Hawke's Bay weekend rides

[speights_bud]

Keep an eye out for the Big blue and yellow Suzuki E-Z Up coz we'll be under that See you guys there

[Dooly]

Looks like its going to be another great weekend for the bikes and the track.
Enjoy guys.

Alas I'm riding a chainsaw this weekend.
Looks like its gonna be hot work.

[yungatart]

Looks like its going to be another great weekend for the bikes and the track.
Enjoy guys.

Alas I'm riding a chainsaw this weekend.
Looks like its gonna be hot work.

More likely painful...make sure you have ATGATT!!

[Dooly]

More likely painful...make sure you have ATGATT!!

Yes mum.
As for pain.
The Merlot and copious beers have that under control.

[Gixxer 4 ever]

Morning everyone. Have a great day and hope to see most of you at the track. Could be a bit chilly riding up this morning. Don’t work too hard Tony. Going to be a hot day later.

back to da track

[Wasp27]

Morning everyone. Have a great day and hope to see most of you at the track. Could be a bit chilly riding up this morning. Don’t work too hard Tony. Going to be a hot day later.

back to da track

We won't be too far behind ya........hopefully

[speights_bud]

Hey guys,

BIg thanks to everyone for coming along today it was great to have you guys there for the least stressful day yet!

[Gixxer 4 ever]

If you don’t want to spend hours reading the detail in this report of the first round of the Pacific summer series from my seat as Team manager here it is in brief. “I have never had a better day at the track in my life.” To find out why read on, or do whatever it is you wanted to do before you started reading this.
We have had a few months off since the end of the VIC club winter series. With a win in the Street stock class there we were on top of the world. However we decided to crank the pace back a bit and run the bike with Patrick Doohan riding it for us, at a much less stress pace for the summer. Hence the preparation for the first race was scaled back a bit and only the important work was done. Head off bore inspection, oil changes etc. Tyres changed and bike finished, where it sat for a few weeks. I took Thursday off work and went for ride on the old Gixxer but also took time to load the old van. She has clocked up 406,000km now and is another weak link in the chain. But she still runs well, but gives me the feeling that time is passing. I started and ran the race bike down to the mail box and back and in the van it went. Alarms set for 4.55am on Sunday morning followed by food and drinks packed in the van and off we went. 6.15 saw us out the gate. Nice to start a race day in daylight. Far better than the winter cold and wet.
As we chugged across the plains to Taupo we saw Warrick and Donna taking a break and waiting for us. The New gixxer shining in the morning sun looked bloody fantastic Warrick. They dropped in behind us and on we went. A ute blew past us and it was Patrick and Gary heading to the track to pick a place for us to pit. Old short Taupo track was the order of the day, so we parked by a tree, out on the grass, set up the pit. Again great big thanks to Five Star for the pergola. It had the nut missing before we took it outa the bag….. honest. Without it today we would have melted in the sun. We did have a tree but to get the bike and the 12 people that were in our pit, in the shade, would have been impossible. You guys at Five Star rock man.
Tools out and bike on the stand. Time to sort the fuel and drain out the fuel from the testing (what testing we did) and refuel for the practice and qualifying. Ummm where is the key for the bike? At home on the key ring holder. Now this is not a good start as we also realised we didn’t have the compressor. It just doesn’t pay to go racing in casual mode. Stress a plenty. However think about this. We have had Warrick training us all winter. So there is no problem because we had a spare key cut for the bike and it was cable-tied to the van. Is he a winner or what? Ryan Firm had problems with a tyre going flat so we were able to lend him a front to get him out on the track. We did the Fuel out, Fuel in, on our RG. Time to qualify.
Out the bikes went. I was nervous about the day after the winter series. We just could not beat Zane’s bike and wouldn’t you know it, bike 5, Scott Moirs’ bike just rode around Patrick and qualified first with a time of 46.501 beating Patrick by 2.151 seconds. Polished and ported on slicks with the smell of go faster gas left me thinking “Here we go again.” Our old sparring mate from Fielding, bike 26, Ben Oxnam qualified third. This was going to be a great day. Back to the pits and measure fuel. Calculations done fuel in and spark plug replaced. Time to race.
Line up for the first race. I was looking forward to this and had no advice for Patrick. Everything was as good as we could get it and stay legal for street stock class. I noted Scott had not come to the start line. A great feeling as I knew what he would do to us on the track. Bikes lined up on the grid. Flag down and they are off. Patrick stayed out the front. He got as big a shock as the rest of us. He has not been strong on the starts and it was nice to see him keep the lead. Thumbs up as he went past the first time with Ben in close pursuit. They battled it out and Patrick finally made a gap and finished in first place. Just the start we needed.
Back to the pits and strip the tank off. Measure the fuel and pull the spark plug. I have to give Martin Doohan the thumbs up here. He works like a dog and gets all the calculations done and the plug reading and other work conscientiously completed. He stays focused -Go Marty.
We got word that Ryan had bike problems in the pit behind us. As he had an RG we went to see if we could help. After half and hour we had the problem sorted and it appeared the bike was running well. We had some concerns about the oiling of the piston and big end but could not change that at the track. They decided to run the bike in race two. With the work done they had full throttle and power. Unlike the first race they had nothing above 10 thousand RPM.
We had a cuppa and sat back and enjoyed the company of the people in our pit. So who was there? Patrick his Mum Mary and Brother Marty, Myself, Warrick and Donna, Gary…… Well after 10am he was awake, George, Jody and Dan and Allan. And a few others that came and went. You guys make the race days so much fun. Thanks for your input and company. You ride a great race Dan. That Suzuki is a big bike but you race it well.
Race two was set to start. Bike out and off to the start line. Again no Scott. That pleased me no end. I am happy for him to ride but with the mods to the bike he would have blown us out of the water. Ryan was also out on the bike we had worked on. Great to see. The flag dropped and Patrick was relegated to third. Now that is how it was most of the winter. He came past us in second and close to Ben. They chased and worked hard on each other for the next few laps with neither giving an inch. Then Patrick appeared from the far end of pit straight in the lead and he stayed there for the rest of the race. Well done Ben a great challenge. However Ryan did not finish. Ended with a ring nip up and his day was done. They will be back and will mount a challenge next round. Nice to meet and spend time with you guys.
With Marty doing our records and fuel I had time to have a cuppa and chat. Good fun was had by all and it was nice to have a bike I didn’t have to stress over. It was running well. Long may it last. This is how the day should be spent.
Race three. Oh no, there is Scott on bike five. Hmmmm I know how fast that is so this will be fun. Let’s see what happens. Down went the flag and Scott leaped out to the front with Ben in close pursuit. Patrick dropped a good bike length and went into turn one in third place. Scott had a big gap as he came around the straight and in to the sweeper followed by Ben and Patrick . Scott had bike problems along the start finish line and pulled off. This left Patrick slugging it out with Ben. Patrick gained the lead with two laps to go and had to work hard to stay there. We were all amazed at Patrick’s corner speed as he got the bit between his teeth and started to work hard. He had three bikes lengths as he came down to the sweeper for the last time. Ben just took the corner on with determination and grit and made a big gain on Patrick but it wasn’t quite enough and Patrick took race three. So three wins for the day. Well done Patrick

Many thanks to Warrick for all the work today and the last 8 months of training us. You saved the day before it even started mate. And Gary for tyres and general bike maintenance and being Patrick’s mentor, and Martin for your hands on with fuel and records. You guys give so much and you make this team work. Mostly I want to thank the team we had around us in the pits it was truly a great day out with great mates. I can do this again. Bring on the Taupo spectacular.
And Five Star for the on going support with parts and service. The shade is great and the shirts are cool, but your help with everything racing has given us the chance to do this summer season. Go Five Star.

[BigG]

Yep is was a good day all round fantastic ride up bit slippy in spots with tar melt, I got to the wrong meet there was a track day on aswell so when I got to the susuki tentthere was a lot of Happy people sitting under a nice shady tree. What a days racing very organised and no hold ups, no offs that I saw except one guy going on the dirt. Good hospitality lots of grub cheers Mary, and The Man well done Paddy keep it up mate. Nice ride back with Warick and Donna just need a little more power for the overtaking eh! Donna never mind you ride well and keep a good pace going. Gave me a little frite when overtaking down the hill cos me radar was blinging thanks Warick for chaseing after her you got more speed than me, cheers for the ride back it was real good. Briliant Day

[MSTRS:Me]

So three wins for the day. Well done Patrick...

...and team.
Marshalling at the sweeper gave me a ringside seat. Not a lot of time to say hi tho.

[Colapop]

Well done Paddy!! Would have been great to get over to Taupo to see you all but it was a beautiful day in the bay anyway.

We went for a little jaunt out the back and beyond. New roads for me but the pillion knew her way around. Balls reserve (?) is an absolutely beautiful piece of bush and very tranquil. Once we got back to Puketapu pub I finally started to get some bearings having been out that way only once before. A wee jaunt in tip top conditions. Next time I'll be around for longer and time it so I get to a standard HB ride.

[Wasp27]

If you don’t want to spend hours reading the detail in this report........blah........blah........ Go Five Star.

So, what is it your trying to say then..........
We all enjoyed ourselves immensely.....thanks heaps to da Moo (Our Queen of Diamonds) as usual the perfect host. Was nice to finally see your new Bike Jodie.....you wont look back now. As the big guy said Dan....you were doing well, very smooth and by the 3rd round you looked like you were having a ball. And last but not least Paddy.....what's left to say, your a bloody legend....cant understand why teams haven't snapped you up yet?....still, I'm picking it wont be long.....especially the way your riding. just stay focused young man....you'll make it

[Dooly]

Well done guys.
I would love to come and check out the scene one day but things always come up.

[Gixxer 4 ever]

susuki tentthere was a lot of Happy people sitting under a nice shady tree:[/SIZE]

Aye George….. Looks like your computer has a problem mate. It made this… Suzuki tent … So small I couldn’t read it. As you are a good man I decided to fix it for you. Cheers mate for a great day.

[Gixxer 4 ever]

Well done Paddy!! Would have been great to get over to Taupo to see you all but it was a beautiful day in the bay anyway.

We went for a little jaunt out the back and beyond. New roads for me but the pillion knew her way around. Balls reserve (?) is an absolutely beautiful piece of bush and very tranquil. Once we got back to Puketapu pub I finally started to get some bearings having been out that way only once before. A wee jaunt in tip top conditions. Next time I'll be around for longer and time it so I get to a standard HB ride.

Hi Col. Long time no see. You should let us know when you are up mate and we could catch up.
Yep it is a nice place up there.
How far short of the bush is the tarseal now? Been a while since I have been up there.