Bazza's Shed Raid

Sir Al has just sent in this great write up from the weekend. Four of the troops headed south to experience one mans passion for the old Jappas. When Barry isn't trying to keep the propellers attached to Kiwi Rail Ferries he is more than likely tinkering around in his shed. When your nearest and dearest question the number of bikes in your collection, send this link to them. Thanks for setting the standard Barry!

One man’s ceiling is another man’s floor

Certainly the case when it comes to collecting old bikes.

Mother’s Day; Kim, Dion, Ian, and myself headed to the capital to visit Barry D and collect a NOS exhaust end for my Kawasaki A7. A perfect day for a ride joining the masses heading up and down SH1. After a coffee stop at Riverstone café in Otaki, we arrived at Bazza’s about 1.30pm.

Ian rode his GSX600, myself on the Aprilia (taking some stick over my choice), and Kim and Dion on Yamaha TZRs, a 3XV and 1KT respectively. The arrival of the TZRs inspired Barry to wheel out his TZR 3MA. Then the RZ 350 and RZ 250. Then the YDS1 (with interesting race pedigree) and YDS2 and YDS6. And then the DT1 and RT3. And that’s just the Yamahas! There were Kawasaki, Honda, and Suzuki. Several of each. We lined the Yamahas up for a photo session in the afternoon sun. Had a good poke around the garage and a small shed that could well be the original Tardus, judging by the selection of bikes and tyres, bars, and parts that came out of it. Clearly none of us are using the space we have at home to best effect. Every nook and cranny at Barry’s had something interesting stored away. Barry’s talent for collecting is surpassed only by the inimitable Paul W!

We headed back about 4pm and filtered through the endless stream of 4-wheeled flotsam & jetsam that clogs SH1 north of the capital on weekends. All went well until the 3XV lost forward momentum just out of Tokomaru. 6 neutrals. So it was a dub home on the Aprilia to get the van. There’s always something to work on during the week when you have old bikes.