Most memorable ride ever

**Unit:Me** · 16th November 2005, 18:02

What is your most memorable ride ever? Im interested to hear as Im sure there are some really good stories out there. Ive never ridden outside of NZ, but I would have to say my vote goes to the South Island. Choosing the most memorable ride Ive ever been on has been difficult to say the least, as there are many I can recall. The one that sits most clearly in my mind was while on tour for a week on the West Coast. I'd never been further north than Greymouth so we headed up to Westport, 8 bikes in all, everything from a Laverda to Motorguzzi, my Norton, a BSA, Triumph, a home made hog and others. A stop over in Westport then we decided on a day trip to Karmara. Now thats some ride, windy roads along the wild west coast and so isolated. I'll never forget it and that was, well, many many moons ago

**Pathos** · 16th November 2005, 18:53

ahhhhh, well I got lost in the pohongina valley and spent two hours riding gravel roads to finally end back where I started.

That sucked but I ain't gonna forget it anytime soon...

**Dafe** · 16th November 2005, 18:55

Watching Str8 Jacket take on the bank! and the three cows standing perfectly side by side (like the AB front row) staring at her!

**Hitcher** · 16th November 2005, 18:58

I can nearly remember just about every ride I've had.

The ride into and out of Milford Sound from Te Anau has to rank up there. As well as my first-ever rides on each of the three bikes I've ever owned.

**avgas** · 16th November 2005, 19:35

Been quite a few, latest one was when i spat the dummy at the misses, jumped on Sapphire and booted her round the piha loop....on bald tyres....in the rain....angry as a feral rat.
End of the ride, the motor allmost sung to me in those corners - it was so peaceful and serene i had lost all my anger, and was at one with the world. Got back with the biggest smile on my face, and some sweets for the misses.

**DEATH_INC.** · 16th November 2005, 19:39

Sorry,too many.....
South island,first time down 22,1 hour trip from mates place in aucks to home in whangarei the day after I got my first turbo,1 hour from rotovegas to home in aucks,Nearly getting chucked off my mates TLs at 240kph,doing 300+ on the ZX12 the first time, etc etc.I could go on all night.....

**Hammer** · 16th November 2005, 19:48

Austria - last year I had an 11 day trip in the Tyrol area. Managed to get out every day to different mountain ranges in Italy, Switzerland and Austria. So many good days. Will post a ride report with some pics on one of the days in the next week or so. One mountain had 49 hairpin bends (and a lot more non hairpins) on the way up. Did not count how many there was on the way down.

**Toast** · 16th November 2005, 19:50

Gotta be leaving an audit in Rotorua on the 250 in January of this year...with one thing in mind...hit the Coro Peninsula before dark

After a typically shit week on an audit, nothing else mattered...screaming up the west coast of the peninsula with the throttle sitting on the stop, and the Bridgestones chirping away at me...

sitting watching the sunset for 5 mins before lighting the wick for the return journey

I've had some great rides with others (sometimes in competitive spirit, hoho)...but it's the individual rides that I really get in the zone, 'cos I'm spending a single brain cell thinking about, or checking my mirrors for, any other riders...just me, my bike, and I own the bloody road

**Waylander** · 16th November 2005, 20:57

Mine was my first ride of any real distance. Not long after getting my liscence me and my dad went for a cruise around Dallas. I was only on a 250 at the time and my dad was on the Virago. But that ride is what sticks in mymind everytime I think about.

Need a better job so I can get another bike and me and him can go for a longer ride with both of us on big bikes so I won't be holding him back again.

**Motu** · 16th November 2005, 21:10

35 yrs on the road,and you want me to pick one ride? Recently The Lost Weekend was very memorable.

Back in the 70s a mate and I spent a week in the Coromadel on our old BSA singles.We lived off the land and camped out with no tent - on beach's,in boathouses,porches of baches and in caves,we crashed,got stuck,got lost,on the road and in the bush,chased by bulls,and explored every road we could find.I broke a valve spring,over reved and bent a valve....we stripped it down in a tin shed with a sand floor,my mate went back to Auckland and returned with a valve,I fitted it and we were on the road again.Still a memorable ride nearly 30 yrs later....

**Beemer** · 16th November 2005, 21:53

Yep, the South Island is pretty amazing to ride around, especially the gravel roads. Did a trip there at Easter 2000, did about 4000kms in a couple of weeks. Travelling through Molesworth Station was pretty memorable, not least because the rescue chopper had to come and collect two of our group (rider and pillion) after they crashed. Black Forest Station was incredible too - that's where I had my one and only accident! The rocks there were quite large and the front wheel caught one on an angle and over I went - low speed but still enough to knock the confidence for a bit. The Hakataramea Pass was lovely, and so was the bit through Springs Junction.

Yes, NZ has some great roads, both gravel and tar seal!

**Waylander** · 16th November 2005, 22:02

Originally Posted by SpeedMedic

I know sarge has put on a coupla pounds but sheesh you guys rode around him?

Uh yea.... Long trip that was.

**Toast** · 16th November 2005, 22:05

Originally Posted by SpeedMedic

I know sarge has put on a coupla pounds but sheesh you guys rode around him?

hahaha....

how about you SM? Do you remember what it's like to ride?

**Ducman** · 16th November 2005, 22:20

My first ride down the old north road. I had been riding to Parakai from the city every day to work for months down SH16 when someone told me about the back way.. I had only had the bike a few months and didn't know anyone else that rode.. anyway, it was a revelation! corners!.. I rode it every day for a year and a half. Felt like my own private race track.. it's still my favorite close to Auckland blast.