Kicking Kickaha's XJ....by a girly

[Rashika]

hmmm..interesting day yesterday.

After watching all these guys race at Levels on Saturday, I was of course, exceedingly JEALOUS, not having even been on a bike since Feb.
(feb was when i took out the Buell for a 5 hour test ride ...thanks AMPS guys again...damn I'd love that bike but its just a couple of Gs outa my range)

Anyway, Dangerous being a nice chap...(yes I know you all think otherwise, but under it all he is a sweetie ...yeah thought so anyway, wondering after yesterday )...decided that we should get together with some of the other guys and get out for a ride on what became an incrediably warm NW day here in Canty.
So I said...um ...what about me?
Ah we'll find you something he said.....yeeeeaaaaahhhh

ok, so I race away to collect gear, feed mutt and cats...general household shit, and meet back at his place. Then we head off to......Kickahas...yes you're probably getting that sinking feeling about now

So we get there and i take a look at my ride....hmm...XJ 550, 1982
...Ok so looks CAN be deceiving, and I have a positive attitude, so i mount up and head off after saying bye to Joni and Kickaha.
Yep goes fine till I get a block away, then dies....no prob, start again...then dies, ...ah no prob, start again.............then dies again....#$$%^&^%
Right ya wee MF, START and STAY STARTED.....and it does!

So now Im heading out on the highway ...it actually goes damn well for a 23 year old machine, not the greatest riding position but I can manage that. About now is when i discover only the one wingmirror, and the one and only as damn small, I guess K has eyes in the back of his head? So after lots of looking around to see where the F**k the other traffic is I'm hooning along, and manage to get back to Dangerous's place safely....meeting him there so he can collect his bike and wait for the others.
D arrives and decides to check tyres etc on both bikes so takes the XJ to the servo....comes back shaking his head, and crossing himself that HE doesn't have to ride it.....(getting that sinking feeling again)
Nah, she'll be right, says I.
Bif arrives, and we're off...pick up another bike along the way (Glen) and head out to the hilltop for a beer. Taitapu, they leave me behind, ah well what can you expect really 3 bloody 1000's vs a 550, no fkg chance, but i tried hard to catch em
Admittedly they did wait for me a little, so i wouldn't get lost....but damn it felt good to be riding again, and it REALLY does handle ok...esp after I have spent the last 10 years on a cruiser not a sportsbike, so I'm used to having to actually STEER round corners. Ok so the no fairing meant I was at times literally hanging on for dear life, but I've got strong shoulders ...and if I went into racing mode by kissing the handlebars it was ok doing 140 along the straights.
Masses of bikes on the road....I was surprised, 'tis mid winter after all...got to the hilltop and it was...CLOSED...what the??? How bloody STUPID of them, they woulda done a roaring trade and not just bikes, lotsa cars as well...ah well their loss.

So back to Little River pub for a drink (deliberately forgetting the wee hiccup i had on the corner at the top of the pass) and a looksee at all the bikes there. BUT i have to note...not ONE other female rider, few pillons but not a one rider (when we where there anyway)...HA...I must be tough, where are you all?????
So heading back home...notice a wee red light come on a couple of times...hmm was that the oil light??
Meet the guys again at the turnoff to Gebbies pass, tell them abt it...not to worry goes D, only worry if it stays on. Okay so we leave again....comes on again...and off, then on...and stays on, F**k I'm thinking, so better safe than sorry and stop the bike, and wait for the others to come back for me. They must be fast cos it only took a few minutes and they were long gone before I stopped. Decided to call Kickaha's Roadside assistance for info.....nah dont worry he says...ok So I just blank out the red light which is zoning in on my eyes all the damn time now and carry on. Now I love that bit of road Gebbies thru gov bay (my old home) and up the sign kiwi, windy uphill, lovely corners...just felt good. And the XJ did fine, had to do some quick gear changes when not quite enough ooomph, but it did well.
Although by this time whoever was behind me was bitterly complaining about the smoke....hmm...what smoke?? I didnt see nuthn
So back to chch, wave to guys after D required an emergency stop at Glens...why do you guys have such a problem holding it?

Cruising along and D says, turn ya lights on....what? they are! says I
Yep sure enough lights dead....dusk in chch, not the best time to not have a headlight, esp along the motorway back to kickaha's place....blimmin cop there too, luckily pulling up some other sod already...phew...got back before complete dark...yehaa! Thanked Kickaha profusely for the loaner, jumped on the back of D's bike and hung on damn tight for the race back to chch....geez hadn't I been scared ENOUGH for one day! Nah kidding I LOVED IT!

So there ya have it...my excursion on Kickaha's XJ...exciting, fill of thrills and scares...thank fuck I made it home!
Sorry no pics of this one.....will have to get some tho.

[Ms Piggy]

Great write up! That old beast doesn't do too bad aye!

[TonyB]

Nice write up. You shoulda handed back the XJ with a deceased motor- that's what Kickaha normally does...

[Rashika]

Great write up! That old beast doesn't do too bad aye!

yeah it did good really, I was surprised sometimes as how much speed i could get out of it, and the cornering was good too...mind you I am used to less, so more is always good!

Nice write up. You shoulda handed back the XJ with a deceased motor- that's what Kickaha normally does...

I tried
...I mean oil light on ALL the time, smokey exhaust and dead headlight...mind you it was smokey before, cant blame me for that one

[SDU]

hmmm..interesting day yesterday.
BUT i have to note...not ONE other female rider, few pillons but not a one rider (when we where there anyway)...HA...I must be tough, where are you all?????

Some of us had to work (yes I ride to work) while ya all get ta have fun in the sun.
Glad ya got to have a blast and survived the
Cheers
Sdu

[Rashika]

Some of us had to work (yes I ride to work) while ya all get ta have fun in the sun.
Glad ya got to have a blast and survived the
Cheers
Sdu

yeah i know there are a few out there...I was honestly surprised not to see one..at least when we stopped anyway, next time I guess...and lets hope I have my own bike by then
Much as I LUV the XJ...

[FROSTY:Me]

great report on a good ol bike--Ya musta had a good time--you diddn't pause for breath lol

[Rashika]

great report on a good ol bike--Ya musta had a good time--you diddn't pause for breath lol

geez how could I? If I did that I'd never catch up....mostly I could *just about* keep one person in sight, and these are long open roads, with big sweeping corners....sigh...roll on the new bike

[gav]

Yeah, great day yesterday, apparently I was going the other way to you guys, left about 12 ish from Papanui and thought, mmm beer, hilltop, and yip it was closed!! Carried on into Akaroa, a few bikes about. Had a quick lunch then headed back, seems most people were out for a ride later on as there were heaps of bikes going the other way. Apparently we passed somewhere around Birdlings flat....

[Joni]

I was worried for a minute as you pulled out. Good to hear you had a good time.

Nice write up btw...

[Kickaha]

Anyway, Dangerous being a nice chap

No he isn't

Then we head off to......Kickahas...yes you're probably getting that sinking feeling about now

So we get there and i take a look at my ride....hmm...XJ 550, 1982
...Ok so looks CAN be deceiving

Yeah it's a fucking weapon I tell ya

Yep goes fine till I get a block away, then dies....no prob, start again...then dies, ...ah no prob, start again.............then dies again....#$$%^&^%
Right ya wee MF, START and STAY STARTED.....and it does!

I don't ever have a problem with it, so you must have broken it

D arrives and decides to check tyres etc on both bikes so takes the XJ to the servo....comes back shaking his head, and crossing himself that HE doesn't have to ride it

That's cause he's a soft Honda rider

Biff arrives, and we're off...pick up another bike along the way (Glen) and head out to the hilltop for a beer. Taitapu, they leave me behind, ah well what can you expect really 3 bloody 1000's vs a 550, no fkg chance, but i tried hard to catch em

It might suprise you to know there's a couple of those I can keep up with going up the hill, you weren't trying hard enough

Ok so the no fairing meant I was at times literally hanging on for dear life, but I've got strong shoulders ...and if I went into racing mode by kissing the handlebars it was ok doing 140 along the straights.

It'll do a indicated 180 if you try hard enough(closed private road of course)

So heading back home...notice a wee red light come on a couple of times...hmm was that the oil light??
Meet the guys again at the turnoff to Gebbies pass, tell them abt it...not to worry goes D, only worry if it stays on. Okay so we leave again....comes on again...and off, then on...and stays on,

Just ignore it, I always do

Although by this time whoever was behind me was bitterly complaining about the smoke....hmm...what smoke?? I didnt see nuthn

Fuck them,if they were any good at riding they wouldn't be behind you

Cruising along and D says, turn ya lights on....what? they are! says I
Yep sure enough lights dead....dusk in chch, not the best time to not have a headlight, esp along the motorway back to kickaha's place....blimmin cop there too, luckily pulling up some other sod already...phew...got back before complete dark...yehaa!

You bloody broke it again,last time I let you use one of my immaculately prepared bikes

[dangerous]

yeah hey good ride aye guys, bloody odd weather considering the time of the year..... and whats with all the closed pubs in our stomping ground?

Rule number 1.... never follow a 82 XJ with over 100,000k on it, you'd swear there was a cocky doing a burn off up the rd
Cheers for the use of it kickaha, grand oll girl that she is.

Enjoyed the ride on my storm, the 1st time its been out (cept when Kick went for a blast on it) in over 6 weeks as I've been burning rubber on a new K4.
After racing at Levels the day before on the bucket/RS which have race patten gear boxes I stuffed up a couple a times in the hills on the Storm
On the way back I swaped with Biff and took the Biff Bird mk2 for a spin.... awesome machines them XX's for touring on, even managed a wheelie or two aye Biff sorry (very very smooth)
Any way after the wee red light thing on the XJ I got back on the Storm and Biff swaped with 30UTD and took the K4 for a trash... and at the end of that he was looking a bit white

No he isn't

You bloody broke it again,last time I let you use one of my immaculately prepared bikes

yes I am right back at ya

immaculate huh? LMFAO........ there was 1 immaculate part....... the new speedo cable, well at least the top was still as the rest was covered in all kinds a crap already

[Rashika]

I was worried for a minute as you pulled out. Good to hear you had a good time.

Nice write up btw...

nah I was okay....ok maybe a little nervous but it didn't show much did it? Not like the blokes noticed as they buggered off??

It was a good day
...I'm guessing you got home okay, and you looked like you'd enjoyed the visit down here too

[Rashika]

No he isn't
Yeah it's a fucking weapon I tell ya

It might suprise you to know there's a couple of those I can keep up with going up the hill, you weren't trying hard enough

It'll do a indicated 180 if you try hard enough(closed private road of course)

Fuck them,if they were any good at riding they wouldn't be behind you

You bloody broke it again,last time I let you use one of my immaculately prepared bikes

bloody weapon alright...suicidal weapon!
yeah i reckon you could def keep up with people up hill at least...but not me, i aint that good a rider, esp on a bike I dont know
And when i hit 140 I kinda thought...hmm...better leave it at that, the thing could possibly explode under me, knowing your previous history of bikes you have riden
...and I think broke itself (it certainly had a mind of its own!), I just helped it along a little...actually I think Dangerous musta done it while I wasn't looking, ya know what he's like

After having said all that I still wanna say thanks for letting me use it

[dangerous]

So we get there and i take a look at my ride....hmm...XJ 550, 1982
...Ok so looks CAN be deceiving,

LOL..... not in this case, look what I found in the KB gallary, pitty you dident have the luxury of the fairing

BTW, this bike has a novel way of checking the oil level.... the dip stick is found in the end of the exhaust pipe, was found to be full