gijoe1313's TGIF pootling tour of the Coromandel Loop

**gijoe1313** · 20th April 2007, 06:44

Originally Posted by Chisanga

Gonna try and make this one ... see you at BP takanini... if I can find it

BP Takanini servo ... take the turn off to Takanini (duh!) and as you come flying down the off ramp, you'll see the lovely green of the BP to your left about 100m up the road! Woot!

**xwhatsit** · 20th April 2007, 06:56

Originally Posted by gijoe1313

BP Takanini servo ... take the turn off to Takanini (duh!) and as you come flying down the off ramp, you'll see the lovely green of the BP to your left about 100m up the road! Woot!

Heheh I'm about to leave in 5 minutes. I hope I can find my way to the fricking motorway, though

See you soon, Route Master!

**gijoe1313** · 20th April 2007, 06:59

Originally Posted by Winter

I wont be doing the full pootle, but will turn up at mcdeaths in the morning, and go for a wee blat to warm my tires and see the outside of auckland.

I've got a mate coming along with me too, on his hyosung. See yall in the morning.

Aiieee! Today's ride start is at BP Takanini servo!

Saturday is the McDeath/BP Papakura combo!

021 0376501 be my contact details! Right, I'm off to sort out the little ol'Hornet and have a pie and drink at BP! Woot!

**xwhatsit** · 20th April 2007, 17:29

Wow, is my ass sore. Went a touch more than 300km

Might need to adjust those bars, they're only comfortable in the twisties.

That was AWESOME! Thanks to GiJoe1313 for organising our sorry souls.

Made it through the corner where I crashed (no gloves, no proper gear) way back 6 months ago. Haven't been through there since; it was so easy! I can't believe I crashed there in the first place.

The bike loved it. Leaked a little oil out of the base gasket, but I've heard that's a characteristic of these engines and I'm not too fussed. Was a bitch to start at the first stop, Kaiaua -- I think I may have flooded the engine and fouled the plug. After that it was easy. With me flat on the tank, it did 130kph at almost full throttle. If I had enough road I think I could get 140-145kph, which is pretty close to the supposed 95mph it can do. Do need to sort that carb, though.

Had a blast through the twisty stuff. These clipons are so much better for cornering (easier to put weight on the front), and dropping the front end through the triple clamps makes it fast to change direction. I scraped pegs a couple of times, but mostly because my suspension was loaded right up. Tyres are looking much better, only about 1-2cm of fresh tyre edge left.

Have some photos when I can be arsed putting them up.

Thanks Justin once more -- and nice meeting you other guys too -- good on ya Chisanga for sticking out the whole distance

. The other two (Winter and I forgot!), you should've come the whole way! You missed on an excellent lunch

. A pleasure to make your acquaintences!

**gijoe1313** · 20th April 2007, 21:56

Top notch effort for all those who managed to turn up and even to Winter and his mate Rob for doing part of the run!

The trip out to Kaiaua was magical, brilliant weather and the view to the Coro was stunning. Even Kawakawa bay was glass like in the sheen of it's surface water!

Winter and Rob accompanied us up to Kopu where they turned back, leaving Chisanga and Xerxesdaphat and I to pootle our merry way around the loop. Up to Whitianga was lovely - 'cept for the loose gravel and new metal on the road (improvements doncha know!

) Had the usual plonkers in cagers doing wild overtaking maneuvers only for us to see them turn off to Whangamata half a klick ahead

Quick break in Tairua and off to the next destination!

The lunch in Whitianga was a sedate and leisurely affair, we all flirted with the waitresses and somehow ordered the same lunch each! Eggs benedict (though Xerxes had to be different and order the smoked salmon instead of processed pork products!)

Filled up at the Gull servo and blatted off to the Coro, got stuck behind a crazy lady cager who would speed up, slow down, brake, brake, brake ... and the usual hullaballoo. Managed to get ahead of her at some roadwork junction lights when Xerxes and I had the idea to scoot ahead of her! Chisanga did an admirable TEC, though at times I wondered where he was!

All good! Now I know how the ride leader feels at times!

Flew through Thames and stopped for some water, btw Xerxes, didya give Chisanga his bottle back?

Anyhows, we did the back block of the Hunuas and Xerxes gave the corner that gave him the learn the learn back! Yeehaa! I punched the air with him as he easily negotiated the corner!

Right, got to process some photos with the usual glib commentary and get off to bed for the early pootling start tomorrow on the next ride! Phew!

**gijoe1313** · 20th April 2007, 22:22

Some blah stuff goes here!

Photo 1. Typical bike porn shot, all ride members turned up at 8am sharp!
Photo 2. Ooer, more rear view bike porn shot. Look at the cans on that!
Photo 3. A lovely day at Kaiaua ... 9ish and nary a cager in sight!
Photo 4. What? Outrageous! Lovely riding weather!
Photo 5. Hitchhiking stowaway discovered in backpack...
Photo 6. Ninja biker and Pikachu play for all the power in the universe... with Rob poised to take the leftovers! By the power of Greyskull gadzooks! I espy Chisanga about to do the dirty on Rob for the Greyskull!

Lovely jubbly riding around this way, roads were perfect, twisties were...well twisty and nary a ninja duck in sight!

**Colapop** · 20th April 2007, 22:23

And not a deep fried chicken wing in sight!

**gijoe1313** · 20th April 2007, 22:41

And zis is vere ve put up ze funny pictures of ze animals...

Photo 1. Obligatory bike pron shot showing headlights ...

ooer!
Photo 2. Now how did he get ahead of us!?

Photo 3. A reclining Xerxes showing how to be an armpit fashion model.
Photo 4. Dark, mysterious ... and why is Chisanga still wearing shades ... in the shade!?
Photo 5. Can't get rid of this little fella, invited him over for lunch and becomes the centre of attention! That devil!
Photo 6. The girls were always talking about Pikachu, how devilishly debonair he looked and were wondering if he was going to ask one of them for a soiree down the Whitianga harbour, sipping mint juleps and having a flutter on the gee-gees!

**gijoe1313** · 20th April 2007, 22:53

Pika, pikachu pika pika pika! *"Here are some photos taken by onlookers and passerbys, so kind, they emailed them to me so I could share them with you!"

Photo 1. Pika-pika-pikachu-chu pika! *"Having a fortified breakfast sets up my day for some impromptu travel - I think I shall hitch a ride to the Coromandel!"

Photo 2. Chu pikachu chu pika pika! *"This ninja biker had left his bag open and I thought I would take advantage of it!"

Photo 3. Pikachu pikachu pika chu chu pika! *"I had hitched to Tairua and was shading myself when I happened to espy those capital chaps passing through!"

Photo 4. Chu chu Pika pika Pikachu! *"Just sunning myself... and getting ready to jump back into that ninja biker's bag! What a wheeze and a lark this is!"

Photo 5. Pika pika chu pika pikachu! *"And here I was at Kaiaua ... I love the blue, reminds me of my good friend Valvosaur!"

Photo 6. Chu chu! *"And here I float lonely as a breeze, fun.. and fancy free!"

**zeocen** · 20th April 2007, 23:47

Haha godamn I love you gijoe, so classic..
Looks like a freaken good day for a ride, I'm jealous I missed out! But it looks like you guys had heaps of fun!

**Donor** · 21st April 2007, 12:13

Originally Posted by zeocen

Haha godamn I love you gijoe, so classic..
Looks like a freaken good day for a ride, I'm jealous I missed out! But it looks like you guys had heaps of fun!

Agreed!

After reading about yesterdays pootle, and awaiting todays report, the green eyed monster is jumping up and down within!

**Maha** · 21st April 2007, 12:19

Originally Posted by zeocen

But it looks like you guys had heaps of fun!

Well the little yellow thing did....it looks pregnant....

**Chisanga** · 21st April 2007, 15:01

I had a fantastic day.. thanks to GiJoe for organising and running a great ride. Certainly opened my eyes going around Coro for the first time... now I know why everyone raves about it. Took it easy in places as I started the day with almost new tyres and was hesitant about caning it around all the corners (caning in the VTR250, newbie rider sense of the word)

Thanks also to Xerxes who provided the entertainment in running up and down the road with his bike after each break stop. I thought you were never going to get it started in Kaiaua.

So a great day, rode more than twice as far as I had in one day before (about 420km door to door)... sore back, sore kness, sore wrists but also sore cheeks from having a huge smile on my face all day

**Winter** · 21st April 2007, 16:16

Yes, Indeed was a beautiful ride along there. Wicked fun by all! Bummer I had to turn back when I did, but made it back to dorkland (via puke for a peak at the racing) in time to get a truckload of things scratched off my to-do list.