Manawatu Rant n Rave

[yod]

Off to Taupo to the track on Sunday 28th. I have volenteered to do a bit of marshalling so have to be there by 830 so by the time I have breakfast and fuck around I am looking at leaving ashhurst at 5am.

Oh, and NZsarge, I will just assume you are out. I did say AM not PM.

Who is keento be up that early?


(somehow I am picking this will be a solo ride)

what time you coming back? 4:30ish? that might be more realistic

[cowboyz]

hmmmmmm. I will head away after I have finished doing whatever I am doing or finish telling lies depending on who I meet up there.

"The soft" could ride up at a more leasurely hour to watch the trackday and escort me back again.

[86GSXR]

Just back from an amazing road trip. I'll put up a report and pics tomorrow. Suffice to say for now tho, that the Forgotton Highway is one of the best rides in the North Island IMO!!! It's the best of the Para's, Taka's, Middle, the Coro and every other road in between all rolled into one. The Gixxers performed superbly. Great company at Whangamomona Lot's of wet riding too, but not where it mattered. Fab!

[NZsarge]

Off to Taupo to the track on Sunday 28th. I have volenteered to do a bit of marshalling so have to be there by 830 so by the time I have breakfast and fuck around I am looking at leaving ashhurst at 5am.

Oh, and NZsarge, I will just assume you are out. I did say AM not PM.

Who is keento be up that early?


(somehow I am picking this will be a solo ride)

Cheeky prick! ...........fair enough though, I will be there (Taupo) to check it out see Quasi just for interest sake and see Sue for some ear plugs but it's gonna be weather dependant for me. I might just shock the hell out of ya and turn up in Ashhurst at 4 mins past five! then again........


Edit:Hey 1000 posts! at 4 in the morning no less : )

[chanceyy]

Cheeky prick! ...........fair enough though, I will be there (Taupo) to check it out see Quasi just for interest sake and see Sue for some ear plugs but it's gonna be weather dependant for me. I might just shock the hell out of ya and turn up in Ashhurst at 4 mins past five! then again........


Edit:Hey 1000 posts! at 4 in the morning no less : )

congrats on the milestone Sarge .. be interested to hear your opinion on the plugz will have to get me some foam jobbies for the trip this weekend methinks

[86GSXR]

Good on ya Sarge. Sounds like a great trip to CP too, well done

Here's my ride report on the KB photo shoot.

Had to work Saturday, so getting after getting home around 4 Sarah and I packed up the Gixxers and headed down to the BP to gas up. Just as we left it started to piss down and didn't look like letting up whatsoever. So, on with the wets and hit the road for Turangi which was the destination for the night.

It rained heavily pretty much all the way to Taihape, and guess where the hole in the wets were? Yep. Never mind. Bloody freezing as well, but when you're on a mission these things are just part of it.

Stopped at Taihape for a quick break, then onto the desert road where it was even colder and wetter. Swapped the gloves for some dry ones and made it into Turangi and parked up at the cabins. Down to the truckstop for dinner, it's a great place that, real Kiwi Kai. Slept really well with the heater on all night to dry out the gear.

Morning broke dry and clear so it's into Taupo for brekkie and gas, then up to Tirau, Matamata, and pretty much non stop to AK.

The Gixxer's were running superbly, and it was great to have them both out together. They look real fine as a pair and I was really in the rythmm with them.

After a good run down the Southern Motorway and over the Bridge we discover that due to roadworks the sign for Devonport has been removed! Doh. So a stop just up the line, consult the map and we're heading south again to Takapuna. We spot a couple of late model Gixxers parked up and sure enough the guys are just waiting for another so we tag along down to Devonport Wharf. There's plenty of late model Gixxers and even a yellow ZX10 and everyone gets busy snapping pics. Then it's a couple of quick relocates and the shoot is done. Should be some good shots in amongst the 100's of pics that must have been taken.

Good to meet briefly some of the AK crew, and after a quick OJ and a few more pics we head south again. Destination Te Kuiti.

We'd discovered that the Gixxer's range is just over 200 kms at open road speeds. I went onto reserve at Huntly so a gas stop was necessary. Into Ngarawahia and off SH 1. This road through the King Country is bloody marvelous, although quite heavily infested and a couple a cars were unfortunate enough to have to make a donation. In real sneaky locations too.

My sixth sense was working well though and we made it through the waters with no unpleasantness.

Arrived at Te Kuiti just on nightfall and made for the camping ground. Wow, what an experience. No cabins available so we were shown into the Villa. Great place, lovely old home, ensuite, all the comforts, and a great Maori guy who owns and runs the place. Turns out he travels the world six months of the year and spends the rest running tours of the area. Even had dinner cooked by a Dutch backpacker who just happened to be a chef.

Morning. Rain. Wets. Very good run down to Taumarunui in the rain. Breakfast and texts to Tony (Ynot slow) who's leaving Hawera in the dry and clear. Great!

Now for the moment we'd been waiting for. The Forgotton Highway. As we jump on the bikes, the skies start to clear and the sun eases through the mist. Start the run onto the FH and it's all good, road is just heaven, and starting to steam as it dries off.

It winds and twists into the heart of the King Country, over ridges, down into the valleys, up over the saddles, and through the most incredible first generation native bush and river systems. I was highly tempted to go for a dive into some of the pools, but think I will leave that for summer. The tunnel was very cool and we got some great shots of the bikes going back and forth a few times, the motors sounding really good bouncing off the walls. The gravel is a piece of cake, really hard packed and happened to be damp. No problems whatsoever.

Then it's into Whangamomona where we meet up with Ynot slow, Cressie and Mrs Cressie plus numerous other bikers and patrons enjoying the sunshine at the Hotel. The publican makes us very welcome indeed, very biker friendly, owns a Blackbird in fact. We get the guided tour and spend a very pleasant hour shooting the breeze.

Then it's saddle up time and back into even more twistier twists, up and downhill. Just superb and we get some really great pics! The top of the ridge where one bursts into view of both mountains is mindblowing!!! I manage to leave behind a few filings of Gixxer exhaust pipe as well lol.

We meet a bloke on a beautifully restored 65 Triumph Thunderbird and have great fun chasing each other down into Stratford

Then it's say goodbye to the Cressies and we head down to Hawera for a fantastic bbq at Tony and Jeanines place. Thanks you guys, that was a great way to finish off a really fantastic day! Really appreciated it See you down here soon

Leave Hawera just after nightfall and have a good clear run home. Total trip 1201 trouble free kms

Pics soon

[dogsnbikes]

nice one mate glad all went well and was goiod to see the old girls in the video side by side

[86GSXR]

There is video? Cool, where?

[dogsnbikes]

There is video? Cool, where?

gixxer photo shoot video or something like that

[86GSXR]

Rightiho! I'll have a looksie. Must get broadband!

[NZsarge]

Good on ya Sarge. Sounds like a great trip to CP too, well done

Here's my ride report on the KB photo shoot.

Had to work Saturday, so getting after getting home around 4 Sarah and I packed up the Gixxers and headed down to the BP to gas up. Just as we left it started to piss down and didn't look like letting up whatsoever. So, on with the wets and hit the road for Turangi which was the destination for the night.

It rained heavily pretty much all the way to Taihape, and guess where the hole in the wets were? Yep. Never mind. Bloody freezing as well, but when you're on a mission these things are just part of it.

Stopped at Taihape for a quick break, then onto the desert road where it was even colder and wetter. Swapped the gloves for some dry ones and made it into Turangi and parked up at the cabins. Down to the truckstop for dinner, it's a great place that, real Kiwi Kai. Slept really well with the heater on all night to dry out the gear.

Morning broke dry and clear so it's into Taupo for brekkie and gas, then up to Tirau, Matamata, and pretty much non stop to AK.

The Gixxer's were running superbly, and it was great to have them both out together. They look real fine as a pair and I was really in the rythmm with them.

After a good run down the Southern Motorway and over the Bridge we discover that due to roadworks the sign for Devonport has been removed! Doh. So a stop just up the line, consult the map and we're heading south again to Takapuna. We spot a couple of late model Gixxers parked up and sure enough the guys are just waiting for another so we tag along down to Devonport Wharf. There's plenty of late model Gixxers and even a yellow ZX10 and everyone gets busy snapping pics. Then it's a couple of quick relocates and the shoot is done. Should be some good shots in amongst the 100's of pics that must have been taken.

Good to meet briefly some of the AK crew, and after a quick OJ and a few more pics we head south again. Destination Te Kuiti.

We'd discovered that the Gixxer's range is just over 200 kms at open road speeds. I went onto reserve at Huntly so a gas stop was necessary. Into Ngarawahia and off SH 1. This road through the King Country is bloody marvelous, although quite heavily infested and a couple a cars were unfortunate enough to have to make a donation. In real sneaky locations too.

My sixth sense was working well though and we made it through the waters with no unpleasantness.

Arrived at Te Kuiti just on nightfall and made for the camping ground. Wow, what an experience. No cabins available so we were shown into the Villa. Great place, lovely old home, ensuite, all the comforts, and a great Maori guy who owns and runs the place. Turns out he travels the world six months of the year and spends the rest running tours of the area. Even had dinner cooked by a Dutch backpacker who just happened to be a chef.

Morning. Rain. Wets. Very good run down to Taumarunui in the rain. Breakfast and texts to Tony (Ynot slow) who's leaving Hawera in the dry and clear. Great!

Now for the moment we'd been waiting for. The Forgotton Highway. As we jump on the bikes, the skies start to clear and the sun eases through the mist. Start the run onto the FH and it's all good, road is just heaven, and starting to steam as it dries off.

It winds and twists into the heart of the King Country, over ridges, down into the valleys, up over the saddles, and through the most incredible first generation native bush and river systems. I was highly tempted to go for a dive into some of the pools, but think I will leave that for summer. The tunnel was very cool and we got some great shots of the bikes going back and forth a few times, the motors sounding really good bouncing off the walls. The gravel is a piece of cake, really hard packed and happened to be damp. No problems whatsoever.

Then it's into Whangamomona where we meet up with Ynot slow, Cressie and Mrs Cressie plus numerous other bikers and patrons enjoying the sunshine at the Hotel. The publican makes us very welcome indeed, very biker friendly, owns a Blackbird in fact. We get the guided tour and spend a very pleasant hour shooting the breeze.

Then it's saddle up time and back into even more twistier twists, up and downhill. Just superb and we get some really great pics! The top of the ridge where one bursts into view of both mountains is mindblowing!!! I manage to leave behind a few filings of Gixxer exhaust pipe as well lol.

We meet a bloke on a beautifully restored 65 Triumph Thunderbird and have great fun chasing each other down into Stratford

Then it's say goodbye to the Cressies and we head down to Hawera for a fantastic bbq at Tony and Jeanines place. Thanks you guys, that was a great way to finish off a really fantastic day! Really appreciated it See you down here soon

Leave Hawera just after nightfall and have a good clear run home. Total trip 1201 trouble free kms

Pics soon

Sweet dude, sounds like you had a blast. Looking foward to see them pics.
Did you take note of how many k's of metal road there was?
Edit: Oh for cryin' out loud! Why the hell did I quote!! Sorry people.

[86GSXR]

Sweet dude, sounds like you had a blast. Looking foward to see them pics.
Did you take note of how many k's of metal road there was?
Edit: Oh for cryin' out loud! Why the hell did I quote!! Sorry people.

LOL on the quote Sarge Cheers, it was a blast, we must do a group ride on it again! I'll organise a post. The gravel was easy going, prob no more than 10 -15 km I think. Getting pics together now, bloody dial up grrr

[NZsarge]

LOL on the quote Sarge Cheers, it was a blast, we must do a group ride on it again! I'll organise a post. The gravel was easy going, prob no more than 10 -15 km I think. Getting pics together now, bloody dial up grrr

If the gravel is (only) that long I might re-think doing this road.

[86GSXR]

I tell ya Sarge, you'd be crazy not too. It's got to be one of the best roads in the Island. The gravels a breeze seriously. It's hard to describe just how great the whole road is. Standby for a few pics

[NZsarge]

I tell ya Sarge, you'd be crazy not too. It's got to be one of the best roads in the Island. The gravels a breeze seriously. It's hard to describe just how great the whole road is. Standby for a few pics

.........Just kidding dude, when ya ready.