TonyB's freedom ride ;-)

**Sniper** · 13th October 2005, 08:11

Ride safe guys. Sorry I can't come, Im umm, lost, yea that it, I lost my head........ help.

**ben444** · 13th October 2005, 08:42

I'm an idiot... :slap: :slap: :slap: :slap: :slap: :slap: :slap: :slap:

**Rashika** · 13th October 2005, 08:54

Originally Posted by TonyB

Hmmm, who's changing their story now then eh?
You know the conditions for that drink. But I'm sure I can manage a drink for you at Winchester.

well...DOH!

I is female aint I? Isnt that what you blokes EXPECT from us??

and actually all along it would have been a good ride to do, but had to work...so just had to make it tough for ya Tony!

**Sniper** · 13th October 2005, 14:55

So how did it go?

**Biff** · 13th October 2005, 15:46

Originally Posted by TonyB

Or theres a guy who's name start's with B. Iff he was, say, overseas you might be able to borrow his bike...

The Biffeth haveth returned. For a few weeks at least.

Aaron borrowed my bike once and rode it like a nana. He couldn't even manage to keep both wheels on the ground......

Trying to frig my diary to be available for this trip myself Tony. Room on the back for one more. Nice n comfy - and in case any budding pillions are nervous - I am the queen nana. Most of the time.

Edit - Shit, twas today!!

Trip report someone?

**TonyB** · 13th October 2005, 19:43

Just a quick note to say that Bren and I did the full loop, and we are back safe and sound... though one of us did nearly have a problem at a roundabout. Full report sometime tomorrow. But as proof for Rashika I submit photo's of my speedo. Morning and night. Was a hell of a ride and yes I will do it again!

**Rashika** · 13th October 2005, 21:26

Originally Posted by TonyB

Just a quick note to say that Bren and I did the full loop, and we are back safe and sound... though one of us did nearly have a problem at a roundabout. Full report sometime tomorrow. But as proof for Rashika I submit photo's of my speedo. Morning and night. Was a hell of a ride and yes I will do it again!

all that way and you had trouble at a ROUNDABOUT???
...and what happened to the 1000 kms? thats only 850, shoulda gone to ashvegas and back to top it off

wooops dont mean to be such a b***

**TonyB** · 14th October 2005, 05:46

Originally Posted by Rashika

all that way and you had trouble at a ROUNDABOUT???
...and what happened to the 1000 kms? thats only 850, shoulda gone to ashvegas and back to top it off

Yup, a roundabout. Only about 5 mins from home. There was a car that seemed to want to teach the bike a lesson, and a TonyB that took exception. In the process of teaching the car a lesson the bike got into a bit of a slide, which I duly corrected and then continued the lesson. It probably felt worse than it was...

To make it 1000 would have required going over to the coast as well. We'll do that next time (when you come) just for you.

Originally Posted by Rashika

wooops dont mean to be such a b***

Really? Perhaps it just comes naturally...

**Rashika** · 14th October 2005, 07:02

Originally Posted by TonyB

Yup, a roundabout. Only about 5 mins from home. There was a car that seemed to want to teach the bike a lesson, and a TonyB that took exception. In the process of teaching the car a lesson the bike got into a bit of a slide, which I duly corrected and then continued the lesson. It probably felt worse than it was...

uhuh...ya mean you was trying to be a smartarse and cocked it up huh??

Originally Posted by TonyB

Really? Perhaps it just comes naturally...

oooooo you dont know YET how naturally luvvie

about to have a quiet word to M now

**Rashika** · 14th October 2005, 07:02

Originally Posted by Biff

The Biffeth haveth returned. For a few weeks at least.

oh yeah and welcome back Biff boy

**TonyB** · 14th October 2005, 07:04

Originally Posted by Rashika

uhuh...ya mean you was trying to be a smartarse and cocked it up huh??

That pretty much sums it up. That roundabout it often slippery. Shoulda known betterer.

**TonyB** · 14th October 2005, 08:59

Right, if Rashika will stop hassling me for 5 mins,

I'll try and do a write up.

I've been wanting to get the forks on the FZR rebuilt for some time now. They effectively have no damping. That parts had arrived, but there was no time to rebuild them before the ride, so bought some 20 wt fork oil from Dirt Action Services (top blokes!) and bunged it in during lunch and smoko at work on my last day. Once it was in things definitely approved somewhat. Went home and threw some gear in a bag, stapped it on the back, checked the engine oil and then was ready to go.

Thursday morning the kids woke us up at about 5:15am. Wandered outside at 5:40 to find it warm with a gentle Norwest. The DRY southerly change (see! they do exist Rashika!) arrived at around 6. Helped MrsB get the kids off to preschool and then headed off for the nearest BP to fill her up with Ultimate. Bike seems to lurve that stuff

The pumps were all in use and it was taking forever for anyone to return to their cars. The somewhat familiar looking girl on the till told me eftpos was down all over the country... and then invited me to a party on Saturday night. Scared witless I took off

Trundeled into the meeting spot to find it devoid of other bikes. Hmmm. Looked at the cell phone- two voice messages.... and no minutes. After having some difficulty getting the thing to actually top up I managed to receive a 2 day old message from MrsB.... and got Brens one just as he rolled in. No sign of Ben444 or OAB. hmm. As I hadn't heard from Ben444 for a few days I figured he was a no show, but what had happened to OAB?? Tried everything I could to get hold of him, to no avail. So at 8:30 we gave up, left a message with the servo attendant and then hit the road, as time was getting on and the weather was slowly getting worse.

So we hit the road and headed for Kiakoura. A highway patrol car was doing a u-turn at the State Highway 7 turn off, to head back to Chch. He saw Bren and I. Was quite funny watching him try to decide wether or not to follow us. Fortunately he didn't. Not the we were speeding of course. Bren rode like a complete nanna all the way to Cheviot, dropping back at every corner. Then he stopped at Cheviot and looked at his rear tyre, proclaiming it now scrubbed in. Then he took off and nailed it thru the next few corners... oh, I see. All that time out at the track riding with the superbike boys while the rest of us are WORKING has definitely paid off- thru the Hunter Lees he set a cracking pace and I was working bloody hard to keep up. Got to the top with a massive case of arm pump- holding on too bloody tight AGAIN. Bren pulled over and let me go past but the arm pump was so bad I was having trouble. Shit I was knacked already and still had a looooong way to go! Pulled into Kaikoura and Bren made it pretty clear he needed to eat, so we stopped for a bit. Then Bren informed me that he still had no grip on the throttle and was 'cruising'.

This is where I worked my evil manipulation. Bren had seen the road ahead and thought it looked good. The weather ahead looked good as well said I. If you turn back you'll have to ride into the wind and cold again said I. That was enough. Bren decided to go the Blenheim. The wind was blowing pretty hard, and Bren had some problems with it, but with 20 extra kg the FZR barely noticed. Sometimes weight helps I guess. From about Ward into Blenheim is a magic bit of road. I'd love to be able to ride it hard without fear of getting pinged... Once we got past the end of the Seaward Kaikouras and their foot hills the weather became warm and sunny. At the rail/road bridge a bike came up behind us. Think it was an XJR1300. On a long straight the rider blasted past us and fucken near killed himself- he can't have seen the grey people mover coming the other way- honestly thought we were about to watch him and the people in the people mover die. At the last possible monet he finally saw it and swerved, while the driver of the pople mover did the same. Then the silly cock turned left down a side road seconds later... no doubt to scrape his undies clean... We got to Blenhiem, refueled and did some texting. At this point we found out what had happened to OAB. Erm... I'll leave that for him to tell. Bren had forgot his phone, so I texted his lady at the number he gave me. Wrong one wasn't it...

Again I managed to easily convince Bren to carry on to Nelson. Leaving Blenheim we had what appeared to be a plain clothes cop car baiting us. It turned out it was just some wanker in what was probably a company car- blues shirt, but no lights in the back window. So we let him get in front and then quietly dispatched him once we hit some open road traffic. We stopped at Pelorus to get some pics for proof, then carried on. Bren wanted to stop AGAIN at Rai Valley to top up. I assured him he had enough fuel, but I can understand why he was concerned- we was running track gearing and using a fair bit more juice than me. While the FZR was turning at about 4000 revs at 100, the Blade was doing 5,500 or more. I had forgotten just what a fantastic bit of road it is from Rai to Nelson. Awesome high speed sweepers with nice camber, and then you hit the Wangamoas, which would be a Sprotbikers wet dream except for the very rough surface and diesel.... I had a bit of a slide in some left over grit while well laid over. Thank god for longish wheelbases and slow steering- wasn't a problem.

Nelson was hot and fine.... as were some of the residents.

Couldn't find any Ultimate, so we filled up with whatever came to hand. I put 91 in, which I have always used as 91 has been recommended to me as 96 is supposed to be dirty. The bike ran rougher and the low rev splutter returned. Hmmm. More texting. Poor old OAB's tale of woe had me feeling quite sorry for him- it certainly would have pissed me off, but I think he will eventually find it funny.... I hope. We headed off for Murchison. Now I was in familiar territory as I have ridden or driven this road many many times. We continued our method of going quick in the bends and cruising on the straights- works well. Hooned over the Hope Saddle, and for the first time EVER I took the down hill off camber right hander on the south side quickly and with complete confidence. It feels horrible in a car, and it's always felt horrible on a bike too, but yesterday I finally got it right. Was a great feeling! And then we got to just about my favourite stretch of road anywhere- the realignment from Glenhope to Kawateri Junction. Shit that is an awesome bit of road. Continual flowing left-right-left-right high speed sweepers, ending in a nasty dreasing radius 65k corner (watch that one).

Rolled into Murchison, refueled with 96 (went better), and had some kai and a coffee. More bloody texting. Must have been 24°C- it was a fantastic day anyway. Bren took some more pics and then we hopped over to the Maruia Falls so Bren could take a look. Only a few K's up the road the temp dropped markedly and there was rain about. We encountered about 5mins of light showers and then the temp went up again at Springs. Bren topped up and then we blasted off up the Lewis Pass. A sign saying "Ice/Grit" and some evidence of the latter spoiled it a bit, but it was still a good ride. Down the south side, which is a fabulous bit of road, and then on towards Hamner. Oops, that looks like rain. Took a while to get to it, but yep it was. Didn't really hit it till we got to the Amuri Basin though. In the mean time we came upon a truck. So what? THIS truck did something rather amusing! There is a 55k down hill off camber S bend that is marked with big "SLOW DOWN" signs. The bin truck and trailer we were behind took the corner WAY too fast. The trailer actually drifted/slid, hanging out behind the truck, effectively blocking the other lane as it swept through. I could hear the tyres howling and smell the rubber burning. If anything had come the other way they would be dead. Somehow the driver kept it all together without rolling or crashing or even loosing any speed. He had a sheepish look on his face as we past...

As mentioned it rained/drizzled thru the Amuri Basin. I really need a new visor with a pinlock system. I had forgotten to do the old sunrise liquied trick before leaving home, and now couldn't see a thing! Bloody thing fogged up and if I had cracked the visor open I know from experience there would have been water on the inside of the visor too. We filled up at Culverden and carried on. As hoped, the rain cleared as we left the basin, and then we cruised back to Chch. The motorway was fairly empty and Bren looked keen for a roll on contest, so I gave the countdown and we took off in top gear... or at least I was. The FZR surged ahead by a bike length or so and stayed there. I let the revs build to just before the point where the power/torque really kick in, and then shut down for fear of loosing my licence etc. Bren came up along side and asked what gear I was in- "me 4th" he said. 4th?!?! With track gearing?!?!?! BWARHARHARHARHAR!!! The FZR rules!.... or did.... a very long time ago....

Then I had my little incident at the roundabout. No harm done. Arrived home feeling remarkably fresh... as MrsB found out later

Got the kids off to bed, had a shower, and slept the sleep of a very happy and content biker.