Motorcyclin'
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@kruse yes the frustration of getting behind a bunch of slow moving vehicles on a bike. When I first went to the states over 30 years ago I was driving in Colorado and got behind a whole train of Winnebagos. I came to the straightaway and gunned it, went by probably 20, then as I crested a small rise this cop came around the corner and nabbed me. Because it was a weekend I had to spend a night in the Gunnison county jail because no banks were open. The cop was a bit of a turd too because as soon as I saw him I knew I was toast. I slowed down but he cut over into my lane so I nearly ended up losing it in the gravel. I gave him some grief for it too.
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The CB500X has enough grunt to pass anything reasonably rapidly, but I generally find just enjoying the ride trumps speed for me these days. There's a lot to be said for trundling along a B-road taking in the sights and sounds - particularly in the Autumn.
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@victor-meldrew I have a friend he rides daily and likes the twisties. Yes there is more ease in a leisurely ride but I found it a good challenge to my fears to chase him around the mountains. It was a good thing for me personally for my growth.
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@broughie said in Motorcyclin':
@victor-meldrew I have a friend he rides daily and likes the twisties. Yes there is more ease in a leisurely ride but I found it a good challenge to my fears to chase him around the mountains. It was a good thing for me personally for my growth.
I enjoy a good blat just less and less these days. Agree on speed making you a better rider - I raced (badly) for a couple of seasons and improved my riding hugely.
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@victor-meldrew I’ve never raced. I think those guys have more balls than I do. Although it would be fun to get on a track with coaching. It’s funny how my buddy relishes the challenges of riding, dirt and road, whereas I feel like my envelope is being pushed and I am on the edge at all times.
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Racing for me was about pushing the envelope but in a safe, controlled environment. I was way too cautious to be any good. But go on a track day - great fun and you learn a lot.
I bought a Honda 250 Rally with the idea of doing some gentle trail riding, but it really didn't work for me as I valued stability too much - great bike for narrow country lanes though.
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@nzzp said in Motorcyclin':
@MajorRage that's some bike. Good work.
I still have my eye on this!
There's something very beautiful about that bike.
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@kruse said in Motorcyclin':
@victor-meldrew said in Motorcyclin':
@kruse said in Motorcyclin':
braved the 43 anyway... and it cleared up before hitting the shit-parts of that. Lunch at Whangamomona - in the sunshine. Fuck I love that road.
Sounds like a great rise. I have decades-ago fond memories of that road on my GT750.
Been pissing down here in Cornwall, but hope to do the Cornwall Loop before Winter sets in. It takes in much of Cornwall's coast and is a pretty special ride.
https://www.adventurebikerider.com/motorcycle-route-in-cornwall/
If I ever get back to the UK, even if only for 6 months to sort all my shit out over there... I think I'll add that to the list of stuff to tick off.
- Close down Limited Company
- Ship stuff back to NZ
- Say goodbye to folks at the old Local
- Visit Isle of Man
- Ireland - some route around that?
- Scotland - North Coast 500?
- now added... ride around Cornwall
I'd love to bike around the Scottish coast, ruined castle east to whiskey west I think.
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@kruse said in Motorcyclin':
then the Remutaka
Brings back the memory of following my pa over about 4 or so years ago, weather so bad he'd had to stop before the ascent so ma could get in the car with us. He's a big guy (6'6") and I think they have an ST-1300. 160km/h gusts made it one of the scariest things I've ever seen, he pretty much had no bearing on whether he made it or not.
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@kruse said in Motorcyclin':
then the Remutaka
Known as Racer Road No.1 in my long-ago youth. The road to Makara from Wellington being Racer Road No. 2....
Rode along the Nth Cornwall coast on Sunday - half the Corwall Loop. Looe to Jamaica Inn, Davidstow, St Endillion and then Wadebridge. Coffee at Indian Queens and the back home via St Stephen & St Austell.
Great weather, mainly dry roads, minimal traffic and stunning Autumn colours. Just cold enough that getting home and back into the warmth and a glass or two of Single Malt made a great ride.
The CB500X is a bloody brilliant bike for me. Quick enough, and comfortable enough for motorway cruising, great on the tighter B roads and amazingly stable in high winds we can get here. I get buffeted by the side winds, but the thing just doesn't tilt or deviate at all. Could be the best thing I've owned
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So... just a bit of a rant, and feeling sorry for myself.
Left Wellington on 25th December, did some decent mileage. I've spent the last 2 months pretty much travelling around every sweet biking road south of Auckland, working "from home" for a week from any beach, family member's house, campground-with-brewery, whatever.
Feeling pretty smug about my summer.
Parked the bike up outside my mate's house in Napier for the week, while I stay here.
Go out for a quick ride to grab some lunch, find my ignition-lock (and therefore steering lock) has had a fucking screwdriver jammed as far inside as some scummy fluffybunny could manage, in some bullshit abortive attempt to steal my fucking bike.
I'm a little fucking angry.
We manage to manhandle the bike, with steering lock still in effect, off the street, into a little pathway down the side of my mate's house.
I call around today... locksmiths don't want any part of trying to just get the ignition functional again. I didn't mention the words "hotwire", but I'm pretty much thinking "just get me on the road again, and I'll sort out the proper fix when I get back 'home'".
'Cause talking to motorcycle mechanics... to get a replacement ignition barrel.... 12 to 15. Weeks. For the fucking part. I'm either stuck here sleeping on my mate's floor for 3 or 4 months, or hiring a goddamn car, or catching a fucking bus, or some shit. Like those people.Fucking mongrel fluffybunnies... it was such a half-arsed attempt at the theft too. At least if they'd fucking succeeded, I could get the insurance, and buy a new bike. Now... I'm fucked.
Sorry. Needed the rant. Done.
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@kruse fucking piston wristed gibbons. That sucks.
We run a charity trsil ride here, even last year heaps didn't come cos they couldn't get (or didn't want to pay inflated prices for) parts. This year red meant not happening.
Supply chain is fucked in NZ ATM
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@kruse I know your pain. It should be legal to execute motorcycle thieves. I woke up on the morning of a ride I had organised with friends to find exactly the same issue.
Hope you get it sorted quickly and without additional heartache.
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@nostrildamus said in Motorcyclin':
@kruse said in Motorcyclin':
@victor-meldrew said in Motorcyclin':
@kruse said in Motorcyclin':
braved the 43 anyway... and it cleared up before hitting the shit-parts of that. Lunch at Whangamomona - in the sunshine. Fuck I love that road.
Sounds like a great rise. I have decades-ago fond memories of that road on my GT750.
Been pissing down here in Cornwall, but hope to do the Cornwall Loop before Winter sets in. It takes in much of Cornwall's coast and is a pretty special ride.
https://www.adventurebikerider.com/motorcycle-route-in-cornwall/
If I ever get back to the UK, even if only for 6 months to sort all my shit out over there... I think I'll add that to the list of stuff to tick off.
- Close down Limited Company
- Ship stuff back to NZ
- Say goodbye to folks at the old Local
- Visit Isle of Man
- Ireland - some route around that?
- Scotland - North Coast 500?
- now added... ride around Cornwall
I'd love to bike around the Scottish coast, ruined castle east to whiskey west I think.
The 500 has some pieces that I imagine would be fun on a bike. Obviously Applecross but Lochinver to Unapool, Drumrunie to Inverkirkcaig and one that isn't on the 500 but a detour worth making is along the northern side of Loch Torridon out to Diabaig and back.
Some guys from work hired a shit hot car and went up there just to drive and they said that road was the highlight as far as fun went. It's like the road was made with as little earthworks as possible and just follows every up, down and bend needed to get from A to B -
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Warming up weather-wise here. Prepped the Honda for a run this week after the winter months.
Soon find out how much this old bugger's legs and general motorcycle handling skills have atrophied since December..
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@antipodean that's a pretty damn sweet landing from that.
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@machpants said in Motorcyclin':
Supply chain is fucked in NZ ATM
@antipodean said in Motorcyclin':
Hope you get it sorted quickly and without additional heartache.
Got the phone call on Friday - a new ignition barrel has apparently arrived. So - under 4 weeks... pretty good compared to the estimated 12-15.
But, it meant... spent yesterday on a bus - a fucking bus - getting back to Napier, so I can arrange the bike to be taken in and fixed up.
The bus-driver recognised my luggage... "isn't that a motorcycle bag?", so I shared my tale of woe.
Is there anything more depressing than a motorcyclist on a bus? I used to feel depressed when catching the tube back from dropping the bike off somewhere, carrying my helmet.
But catching a goddamn InterCity bus from New Plymouth to Napier, or the reverse (with a break in Palmerston fucking North) - when I could instead be doing SH43 and Gentle-Annie... just... sad-face.
Still... as long as they got the right part in, I should be on two wheels again soon... just in time for Winter. -
@antipodean said in Motorcyclin':
?
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Dropped one of my bikes yesterday. 😡 Low side thankfully - Rear overtook the front. Now hobbling around the house nursing a bruised ego. 🤕