Mounting Cnut Hill - Sat 9/5

[Box'a'bits]

ah fuck it, 45% of university assessment can go on hold for a few hours while I make the pilgrimage to CNUT. Is it 10am at Toppy's? Infact I have never been to Toppy's, again only heard of it through the stories of my forefathers...

If anyone else is leaving from Wellies / the Hutt, name a time and I'll meet you at Caltex, otherwise I guess it's 10am at Toppys?

Lets say 9.15 at Caltex Rimutaka?

Yes, the ride into Sutherlands Hut & the base of CNUT is much more suited to the @.

I suspect (given what Marks & Andy Mac have ridden recently) that the Link Track will be a muddy grovel for a big bike.

[buggsubique]

Lets say 9.15 at Caltex Rimutaka?

Yep, see you there... lookin forward to it!

[marks]

I suspect (given what Marks & Andy Mac have ridden recently) that the Link Track will be a muddy grovel for a big bike.

Actually - the Link Track is a muddy grovel on a little bike - I personally would not consider taking a big bike in there

if I'm not at Rimutex at 9.15 its because I've decided to trailer the DT to Martinborough

see you at Toppys at 10 one way or the other

[Box'a'bits]

If I'm not at Rimutex at 9.15 its because I've decided to trailer the DT to Martinborough. See you at Toppys at 10 one way or the other

You do realise that that would confirm your standing as trailer trash? Thereby make any potentially successful summit as ineligible in the Adventure Biking Rolls Of Honour, ie as counting as an adventure bike summit? Bikes must be ridden to the event! On the gearing they make the attempt on! We will never surrender (& all that tosh..)

[bart]

Tyres kicked and thingamejig adjusted. Clutch is doing something weird (but that could be the clutch operator), so all good.

Lets go sort this Fcuking hill out.

Home....

Left about 7am. Thought I'd take the scenic route. Got out the end of Pori Road, pull the clutch, SNAP. No worries. Might have had a small crack in the lever which finally gave way. Pull over, get tools out, spare lever.....SHIT.....lever intact, but cable broken. Stuck out the arse end of Eketahuna with no clutch.

It took a few goes to get going, crashing it from neutral to first with a fist full of revs. . Nursed it home without stopping for anything.

[Eddieb]

Home....

Left about 7am. Thought I'd take the scenic route. Got out the end of Pori Road, pull the clutch, SNAP. No worries. Might have had a small crack in the lever which finally gave way. Pull over, get tools out, spare lever.....SHIT.....lever intact, but cable broken. Stuck out the arse end of Eketahuna with no clutch.

It took a few goes to get going, crashing it from neutral to first with a fist full of revs. . Nursed it home without stopping for anything.

Bugger!   

[bart]

Bugger!   

Yep.

In some ways it's a relief. I've been thinking for the last couple of weeks that the gearbox was on its way out. Massive crunch on down changes, and would slip to neutral from second if the upchange wasn't clean. I didn't think to check the clutch cable as the clutch operated smoothly.

This is the first time I've ever had a clutch cable go. The bike's only done 14k.

[buggsubique]

Looking forward to Marks putting his photos up - was a mission, and was great fun. We all had a stab at Cnut 'cept poor Steve who had some issues with the kicker on his 640 and opted to wait at the hut. The @ took a few knocks and I came home with a broken left mirror and a bent clutch lever (thankfully not broken!). Got close but no cigar... I'm sure the photos will tell the story. Sorry you missed it Bart, you were sure excited about it. Definitely worth doing...

[gav24]

Yep.

In some ways it's a relief. I've been thinking for the last couple of weeks that the gearbox was on its way out. Massive crunch on down changes, and would slip to neutral from second if the upchange wasn't clean. I didn't think to check the clutch cable as the clutch operated smoothly.

This is the first time I've ever had a clutch cable go. The bike's only done 14k.

My DR has always done that strange jump back to neutral out of 2nd from new, especially in trainers/shoes as the lever doesnt get quite as much of a shove that they do in MX boots. Its particularly embarassing pulling away from the lights - especially with that loud pipe when the revs suddenly go mental!

Where along the cable did yours snap - lever end or at the actuating arm? -or even somewhere in between? Gonna check mine now, maybe they come with a half snapped cable from new...

Anyway the rest of you, stories from 'the Hill'....

[bart]

My DR has always done that strange jump back to neutral out of 2nd from new, especially in trainers/shoes as the lever doesnt get quite as much of a shove that they do in MX boots. Its particularly embarassing pulling away from the lights - especially with that loud pipe when the revs suddenly go mental!

Where along the cable did yours snap - lever end or at the actuating arm? -or even somewhere in between? Gonna check mine now, maybe they come with a half snapped cable from new...

Anyway the rest of you, stories from 'the Hill'....

OK, so the finding neutral thing may be normal. It only seems to happen when commuting to work, so you may be right about the shoe thing.

The cable broke at the lever where the ball thing attaches. I just remembered that I've been using a DRZ400 clutch lever for the last 4 months. There may be a slight difference in the pull angle? I'd better check it out.

[pete376403]

A friend had the cable on his DR650 break at the same point not too long ago*. I would guess that the barrel nipple was not rotating in the hole as the lever was operated, so flexing the cable at that point . The nipple is a fairly close fit in the hole, wouldn't take too uch dirt to jam it tight

*try and buy a DR650 clutch cable in Reefton on a Saturday night... he did a fast and clutchless run through to the Coast the next morning, found a bike shop which was open and the guy repaired the cable, including turning up a new barrel nipple on the lathe.

[Woodman]

Bart you missed an opportunity to reach ultimate legend status if you had made it up cnut with no clutch.
KLR does that jumping back into neutral thing too. Often when in second gear and relying heavily on the engine braking when coming into a downhill corner too fast. Scary.

Did anyone get up???

[buggsubique]

I heard there was some myth [and I do emphasise "myth"] that a Beemer 1200 got up there. I would drink a nice hot cup of my own piss if a 1200 could get up that track without Travis Pastrana riding it.

I am not a safari rider or MXer but I will put my balls out and say that there is no fucken way a 1200 tank got up that track as it is now. Maybe back when it was maintained a few years back, but not now.

The Africa ain't a small bike but it aint a behemoth either. I might have come close, but after three attempts and a pile of broken bits starting to mount up I conceded defeat.

[marks]

Did anyone get up???

Piece of Piss - although I suspect Matt was pretty knackered from assisting my attempt

Fortunately there were no cameras around when I looped the DT and pretzelled the rack and indicators etc....

[junkmanjoe]

a credit to you buggs. to get ya beast that far up, in the old days the track never went that way, but instead went around the face of the hill about where mark stopped at the start of his vid, a large slip took the track away, so a bully was brought in to reline the track straight down so to speak..

on ya chaps for having another go at the cnut..

JMJ