Tour de Kiwi

The news and your views about biking
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kiwikrasher
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Tour de Kiwi

Post by kiwikrasher »

A couple of days in and I've finally got a moment to jot a few lines!

DAY ONE

So landed in Auckland and got to the bike pick-up at about 4pm. Got the paperwork sorted, packed all my gear onto the bike and was ready to go by 5. Within a km I was on the motorway south in full peak hour. I didn't get the bike out of second gear for nearly an hour but did get a good idea of what gap between cars was viable with the panniers!!! Once clear of the city it was all good. 100 km open road limit in NZ and I was struggling to stay to that as the gearing on the multi is bloody tall! Not that its a issue due to the bucketloads of torque it has. I felt confident and comfortable on the bike pretty much straight away. So this leg was a short 215 km to mate Ed's place (been mates for 30 yrs as of January!) in Tauranga via the Paeroa gorge. The only problem was once I got to the gorge 2 mins into it I run right up the back of a highway patrol car and had to sit behind him at legal speed the whole bloody way thru' it!! Later in the trip I had a couple of squirts up to 180-190 km/hr and really surprised at how easily it gets there. Got to Eds in good time and stupidly polished off the duty free I bought him so felt very seedy today

DAY TWO

started off a tad late cause I was worried about my residual alcohol levels. Got away at 11.30 to do the 300 Kms to dads place. Battled my way thru' at least a dozen sets of road works, but still had an enjoyable ride and may have seen the other side of 200 km/hr at one stage (angel). Lunch stop at lake Taupo for a yummy BLT which was sorely needed. Got a bit of video but the battery went flat near the end while having a rather spirited ride thru' a section of fast flowing corners, was freakin' magic! So finished off today having a few beers with dad in his garage with the multi parked up next to his Harley.

Here's a few pics ...
Picking bike up
image.jpg
Lake Taupo
image.jpg
Dads
image.jpg
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Rossgo
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Re: Tour de Kiwi

Post by Rossgo »

I guess your dad's a bit of an American but!! Sounds like fun so far. Looking forward to hearing more of your adventure mate [SMILING FACE WITH OPEN MOUTH]
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Re: Tour de Kiwi

Post by Kwacky »

Love the idea of an online diary.

Good work so far. Sounds like the Multi is ideal for your needs.
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Re: Tour de Kiwi

Post by C00kiemonster »

Great report. Keep it up and enjoy!
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Re: Tour de Kiwi

Post by Blade »

Awesome report and glad your having fun buddy.

I have to say I'm surprised at the hire bike. I thought it would be a tied and battered bog standard multi but you have only gone and landed the Pikes Peaks top of the range limited edition beast. What a stroke of luck, nice one dude and ring the bloody neck out of it, that termi will sound absolutely amazing.

Look forward to logging in for more tails of adventure.

PS you Dads garage is cool and supping beers with your old man next to a couple of amazing bikes is pretty trick imo, hope in 20 years time I will be doing similar with my lads.

Enjoy it mate, work hard play hard I say, oh and ride it like you stole it (raaar)
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kiwikrasher
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Re: Tour de Kiwi

Post by kiwikrasher »

I knew from the outset it was the Pikes Peak bike, but don't worry I'm paying rather heavily for that privledge!! It is a great ride.

Unfortunately dad and I won't be going out for a ride together. The main reason for my trip here I intially before it morphed into a road trip was because dad has just got out of hospital after get peritonitis post a bowel op to fix up the mess his original surgeon made 5 yrs ago to remove his bowel cancer. So he's on a bag again till April and isn't even keen to get on the back of the Multi, which I totally understand.
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kiwikrasher
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Re: Tour de Kiwi

Post by kiwikrasher »

image.jpg
Better pic of the bike. The luggage system is awesome and I certainly don't notice that it's there riding. The suspension is comfortable but very sure footed, might have to change my mind about all this electrickery on bikes. I've been riding in touring mode which is full power but tamed acceleration and higher traction control/ABS settings. Had a quick rip up to get fish & chips last night so no side panniers and Sports mode. So much fun 8)
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Re: Tour de Kiwi

Post by Blade »

Sounds good mate especially the blast up the coast for fish n chips :P

Hope your Dad is OK and sorry to hear he has been through the mill recently. I'm sure he was very glad to see you. Enjoy the journey and take care.
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kiwikrasher
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Re: Tour de Kiwi

Post by kiwikrasher »

DAY 3

10 km round trip to buy some decent coffee from an old friends cafe as the old man only drinks instant (puke) put it in sport mode and practiced popping wheelies... And I'm still shite at it :D

Then took the old fella out for lunch and and a few pints.

Tomorrow I'll be heading down to Wellington, about 300 km and thru' the Manawatu Gorge which was an old favorite on my RZ250 back in my youth.

Here is a gem still hanging on dads wall. Pic of me on my old Superlite I used to race about 22 yrs ago! Limited to 125cc four stroke but I could still get 140 km out of it! Never won a race on it but got a few seconds.
image.jpg
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Re: Tour de Kiwi

Post by D6 »

Nice diary. Thanks.
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Re: Tour de Kiwi

Post by Frankie »

Nice... What he said ^
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kiwikrasher
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Re: Tour de Kiwi

Post by kiwikrasher »

Was going to do today's right up but I've just got to bed and it's 11pm and just found out ( at my uncles in Wellington) that I have to be gone by 8am because everyone will be gone to school work by then. So leaving a vid uploading to YouTube and will try to catch up tomorrow.
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kiwikrasher
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Re: Tour de Kiwi

Post by kiwikrasher »

Couple of clips from yesterday, took all night to upload!!

[video]http://youtu.be/IaMP7pl3Pfs[/video]

[video]http://youtu.be/gnvcskQnv-Q[/video]

So I only realised after end of yesterday my camera had accidentally been set to take 3 min clips only! Doh! Lucky the run up Te Mata Peak took exactly 3 mins from where I started filming!

Got it sorted now
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Re: Tour de Kiwi

Post by Kwacky »

It's like watching Guy Martin at Pike's Peak :)

Nice to be reminded of sunshine and blue skies.
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Re: Tour de Kiwi

Post by kiwikrasher »

Yeah... Just a tad slower! It's a 20 km limit up there so even thou I was going casual I was still breaking the limit by a fair bit!

The weather gods have been very nice so far.
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Re: Tour de Kiwi

Post by kiwikrasher »

DAY 4

Packed up from Dad's feeling quite a bit better for seeing him. He's the lightest/weakest I've ever seen him, but he's on the up and once this bag is off he'll be better than he has been for years.

So before heading down to Wellington from Hastings I took a jaunt up Te Mata Peak, I can't visit the Bay without heading up there. It's s great view
image.jpg
Then off south the back road (second vid) which was a great run. Pity I stuffed up with the camera because there were some better sections than that I thought I was recording :(
Back out onto the main highway and looking forward to the Manawatu Gorge. Well I must be jinxed because I rounded the first corner, 2 coppers travelling the way I'm going. 60 km all the way thru' the bloody gorge!
Few more back roads after that and arrived safely at my Uncle and Aunt's. Total of 338 km. Had a few beers and a great green curry. I'm going to be fat after this trip!
Today is a big one, about 540 km is planned and meeting Ed (from day 1) in Taupo for a boys night.
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Re: Tour de Kiwi

Post by Frankie »

WOW! That first vid was great, then seeing the view at the top was amazing.....Awesome cheers for sharing :)
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Re: Tour de Kiwi

Post by Kwacky »

Love that photo. Stunning scenery.
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Re: Tour de Kiwi

Post by Perkles »

Great thread,keep it coming
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Re: Tour de Kiwi

Post by duke63 »

Sounds like a great trip....on a great bike. ;)
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