Andy & Cary's Excellent Kawhia Caper!

**Taz** · 11th December 2009, 18:40

Think they're seasonal

**bart** · 11th December 2009, 19:52

Awesome photos guys. Looks like you're having way too much fun....except for the flat.

**Cary** · 11th December 2009, 20:11

Originally Posted by Anthrax

Na Cary knows he'll never win

Gave up trying long ago........

Originally Posted by Anthrax

I'm not an Aucklander.

YEAH RIGHT!

First flat fixed on a ride and she's still up, best way to earn a cool beer.

I hope those lawns look a lot shorter next time I see em......

**oldrider** · 11th December 2009, 20:34

Cool, that place looks great! Cheers, guy's!

**Taz** · 11th December 2009, 21:47

Awoke to a cloudy overcast day on friday. Loaded up and hit the road to Oparau intending to do a loop south thru Te Anga and the Waitomo area. Cruised past the Oparau service station thinking I've still got at least a 100km of fuel left, That'll be heaps. The loop we intended only looked on the map to be about 60-80kms

. Headed south on Harbour road to Te Anga then onto Marakopa. It had started drizzling now. Starting to get a little concerned about the fuel situation we asked a lady at Marakopa about fuel. "None to be had here" was the reply.

. Only thing to do was to carry on and see just how far a KTM 525 will go on 13 litres........ The rain had set in by now so I fitted my rain lining to my Jacket (Cary had fitted his before we left that morning cause he's clevererer than I). And off we went.

**Taz** · 12th December 2009, 07:09

We took the Mangatoa road south from Marakopa then left into Pomarangai Road. The sign at the beginning of this raod say "Extreme Caution next 21km's" - Excellent if only I wasn't in fuel conserve mode!! This road is a single lane road that winds it's way up the hills of the north of Whareorino forest. Nearing the summit the rain was joined by mist making visibility hard to say the least. In dry weather this road would be magic. The 525 went onto reserve on this road at 202.5 kms. Pomarangai Rd became Ngapaenga rd and from there we took a left into Waipuna Road with the intention of getting fuel at Waitomo Caves township. I was informed by a friendly road works lollipop lady that Waitomo Caves township no longer has it's gas pump!! She said the next place would be Otorohanga

I very much doubted that I'd make it so with instructions to Cary to look for a bottle so we could transfer some fuel from the XR if need be we took the Waitomo Valley Rd to Otorohanga. Long story even longer I made it to the Caltex in Otorohanga after traveling 261kms and put 12.51litres into my 13 litre tank! That was too close for comfort and a lesson to never pass a gas station when you only have 13 litres. We then went to a Cafe for breakfast. Oh and the rain had stopped

**Cary** · 12th December 2009, 07:21

Even though the BRP sucks the gas better than most with a smooth throttle & great line choice

(and 99% less wheelies than pictured KTM!) the XR went to reserve at 230k, did 20k to Otorohanga and still had 2-3lt in the tank

Good to know. I did get 14.5lt in the tank at Otorohanga so think my 15.5lt tank is closer to 16.5 - 17lt

(I did pick up a Lion Red bottle just in case....

)

**Taz** · 12th December 2009, 07:22

After breakfast, well Brunch really, we took the seal to Pirongia With me aboard the Mighty XR while Cary had the plank hard KTM for the boring road bit

Me smart me am. Then the back roads thru to waitetuna. Here we swapped back to our own bikes with Cary complaining about the KTM's seat. My arse has calluses? now so I don't feel it so bad

. Here was an interesting school bus shelter painted by the Waitetuna school children and teachers probably and in one side it says "Growing seeds of success" with a teacher and a parent holding watering cans and watering the "seeds" which are the children. I loved it!!

**tri boy** · 12th December 2009, 07:23

That's great fuel mileage from a bike that normally only knows one speed.

**Taz** · 12th December 2009, 07:31

Was torture I can tell ya that........

was helped by the fact that at times in the mist and drizzle we could barely see which way the next corner went until we were halfway thru it though.

**Taz** · 12th December 2009, 07:35

We took SH22 and veered onto Ruakiwi to Te Akau. Found one of my side stand springs had popped off, luckily only at one end so I removed it and stuffed it in my pocket.....
Love the first pic of Cary styling it up for the camera.

**Cary** · 12th December 2009, 07:37

Originally Posted by Anthrax

After breakfast, well Brunch really, we took the seal to Pirongia with me aboard the Mighty XR while Cary had the plank hard KTM for the boring road bit

Me smart me am. Here we swapped back to our own bikes with Cary complaining about the KTM's seat.

Two things, 1. Don't mention the word 'brunch' you just know those southerers i'll bite. & 2. At the first mention of 'swap bikes' THE first thing i thought of was the KTM plank! but to give my right wrist a rest(XR throttle has a VERY strong throttle return spring) the plank was worth it

**Taz** · 12th December 2009, 07:47

Up the Te Akau Coast road and onto Pukerewa Road. As you come to the end of this road you can see a huge fan thing up on the hill. We thought we'd seek permission to go have a look. We turned up a farm driveway and stopped at a open gate. just as we decided to head up the drive way to ask. I looked behind us and as if by magic a farmer lady ha djust appeared out of no where on a quad and was looking at us suspiciously

. I told her what we wanted to do and she graciously gave us the ok to go up for a look. She told us this wind power prototype was installed by a power company more than 10 years ago and then they went bust. I don't think it ever worked. It is an interesting design.