A few Qs..

[franco]

Faze Bloke, I read the thread with the full intention of answering, but I keep getting distracted by your avatar! I watched her for a good couple of minutes before snapping out of it. Is that wrong?

Anyways, I tend to lane split only when there are no cops around. Some car drivers (mostly blokes) who see you coming can take exception to your advantage and may try to manuever their cars to squeeze you out. So like it's probably been said already, be careful, it's the cages who are your biggest threat not the cops.

Gangs? What gangs?

[Angry Puppy]

Thanks for the replys, guys. appreciated....

[Wonko]

I spilt when I need to get somewhere and if traffic is below 40, but I'm not in too much of a hurry, and still learning this bike. It's legal, to my knowledge,as long as you don't leave your lane. Mr plod may have a differnet view, so keep your eye's peeled.

Gangs usally keep to themselves, just keep your eye's open for the young guy's trying to prove themselves.

Pub's, anyone that you stop at.

[Batcerb]

I asked a traffic polcice guy about lanesplitting at a petrol station once.

He told me it was fine aslong as I stayed in the lane. and wasnt doing anything to make it unsafe(er) eg, dicing past at 100 when traffic is walkingpace.

By the looks of it, its probably down the the officers descretion. Personally i wouldnt hesitate to split even if there was a cop in the que ahead - aslong as im doing it safe.

[Nouseforaname]

I got a $300 fine for lane splitting about 2 years back, one fine for "overtaking on the left when prohibited" and one for "failing to indicate".

If you are gona split, make sure it is on the right hand side of that lane, it makes it hard though cos most drivers leave a bigger gap on their left side than their right. And also try not to cross over the centre line.... cos then you'll get a failing to indicate fine. The reason i got a "overtaking on the left when prohibited" fine was cos i was in the far right hand lane of the motorway but was passing with the car to the right of me.

Had some guy ( im pretty sure ) try knock me off on the northern this morning, i was watching his eyes and he had seen me coming up, then at the last moment he pulled right over to either block me..... or hit me. Owell i dont care... he was stuck in trafiic and his girlfriend was fugly..... so i guess i deserved it

[wkid_one]

And also try not to cross over the centre line.... cos then you'll get a failing to indicate fine.

Either that or reckless driving or failure to stay within your designated lane

[SPman]

Faze Bloke, I read the thread with the full intention of answering, but I keep getting distracted by your avatar! I watched her for a good couple of minutes before snapping out of it. Is that wrong?

- for that long its boring.

Wkid one's have got more class.....

[wkid_one]

- for that long its boring.

Wkid one's have got more class.....

Feel free to use them - I notice someone has picked up the EYE already~!

[spudchucka]

Not powerless, unwilling.
Lou

Sorry but I gotta dissagree with you. Gang members get targeted and locked up on every possible occassion. Last year a BP member got 5 years for "Participation in a Criminal Group".

[Zed]

Hi guys. As a newbie to New Zealand, I thought I'd ask you lot for your opinion on the following points;

Hi ya Bloke & welcome the the land of the looooong white cloud!

-The bikers I've seen in traffic don't really bother filtering and tend to queue with the cars. Is that a laid-back thing or is it too dangerous with the numties on the road over here?

Some of us filter while others dawdle behind long lines of rubberneckers (usually slowing right down to gawk at something extremely important like someone changing a tire!).

- Do the biker gangs (black power etc) give non-gang bikers any trouble or do they keep themselves to themselves?

Depends what town you're in in NZ...apparently it is not wise to ride or drive through a town like Ruatoria on the East Coast and stop to see the sights! Gang activity is more dominating in small rural towns in NZ rather than the bigger cities. I had a race with one of those BP gang members once when I owned my GSXR750...he rode like a real nutcase, passing cars over double yellow lines at high speeds and all- he thought he could beat me on his harley!

-Can anyone recommend any good biker/rock bars in Auckland/ North Shore? I've heard The Dogs Bollocks is pretty good. What do you guys think?

Cheers guys

Fazer Bloke

Take care out there (& in here )


Zed

[Grumpy]

Been riding awhile now and I have to say the gangs are alot better these days than back then. I remember having to ring the neck of my poor little 450 on more than one occasion when some gang member would object to me riding a japper past him, although I can't say it was ever too hard to keep in front of them then.These days they ride as though they are invincable.

They rode mainly British back then.

With a few obvious exceptions the "them and us" mentality doesn't seem to become as big an issue these days.

[What?]

Depends what town you're in in NZ...apparently it is not wise to ride or drive through a town like Ruatoria on the East Coast and stop to see the sights!

Urban myth here? I have been to, and stopped in, Ruatoria many times. Always found the locals perfectly friendly.
I have also never had any bother with either the mob or BP (this does NOT mean I have any time for the wankers, though). But... I would not like to get in between those two groups!! Some other gangs are a worry though - try to run jap bike riders off the road etc.

[SPman]

- try to run jap bike riders off the road etc.

Had that happen in the South island once! A couple of patched denizens decided to play chicken and play head ons! I thought "Fuck em", cracked up the throttle and aimed for them......amazing how fast they got back out of the way......

[Coldkiwi]

whether its a good idea to race nutters with big mates I dunno. if you loose, probably not a problem, if you win, don't do a rolling burnout around them to rub it in!

As for lane splitting, there are plenty who do it but i'd agree there's a bizarre lot that seem happy to sit behind all the cars all the time (if you're going to do that I'd take the a/c and radio over a less comfy bike seat!). I lane split profusely going home and coming to work and I pretty much don't stop unless i get to a VERY narrow gap or see a plod (or am approaching a likely plod hole- cue Meerkat style standing on pegs and looking around!)

Where do you commute from? there'll be someone on here who knows the usual hiding spots that can probably tell you where to look

[moko]

I didnt get any hassle from anyone in N.Z.,had a scruffy car slow down and loads of Maori kids stick their heads out and give it friendly "Hey brother" e.t.c. before a cheery wave and pulling away in Rotorua,still baffled by that one.Got asked to take my bike jacket off before being allowed into a pub in North Bay area,no hassle there at all despite being the only honky in the place,great people,good night.Only agro I saw was a couple of guys squaring up when I came out of the toilet cubicle,complete with mates backing the opponents up.Had that "oh shit" feeling as all heads turned my way but it was,"sorry man we`re in your way" and they parted to let me through.In British towns on weekend nights you walk everywhere watching your step and being attacked for no apparent reason is pretty much what goes on,really sad and one reason there`s a queue of Poms trying to get in.