Cruisy Night Rides

[fireliv]

I'll be there foobin, so no worries, I dont mind sticking with ya at the back cos I haven't been past little river before

[JMemonic]

cya soon folks

[Deviant Esq]

Okay, so the decision was made to head to Duvauchelle out via Halswell and Motukarara. But for me... I've got a lot to get through this evening, so I made the decision to head off for a fang over Dyers Pass Road and Gebbies Pass before returning home.

Unfortunately, I was at the front of the pack and upon reaching the Colombo Street intersection, I waved and turned left onto Colombo, intending to split off from the group (them carrying on up Brougham St) and head up Dyers for a blat. No such luck - half the pack, about a dozen bikes, followed me up Colombo Street and Dyers Pass Road.

...err, sorry guys, my bad...

I decided once I hit Dyers Pass Road and they'd followed me that far, I might as well make it fun and have a good fang up the hill. Had an excellent run (think I only had to pass one car) up the hill to the light at the top... hope it was fun for those following me!

Hope you all managed to meet up further down the road, and are all relaxing at Duvauchelle... around about now all going well!

[dangerous]

yeah well Iv noticed that the ride through town is a disaster waiting to happen, to many bikes all to keen to get mobile... the meeting place does neeed to be moved IMHO and theres a few that need to learn some manners, other wise all rather good really, but its only time.

[Foobin]

well that ride was certainly fun, especially in the hills towards the end. Had the seat eatting into my ass the whole back back which was also exciting.

[Deviant Esq]

yeah well Iv noticed that the ride through town is a disaster waiting to happen, to many bikes all to keen to get mobile... the meeting place does neeed to be moved IMHO and theres a few that need to learn some manners, other wise all rather good really, but its only time.

Well... can't say I've seen any bad manners or any disasters waiting to happen on the Weds Night rides I've been on... well, at least not anything worth mentioning... but having said that I know exactly what you mean, the ride through town to get to wherever we want to go, with so many bikes all travelling in a group (and trying not to get left behind), can be a bit of a nightmare, especially if you don't like breaking the speed limit just to keep up!

Maybe somewhere less in the middle of the business district could be the go? Say... the Princess Margaret Hospital carpark, down by the river there? That'd be a good spot I reckon, easy access to both Halswell and Dyers Pass Road if you want to have a crack at that...

Thoughts?

[fireliv]

well that ride was certainly fun, especially in the hills towards the end. Had the seat eatting into my ass the whole back back which was also exciting.

Well thats an interesting image............

Goood ride even though everyone got split up. Deviant might have been a better thought that if you did not intend to ride with the group, to either have not come or left after everyone as not to confuse the group. THe meeting place is fine, I just think that we need to get EVERYONE in for a talk on where we are going and where the regroup are going to be.

I want to say a big thank you to JMemonic and Transalper. J- you are always prepared to stick with us slower ones, and it really does help to have you around and let us know how we are getting on. And Transalper for tonight- I learned heaps from following you tonight, and it really helped get my confidence up!!! Cheers you 2 rock !!!! Would be good to see some more of you "faster" ones taking a Newbie under your wing and sharing the biker love!

[Transalper]

Was a bit confusing.
We (about 6 or 7 of us) got to Halswell and stopped, discussed the fact that we were some of the last to leave BK and were a bit sad to have been left behind with no one to teach us anything.
So on we went in our own little group, out trough Old Tai Tapu Rd and stopped at Gebbies, still no sign of anyone wanting to regroup so on we went again.
Several fast guys past us... going the wrong way. Guess they are checking up on us, at least that's something?
We stopped in Little River to check up on the learners in our bunch, and use the facilitys. There were a couple of others waiting for us but they left us again soon after we arrived.
Then of again on our own again, up and over the hill, was a very nice ride.
I timed the trip from the start of halswell. Took us 1 hour 10 minutes even with all the stops and legel limits not being exceeded.
Plenty of time for drink and chips.
Several people left again within minutes of us arriving, oh well, good on them, guess they enjoyed their ride, would have been nice to have run in to them on the road here or there along the way.
When we were ready the last four of us tootled off too, and every one was home with plenty of time to spare... well I got home at 9:45pm, so if I was on a licence restriction I'd have been safe and sound.
Cruisy Wednesdays to Duvauchelle... no problem.

This is all the photos I took, forgot the camera was set to VGA mode so haven't bothered to compress them any further.

[Transalper]

Say... the Princess Margaret Hospital carpark, down by the river there? That'd be a good spot I reckon, easy access to both Halswell and Dyers Pass Road if you want to have a crack at that...

Thoughts?

Reckon that'd be perfect.

The meeting place is fine, I just think that we need to get EVERYONE in for a talk on where we are going and where the regroup are going to be.

or to finally have a couple of well defined regroup places that every one knows.

Little D, got to say I tend to agree with maybe you should have been last to leave.

[JMemonic]

yeah well Iv noticed that the ride through town is a disaster waiting to happen, to many bikes all to keen to get mobile... the meeting place does need to be moved IMHO and theres a few that need to learn some manners, other wise all rather good really, but its only time.

Dangerous if by disaster you mean everyone getting split up due to lights, and bad manners you are referring to the fact that some folks are very keen to get moving I would have to agree, and being one who travels at the rear of the group I guess we miss any of the other things you might have seen.

Maybe somewhere less in the middle of the business district could be the go? Say... the Princess Margaret Hospital carpark, down by the river there? That'd be a good spot I reckon, easy access to both Halswell and Dyers Pass Road if you want to have a crack at that...

Thoughts?

PMH is good if we are going in those directions but BK does offer the route out through Sumner and the possibility of a north bound route.

well that ride was certainly fun, especially in the hills towards the end. Had the seat eating into my ass the whole back back which was also exciting.

Dude that is far to much information and conjures up a mental image of you seat turning into a sharks jaw.

I just think that we need to get EVERYONE in for a talk on where we are going and where the regroup are going to be.

That I think is perhaps one of the biggest keys to avoiding everyone not getting lost and split up.

I want to say a big thank you to JMemonic and Transalper. J- you are always prepared to stick with us slower ones, and it really does help to have you around and let us know how we are getting on. And Transalper for tonight- I learned heaps from following you tonight, and it really helped get my confidence up!!! Cheers you 2 rock !!!! Would be good to see some more of you "faster" ones taking a Newbie under your wing and sharing the biker love!

No worries about sticking there with you guys, the only thing is going down the hills where the bike really does push me down hill and my brakes get a work out, often in the wrong places

Yes thanks to Transalper for the input to those guys it was good to see, and I could not agree more re getting some of those guys with the experience giving us all there input and tips.

[Dave-]

mope...all the best rides happen when i cant come

sounds like a blast guys, to be honest I'd rather meet near a dairy or supermarket where I can get some water or something I've forgotten before we leave, to be fair though I've only needed water once before....

princess margret hostipal (yes hostipal) sounds ok I guess, BK can be a bit of a nightmare going through all those sents of lights.

I know dangerous wants to meet in halswell but to be honest I dont really care where we meet, I'd come if we met in rakia or northlands mall...

[Spuds1234]

Damn sounds like I missed a good ride tonight. Unfortunatly work called and that was that really.

Good news is that I get my stator fixed on the 4/12, just in time for the next ride. Im looking forward to being able to go on random rides in the middle of a clear night and seeing all the stars so clearly and having an empty road all to myself.

As for whats been said about tonights ride, here are the parts that piqued my intrest:

yeah well Iv noticed that the ride through town is a disaster waiting to happen, to many bikes all to keen to get mobile... the meeting place does neeed to be moved IMHO and theres a few that need to learn some manners, other wise all rather good really, but its only time.

Last week I saw someone nearly get wiped out doing a lane change just down the road from BK. It seemed like a pretty arrogant action at the time and if the car had of done almost anything but slow down I think they would have been toast. It looked pretty close from where I was (at the back of the group).

I didnt catch who it was though.

Perhaps a few of us think that we are invincible when riding through town in a group that size.

I dont think the meeting place needs changing though, I just think that people need to take due care when riding though town as a group. Dont get caught up in the excitement or the rush when leaving. Just settle into your own ride as quickly as possible and dont try and keep up if it means doing something stupid like speeding or overtaking when one probably shouldnt.

I know its hard though. I remember the first time I rode in a big group through town. It was magic, and I shall remember it for a long time. Couldnt wipe the grin off my face.

Unfortunately, I was at the front of the pack and upon reaching the Colombo Street intersection, I waved and turned left onto Colombo, intending to split off from the group (them carrying on up Brougham St) and head up Dyers for a blat. No such luck - half the pack, about a dozen bikes, followed me up Colombo Street and Dyers Pass Road.

Sounds like a good ride. Rather than not coming next time if your planning to go somewhere else as someone suggested, perhaps you could tell the tail end charlie and just leave the BK carpark last or pull over in town.

Id rather see people turn up at the carpark and be social and not do the ride than not turn up at all. Its nice seeing all the bikes and talking to the different people that ride bikes.

Was a bit confusing.
We (about 6 or 7 of us) got to Halswell and stopped, discussed the fact that we were some of the last to leave BK and were a bit sad to have been left behind with no one to teach us anything.

Reckon we meet at the BK carpark, then just out of town, then at our destination. If the ride is to be a long one then we should meet somewhere along the ride aswell.

I reckon it would be way more impressive/raise the coolness factor for us all to turn up at our destination at once rather than twaddle in in drips and drabs.

I know dangerous wants to meet in halswell but to be honest I dont really care where we meet, I'd come if we met in rakia or northlands mall...

Damn straight. Thats how I feel aswell.

The Rakia might be a bit far though

[dangerous]

Would be good to see some more of you "faster" ones taking a Newbie under your wing and sharing the biker love!

All you need to do is 'ask'... but remember someone whom you think is good may be teaching you bad habits.
IMHO what some one like ya self needs is not only to follow some one that 'thinks' they know what they are doing (*includes me) but some book and leture work, questions ansered sort a thing, another words people need an expernation as to why you do or dont take a certin line, also being a live and good rider is about survile another words 'expect the unexpected'

*my back ground is: 25yrs non stop on road riding estamated 200,000kms and 3yrs racing around NZ's tracks including street races, but most importently the love of riding... and I still dont know it all and never will.

[dangerous]

Dangerous if by disaster you mean everyone getting split up due to lights, and bad manners you are referring to the fact that some folks are very keen to get moving I would have to agree.

NO, I mean someone is going to be wiped out, and yes to the reason why.

Last week I saw someone nearly get wiped out doing a lane change just down the road from BK.

I saw that too, and it is a perfect example of what I men.

Say... the Princess Margaret Hospital carpark, Thoughts?

agred

[laRIKin]

yeah well Iv noticed that the ride through town is a disaster waiting to happen, to many bikes all to keen to get mobile... the meeting place does neeed to be moved IMHO and theres a few that need to learn some manners, other wise all rather good really, but its only time.

I agree and that is why I peeled off when I went to go for a ride with this group on a Wednesday and then I just did my own thing.

I have spent time over the years, on the side of the road with busted bikes and riders.
It is not fun and do not look forward to doing it again.

Now I'm not saying all are bad, but the ones I seen was enough.

And some of the comments just show that some do not know any better.