Manawatu weekend rides

**Toaster** · 13th March 2010, 19:45

You lot keen to hook into this ride tomorrow (Sunday) coming up your way.... LINK

**cowboyz** · 13th March 2010, 22:31

Ill come supervise

**cowboyz** · 13th March 2010, 22:34

actually.. just noticed you coming past Ashhurst. Pick me up on the way through.. Beep and pause as you turn into cambridge ave and im right there.

**NZsarge** · 14th March 2010, 05:24

Yeah I might turn up in Ashhurst, will see how it goes but at this point, yeah....

**Owl** · 14th March 2010, 06:05

I like reading ride reports, not writing them, so I'll keep this brief.

I met NZSarge at BP Rangitikei and hit the road at about 9.30am. We had a coffee/bite to eat at Stratford and waited for 86GSXR to arrive from Opunake.

That sorted, 86 led us down the Forgotten Highway to Whangamomona. A magic bit of road, though wet and a little greasy in places, so caution taken. Lunch at the famous Whangamomona pub (Whanga burgers all around), a chat with the publican and we were on our way again.

We stopped for pics and to remove sunnies before entering the tunnel, which was actually longer than expected. A word of caution: Don't fiddle with things, fidget etc, while riding through the dark tunnel. I managed to hit the "kill switch" throwing everything into darkness. The end result after some fumbling, was everything lit up like a Christmas tree and the headlights pointing closer to the tunnel ceiling, rather than the road

Hardly the place or technique to practise wheelies

Next up was the gravel section, which was hard packed and easily handled, so not much to say about that except maybe................meh

The rest of the FH was pretty mint and we arrived at Taumarunui for a break and more shit talk. On the road again to Raetihi for gas and then the Parapara's. I love that road and 86 set a nice pace through there, all the way to Wangavegas...............and beyond

NZSarge took the lead through Halcombe

and we pretty much parted company at that stage with 86 & Sarge heading home via Ashhurst and me heading to Palmy. Awesome day riding, but shit I was glad to get home

........................

Cheers guys, the FH rocks!

**Pegasus** · 14th March 2010, 06:50

Originally Posted by Owl

I like reading ride reports, not writing them, so I'll keep this brief.

I met NZSarge at BP Rangitikei and hit the road at about 9.30am. We had a coffee/bite to eat at Stratford and waited for 86GSXR to arrive from Opunake.

That sorted, 86 led us down the Forgotten Highway to Whangamomona. A magic bit of road, though wet and a little greasy in places, so caution taken. Lunch at the famous Whangamomona pub (Whanga burgers all around), a chat with the publican and we were on our way again.

We stopped for pics and to remove sunnies before entering the tunnel, which was actually longer than expected. A word of caution: Don't fiddle with things, fidget etc, while riding through the dark tunnel. I managed to hit the "kill switch" throwing everything into darkness. The end result after some fumbling, was everything lit up like a Christmas tree and the headlights pointing closer to the tunnel ceiling, rather than the road

Hardly the place or technique to practise wheelies

Next up was the gravel section, which was hard packed and easily handled, so not much to say about that except maybe................meh

The rest of the FH was pretty mint and we arrived at Taumarunui for a break and more shit talk. On the road again to Raetihi for gas and then the Parapara's. I love that road and 86 set a nice pace through there, all the way to Wangavegas...............and beyond

NZSarge took the lead through Halcombe

and we pretty much parted company at that stage with 86 & Sarge heading home via Ashhurst and me heading to Palmy. Awesome day riding, but shit I was glad to get home

........................

Cheers guys, the FH rocks!

Glad you enjoyed your Birthday ride Babe.

**86GSXR** · 14th March 2010, 07:35

Originally Posted by Owl

Cheers guys, the FH rocks!

What an awesome day eh and what a magic piece of road

I love the way time seems to stand still on the FH, just pure focus the whole way

Great day out guys, thanks!

Originally Posted by Pegasus

Glad you enjoyed your Birthday ride Babe.

Eh!??? Happy Birthday Al

**NZsarge** · 14th March 2010, 07:43

Originally Posted by Owl

Cheers guys, the FH rocks!

Nice dude, was a mint day, had my doubts just quietly when we were heading west, thanks for putting up with all my phaffing around with wet weather gear that was'nt really needed in the end. By the way, I can recommend the over jacket as a good addition to a leather jacket, kept me reasonably warm on the way home particularly considering I left Cowboyz place at 11:30 and the further east I got the colder it was.

Originally Posted by Pegasus

Glad you enjoyed your Birthday ride Babe.

Aye..? He kept that quiet, the old bugger!

**Owl** · 14th March 2010, 08:00

Originally Posted by 86GSXR

Eh!??? Happy Birthday Al

Originally Posted by NZsarge

Aye..? He kept that quiet, the old bugger!

I would've told ya's if you'd offered to get me a supercharger for my birthday

Originally Posted by NZsarge

By the way, I can recommend the over jacket as a good addition to a leather jacket, kept me reasonably warm on the way home particularly considering I left Cowboyz place at 11:30 and the further east I got the colder it was.

I might seriously look at that, as they have a very small pack volume.

Right, I need to fix my throttle grip before I go riding again

**ynot slow** · 14th March 2010, 09:04

Good to see you found a coffee stop in Stratford in pic 1 of Owls pics,assuming you were getting a brew.

Something real dodgy though the weather looked fine in the Naki centre of universe.

**Owl** · 14th March 2010, 09:21

Yeah cheers for that info Tony, it was bloody nice tucker. Perfect starter for the Whanga burger

**ynot slow** · 14th March 2010, 11:13

Yep don't spend 45yrs in the province without knowing the area,and working for 4 yrs in Stratford you get to know the good spots(mind you that place is new to the town,and in good spot),mind you took me till I got my GSX to discover Whanga,spent heaps of years in the area behing Whanga tramping and hunting,great scenery.

**SuperSonic** · 16th March 2010, 20:39

Originally Posted by Owl

I like reading ride reports, not writing them, so I'll keep this brief.

I met NZSarge at BP Rangitikei and hit the road at about 9.30am. We had a coffee/bite to eat at Stratford and waited for 86GSXR to arrive from Opunake.

That sorted, 86 led us down the Forgotten Highway to Whangamomona. A magic bit of road, though wet and a little greasy in places, so caution taken. Lunch at the famous Whangamomona pub (Whanga burgers all around), a chat with the publican and we were on our way again.

We stopped for pics and to remove sunnies before entering the tunnel, which was actually longer than expected. A word of caution: Don't fiddle with things, fidget etc, while riding through the dark tunnel. I managed to hit the "kill switch" throwing everything into darkness. The end result after some fumbling, was everything lit up like a Christmas tree and the headlights pointing closer to the tunnel ceiling, rather than the road

Hardly the place or technique to practise wheelies

Next up was the gravel section, which was hard packed and easily handled, so not much to say about that except maybe................meh

The rest of the FH was pretty mint and we arrived at Taumarunui for a break and more shit talk. On the road again to Raetihi for gas and then the Parapara's. I love that road and 86 set a nice pace through there, all the way to Wangavegas...............and beyond

NZSarge took the lead through Halcombe

and we pretty much parted company at that stage with 86 & Sarge heading home via Ashhurst and me heading to Palmy. Awesome day riding, but shit I was glad to get home

........................

Cheers guys, the FH rocks!

Bugger Mum's 60th Birthday party, if it's not work it's family, another bloody great ride and roads missed out on.