Grand Challenge Ride Report

[mangell6]

My ride report will soon appear here and it was good to see so many KBrs and others again.

Trip was over a few new roads and the luxury liners were out in force as well as some other odds and sods.

So who were the KBrs attempted the Grand Challenge and what are there comments about their experience.

Mike

[mangell6]

Another year and the only long ride was back at the beginning of May, otherwise it has just been commuting.

Am I ready for this, I must be as Dave has committed me by saying he is doing it and I cannot let him do the ride on his own.

I arrange to swap around my four day week to have Friday off and arrive in Turangi determined to get the FZ1 scrutineered early, Dave has trouble getting his bike serviced in Wellington, has left early Friday morning to get the VTR serviced in Wanganui and then for a preparation ride travels up the Paraparas.

We meet up at Turangi get the bikes checked over, speak to a few new people, catrhc up with some others like RIB who has completed his customary prep ride from Whangarei to get to Turangi, what a man!

Saturday has showers coming through from the west, we all get drizzled on as we wait for the 2:30 briefing, strange man KiwiRider is roaming around with camera and is introduced at the rider briefing and a group photo is taken.

One hundred and six riders will be taking part, impressive, we all listen to Lee give his customary 'talk' and then its back to 'gear-up' to await the start. Sitting in all your gear you heat up rapidly, a combination of nwervousness and from the sun and then its 3:06 eight riders are away together to the first "Time Check" at a place I'd never heard of, "Otewa".

Taumaranui first, standard road, turn right to SH4 and now we are looking out for the "Signpost" to Ongarue / Waimiha. This is a new piece of road for me and even though HR reckons its more suited to sports 250s I would go back for another look. This will take us through to SH30 and then onto Te Kuiti. A few riders stop at the Ongarue township intersection wondering which way to go as the study theor maps, me I just looked at the sign post as I went past and followed the arrow that pointed to Waimiha. A lovely tight second gear twisty road that follows the main trunk line, great fun works the muscles really well.

Reaching TeKuiti it was onto the next 'tricky' piece and what fun that was. There were the Te Kuiti children standing on the side of the road waving as we went past and (hopefully) we all waved back. Out of TeKuiti there were raod works, with signs that said 'washout' one which should have said DROP!!!! I was travelling behind a ducati and two HDs when the Ducati rider sort of stood up, the HD riders applied brakes and I slowed down and then stood on the pegs to "negotiate" the 3mtr deep washout, actually it was about foot deep and SHIT!!!!!! THen it was around some corners with dark patches that was actually pea gravel, one rider wondered why the GW in front of him drifted out on a corner and then did the same, well they did say road works and you could see enough evidence all over the place. As we travelled to the stop there were more farm children waving at the bikes as we lesuirely cruised past giving them the thrill of the wave. At the end of the road turn to the other right had us at the Otewa Hall where the 'timecheck' was. RIB was busy filling up as he had got excited on these South Waikato roads and used a bit more fuel than he anticipated.

[mangell6]

From Otewa it was on to Otorohanga, Kihikihi, Putururu, up the Kaimais. Now this was the first time that I had been UP the western side of the Kaimais on a bike since they finished them and man what fun, an empty road, on my side at least, and always trying to keep to the single lane. knee sliders would have been really good but putting a fresh tear in the waterproof overtrousers would not have been good. Over the top and the a Falcon Ute passed us which we latched on to while he played catcher for us doen the Kaimais until the first CP at Tauriko.

From Tauriko it was over the new SH36, back road from Tauranga to Rotorua, SH30 to Whakamaru, and then to the second CP at Turangi. This was a good ride except for the hare that could not decide which side of the road to be on as we all came round a righthand corner. I felt him clip my right boot as I went past, he was on the left side of the road when I saw him!!!

From Turangi it was to Gisborne we headed. Now there are three things about this leg which are interesting. The first is that when travelling at a comfortable 'riding to the road conditions' speed on the Napier to Taupo highway, three wisemen cruise on past and then you decide why not. After a bit of why not travelling you decide that fuel will be an issue and go back to your comfortable 'riding to the road conditions' speed just to reach Bayview. The second is that having your chain come off on the way to Wairoa its good to have other riders stop for you, no not me, and the third is that when we came through Gissie last year was that the same people we saw 'cruising' the streets in the early hours of the morning??

It was through this part of the ride that I began the usual ' why am I doing this, won't be doing another' thinking which ewventually went away as I was annoyed with the bike shop for putting my headlights at the correct WOF height. This is actually slightly too low for my night riding, up slightly and I do not need spotlights, Bugsplat should know what I am talking about.

From Gisborne it was to the Mount for the next CP, via Awakino, follow SH2 to BayFair Caltex. All the riders from last year had thoughts of the downpour that occured through the gorge and were dreading the profetic words from Lee Rusty at the briefing about 'showers' that were forecast for Gisborne. Thankfully there was nothing of the sort and the ride to was uneventful apart from getting something that made my eyes sting so bad that I had to stop to let my eyes water to wash out waht ever it was and one very little piece of road where the 30km road works sign was REAL!!! They had ripped up SH2 north of Edgecombe! For the previous thousand kilometres of the trip the road works signs were for little pieces on the sides and this wasn't and the majority of people would have been going a leeetel bit faster than the stated limit. It was a case of hold on and let the bike manage things while you attempted to slow down. When we stopped for gas at Opotiki there were a few of us riding together and I suggested that I should ring my mother at the Mount to have breakfast ready for us all. Waking her at 4am would not have endeared me at all.

The Mount was a nice stop with the sun coming up and heading away to whip over the hills to Rotorua, onto Waiouru and Fields Track, finally I get to see it in the daylight. By Rotorua I was feeling the lack of sleep and nutrition, pressed on to get to the planned breakfast stop at Taupo and didn't make it. We stopped at Waiotapu for a Maketu Pie and coffee, watching Bugsplat, Holy Roller and a few others cruise on past.

Waiouru is reached after Taupo, Turangi and the Desert Road are negotiated, don't ask what happened I don't know. Fields track was reached and my it looks different, really different, really really different. The first 'event was finding a rider returning saying that 'this isn't the right road' most turn around but one seasoned rider on his two stroke ignores him and carries on, we all eventually follow. Now Fields track is a road I will recommend just to say you have ridden it. The road is grand, has been resealed so that there is now no clay appearing through the tarseal, daylight does not have the sheep and other livestock sleeping on the road and they have road signs trelling you what speed to take the corners at so you can speed up!!

The fourth checkpoint was reached, deeds done and on for the final leg. The FZ1 had had a familiar rattle appear after the crossing the track so I stopped in the Paraparas to tighten the petrol tank bolt, a little bit of fun. Then for a really good 'fang' through the Paras, or as fast as one can with more road works and then it was slow for Raetihi back up to Highway speed to National Park, a right into SH47 and then it was Turangi.

Cor, made it, One thousand miles and a little more, ever noticed how much extra detail is at the beginning of a report about a ride like this. Dave was most concerned that his odometre was showing that he was two kilometres short so he hopped back on the VTR and completed them. I said that we have done the ride, but he said he would feel better knowing that he had done the distance according to his bike.

Doing it again next year - yep, have the 'Icon Ride' in March '06 to save and plan for in the mean time.

[Holy Roller]

and one very little piece of road where the 30km road works sign was REAL!!! They had ripped up SH2 north of Edgecombe! For the previous thousand kilometres of the trip the road works signs were for little pieces on the sides and this wasn't and the majority of people would have been going a leeetel bit faster than the stated limit. It was a case of hold on and let the bike manage things while you attempted to slow down.

watching Bugsplat, Holy Roller and a few others cruise on past.

I found the streach of roadworks entering Taneatua worse as it had the corner in it.

Gave a wave as I cruised by no time to stop and eat. Just a few cookies and a drink of water when refuelling. I didn't feel the need for anthing more was looking forward to the roast.

[Hitcher]

Nice write-up, Mike. Loved that "step" in the road too. Mrs H was warned via intercom. No harm done, though.

[warewolf]

No probs at all on the roadworks, Fields Track, the 'step' near Te Kuiti etc on the 640 Adventure!

In fact those were the bits where I had the most fun!

I must say that the KTM was more comfortable than I expected; basically not an issue.

Going a bit slower, fuel consumption was outstanding; 16.75L for the 385km to Gisborne.