Coromandel Loop: 21 Nov

[MikeL]

Just got home after a rather frustrating day...
Left home at 8:45 - very dull, obviously in for some drizzle at least. Sure enough, half way down the motorway it started. Quite persistent around Clevedon. There were about 15 of us setting off from Clevedon and for a while things looked promising. Had a delay of about half an hour near Kaiawa as a result of an accident - not one of us, fortunately - a car coming the other way took out a power pole and brought down the lines. We stayed until the emergency services arrived, warning on-coming traffic (specifically not to touch the lines!) Most of the time we were waiting it wasn't raining, in fact even patches of blue sky. But pretty well as soon as we set off again it started drizzling again, and by the time we got to Kopu it was pretty dismal. Didn't seem as if it was going to lift, so some of us decided to head back. No fun doing the loop in the wet. I went off and got a bite to eat at Thames, then rode back the way we had come. I got as far as Kaiawa again and the rain stopped. I could see blue sky ahead and looking back towards Coromandel things looked a lot better too. Bummer...
The ride back via Maraetai was good, though.
Might try for the loop again next weekend.

[swanman]

Yes a tad frustrating. Wet, not wet, wet again, bollocks.

However it was worth it just to see Death do his wheelie thing, he is a wheelie GOD!

Maybe next weekend. I'll do the loop.



Good to meet more of you guys.

[Two Smoker]

AAAAAhhhhh, you guys should have stayed and come along around the loop...

Got to Thames, and it stopped drizzling...... (only a few kays up the road from Kopu where it was drizzling) roads were a mixture of damp and dry roads..... Spank put on an awesome pace, and taught me too trust my supercorsa too keep up with him..... Stopped at Coromandel Township and the Admirals Arms and had some lunch.... Sadly from there i had to head back home to work, while everyone else continued to finish the loop....

Well my trip back was "brisk" (ended up being about 1 hour 30.... from coromandel township to hillsborough ) NOTHING BUT DRY ROADS AND BLUE SKY!!!!!!!!!!!!!.....

I ended up taking the ZXR400 because i wanted to test the new exhaust system..... (i found out it redlines in a certain gear ) but alas the ZXR has FINALLY been retired from the road.... next road ride i will be on either the GSX-R600 (fingers crossed) or the beast of an RG150 so i can carve up in the wet

Great ride, with some great people....

Please dont show those photos of my supposed "stoppies" which were more bunnyhops.... that was actually my first attempt at proper stoppies on that bike

Sorry if i didnt introduce myself to the new people.... I was on the mutilated ZXR400....

Riders of the day.....(from what i saw) SpankMe (bloody awesome pace), Speed Medic (kept up well mate ) and Death..... (well actions speak louder than words mate.... simply awesome riding and ofcourse wheelies... bloody windy for wheelies though )

Can't wait for the next one.. and MR you have to come on the next one....

[SpankMe]

Just got back from a great ride. Roads proved to be dry most of the way around the loop. Glad to see so many who persisted through the early drizzle and ended up having a good day.

Sadly one biker down. Not seriously hurt, but was taken away in an ambulance.

[Riff Raff]

Yup was a really great ride despite the weather. Can't wait to get a bigger bike so I don't trail so far behind everyone on future rides. Great turnout and good to meet everyone.

[swanman]

Who went down? Are they OK?

[bane]

Pretty good day all round (apart from rider down )

Starting to use parts of my tyres that I didnt know existed

Great to meet a few more KBers, and of course finally see Death Inc in action!

Sorry cant comment/update on accident as only have second hand info

[sAsLEX]

WAS A GOOD DAY BUT NOW THERE AINT MUCH REAR TYRE LEFT!!!

[DEATH_INC.]

Yep,great day,glad I ignored my earlier feelings about riding in the wet....
After fluffing about in the wet I chased spank and speedmedic around the rest of the loop,never ridden with spank before;he puts on a good pace.
We decided to go through to whangamata as the day was too good to waste,after getting there and waiting for a bit,saw the ambulance head out and feared the worst,shot back over the hill(had a good bit of a dice with John(cbr1000) and his mates who were going that way....),met ajturbo just around the corner and he told me what was up.
After all that was sorted we headed back to whangamata,then on to waihi.
Gave up the 750 to draco and took her 400 the rest of the trip back.Great fun!Had a small holdup when the 750 decided to shed the front gaurd halfway home.
Big to spank.Great day.

[Motoracer]

Looks like you guys had a great ride. Good on you lot!

I had an awesome time too at Woodhill today. First time there on the MTB and I am hooked, I reckon.

I'll come along on the next KB ride though, prolly on the Fixxer. If you get the K5 in time Chris, I might bring out the Gixxer. You still have to run it in though...

[Two Smoker]

Looks like you guys had a great ride. Good on you lot!

I had an awesome time too at Woodhill today. First time there on the MTB and I am hooked, I reckon.

I'll come along on the next KB ride though, prolly on the Fixxer. If you get the K5 in time Chris, I might bring out the Gixxer. You still have to run it in though...

Death was giving hints on a ride in two weeks..... so the K5 should be run in and serviced by then..... But next week, bring the fixxer and ill bring the ridge...

I really need a MTB now..... i wanted to steal KK's .......

[Riff Raff]

Also big ups to Riff Raff who done well on the rebel(gotta get a bigger bike dudette)

Thanks mate. Hopefully will get new bike according to plan end Dec, but my cage has just failed wof so I'm going to have to fork out big bucks for that.

Just like to thank all the guys who helped me and Draco with Gah, especially with directing traffic while we were assessing him in the middle of the road. It was good to be able to get on with our job knowing that we were perfectly safe. And Gah (hope I've spelt your name correctly) hope your injuries were minor and you have a quick recovery. Sadly the same cannot be said for your bike.

[Quasievil]

So was it Gah that crashed? is he alright ? looks like a cop car behind was there offical attendance?

Fuck I hate hearing about crashes, can you someone post about his condition?

[SpankMe]

Searching through the memberlist for that bike and the guys location, it looks like NinjaBoy.

[NinjaBoy]

Thanks mate. Hopefully will get new bike according to plan end Dec, but my cage has just failed wof so I'm going to have to fork out big bucks for that.

Just like to thank all the guys who helped me and Draco with Gah, especially with directing traffic while we were assessing him in the middle of the road. It was good to be able to get on with our job knowing that we were perfectly safe. And Gah (hope I've spelt your name correctly) hope your injuries were minor and you have a quick recovery. Sadly the same cannot be said for your bike.

A really big thanks to Riff Raff and Draco and all those that helped with directing the traffic. I'm really glad I was on a KB ride with a great bunch people. I hate to think what would have happened if I was by myself.
My injuries are limited to a bruised knee and black eye, and a compression fracture of my 3rd Vetebrae (T3) which will heal in 6-8 weeks.

Thanks again for all your help and sorry to put a damper on the rest of the ride.