Wellington Ride - Sunday 2 October

**Ms Piggy** · 2nd October 2005, 21:41

So no pics of the great day for me to cry over?

**James Deuce** · 2nd October 2005, 21:47

Well wasn't that just marvelous! I met a whole bunch of KBers (some of whom I've forgotten names already - it's an age thing - sorry) I'd never met before and learned a bunch of stuff about how to quietly crush someone's ego - eh Fryin Finn?

Str8jacket was retaining water and couldn't ride her bike, so she joined Paul in NZ and Stonechucker for a trip to the Pukemanu Tavern for lunch and excellent company. I hadn't taken any pictures at this stage, but Str8jacket reminded me that all KB ride pictures are a bit "samey", so I set out to get a couple of shots that were more about the people and the roads.

We had a huge mix of bikes and riders, ages, and capabilities, from Jeremy on the back of Dad's GTR1000 (really good kid - took the mickey out of himself when he found he'd put his shirt on backwards) through to fellas who prove the maxim, "youth is no replacement for experience". I was informed that I was leading the medium pace group, so I spent the trip over the Rimutakas being hassled by Norton Commandos and XJR1300s.

The Pukemanu Tavern's Garden Bar was swamped by KBers, but the kitchen managed to process us all. As you can see from the pictures it was quite the turn out.

**Slingshot** · 2nd October 2005, 21:53

Nice one Jim.

Did you manage to snap one of me & Mrs S coming down that hill?

**James Deuce** · 2nd October 2005, 21:59

The weather report was vaguely dodgy and it clouded over while we were at the pub. The sun poked its head out as soon as we decided to leave though, and as we'd shed some riders we picked the pace up a little. Our wee group had 2 x R6s (Niiiiice biiiike Slingshot, maaaaaate!), XJR1300, FZ1, RF900, SV650, a ZX636, VTR1000, and a BMW R100RS. 4 of the bikes had pillions (Slingshot's R6, and the last 3 bikes listed) and they all seemed to be having a cracking time.

Well, except Madboy and Mrs Madboy. You'll note that their photo below (lime green 636) is blurry. Nothing to do with shutter speed or aperture, and more to do with their mutual hangovers and slight disconnection from our reality.

The photos below were taken at the bottom of the other side of the Water Tower road, part of which is used for the NZ National Hill Climb champs. Very nice track that.

The wick got turned up for the ride into Masterton, but I still couldn't shake that bloody XJR. It was a bloody good trip all in all, and I was thrilled to meet Slingshot's bike, and to meet and ride closely with Fryin Finn. Very smooth, quick and safe. He also wanted to give the pilot of the Hilux SR5 who tried to run me off the road a seeing to, so he must be a good bloke.

Good stuff Slingshot, thanks for jacking that up, and well done on the turn out.

**James Deuce** · 2nd October 2005, 22:00

Originally Posted by Slingshot

Nice one Jim.

Did you manage to snap one of me & Mrs S coming down that hill?

Yep. One of your headlights is out. Bwahahahaaaa....

**Slingshot** · 2nd October 2005, 22:04

Originally Posted by Jim2

Yep. One of your headlights is out. Bwahahahaaaa....

I can't believe how many people have said that to me!!!

**James Deuce** · 2nd October 2005, 22:06

Get used to it.

**Velox** · 2nd October 2005, 22:50

Yep, cheers Slingshot!!!

All your hype earlier in this thread really did turn it into a huge turnout!
Hey btw - Was your bike from Sawyers? If it is, it used to belong to a mate of mine and crazylittleshit's. Heh heh - which I've taken it out boyracer baiting a couple of times

Quick report:
A few of us left Caltex kind of early on partly because we didn't want to get stuck behind the huge TSS group on the hill (pretty impressive turnout for them too!) and partly because it didn't seem like the briefing was going to happen (sorry Slingshot - perhaps we should have waited a bit longer). But we didn't realise that everyone else was going down around the lake so we just went to the pub and waited for ages for everyone to eventually turn up. And mate - what a pub! Such a laugh! The decor and bar stools were a total relic from the not-too-distant-enough past and there were 80's music videos playing on the TV!!! And "Blue senior" had his name on the wall for winning the Tui comp for the week. Loved it.

Anyway, kept riding, did the water-tower road, passed a swannie-clad crowd outside the Gladstone Pub for the pig hunting comp, then went to Wild Oats. Great cafe, they're obviously really trying to get bikers in there because they've occassionally given KBers free nibbles and they're set up a "Visor Cleaning Station" right in the middle of the cafe with a sign, paper towels and cleaning stuff!! Awesome eh?! Def worth supporting I reckon (if only their food was a bit cheaper though). Hooned back over the hill, had a slightly disturbing moment involving a rear tyre a corner and a greasy road, then on the way back home I finally bought some leather pants - woohoo (cheers Phleep)(you can all stop hassling me now)..

Really good to see a whole bunch of people - the usuals plus a whole lot of people I hadn't met before!

**Str8 Jacket** · 3rd October 2005, 06:22

Yep, I had a great time..... Thanks Paul for taking myself and SC out, I had a great time and as I was being "chauffered" I took full advantage of the $3.50 Pints- Yay

Was great to meet some new faces and great to catch up with the rest of you. Thanks for the photo's Jim (though I really thought i'd avoided you!)

Mrs Old Fart good luck for next week, you should have a ball on your new bike!
Thanks Slingshot for organising such a great event

- hopefully I'll be riding at the next one!

**Fryin Finn** · 3rd October 2005, 06:56

Phew!! - when I saw you take that picture behind me Jim I thought my bum might look too big - but you must have taken the photo from a flattering angle.
I really enjoyed the day specially the rark over the Tuka's and to put a few faces to the names on the web site. It's good to ride with riders of similar speed and compare the different lines the XJR takes compared with Norton Commando's and R6's.
The chicken was undercooked but havent had any accident's in the toilet department - so my bod must have effectively disposed the nasty bugs inherent in such produce.

**Charlie** · 3rd October 2005, 07:29

Fab ride! Cheers Slingshot!
As the least experienced rider in the pack and 1st time over the Tukers - big thanks to the "sight-seeing" group too.

Had a fantastic time!

**Slingshot** · 3rd October 2005, 08:17

Originally Posted by Velox

Hey btw - Was your bike from Sawyers? If it is, it used to belong to a mate of mine and crazylittleshit's. Heh heh - which I've taken it out boyracer baiting a couple of times

Yeah, the bike was from Sawers. Thanks for breaking it in for me

Have a word to him for me about all of that clear sticky shit he stuck all over the bike. A little bit of a blessing I guess as the bike looks almost new still. What's he riding now?

Originally Posted by Velox

partly because it didn't seem like the briefing was going to happen (sorry Slingshot - perhaps we should have waited a bit longer). But we didn't realise that everyone else was going down around the lake so we just went to the pub and waited for ages for everyone to eventually turn up.

Yeah, we were a little late arriving. Whoops.
Going around the lake was a last minute decision, mainly so we could avoid the TSS group but also because it's a great road.

**Velox** · 3rd October 2005, 10:10

Originally Posted by Slingshot

Yeah, the bike was from Sawers. Thanks for breaking it in for me

Have a word to him for me about all of that clear sticky shit he stuck all over the bike. A little bit of a blessing I guess as the bike looks almost new still. What's he riding now?

He's got a 04 (I think) Fireblade now. Did the shop keep that scuff stop stuff on it or did they rip it all off? It looks beeeeeautiful though eh. One of the best looking paint jobs I've seen *she says surpressing jealous comments*. How are you finding it - is it heaps diff to the CBR?

**Slingshot** · 3rd October 2005, 10:34

Originally Posted by Velox

He's got a 04 (I think) Fireblade now. Did the shop keep that scuff stop stuff on it or did they rip it all off? It looks beeeeeautiful though eh. One of the best looking paint jobs I've seen *she says surpressing jealous comments*. How are you finding it - is it heaps diff to the CBR?

They took most of it off but left a piece on either side of the lower front fairing (which we'll leave there) and a couple of peices around the back of the tank, one of which we took off and the other bit that we're yet to take off.

It's a totally different bike and it's going to take a little while to get use to it me thinks.