Rode Ginga's racetrack to Wellsford yesterday. Was as slippery as a newly elected MP.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuISQ...eature=related
Rode Ginga's racetrack to Wellsford yesterday. Was as slippery as a newly elected MP.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuISQ...eature=related
Its diametrically opposed to the sanitised existence of the Lemmings around me in the Dilbert Cartoon hell I live in; its life at full volume, perfect colour with high resolution and 10,000 watts of amplification.
If the destination is more important than the journey you aint a biker.
Sci-Fi and Non-Fiction Author
http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/pcfris
i hit one of those diesel roundabouts (the one outside porter hire) in my ute the other week, and went sideways, my mx bike almost came off the back.
after a frw blue face swear words i carried on, but the diesel was still on my tires for a few k's. bad enough in a ute never mind on a bike. scary shit.![]()
Now THAT'S a good idea...why didn't I think of that?
Back on the topic of tar snakes, highway 39, especially Ngaruawahia to Whatawhata, is covered in the damn things just now...
Since I ride earlyish, they seem not too bad. I have yet to find condensation on them, but having re-read this whole thread, perhaps I will be even more careful than usual...
. No pleasure is worth giving up for two more years in a rest home. Kingsley Amis
Good thread. The tar consistency overseas is much better and definitely don't melt at 20, not even 30 degrees ambient. In NZ they insist on using tar that melts at too low a temperature, making at really dangerous. I think it *may* be because it's easier to work with in the cold months when doing road work. But hey, we don't need to look at road surfaces, we all know it's speed that kills - easy target with lots of revenue. I bet the Transport Minister doesn't even know what tar snakes or tar bleed is.
We have to ride carefully in winter because on top of all the other hazards, there's ice, now in summer it's tar snakes (dry and wet).
Maybe some roading guys on this forum can comment on the tar quality.
Another hazard encountered recently - a winter problem making itself known in summer...
Ride round Kawhia Harbour and then over the hill to Waitomo Caves. The hill road has lots of signs that say "ICE - GRIT"...
I suppose the road freezes in winter. And they spread little stones all over it to help with grip on the ice. And they leave all those stones on the road all year round...so in summer its like riding on little ball bearings...thanks boys, that realllly helps...
. No pleasure is worth giving up for two more years in a rest home. Kingsley Amis
So not only do you want to avoid those black spots when its hot but also when its freezing cold...
That means there is not much chance for riding with New Zealands Weather...
I wonder why the quality of Tar in New Zealand is so shit... there are other countries in the world that get hotter and they dont seem to have this meltin tar crap... seems ours have a very low melting point...
One other thing is our roads are so uneven... for most of our paved roads you almost need a dirt bike or 4x4 to ride/drive down them... Jackson street in petone is a good example... my shocks get a real good work out riding down that street and its only at 50km's can you imagin if it was a 100KM's area... you would need a kidney belt from all the jaring... hahahah
Here's an Ultra High Pressure (UHP) water cutter that Fulton Hogan developed to remove "Bitumen Flushing" which seems to be the official term for tar bleed. Looks really well thought out, and sounds like it works relatively quickly too. Not much use to us, but to the Regional Councils and other Roading Authorities.
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