Nelson Rideouts - Where next?

**Padmei** · 13th March 2010, 17:49

Is the mighty KTM going to come out & show us up tommorrow Warewolf? Or will it be cowering in the shed as usual?

**NordieBoy** · 14th March 2010, 08:53

Shane may be there.
If there's a ute and TT350 at the big camping ground on the way in then he will

Otherwise I've been given full instructions as to where to go and what tracks to take.

**warewolf** · 14th March 2010, 10:38

Originally Posted by Padmei

Is the mighty KTM going to come out & show us up tommorrow Warewolf? Or will it be cowering in the shed as usual?

Sorry, just too busy at the moment. You'll find me cowering in the shed probably!

**Woodman** · 14th March 2010, 20:02

Well that was fcukin brilliant, and finding a still warm mx track was a real bonus. We did bike swapsies and also watched Shane riding adv bikes like they were never intended to be ridden.

Absolutely shattered now and have done something to my back in the shower so can't move very well at the moment.

Padmei, have you apologized to Gonzo for kickiing him for laying in the river?

**NordieBoy** · 14th March 2010, 20:54

Have you apologised to that corner for falling off 3 different bikes on it?

**Woodman** · 14th March 2010, 21:00

Originally Posted by NordieBoy

Have you apologised to that corner for falling off 3 different bikes on it?

No and not quite accurate. I crashed my klr 3 times and Umopoms 690 one time on that corner. The third bike was a different corner when I highsided the kdx. \
Surprised you let me have a go on the DR.

**NordieBoy** · 15th March 2010, 06:41

Surprised me too. Although the DR was the only bike with a decent rear tyre.

Funny how you were the only one who fell off all day though.

**NordieBoy** · 15th March 2010, 07:13

If I could sum up the KTM 690 in one word it would be "smooth". Smooth lines, suspension, handling, engine, everything.
The only minus I could see was a lack of stomp down low but as soon as you've got any revs up at all, it just purrs along. Also as KTM expect you to never get stuck or fall off, there's no grab handles on the back.

It was good hearing Shane's impressions of each of the bikes after blasting them around the track bouncing off the limiter.

Also Padmei's shocking admission as to which bike he preferred!

**Willdat?** · 15th March 2010, 08:28

Thanks to the Nelson KBers who got together and got us a playmat for Luca!

Will get a photo of him practicing tricks on it in the next couple of days - the joys of tummy time, he's going to have huge shoulders!

**Padmei** · 15th March 2010, 20:09

Well I'm absolutely buggered. I couldn't hold my arms up to type last nite after picking up gonzo so many times yesterday.n Shit that was the most amount of fun I've had for a long time.
I really want to go back & do the same thing next weekend - this time with a knob on the back (and maybe a newer one on the front.

As the guys said we cruised into Wairoa Gorge with Shane on his lil KDX200 as our mountain guide. Roared senselessly up & down a closed road ( to 4wd traffic that is), then went for an explore up the river.
We all had a go at a firebreak which only Woodman got up on his tractor then preceded to get lost!! While we were waiting I had a blast on the KDX & relived my apprentice days when I had a lil 2T. Heaps of fun - and LITE!!!

On the explore we experienced about 7 river crossings. I got thru 2 I think without having to get off & lift the front or back. You know who your mates are during those times. I'm blaming my E07s & bad luck - skill has nothing to do with it. Umopom was having a bit of trouble with traction on the greasy bits with his front & back 07 setup tho he got across the rivers pretty well.

In the depths of nowhere on a sunny afternoontwo adv riders, Umopom & I, created a new sport - Synchronised bike flopping. Picture this: a shortish climb up a average firebreak. Umopom in front cruises up to a hidden irrigation trench (must have a name for these), Anyway he looks at the 1metre + drop hesitates & disappears as I arrive at the crest. He gives it a bit of throttle to get up the other side, stalls & as I see what's going to unfold put on the front brake at the top of the drop, clutch in with right foot down as we both slide backward, front wheels locked & with perfect precision fall effortlessly backwards with our bikes landing in a heap mocking us.
For a moment we were Gods. Very much like the Rainey & Swantz manouvre.

Nordie also found himself out of his comfort zone doing a knarly hillclimb which Shane blitzed & Woodman conquered. Not often you see him having to sift back beaten...
You know the kid in class you always used to dare to do a dum thing & he'd do it without thinking? Well not namimg anyone here but Woodman would have been him. Plenty of laughs...

What better way to finish a ride than around a course mowen into a large undulating field for VMX. it was very grassy & heed was to be taken of the warning from ther owner not to go wide on the corners. A bit off camber bits had us cautious untill we got used to it. then it was all on.

Man that 2 stroke was fun. Shane can ride like a man possessed & anyone who doubts the abilities of big thumpers should have been there yesterday. KLRs, DRs 690's KDX's all ripping it up. Trying everyone elses bikes on the same terrain was a real eye opener to the different characteristics each bike possesses. It was a shame most of us had pretty shitty tyres to get a real comparison however I have to admit that after the KDX, Nordies DR was the most fun to ride - heaps of instant low down torque & really manageable. The KLRs got a good rap from Shane ( Nordie felt distinctly uncomfortable having to try a KLR) & everyone was fizzing about the suspension & engine on the 690.

So to hell with blind brand loyalty, Motorcycle parochialism & snobbery if everyone got a chance to ride other bikes & have fun like this every day the world would be a better place

cue Michael jackson "we are the world..."

Sorry Just realised how long this was. You can go have a pee now.

**Woodman** · 15th March 2010, 20:26

padmei you wordsmith you.

Today i feel like the day after the first game of footy for the season. Muscles i had forgotten about have awaken.

yep I gotta admit it but Nordies bike (big wallowy wallower) was pretty good on the track. The 690 scared me a bit but with knobs on would be lethally fun, and picking it up almost made me cry with its lightness.
Interesting riding Gonxo too. Very similar to mine but with brakes that work, not 690 brakes (fcuk) but brtter than mine.

**Padmei** · 15th March 2010, 20:32

The big fcuking Wallowy wallower - I'd forgotten that

Shanes reference to his brother Nordie's DR before he adjusted the rebound

Still picking grass out of your ears from your corner?

Jatz you slackarse I suppose you did a nambypamby road ride down to the dairy & back?

**Woodman** · 15th March 2010, 20:48

Originally Posted by Padmei

The big fcuking Wallowy wallower - I'd forgotten that

Shanes reference to his brother Nordie's DR before he adjusted the rebound

Still picking grass out of your ears from your corner?

Jatz you slackarse I suppose you did a nambypamby road ride down to the dairy & back?

tried turning crashing into an art form after the kdx spat me off, there I was sliding down the hill head first on my back, but still having the presence of mind to throw my head back and flip over in a perfect backward roll and land on my feet only to see you guys at the top of the hill watching someone els. It was an 8 at least.