Who's heading down?
As usual, we will be riding a good chunk of the DB route, minus the dust.
Ping me a PM if interested.
XF
PS: Real men tent it.
Registered User
Who's heading down?
As usual, we will be riding a good chunk of the DB route, minus the dust.
Ping me a PM if interested.
XF
PS: Real men tent it.
Making James May look quick...
F**kin earthquake
Still don't have a seat for my big tank thanks to KTM's inability to supply and shipping from USA is prohibitive so I'd be stopping for gas every five minutes. Not a happy camper
But the bike itself is awesome
Sometimes you wish it was easier, but if it was, everyone else would do it, then you remember you don't want to be like everybody else!
In Search of New Gravel ......
I see your old bike is still on TM so why not take that instead ?Originally Posted by timg
F**kin earthquake
Stu
My KLR thinks it's a Hyundai - running happily at the red-line hour after hour.....
Making James May look quick...
Hi Stu, Have Deb's parents relocated with us due to the quake and their health issues relating to that is wot's keeping me away fromI see your old bike is still on TM so why not take that instead ?
Stu
Sometimes you wish it was easier, but if it was, everyone else would do it, then you remember you don't want to be like everybody else!
now where's some dirt!
Which route will you take back? Might be keen to join you depending on which route you are taking. I'm not going to be at the brass but might be able to come for a ride on Sunday.
Registered User
PM me your cell # & I'll let ya know our Sunday route once we get to the Rally.
MotoFXR's will rule the world!
get to the rally ya poofta!
Its harder to lose weight than gain horsepower.
now where's some dirt!
Yeah will do.
Can't, got night shift on Fri and Sat.
MotoFXR's will rule the world!
Will the computer not run the place for you, no management around so whats the problem?
Its harder to lose weight than gain horsepower.
Registered User
Last minute R&M - bloody steering head bearings. They were very "notchy" & probably never been serviced. A fair bit of smashing & pressing to get the bottom one off. Hopefully get it all back together tomorrow night.
Monkey weather forcast isn't very 'brass'. This should be a cruisey one.
Making James May look quick...
Ya need one of thesehttp://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/List...x?id=379735725 Have a great trip.
Sometimes you wish it was easier, but if it was, everyone else would do it, then you remember you don't want to be like everybody else!
Coasting
Have a good ride boys
Registered User
Just 3 bikes in our group – Pete on GS650, Craig on 690 & my XF.
All set to leave Friday morning but my bike wouldn’t start. While changing steering head bearings I had pinched the throttle return cable, causing the engine to flood – lost 2 hours sorting that out, an omen perhaps?
McKenzie Country & Haka Pass was surprisingly dry, with a thick fog in the Haldon Valley that turned the dust on ya visor into mud.
Re-tightened headstock in Kurow then took the guys through the Kurow Creek loop.
Dansey’s was a breeze compared to last year, although once again it was dark by the time we got to the pub. Stayed in Ranfurley Fri night.
Saturday morning we shot across the Maniototo Plain & hit Onslow Rd. It was very greasy at first but across the tops was fantastic – fast & predictable.
Our intention was to loop around to Clarks Junction & come back to the Rally via the Dunstan Trail. However half way along the Millennium Trail the GS stopped, with not enough juice for the electric leg. We managed to push start it a couple of times but eventually it died completely. Trying to check the HT terminals was a mission – where the hell is the battery??
Found it !!
We soon worked out the bike needs a min voltage to run the fuel pump etc & the battery simply wasn’t up to it. So while Pete & Craig pushed the GS out to Beaumont, I rode down to Lawrence to try to get a new battery. No luck there so next I tried the Millers Flat & Roxborough garages but with same result. Seems they only get in bike batteries to order these days. Rang Shrek @ Roxborough who kindly offered his spare 1150GS battery but it was simply too big to fit – thanks anyway Keith.
Rode on to Alexandra & being public holiday weekend, the only guy who was able to help was Graham @ Two Wheels (top bloke), who let me take a couple to try. It was dark by the time I got back to Pete, who by now was residing at the Beaumont Pub while Craig had carried onto Dunedin. Sadly one battery was too tall & the other too fat. No worries, we would have our own Rally at the Pub while planning our next move. Turns out I knew the Licensee through work & we had quite a convivial night. Great hosts & I’d recommend a visit - sooner than later if the next Clutha Dam goes ahead because most of Beaumont will be under water! While yarning with the locals we found out there was a sparkie in Lawrence who worked from home, so next morning we borrowed a vehicle & trailered the GS there. He rigged up a car battery & leads from Pete’s luggage bag & shit hot, the GS was going again. Shot back to the pub to pick up our gear, then rode to Alex to drop off the borrowed batteries.
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With Pete being a Brass virgin I insisted we head home via the Rally site & got a pic of what remained of the bonfire. The only guys still there were a couple of hard cases on a 1969 Gnat, waiting to be picked up because of a broken chassis. They had driven that overloaded (mostly beer) beast to the Rally via the Dunstan Trail & obviously had a ball.
Back through Dansey’s (much better in daylight) & Pete was really getting into the groove of this gravel riding lark. Decided not to tackle Blackforest with a car battery bouncing around in his luggage, so headed home via Clarksfield Rd & the Waimate white horse lookout.
OK, we missed the actual Brass Monkey Rally but at least we now know that trickle chargers / tenders can hide the fact that a battery is deteriorating!
Anyway it was a pleasure showing an Adv newbie some of our backcountry roads & main thing is he’s keen to go back to ride what we missed.
Finding new ways to fall off
You put the hex on ya self mate! - sometimes those sort of trips are the bestsounds like you had a great time all things considered
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