Forest Trail to Kaeo: Strike 2

[CBobR]

3 weeks into my adventure bike... adventure, I was very well pleased. Spending much more time below the speed limit, and only (relatively) minor ZX10R lust.

With Chipster unavailable with a wee baby, and Zebedee unavailable with a wee electrical fire, I was a bit Norman No-Mates puttering around the forest when I met a pig hunter who pointed me in the direction of a trail through the forest to Kaeo, about 20kms long he said, and perfect for my bike… so off I went.

Attempt 1:
All was going well, there was a little rain but my TKC80 was gripping well. I was picking my way through the ruts (some of them deep enough to have my pegs folded up), when I made the newb mistake of trying to change ruts….. Bike upside down in a puddle. 15minutes of exercise later I was up, and decided to call it a day as the sun was getting low. Made it about 4kms in.

Attempt 2:
Lesson from yesterday well learnt and Chipster's advice in mind, I was standing up and choosing ruts well in advance which made things much easier. About 10km in things were much more road like, heavy rain, I was sitting down and going slowly incase a 4wd or logging truck were to come around the corner at high speed, surface not ideal for emergency stopping I thought when suddenly the front wheel shot sideways in a small clay rut. Instead of lowsiding, the front wheel regained grip and I steered myself slowly into the ditch. 1 mirror, 2 indicators. I’m glad to report falling off offroad is more comfortable than a road bike crash. Time to go home (only making left turns).
I just added a fuzzy photo; light patch of clay where the front was sliding on the left of the road (I was travelling in the opposite direction to what the bike is pointing in in the pic), ditch on the left where I landed (see if you can spot the missing indicator amongst the foliage).

Yep feel like a right twat, but am keen to try again after the new bits arrive (am yet to find out if BMW parts prices are reasonable, or should have bought an XR650R ).
If anyone in the area on a similarly heavy bike wants to join me on attempt 3 I should be ready to go within the week I hope.

Also after procrastinating myself out of the Kaipara 200 training course, I am now extra committed to making the next available.

[chris]

am yet to find out if BMW parts prices are reasonable, or should have bought an XR650R ).

Do you really want me to answer that.....

[CBobR]

Not too bad:
-Brand new BMW front indicator $60 (slightly cheaper than my honda ones),
-New rear indicator $80
-"mirror clamping piece" $40.

Yep still happy with my softly sprung leccy started bike ... except for the riding position which gives my back grief, not as comfy as a CBR250RR .

[Ruralman]

There's a good lesson here - in tricky stuff, especially if wet and slippery, the front tyre is almost more important than the rear. From that photo I'm not surprised you had trouble.
A wee tip here though is to take a tyre pump with you and let the pressures down in the front one to help ride over the edges of those ruts. the same will also help at the rear. Make sure the bike has rim locks on the front though.

[NotaGoth]

Now...............2nd picture you posted I know exactly where you were.... What track up through that way did you follow..???

Not shitting you if you followed that whole road.. Be very very very careful of tourist buses...

[CBobR]

Thanks Ruralman, good advice, I'm still coming to grips with off street tyre pressures. Also interesting you say it looks tricky in the photo as I was caught by surprise, lack of experience again I guess.

Not sure where exactly I was Kittie, I haven't found it on a map yet. I'll remember to charge my camera batteries next time so I can take more than two photos. The second photo there was a little way down the road from the track entrance (and right by another random track into the forest where I met the hunter), the second day I had my bike, all indicators intact, good times, I got stuck for the first time 3m from that spot . I saw the signs warning about the buses, but luckily didn't meet any. You've had some close calls?

Just back from the shed having saved myself $80 with a bit of indicator re-engineering. Down to $100 total crash damage, happy (dropped my ZX6R with crash bungs at ~60kph and did over $2000 damage)

[35tickets]

Hey CBobR,

Just out of curiousity where did the trail start? 20km to Kaeo sounds like a bloody good ride. I've got a KLR650 which needs some forest air.

If you want a fellow KB'er to join ya let me know thanx cheers

[CBobR]

I think the trail starts as I've indicated on the attached picture, I'm not sure though, will have to get Zebedee up there with his GPS. I'm not sure which branches of the trail gets you to Kaeo either . Next time I'll start with a full tank and in the morning, might see where a few of them lead.

Sounds good 35tickets. I just found the parts in stock at a dealer and they are on the courier... Courier from auckland to keri overnight isn't guaranteed though I've been told. Will let you know if they arrive tomorrow. Keen for a ride almost anytime though after the bike is legal again.

[NotaGoth]

Not sure where exactly I was Kittie, I haven't found it on a map yet. I'll remember to charge my camera batteries next time so I can take more than two photos. The second photo there was a little way down the road from the track entrance (and right by another random track into the forest where I met the hunter), the second day I had my bike, all indicators intact, good times, I got stuck for the first time 3m from that spot . I saw the signs warning about the buses, but luckily didn't meet any. You've had some close calls?

2nd pictures just off a tarsealed road, you go down a weenie drive to get to the creek?? Just looking at it and I'm positive its 1 of the 3-4 creeks up the Waiare.... Into the forest..???? Did you go into the part of the forest where theres a gate at the beginning, and you go through numerous creek crossings...? I go up that way in summer to go swimming.. Awesome swimming spots.. I know all about.. And have been warned by others about the buses... They drive through there like maniacs.. Were you up top near the Puketi forest..?

[CBobR]

Hi Kittie, yep 2nd pic just a little track from the seal, could've got there on my CBR instead of the dakar .

Not sure where you are with the gate and the creek crossings? There was a gate, but no crossings. I think I must have been higher up in the Puketi. I am a bit of a water crossing fan though, you'll have to tell us where the track is you are talking about.

[NotaGoth]

Hi Kittie, yep 2nd pic just a little track from the seal, could've got there on my CBR instead of the dakar .

Not sure where you are with the gate and the creek crossings? There was a gate, but no crossings. I think I must have been higher up in the Puketi. I am a bit of a water crossing fan though, you'll have to tell us where the track is you are talking about.

haha.. Yeah.. 2nd one up off the seal... Got my car stuck down by the creek... No fun when you have no cellphone coverage in that area..

Gate but no crossings... Bit lost now.. Then again havent been in that area in years and years.... Gate, but with crossings.. Is just a metal road.. Goes up through the forestry... There are tracks.. Well were tracks.. Going off that road.. Right into the forestry and stuff.. But I wouldn't know what its like now cause I haven't been on the specific road in yonks... Will do.. Will find some maps sometime and mark it out for you..

[35tickets]

Thats great mate good luck with the parts and give me a post if you keen to try again I'll meet up with you somewhere.

Just done the rusty nuts grand challenge on the KLR so need a new back tire just to get me to the starting line but all good here

That map looks pretty interesting!

[CBobR]

It was too windy to fish and 35tickets is keen to come up for a ride next Saturday on his KLR (anyone else? No other details confirmed yet) so I thought I'd better do some scouting, good excuse for a ride. Took a few pics along the way.

Pic 1: Parts arrived, the bike was like new (apart from the increasingly intermittent starter button). This picture is also my view 8-5 mon-fri.

Pic 2: Quick stop to get some cash from the ATM.

Pic 3: Random track.. with an out of focus bike

Pic 4: Chipster and I found this boat in the forest one lunchtime

Pic 5: The stock hand guards don't have any metal in them, but at least keep the gorse out of your knuckles on narrow trails.

Pic 6: There were tyre tracks heading into this stream, but I thought I'd better wait for company before I went down. I had to push the bike out of this position because the flowing water buried the back tyre in stones.

[CBobR]

Pic 7: Same as pic 6. Possibly a good place to swim?

Pic 8: The start of /the/ trail with Waiare Rd in the foreground. Sorry about the quality.

Pics 9-11: About 1km into the trail

Pic 12: Heading back to the office. The Bay of Islands is in the background, but very very small.

[NotaGoth]

Pic 7: Same as pic 6. Possibly a good place to swim?

Pic 8: The start of /the/ trail with Waiare Rd in the foreground. Sorry about the quality.

Pics 9-11: About 1km into the trail

Pic 12: Heading back to the office. The Bay of Islands is in the background, but very very small.

Pic 6.. Think I was mistaken seeing that pic.. 3rd swimming hole.. Not 2nd.. Looks like floods never washed creek out this year round..Fuckit I'm going for a drive to have a look tomorrow...