250cc ANZAC THREE DAY TOUR to the EAST CAPE - 25/04/08

[zxcvbnm]

I'm thinking about it

I need to find someone to feed the cat, bike needs top end rebuild and might have sold the house, apart from that theres nothing in the way.

Would have come on the last one if it wasn't for a birthday party .

[sinister^]

Nah! It has his previous GTR engine in it! Don't you see? Obvious by his KB Name

He told me he (GTR car) could do 11.4 sec 1/4 mile run

I checked on GT4 (PS2 game) and the car needed around 500hp to do so!

Pfft 500hp ain't anything, when my brother and his mates from KiwiRE finish working on his rx3 it will pull out around 700HP, $3500 turbo(about same size as a truck one)

[TOTO]

I'm thinking about it

I need to find someone to feed the cat, bike needs top end rebuild and might have sold the house, apart from that theres nothing in the way.

Would have come on the last one if it wasn't for a birthday party .

Good on you brother. The more the better

[Choco]

It's another 20k stretch of heavy gravel to the East Cape light house if we're gonna go to the lighthouse?

It's pretty much exactly the same as Cape Reinga, cept lot twistier roads.

We could get a whole set going, any lighthouses on the west cape?

I'm willing to do the gravel stretch, any other takers?

[ital916]

Beware Drider

I hope its not goinmg to be anywhere near as much trouble at the cape reinga lime stone gravel. Let us all prey ....

You guys are tools, you kidding me, I thought we would be avoiding gravel! lol

[BASS-TREBLE]

We could get a whole set going, any lighthouses on the west cape?

I'm willing to do the gravel stretch, any other takers?

Hah yer I'm up for gravel, There is a lighthouse, About half way around and i wouldn't be surprised if its gravel but even if it'l inly be a few km.
Will ask dad tonight as he has been to it but Im sure someone on here knows.

[Choco]

You guys are tools, you kidding me, I thought we would be avoiding gravel! lol

Just chuck some knobblies on your RG and you will have a 2-stroke gravel eating MONSTER!

[Badger8]

Post appeared 3 times for some reason... Read it below...

[Badger8]

Post appeared 3 times for some reason... Read it below...

[Badger8]

Schweet! Just got back home last night, and now i find this!
I am keen in principle, but will have to sort out how this slots in with other things a little closer to the time. That is a long ass way in 3 days!

Holy crap..

I just looked at the map at that Gisbourne loop and I am literally drooling..

That thing looks amazing! I reckon it'll take alot longer than google's predicted 7 hours though... Coro loop took us like 6 or 7 hours and it's tiny compared to that thing.

I envy the folk that live in Gisbourne... I can't wait!

Yea , im thinking leave whakatane like 7 that should be enough time surely. what do you think ?

Indeed, that'll be a big haul for a day. Have just been working down in Whakatane for the past couple of weeks, gets dark around 7 (i think...) with daylight savings shifted, but it was light at 6:15 driving to work, so make it an early start and we'll be right

I'll follow you to hell and back Toto!
But I guess Gisborne will do
I'l get the old man to view the plan to see if he has any suggestions like last time.

Badger you better come or i'l be at the back all by myself

I'm trying! Will see how things go...

You may not be buddie, depends onfinances but here's hoping.

Try to make it mate, will be awesome to ride with you again!

The Old Man's suggestions (typed himself):

...

Vary the route on the way back. Why not do SH34 to Lake Rotorua then around the north side to Tauranga Direct road (SH36), over Kaimais on SH29 Te Aroha Gordon road to Paeroa (see the big ass bottle), through the Karangahake Gorge to Whangamata, then back over Kopu Hikuai hill and home - via Miranda is 467 km (from Opotiki).

- Choco Senior.

Choco Junior: Toto/others, whatcha think?

Much good ideas. Drove home through the Kaimai's yesterday, wishing the whole way i was on my bike. They are some lovely corners, but the problem is there are biiiiiiiiiig boring straight out that way too. Long and boring to the point that i got to the end of them and forgot what i was supposed to do with the wheel to get around this corner thing that was in front of me (numerous times). These might be okay for a bigger bike that can whip along them at a great rate of knots, but us poor sods who top out around 110-120 (if we want our engines to survive the trip), that is a foooooooooookin long boring bit of road.

Can you please take very good note on how far the gas stations are? I want to do it at some stage, but i only have a 150km range on my bike - i think there are places in the east cape that are futher than that?

So carry a jerrycan, has saved many a butt in the past.

Nagash ir right. The gorge is breath taking and absolutely fantastic - but its only 10 - 15 min of it and stuck in traffic sux coz cars slow right down too. the rest of it is boring straight , we did it a month ago with gtr boy and nagash, so amm yea I think at this stage orifinal route is good.

The second day riding from whakatane to whakatane is 560km. easyly doable in a day - even on such a curvy route. if we allow ourselfs 12 hours of chilled out riding with plenty of stops we will be sweet. I'm thinking 7am till 7pm. 12 hours is enough for 560 km.

choco those 50km (which are actually 45km) will be done anyway. If we cut them from the second day we will be doing them the third day. Plus they are not extra curvy or full of corners - a couple of nice straights , a few easy 65k and 75k corners and we are back to base in whakatane.

O and we will have the advantage of leaving some of our stuff in whakatane in our rooms so we will not be so heavy.

Agreed and agreed. Whakatane is a nice little place to stay, and a nice pub to eat and drink at too prettymuch every road into town is just long and straight, with gentle sweepers (with the odd exception). they may be km's, but they arent hard km's. OPlus leaving gear in whakatane will be a Godsend. i nearly destroyed my poor saddlebags on the cape run

hey man, was sorry to hear about your wrist, you'll be missed on the next trip. I am well excited will get to give my new bike a good drive before winter settles in.

Agreed, hope to see you out there again soon man!
What's your new bike Seamus?

Hey guys, just been doing abit of research on the Gisbourne Loop and word is that there isn't much in terms of gas from Opotoki to Te Aroroa which is a stretch of 157km of very twisty roads.

If you reckon your bike won't be able to cover that distance i'd recommend bringing a small Jerry can or getting some to carry one for you.

Most bikes should be able to handle that but just incase..

Also, there are road works on this stretch of road so that means Gravel riding for bits of it, if you've never ridden on gravel before, go find some and practice. If you don't know where any is, Pm me and i'll show you some good (or shit) spots.

Corners are tight and unforgiving, wild stock roams the streets and road conditions aren't the best so just play it safe when we get to it. Bring a clear visor if you have one because it's highly likely will be getting in by night time on the second day.

Not trying to scare you or nothing, it's an amazing stretch of road and it'll be wicked fun as long as you ride your own ride and don't push yourself beyond your abilities radda radda all that mumbo jumbo. You should all know the drill..

Gravel? Cows? Rough roads?
You DID come to the cape, right?
Sounds like my kinda ride!!!
Hey Chocco, we can have a proper gravel drag this time!

[TOTO]

thats interesting badger. So you think 6am start is better on day two ? I'm up for It - absolutely.

[Badger8]

thats interesting badger. So you think 6am start is better on day two ? I'm up for It - absolutely.

i reckon rolling out at 6am should be fine. would be the early hours of light, but fine for the boring straights outta town. should be good and light by the time we hit the twisties plus means we'd be gettin back somewhere closer to daylight.

Also, shorter stops are all good, but bear in mind us poor sods at the back on GN's dont exactly have comfy seats! those 5 minute stops (probly 10 for the fast guys ) were a lifesaver. She's a LONG way on a ginny, you saw the state i was in when we got to whangarei on the cape tour

[TOTO]

i reckon rolling out at 6am should be fine. would be the early hours of light, but fine for the boring straights outta town. should be good and light by the time we hit the twisties plus means we'd be gettin back somewhere closer to daylight.

Also, shorter stops are all good, but bear in mind us poor sods at the back on GN's dont exactly have comfy seats! those 5 minute stops (probly 10 for the fast guys ) were a lifesaver. She's a LONG way on a ginny, you saw the state i was in when we got to whangarei on the cape tour

Maybe like Doscotex suggested we can have 2 groups...

[gtr boy]

my bikes on trade me guys ,so if sold im out.
after riding the triumph i got on my heap and it didnt feel right anymore...
so im giving her the flick.
super low reserve too

[gtr boy]

Pfft 500hp ain't anything, when my brother and his mates from KiwiRE finish working on his rx3 it will pull out around 700HP, $3500 turbo(about same size as a truck one)

theres sum quick rotars around ,but if you aint got grip why bother.....