Happy Happy, Joy Joy!

[Edbear]

Got back from 3 weeks in Aus last weekend, (Damn hot over there! Bikers ride in shorts an T-shirts on the open road!), and hadn't had a chance to ride the GSX for several weeks, so got out this morning and took a quick trip up SH16 to Wellsford and back SH1 to Orewa. Weather was perfect, SH16 was pretty clear, though SH1 was very busy. The 600 was ready for it and ran sweet as! Almost got nailed comin' up Johnson's Hill in the 80k area -("Was just trying to sneak past that 4x4 before the passing lane ended, Officer...!") But the marked car travelling towards me didn't signal me to stop, though he slowed abruptly and wasn't too pleased at the rate I was going. Good thing he didn't see me coming up the Viaduct getting rid of a whole line of cars and trucks... Still I was travelling a fairly legal speeds most of the way, enjoying the scenery and just roling on and off the throttle in top gear most of the way, casually bend swinging and generally having a quiet play. Saw a few bikers out but not as many as I expected. Was just a good feeling to be in the saddle after so long, reminded me that this is surely what biking is all about? Doesn't have to be the latest, fastest, rice rocket, just a good bike and good roads and lets do it again soon!

[zadok]

Sounds good. I'm happy going along at legal speeds most of the time.

[Swoop]

Sounds a bit toasty in Oz, Edbear... DiscoStu's commented on it.

Good to get back into a ride on this side of the ditch!

[Edbear]

Was real toasty in Aus.! Thought it would be way too hot to ride over there in Summer, you'd die if you wore all the gear! Anyone know of some good local roads I may not have tried yet? Been Peak Rd., Coatesville/Riverhead, SH16, Mahurangi West, Kumeu-Shelly Bch. and Muriwai. Been Mangawahai Heads and up the coast. Wainui Rd. When you haven't got all day or all weekend, it can be a bit hard to find a new stretch of road. Any ideas?

[SPman]

Just got back from 3 weeks over there (WA) - started with jacket and jeans - ended up in T shirt and jeans - stuff wearing leathers in 36 degrees! As Marty said, in the heat its a more cruisy riding style, anyway..with as many dead roos on the road as we have possums.......tends to make you a bit cautious!

[mstriumph]

.... makes me chuckle when i see peop.s in other threads on this forum making scathing generalized comments about 't shirt/jeans' riders .... and imagining how totally freaked out they would be to see wat at least half the riders here in west aus. wear on the roads ......

ok - i admit it - i ride in t shirt and jeans when it gets really warm here; it's a calculated risk .... i don't ride that fast; i have no intention of falling off ...... if anything it makes me more careful.

BUT, even if it didn't, it's still my choice to make - not someone living in different climate and conditions elsewhere on the planet?

[Edbear]

Hope I didn't sound "scathing", of course it's anyone's right to choose their dress when riding, but I do wince when I see riders in t-shirts and jeans or shorts. Even a low-speed "off" will do severe damage and can cause permanent disfigurement. One has only to browse the KB gallery to see the gory results of accidents. Personally I subscribe to the ATGATT philosophy as expounded by KR magazine, "All the gear, all the time". If it's too hot to wear it I don't usually go out, but of course in commenting about other countrys' climates, it's a case of "what you're used too", and we found it just oppressively hot and sticky during Jan. over there. Do want to get over to WA though in the future, there's a lot of country to explore and Aus does have some awesome scenery. Also want to get around NZ more, too! So much to see, so little time!!!

[JWALKER]

welcome back man

[Grahameeboy]

.... makes me chuckle when i see peop.s in other threads on this forum making scathing generalized comments about 't shirt/jeans' riders .... and imagining how totally freaked out they would be to see wat at least half the riders here in west aus. wear on the roads ......

ok - i admit it - i ride in t shirt and jeans when it gets really warm here; it's a calculated risk .... i don't ride that fast; i have no intention of falling off ...... if anything it makes me more careful.

BUT, even if it didn't, it's still my choice to make - not someone living in different climate and conditions elsewhere on the planet?

Agree personal choice and when I wear jeans, with my leather jacket I don't ride fast and it does make you more aware...I guess you could go the opposite way and argue that wearing full leathers makes you less careful..well at least go faster, athough I do not subscribe to this, just throwing in a 'Troller'...

[mstriumph]

........................... Do want to get over to WA though in the future, there's a lot of country to explore and Aus does have some awesome scenery. Also want to get around NZ more, too! So much to see, so little time!!!

I have a grannyflat in my barn - about an hour from Perth .......... any KBer is welcome - would be pleased to meet up with you. just pm me a coupla weeks prior

[Edbear]

Thanks for the offer, mstriumph. Maybe you could start a trend here. Many travellers engage in houseswapping and certain groups arrange travel with members. Maybe KBers could invite other bikers for sightseeing trips, accomodation, etc. With the cost of travel, we are fortunate to have family and friends in many countries, including the SI of NZ, so we can economise on accomodation most times, but I'm sure that through the KB site, as evicenced by the ride days, there'd be many who would like to meet and tour around various places having someone with good local knowledge along to guide them. We have members here from such as Aus and England, maybe the States as well? Just a thought... Maybe this happens already?