Southern Cross road rally, April 07

**shafty** · 21st April 2007, 18:34

Originally Posted by ducatijim

Bloody good to get somfin 4 nofin @ trikeworx! All installed now I guess?

Would you believe NO? Just starting - I've had a couple of Party Bus jobs this weekend, plus an Open Home, but all on target!

**Warr** · 23rd April 2007, 17:06

Riders spotted heading northwards on State Highway 39 (Otorohanga - Ngaruawahia) this afternoon.
Ride safe guys and I'm sure they would appreciate anyone wanting to ride decoy!!

**shafty** · 24th April 2007, 22:22

Originally Posted by Warr

Riders spotted heading northwards on State Highway 39 (Otorohanga - Ngaruawahia) this afternoon.
Ride safe guys and I'm sure they would appreciate anyone wanting to ride decoy!!

It was nice to climb off the bike at 7.00pm tonight in Tauranga! Esp since I calculated a 9.30pm arrival!

Gossip of a bike over a bank in the Gorge south of Kaitaia, but all good I believe otherwise.

**Silverfern** · 25th April 2007, 11:08

Just giving you guys a thumbs up for when you come through Otago (tomorrow ?) that diesel has been spilt this morning from Cherry farm (south of Waikouaiti) to the Northern Motorway. They are putting grit on it now but it could still be slippery tomorrow so take care. Looking forward to full report Malcom!

**rustys** · 25th April 2007, 16:39

Gave all you's guys the wave:spudwave: this av'o between Gisborne and Tolaga Bay, was on the blue R6 heading north, about 1.30am. Fantastic day out riding, hope you guys are enjoying the ride. Take care out there, safe journey south.

**Catweazle** · 25th April 2007, 17:05

I met up with the group at Te Araroa today. There is about 130 of them - which is a lot of bikes for a one horse (one petrol pump) town like Te Araroa. Apparently the score to date is two down but OK (one near start and one today after Te Araroa) and one missing in action.

Today's checkpoint at East Cape lighthouse car park was moved back to Te Araroa following some Anzac Day refuelling issues at Te Araroa. A few of the riders and myself also went out to the Cape - three eager souls at least climbed up to the lighthouse at East Cape and were not interested in taking short cuts and not doing the full Southern Cross thing.

Good luck for the rest of the tour guys - it was a pleasure to catch up with you and share a bit of the riding.

**T.W.R** · 26th April 2007, 18:13

Majority of bikes cruised through Rakaia mid - late afternoon today

albeit in miserable conditions (cold & heavy drizzle) heading south to the Dunedin checkpoint before departing for Bluff

**DesmoJohnny** · 29th April 2007, 08:33

Great trip,awesome weather up North-shame it couldn't have stayed the same for the Southern part! Never been so wet(except for swimming !!)
Good to meet the KBer's too,great bunch we are - hope you all get back ok.

5000kms in 6 days and I would do it again for sure.

All was good until about 2kms south of the Hanmer turn-off. Wasn't going too hard

,but hit a slick patch on a very wet road and the monster high-sided me off !

Broken levers etc and dented tank,crash bungs stuffed - but almost no damage to me,even managed to ride her home! A great couple from Stewart Island retsored my faith in humanity and followed me thru' to Maruia to make sure I was ok.

See you all next time ??

**RedKLR650** · 29th April 2007, 09:33

Originally Posted by DesmoJohnny

Great trip,awesome weather up North-shame it couldn't have stayed the same for the Southern part!

With all of those wiggles on the roads up north, I'm glad it was fine there too....... Turns out these new tires I'm trying are great in the dry, crap in the wet.....

Never been so wet(except for swimming !!)

And the drizzle was worse than the rain, wouldn't bead off the visor so easily......

Good to meet the KBer's too,great bunch we are - hope you all get back ok.

You too

5000kms in 6 days and I would do it again for sure.

I'm saying no now, but in 2 years, I'm sure to be a starter again. And I never heard of one speeding ticket being issued during the rally..... Everything considered, how lucky is that !

All was good until about 2kms south of the Hanmer turn-off. Wasn't going too hard

,but hit a slick patch on a very wet road and the monster high-sided me off !

Broken levers etc and dented tank,crash bungs stuffed - but almost no damage to me,even managed to ride her home! A great couple from Stewart Island retsored my faith in humanity and followed me thru' to Maruia to make sure I was ok.

Glad you're OK. Nearly had a highside myself 30km south of home, touched a white line under full power while passing, and felt like I was going to do a 180, though I reckon my shingle experience ( where we're used to the back wheel cutting loose ) was all that saved me. I think the couple in the car I just passed probably got as bigger fright as me, as it would have looked pretty spectacular from behind !! Def undies change time........

See you all next time ??

Cheers, Stu

**shafty** · 29th April 2007, 16:41

Originally Posted by DesmoJohnny

Great trip,awesome weather up North-shame it couldn't have stayed the same for the Southern part! Never been so wet(except for swimming !!)
Good to meet the KBer's too,great bunch we are - hope you all get back ok.

5000kms in 6 days and I would do it again for sure.

All was good until about 2kms south of the Hanmer turn-off. Wasn't going too hard

,but hit a slick patch on a very wet road and the monster high-sided me off !

Broken levers etc and dented tank,crash bungs stuffed - but almost no damage to me,even managed to ride her home! A great couple from Stewart Island retsored my faith in humanity and followed me thru' to Maruia to make sure I was ok.

See you all next time ??

Big BUGGER Desmo - what bad luck Mate, pleased that good looking Mug of yours survived OK! Its always tragic when such a nice bike goes down.

I'm still languishing in Dunedin - trolled thru the Catlins today, and will be in touch with Oamaru Honda first thing in the morning to see how my bike is coming along (took a rock in the radiator on the way down and they kindly loaned me an ST1100 to make the finish line).

It was good to meet you and the other KB'ers - some great people on the SX.

Had some good laughs along the way!!

**Blackbird** · 29th April 2007, 17:43

Congrats everyone - great result. Something to feel incredibly proud of and I look forward to seeing a ride report. It was the same in '05 with poor weather down south, only it was stock truck effluent on the Clinton road and up the Dunedin hill that caused a few bum-clenching moments!

**Highlander** · 29th April 2007, 20:49

Wow, What a ride.
Close to 5500 Km from home to home.
Dead keen to do that again.
Sorry to hear about your high side DesmoJohny, good the damage is largely superficial though.

Bike performed well.
Shame about the weather you Mainlanders turned on for us, other wise a great run.

**timg** · 29th April 2007, 21:31

Originally Posted by RedKLR650

Turns out these new tires I'm trying are great in the dry, crap in the wet.....

Awesome adventure Stu. One day....hopefully soonish.
What were the tyres that gave you problems in the wet. I know you had a new Trailwing for the Waitangi day ride. Cheers.

**Jantar** · 29th April 2007, 21:37

Originally Posted by Blackbird

... I look forward to seeing a ride report. ...

I'll be starting a new thread shortly for the ride reports. It was brillant riding even if some riders didn't like the timy little bit of drizzle.

**ducatijim** · 30th April 2007, 08:28

Well, what a great adventure!Bugger all the critics re weather, thats what its all about, getting thru regardless; a test of determination and of riding gear!
The DR was a dream for me; solid as a rock and steady, come rain or shine, gravel road or road works!
Already planning for 2 years time!
Sorry to hear of your misfortune,Desmo, good youre not hurt; not like the 2 dead and 1 serious after a head on with a car up here near Rotorua, Sunday middayish :-(
Great to meet some super new folk, kiwi bikers do rock!!