a bit then up goes the hand for them to wait a second. The conversation stops when one of them started touching the bike while it's running. "Don't touch another person's bike, sorry", I say.

When we're about to leave, the customary "which one's faster" comes up and "do a wheely". No, I don't obliged as I'm yet to master the art of mono's.

This was only on the first day. There was more "Gotta a spare helmet" on Sunday. I wouldn't really have that much of an issue with it but NO other place have I been asked that when clearly I'm not carrying one and when they ask, they're generally standing RIGHT next to the bike. Makes me nervous

So is this just a Bay thing?

I always like waving to kids when they stand back and stare in awe Then their faces light up when you wave.

[Banditbandit]

Naa ... never struck that before .... Was in Napier meself this weekend gone ...

I'm surprised it took you eight hours to get to Napier ... and I went across the Napier/Taupo Road on Friday afternoon - it was cold but certainly not wet. Got wetter from Whakatane to Taupo than from Taupo to Napier ... It was wet in the hills on Saturday, but not too bad ... I was up in the high country close to the Napier/Taupo Road ..

Came home yesterday via Gisborne/Waioeka/Opotiki .. great ride except for the two cage drivers who had a go at killing me between Gisborne and Opotiki - one wandering across the white line just before Matawai and one low-slung European sports car in the Waioeke Gorge coming round a left-hand corner too fast to stay on their own side of the road ...

[sunhuntin]

have never had that anywhere. most unusual. i have seen hitchhikers stick their thumbs when im the only vehicle on the road and when im fully loaded with no room for anything never mind a passenger.

[yungatart]

Lived here nigh on twenty years and have never been asked that.
Prolly out-of-towners.....

Hope you enjoyed your stay here, and our weather. It was certainly great for riding, eh?

[Banditbandit]

have never had that anywhere. most unusual. i have seen hitchhikers stick their thumbs when im the only vehicle on the road and when im fully loaded with no room for anything never mind a passenger.

They're just kidding and wishful thinking ... most of the ones I've seen to that have a huge smile on their face ... they know you're not going to stop ... the last one I saw do that had a girlfriend ... and she did not look happy at all about what he did ..

[ckai]

Naa ... never struck that before .... Was in Napier meself this weekend gone ...

I'm surprised it took you eight hours to get to Napier ...

I was surprised as well. haha. The camper was only doing 100 max so we stuck with that pretty much the whole way. It pretty much rained for the whole of the Waikato. We stopped in Tirau for a few, then Taupo for a few longer (shopping), then our lunch stop was at least an hour. Plus random stops for my mate to decide he was too cold or too hot. I think on the way back it took 3.5 hrs.

have never had that anywhere. most unusual. i have seen hitchhikers stick their thumbs when im the only vehicle on the road and when im fully loaded with no room for anything never mind a passenger.

I had a hitchhiker as well do that. Had a giggle and tapped the back seat. They had to laugh.

Lived here nigh on twenty years and have never been asked that.
Prolly out-of-towners.....

Hope you enjoyed your stay here, and our weather. It was certainly great for riding, eh?

hahaha I wonder if it was just us. We were asked if we were part of a biker gang that was in town. Maybe it was code I wouldn't have thought a blue daytona and blue SV where "gang" types.

Yeah loved the stay and weather. We have friends that live in Havelock but we don't see them nearly as much as we should. Always good weather in the Bay Should head over there more to enjoy it.

[MSTRS:Me]

We were asked if we were part of a biker gang that was in town.

There were plenty of them in town. HB Harley Club poker run. About 450 bikes, all up.
I only saw patches from Satan's Slaves, Ara Toa and Outlaws.
Lots of Kinsmen and Lake Riders Taupo, but I don't think you'd call them gangs...

[monkey99]

Anyone recall the Police show when Constable McCranky_Pants pulled over that fella on the buggered up bike.. after dude intially ignored the Constables request.

McCranky then saw fit to rant and get all agro (legally correct) at this guys giving his younger Bro a lift etc etc

Well this struck a chord with the Magpie kids & its becoming a more common question now... "Gotta spare Helmet Bro?"

Blame trending in social media & youtube...

Still right to be nervous with some of the kids these days

[ckai]

Anyone recall the Police show when Constable McCranky_Pants pulled over that fella on the buggered up bike.. after dude intially ignored the Constables request.

McCranky then saw fit to rant and get all agro (legally correct) at this guys giving his younger Bro a lift etc etc

Well this struck a chord with the Magpie kids & its becoming a more common question now... "Gotta spare Helmet Bro?"

Blame trending in social media & youtube...

Still right to be nervous with some of the kids these days

ahhhh, well that would explain a lot.