Riders down all OK. Video (Dec 2011)

[Big Dave]

Fair enough comments, Dave... but one should always ride one's own ride, and ride to the conditions.

Yea.

Experience is a good school. But the fees are high.

[Oakie]

i can say everyone in the group is exceptionally aware of the road , weather and surroundings

Someone wasn't

most of these guys have been riding since before your mum rode your dad to create you .

Perhaps that's the problem? They're all in their 70s! (Oh, and thanks very much for the image of my dear old mum on top of my dad. I'm now going to gouge out my mind's eye with a spoon.)

[cheshirecat]

Re time of riding experience. I'm not sure just how relevant this is as it has to equated to the type of experience. Like katman I took up despatch riding in London. By 11.30 on the first day I was stuffed, wet through and frazzeled by the number of very near misses, there was still 6 hours to go and 4 days before the weekend. This was despite riding hundreds of hours touring Europe, riding on a daily basis since I was 16 and knowing London - or I thought I did.
Three years of this I survived in a profession where there was a 100% probability of ending up in casualty within your first year or six months in most cases. I am grateful since the skills learnt have been invalueable, embedded in the my brain box and life saving in fact. No amount of road riding in the normal commuting sense would have given me these skills. I've never ridden on the track so can't comment but then most of the incdents I come across on the road I don't see much envisage happening on a race track.

[Brian d marge]

shows how much riding you keyboard jockey's do , For those that are thinking yea , this another wanker with all the gear an no idea , i simply ask , whos done 13,000.00 k in 8 months ? ive ridden with this group since i started riding , i know the cameraman , and i can say everyone in the group is exceptionally aware of the road , weather and surroundings , you guys that poke crap at anyone who rides a cruiser , get a life , seriously , most of these guys have been riding since before your mum rode your dad to create you.

They fell off on a straight bit of road ........

And as A london DR for quite some time , I could say I ve exceeded that 13 k in 8 months, as a motorcycle mechanic , I could say Ive exceeded that 13 k ....


Straight road , fell off end of story ( unless something fell out of the sky, or like Jim a ninja sheep came out of nowhere ....)

Just glad all walked away ...

and I assume will be a bit more aware next time

Stephen

[pc220]

Northern NZ has a problem with its roads and every year it gets worse.

Wether it's cost cutting or poor workmanship I don't know, but the chip seal fails and the underlying tar bleeds to the top. When it gets wet it becomes treacherously-black ice- slippery. It holds surface water and can easily bring a novice or even an experienced rider undone. Particularly in situations with decreased visibility. I have seen it happen to old hands as well.

You would be better served by expressing your outrage at the death traps on the roadways than getting on the case of the poor schmucks it's brought undone.

Yeah na, no fun in that.

[_Shrek_]

Northern NZ has a problem with its roads and every year it gets worse.

I think the road problem is NZ wide BD, just depends on where you're riding at the time etc...

[dangerous]

I think the road problem is NZ wide BD, just depends on where you're riding at the time etc...

I was going to say the same, cost cutting... I have worked in the test plant for road seal and have seen that they can make it to last a life time, but alas...

[Mom]

Was just asking where "the castle" is, man.

I dont think "the castle" is open anymore. It used to be a Castle shaped building that sold really cool ice creams (and other shit) on the way to my Moms place in Thames. Made a hell of a bottle neck on the trip to see her. Probably caused a heap of crashes - chain reaction ones you understand - there was a Mobil petrol station opposite

[kiwifruit]

Money is spent on the roads that see the most traffic. "B" roads are less maintained. I don't mind the poor seal, irregular surfaces, unmarked corners, pea metal, tar bleed, off camber etc etc - it's all part of it and all enjoyable. For me anyway.

I dont think "the castle" is open anymore. It used to be a Castle shaped building that sold really cool ice creams (and other shit) on the way to my Moms place in Thames. Made a hell of a bottle neck on the trip to see her. Probably caused a heap of crashes - chain reaction ones you understand - there was a Mobil petrol station opposite

Thanks

[McJim]

I think there are a few misconceptions about who maintains roads. Main roads, State Highways are generally central government but there are a lot of other roads that are maintained by Local Authorities. Some to a higher standard than others. The local authorities can get a NZTA subsidy for some of these roads to assist. Different local authorities may have a different specification than others and there will also be the discrepancies between the contractors used.
I am often told how much better the roads are in the UK than in New Zealand and I would beg to differ having travelled extensively in both. Many of the roads in UK are one vehicle wide with passing places, subject to flooding as the land around them is generally higher then the road surface (We don't have those massive ditches at the sides of our roads) no road markings, blind corners because of hedgerows...I could go on but the general point I'm trying to get across here is that New Zealand roads, by and large, are not that bad.
The motorways in UK are infinitely superior to the NZ motorways, but.

[White trash]

Shame I wasn't there on the GSXR. Would'a just hoisted the front at 130mph through there and let the rear spin up a little. That way I coulda cleared all the wreckage that seemed to be lying around at the time although I may have needed a VW Beetle travelling in the opposite direction to use as a ramp.

[Owl]

I may have needed a VW Beetle travelling in the opposite direction to use as a ramp.

Show pony!

[_Shrek_]

Shame I wasn't there on the GSXR. Would'a just hoisted the front at 130mph through there and let the rear spin up a little. That way I coulda cleared all the wreckage that seemed to be lying around at the time although I may have needed a VW Beetle travelling in the opposite direction to use as a ramp.

[lovejoy]

ANYHOW there,s a guy in hospital with a smashed wrist as a result of this accident ,I hope he has a good doctor who can get him back to near 100 percent use of his arm and hand again and would like to think that we could meet up on a ride in the new year and to the others who were injured i hope you are all on the mend and haven,t been put off riding and we will see you also in the new year cheers and Merry Xmas L J.

[Elvis]

shows how much riding you keyboard jockey's do , For those that are thinking yea , this another wanker with all the gear an no idea , i simply ask , whos done 13,000.00 k in 8 months ? ive ridden with this group since i started riding , i know the cameraman , and i can say everyone in the group is exceptionally aware of the road , weather and surroundings , you guys that poke crap at anyone who rides a cruiser , get a life , seriously , most of these guys have been riding since before your mum rode your dad to create you.

Junior, you are more than entitled to your opinion, and so am I. So, I think you should be a little bit more carefull who you are calling keyboard jockeys. I take offence to this comment!. As far as you are concerned, you only ride a 250, and the fact that you did 13,000km's in 8 months some how makes you qualified to get the back up on more experienced riders.

I ask you when was the last time you came off and ended up in hospital with so many tubes coming out of yourself, you looked like a tin of spaggetti, or did you ever wake up in hospital with no recollection of your name or who you were for three months, or have you still got metal pins and plates keeping you together. When this experience happens to you, and god forbid, you will get rid of this big ego of yours and may even learn that some of us old keyboard jockeys actually do know a bit more than you.

I was riding long before you were born, as you say, but this apparently counts for nothing. There are not many nights that I still don't suffer pain from accidents, but I can tell you straight I HAD AN EGO, I WAS BULLIT PROOF, learn from this now before it is to late. Get rid of your EGO and be more carfull. This is written by someone who knows jack shit................