North Waikato Gravel road ride 8 jan 06

**Motu** · 30th December 2005, 14:15

I was talking to a guy the other day whose mate bought one of the Silkroad GS650 PD's of the famous owner - he was asured that it only had ABS on the rear wheel - all that way and he never pushed it hard enough to know it had ABS on the front?????

It better not rain,or my ancient Kenda may as well be made of bakelite.

Oh,and as Oscar say,the TKC80 does a bloody impressive job in all conditions.

**Oscar** · 30th December 2005, 14:17

Originally Posted by Motu

It better not rain,or my ancient Kenda may as well be made of bakelite.

Don't be a baby.
Rain on gravel keeps my dust out of your eyes...

**XTC** · 30th December 2005, 14:39

yeah i've got the tkc80 on the front. but the kenda on the rear although slippy in the wet has clocked up 8000kms so far and still has about a millimeter left.... gonna refit my vee rubber 147 for the ride on the 8th as the kenda will be shot by then.

**Oscar** · 30th December 2005, 14:43

Originally Posted by XTC

yeah i've got the tkc80 on the front. but the kenda on the rear although slippy in the wet has clocked up 8000kms so far and still has about a millimeter left.... gonna refit my vee rubber 147 for the ride on the 8th as the kenda will be shot by then.

I got a TKC on the front and a Pirelli Knob on the back.
After going through a TKC and the a Karoo (which lasted about 900k), I went back to having a knobbly on the back. After all these years of dirt bikes I actually feel more comfortable on the road on a knobbly than anything else...

**Motu** · 30th December 2005, 21:07

It's been good working on the DT230,I don't feel I know a bike until I've ripped it apart and put it together again.I thought the previous owner looked after this bike pretty well,But I guess he took it to a shop for tyres,most people don't have a tyre machine with bike adapters like I do.The axle was damn near seized in,and I wasn't too happy with the bearings and seals,so all new there....took the chain off for a clean,and broke the spring clip....the FT100 no longer has a chain link clip,I wonder if I'll remember that? Lots of crap around spoke nipples and I tightend the spokes.

Even with a tyre machine rim locks are a PITA,and I put in a new heavy duty MX tube I had lying around - it was like stuffing a wet suit into the tyre,man it's thick! The only on road use the bike had was adventure rides,and the rear wheel was unbalanced,after a few rides a vibration set in,and the tyre wore out of round,so I balanced this one - 90g of weights! Bloody rim locks again.The 4.00 trials tyre is taller and narrower than the 4.60 that came off,more top speed eh? I'll take it for a blat around town tomorrow afternoon,maybe a blat out to Huia and find some gravel,then I'll bring it home on the trailer and go for a test ride monday or tuesday.I like playing around with tyres - sometimes I'll just go around the block,come back and take it off again...you learn what doesn't work,and how to change tyres....

**XTC** · 30th December 2005, 21:38

I have to do my tyre changes the old fashioned way. Still been changing tyres for years so get real good at it.

**Motu** · 31st December 2005, 15:18

I've just come back from a shake down ride out to Whatipu and am pretty happy with a 20 yr old tyre.On gravel it makes and breaks traction more,which makes me think it's finding more traction,the R22 IRC just spun up until it hit hard pack,it's certainly got some drive and braking seems ok,at least I didn't go out the otherside of corners out of control.The run up the hill out of Whatipu was a blast,and I did the Mt Donald McLean road twice,the second time after I knew no one was at the top and I couldn't be suprised on a corner...kinda like a rally sprint,a heap of fun and there's some good scorch marks going up now.

No dramas on seal with my pace,I got some movement back there,but it didn't let go with a bang which is what I expected....after a ride and a bit of heat into it the compound feels softer,maybe that's all it needed.I was running 17lbs rear,15lbs front,and it's good to look at a trials tyre and see that they actualy work the tread - the second row of knobs have been touching the side knobs....so on a corner there is a lot more tread down than you think,imagine how much more flex you would get with a real trials tyre,a more flexable sidewall and softer tread compound.

I'm an old friend of this tyre,I think it was on my TS400 when I got it...and it has the distinction of being at the scene of the only time I've dumped a bike on gravel - caught out with the TS400 below it's powerband it had enough traction to punch out the new front 21in knob.Then I made it a hybrid TS/TM for the dirt track and cut the left hand tread blocks...we've been down and out many a time together.....

**XTC** · 4th January 2006, 07:18

Just a reminder... this ride is on this weekend. To all those participating please ensure you have a full(ish) tank of gas before we leave. (there is one gas station in Tuakau) We'll see you all on Sunday. Leaving les Batkin reserve at 9:30am so see ya there.
Andy.

**Warr** · 4th January 2006, 12:47

No-can-do. I'm out now I've realised its Sunday !!
Pity was looking forward to it as well.

Keep posting the gravel trips XTC, I'll get on one of them one day.

**Dutchee** · 4th January 2006, 23:26

Is there a # we can let know if we're going to turn up or not? For us, it's weather dependent (want to hit Waiheke with friends, but it may end up on the weekend rather than Friday as planned). Looking forward to it, but as a friend is going in for medical treatment next week, she's more important.
XTC, if we can't make it, can you pm your address or phone so can tell you a bit about the trip to Coro.
Cheers

**Big Dave** · 5th January 2006, 17:35

Yeah, I'll play.
That's the park near the bridge before the port waikato turnoff, yeah?
9.30am.

**Motu** · 5th January 2006, 18:39

I came back with a whole new plan - the knobs were ripping offa the trials tyre.So now it's Kenda K760 Trackmasters all round,used...from my black rubber collection.Man these tyres get hard if you leave them lying around for a few years.

I got a 21st in Matakana saturday night,I'm gunna have to duct tape the alarm to my head.