Learner friendly 250 ride 10/9/06

**McJim** · 30th August 2006, 19:35

Originally Posted by rookie

nice work man...the courses sound good...what are they about??general defensive driving??
.

RRRS is more about roadcraft and intelligent riding - I'll give you more background on Sunday 10th and you can decide - I'd recommend it to riders of any ability.

**toymachine** · 30th August 2006, 21:20

You'll find me and possibly Fub@r at the next Ride safe course at Whenuapai

**Maverick** · 2nd September 2006, 17:41

Hey Guys!

Well I got back from Scouting out the Route for the run next sunday, and I have to say that it is an Awesome ride, I think it was about 136km each way, so 272km total estimated.
It has long straights and fast corners, a bit of towny stuff, lots of tight twisties, forests, ridges, ummmm cows? And maybe even a chrome headlight bolt somewhere on the way

(we did see 3 speed cameras today though, so fast guys, you have been warned!)
I got a few nice pics, but of course I cant show you all, cause that would spoil the surprise for next sunday!

Even though the weather didnt look great today, it was a bit damp and spitty starting out, but turned more into a misty low cloud then rain as such, and by lunch was just a few clouds overhead.

Mav

**duckaddict** · 2nd September 2006, 23:49

Looking forward to it Mav!

**Hellraiser** · 3rd September 2006, 19:02

Sorry guys looks like i'll be giving this one a miss too, I've decided to take the 636 to Pukekohe on saturday instead.

I look forward to the next one.

**toymachine** · 3rd September 2006, 19:06

Pretty sure I saw someone from here getting their haircut at westgate today... was sure it was a cbr250...

**rookie** · 3rd September 2006, 21:24

i was also sussing out some routes out east...although i was on the push bike pretty sure i saw someone (familiar perhaps?) on a silver vtr250 during my travels.

I got the (motor)bike back on fri afternoon, havent taken it for a decent ride yet, but it definately has been given a small power hike with a large improvement to the refinement of the power delivery with the work....gotta learn how to ride again though, as it feels completely different.

**McJim** · 3rd September 2006, 22:40

Originally Posted by rookie

i was also sussing out some routes out east...although i was on the push bike pretty sure i saw someone (familiar perhaps?) on a silver vtr250 during my travels.

Only guy I know rides a silver VTR250 is Dynamytus50. And he doesn't reply to his PMs.

I was blurting about around Clevedon this morning between 7:30 and 9:00am. Saw shedloads of cyclists...but my VTR250 is black so it wisnae me!

**Searchin'** · 4th September 2006, 11:57

Drove MY VTR home from work for the first time yesterday, it took me about an hour and a ...half(?) All the way down Great South Road. I was overtaken on the inside (when I was in the left hand lane) twice and nearly hedged off the road by a car overtaking who didn't want to cross the double yellow lines once.

But apart from those minor irritations, it went well.

Then this morning, I rode it back to work. I took the motorway for the first time from Ramarama, but got off in Manurewa as the traffic was getting too thick and stop-starty. From there it was GSRoad again back to Penrose. I found motorway traffic quite good when the traffic wasn't so thick; other vehicles tended to change lanes around me as opposed to pushing past in my lane. I thought it would be a different story if the traffic was a bit thicker.
It seems to me going at 70 km/hr on the motorway with everyone else doing 110-120 is a rather stupid option. I might just avoid the motorway as best I can.

(I crept up to 100km/hr for about 5-6 seconds to see how it felt... and it felt like I was a sail on a ship in a gale. Almost like I could get blown off the back of me bike!

**McJim** · 4th September 2006, 14:07

Lots of opinions to be had concerning the 70kph rule Searchin'

How heavy are you by the way? I'm 90kg and I get blown all over the place on the Newmarket overpass - very scary - brave of you to attempt the commute so early in you motorcycle career but I suppose I started doing it after a week. Mind you in week 3 I got knocked off by a people carrier.

best of luck - stay safe. Get a Mentor if you can.

**Maverick** · 4th September 2006, 15:13

Originally Posted by Big McJim

Lots of opinions to be had concerning the 70kph rule Searchin'

How heavy are you by the way? I'm 90kg and I get blown all over the place on the Newmarket overpass - very scary - brave of you to attempt the commute so early in you motorcycle career but I suppose I started doing it after a week. Mind you in week 3 I got knocked off by a people carrier.

best of luck - stay safe. Get a Mentor if you can.

In my opinion the Harbour bridge and that Newmarket bridge are the two most dangerous parts of the motorway in terms of wind gusts, If its windy and you arent sure, get off and go through newmarket then get back on, a 5 minute detour might just save your skin someday.
The bridges from panmure to pakuranga can also be pretty bad.
Alternatively, if you have no choice, look for a large truck/van/anything largeish and try to get in its wind shadow, i.e. on the other side of the wind and to the side (a little lagging). Look for signs as you come up to exposed roads like trees blowing to determine which direction the wind is coming from.

At the end of the day, people might get a bit annoyed at you doing 80kph to match speed with a truck across a bridge, but its better then being blown into a barrier.

Mav

**Searchin'** · 4th September 2006, 16:44

Hmm. Good advice about the mentor and the truck.

I weigh about 1kN.

**McJim** · 4th September 2006, 16:49

Originally Posted by Searchin'

Hmm. Good advice about the mentor and the truck.

I weigh about 1kN.

So you're a 100 kg physics teacher?..living on planet earth?

**Rizla** · 4th September 2006, 18:11

Originally Posted by Maverick

Hi All,

This is the next in a series of learner friendly rides aimed mainly at the 250cc riders on learner or restricted licences but all responsible riders are welcome.

On the day we will probably have two groups, a faster group and a learner group, may even plan an extended ride for the faster group so we all get to lunch at the same time.

A nice relaxed day for those less experianced riders to get a taste of riding out of the city with a few other bikers,

Route to be revealed on the day.

Meeting 9.30AM BP Botany. Sunday the 10/9/06.

Please register below if you will be attending to give us an idea of numbers,

Hope to see you there!

Mav

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/ca...&day=2006-9-10

Maverick. Could you please tell me, is the street address is for BP Botany - 271 Botany Road, Howick. I had registered for the last one and rode out there from the Shore but couldnt find it. I ended up at BP Ti Rakau and BP Te Irirangi where the station attendent told me that BP Botany was closed.