Thread: One

**James Deuce** · 9th February 2004, 12:30

Had a great ride yesterday. I'd been sitting round being apathetic all weekend because I was on call and just decided to drop the Mr Responsible act and go for a hoon.

Heather and the kids jumped in the car and headed to the in-laws in the Wairarapa and I checked tyre pressures, chain, oil, and brain. Leapt on the bike and headed off in brilliant sunshine and no wind.

The ride over the Rimutakas was "interesting". I saw a lot of bikes heading back into Wellington and wondered why. Got through the road works without incident and the slightly different tyre pressures certainly improved the 'bikes steering.

Got a third of the way up the 'takas and it just p_ssed down!! Torrential buckets that I could feel hitting my jacket, and water started running down the inside of my visor.

The Michelin Macadams are crap in the wet and cold. They don't hold any heat when they are wet and they skate all over the place. There are a couple of corners where they have cut longitudinal lines in the road to improve "grip". Doesn't improve grip for a 'bike much. You could feel the front washing out and skipping over each little groove all the way up to putting the power on again.

I stopped at the top and chatted briefly to a group of guys on VTR1000s while I changed my summer gloves for my waterproof ones (they live in the underseat storage for just this reason). I discovered from the lads that it was fine in the Wairarapa and kept on going. I had the miraculous experience of two cars pulling over, on of which (a Subaru) went to great lengths to let me by. It took me a couple of seconds to realise what he was doing, but I gave him a cheery wave on the way past and got a friendly toot back.

I then zipped out the back of Martinborough, through Gladstone, and back to Carterton. The sun was out, the smells were almost astringently fresh after the recent rain, and the roads were clear. It was one of those rides where you don't remember anything at the end except wafting through brilliant countryside while the horizon swayed back and forth as each corner was consumed.

I like 'bikes.

**merv** · 9th February 2004, 18:42

Maybe my memories fading but I don't think we had any rain here at all yesterday and the day stayed nice and sunny. I was busy servicing cars at home but managed a quick ride on the bike over Paekak Hill road and back via Grays Road. Saw some guy going the opposite way on a Triumph Speedmaster twice because he was doing the loop the other way - waved twice he did so these new Triumphs don't engender the same behaviour that the old ones used to - they leave that to the Harley boys - and yeah Wkid I know we've thrashed the waving thing to death before.

Glad you enjoyed the run Jim.

LB · 9th February 2004, 19:19

It was pissing down around Te Kuiti/National Park yesterday mid/late morning. I know, I was there!! (and on my bike, not in the car!)

**James Deuce** · 9th February 2004, 19:46

Originally Posted by merv

Maybe my memories fading but I don't think we had any rain here at all yesterday and the day stayed nice and sunny. I was busy servicing cars at home but managed a quick ride on the bike over Paekak Hill road and back via Grays Road. Saw some guy going the opposite way on a Triumph Speedmaster twice because he was doing the loop the other way - waved twice he did so these new Triumphs don't engender the same behaviour that the old ones used to - they leave that to the Harley boys - and yeah Wkid I know we've thrashed the waving thing to death before.

Glad you enjoyed the run Jim.

The weather was perfect when I left home in the Hutt, my wife didn't see any rain in either direction, and she was half an hour ahead on the way over and half an hour behind on the way back

I think I may have been pre-punished for baiting people.

I saw a dude on a Speedmaster in Upper Hutt - wonder if it was him?

Jim2