After reading MD's report and seeing his request for more motorcycle content within the forum (perish the thought) I thought I would do a report on my last weeks ride.
After 16 years of riding ZXR750h1's on the road, I have moved over onto a thoroughly modern (cough, cough) 2004 Aprillia RSV1000R. My first Italian Motorcycle, and first V-Twin. The learning experience converting to the bike was much longer than I expected - perhaps a tale for another thread.
I learned Sunday from my sister that our mother had suffered some uncharacteristic dizzy spells, so I knew I had to go down from Pirongia-ish to Waikanae the next morning. Fortunately I had just purchased an Oxford rear seat bag.
So out to the garage to swap in a new rear tyre and bike prep. Bag packed, tyre fitted, and the bike is ready to roll come dawn.
With first light spreading across the mountain, it was time to go, brrr a tad chilly, but no worries. As soon as I was down off the mountain, an uninvited participant in the form of bloody Waikato fog made itself known, enough to make it difficult too see, and from experience, I dare not touch my visor. Anyways, I'm not letting that dampen my spirits, it was after all a beautiful morning as the towns stated to slip by. First Pirongia itself, then Otorahonga. Now heading towards Te Kuiti. Ive been following a truck for too long, the first generation digital dash is hard to read with the fog vapor, but I had spied a gap and slip by the truck. Ahhhh, bliss - a now clear road, the birds are tweeting, the fog is clearing, the sun is rising, the bike is purring and the red and blue lights are dancing across my mirrors. Wait - WTF??? I groan, a bloody cop is pulling me only moments into my rideHe says he got me at 118 passing the truck, and 112 just after. He would give me a ticket for 112. I told myself that was a win. I know it is akin to sprinkling hundreds and thousands on a shit sandwich, but I was determined not to let it taint my ride.
So moving off from my roadside stop of shame, I snick gently through the gears towards Te Kuiti and onward to what I knew would be the days best section of road, from the turnoff onto State highway 4 on towards Taumaranui. I really like this flowing style of road, one can have plenty of fun whilst staying under the speed limit. I had recently had the rear shock rebuilt and re-sprung (they found the shim stack inside had been installed upside down!) and my forks rebuilt and re-sprung (they found there was so much fork oil inside, the forks were hydraulically locking and not using all the travel!). The suspension mods were really paying off with the bikes transition composure now a joy. Being able to thread through the bumps whilst already being committed to the corner was nice too.The 80 odd kilometers slip by in a pleasing flow of motorcycling nirvana - ahhhhh. My aging body has provided me with the solution to my homologated race bikes ergos, a woolworths bladder. As it turns out, micro piss stops sort out those sore wrists and plank hard race seat, and track settings rear suspension induced paddledbuttitis! At last, a silver lining to growing old
Leaving Taumaranui, I settled in for a run to Ohakune for a gas stop. And by the word settle, I mean fidget about on the bike finding creative new ride positions to mitigate the gifts that the onset of old age brings in the form of achy joints and muscles.It was a largely uneventful journey, though my micro bladder relief stop at National Park (there were houses and buildings down the side road - who knew?) bought to light, for me at least - a form of social media where the participants write their name and phone numbers on the bog walls. Nearly all of them promise a good time too. They sound like a fun bunch these locals
So then it was onto Ohakune for gas.
The National Park Social Media Hub
Joining State highway 1 at Waiuru, saw me pretty much transport mode only - broken up by micro stops and another gas stop, oh and food. I got to Mumsies place just as she got back from seeing her GP. I stayed with her until midday the next day to make sure she was fine. It was time to get going, so off to see my mate in Upper Hutt.
So through one of my favourite roads I go, the Akatarawas, a road barely changed over the last 40 odd years I have been doing it, bar a few more lifestyle properties on the Upper Hutt end. Did the RSV suit this road? No not at all, Did I have fun? Absobloodylutely!
My mate has been working from home since the red light thing and I was to get there at 2pm - unfortunately he had a load of zoom meetings dumped in his lap, so I had to kill time. But how? Barely a question worth asking with a fueled up RSV waiting to rock n roll on a beautiful day with all my old stomping ground roads awaiting me in the Waiarapa!
On the approach to the Rimutakas, the gateway to the Waiarapa, I reflect upon all the many awesome times I had over this road. In my younger days, I spent so much time (and rubber) on it, that I started receiving rate demands from the Upper Hutt council.
Though the character of this classic has changed over the years, it is still a fantastic section of road! The sun was shining bright and I was here to party! A party that was pretty much immediately shut down by the 8+ police patrol cars, each car containing 4 party crashing/pooping trainee plods! Of all the bloody luck, I had seen this in the dusty past, but they were on patrol bikes back then, with mother duck head trainer with little ducklings in tow. These days they come tearing up the hill in their cages, would all get out at the top car park and change seats before plunging down the other side of the hill with big smiles on their dials - well, at least someone was having fun over the hill that day
Wow, the Western Lake Rd is a lot bumpier now, the passages of time have not been kind. Once going around the lake itself, things start to smooth out - kind of. Turning left onto the East West Access road sees the road truly smooth out now, and all those fast sweepers following the river bends invite me to test out the suspension mods - it would be rude not to.Once at the surprise T intersection where many a sports bike rider has sampled the catch paddocks soft loamy delights as they overshoot the intersection. It was time to turn around and amble back to Upper Hutt to see my mate. There sure is a lot more traffic on the takkas now, most of them looked to be commuters.
Many a bug was sacrificed on the alter of Visordown this day
The next morning it is off to Masterton and beyond! Another beauty of a day, and this time the Rimutakas is plodless! I just chill enjoying the sublime tones of the thumping v-twin reverberating off the many rock faces, ahhhh bliss.
Rolling into Masterton sees me visiting the trade aid store looking for unique gifts for my first born grandchild. I waited a looong time for this child, my son is now 30 and I honestly was beginning to wonder if I should be sending diagrams with illustrations of birds and bees getting busy! After seeing my Son, his wife and most gorgeous granddaughter in the World, it was of to see an old mate in Waitahora outside of Dannevirke. Another old stomping ground road, and I enjoyed introducing the RSV to the ever exciting Waitahora road! It was a great visit, and nice to see my old house and cottage again. Gearing up and thumbing the starter saw me realizing I had not put my earplugs in for my trip to the fine cuisine center in Dannevirke known as KFC - Bugga. Then I thought, ya know, wtf, I think this time, I will let the RSV serenade me the 25 km's into town - with the famous conductor, the esteemed Mr Akrapovic leading the orchestra. That is one sound track I will never tire from.After sampling Colonel Sanders finest, it was off to a bed n breakfast near Tikikino just as night fell. I was fairly tired, but the tingle excitement for the next and final day of this ride was growing.
Italian flair meets colonial design. The breakfast here at the Ashcott Homestead was bloody delicious!
Bucket List Road
Yet another beautiful day dawned, and it was time to cross a bucket list road off my list. Much to my shame, I had up to now, never done the Gentle Annie Road. Being 136 km's long, I felt it prudent to get gas for my big lunged thirsty beastie in Taradale. I then back tracked to the start of The Gentle Annie and started threading my way through some delightful valleys. There was at this point a fair bit of farm activity, so pace was set to allow for that. This road is freaking awesome, smooth and by VERY rural country road standards, is quite wide. The road then goes into forestry territory and gets into much more hilly terrain, the road is still easy and in great condition. The vistas and big sky outlooks are breathtaking. The road starts to open up again and now the scenery starts to change into the desert road style flora fauna. You can see right through many sections of corners, I LOVE this style of road, as it dances over ridge lines with no two directions of change being the same. About then a shadow passed over me , I looked up to see a helicopter trailing me, and he stayed doing that for 7 to 10 km's. I was not the only one out for a hoon this fine day! Expecting at least two micro stops, I was very surprised when I came upon the intersection at the end showing signs for either Taihape or Waioru. Seriously - that 136 km's felt more like 50 km's!I now have a favorite sports bike road in The Gentle Annie!
The rest of the ride home was along well worn roads I knew so well, I was in cruise mode and spent much time just enjoying the bike, and thankful I get to live in what I believe to be the final golden years of the combustion engined motorcycle. During the time of this ride, there was so much talk of gas prices being sky high. My approach was, don't look at the pump counting up, certainly do not look at the receipt. Because for rides like this, the numbers simply do not matter. What ever the price was - it was worth every darn last cent.
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Originally Posted by sugilite
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