End-of-month January '17

First EOM ride for 2017 and what an interesting turnout! Not a 2-stroke in sight and not a glint of chrome to be seen (well a little bit on the Bonnie & Wing). Oh how times are changing. 

10 riders enjoyed dry roads and some sunshine to cover 200 km of rural Manawatu roads. Included were two new faces, which is great to see; Phil on an immaculate Suzuki SV1000 complete with Yoshi pipes making great sounds, and Greg on a first year fuel-injected Yamaha R1.  Also on the ride were Ian on his striking GSX-R1100, Bruce S ZX10R mounted, Graham on a Triumph Bonnie 1200, Bruce A VFR750, Alan VFR800, Russell adventuring forth on his BMW GS, Dave with his one-owner CB750 Four, and Guy on the mother-ship (Goldwing 1800). 6 bikes of 1000cc or larger, and the smallest bike in the group being the 650 chook chaser. We had a single cylinder, parallel twin, V-twins, inline 4s, V-4s, and a flat 6. 

Our plotted course went out around Pohangina Valley East and then North around the Dress Circle to Te Parapara Road, and left through Rangiwahia heading back toward Kimbolton. We turned right at Pemberton’s Corner onto Mangamako Road which provides a great ride through to Ohingaiti. Then SH1 to Hunterville to refill bikes and riders. These are some of the best motorcycling roads in the Manawatu if you have a penchant for corners, with the Dress Circle and the road out to Ohingaiti an excellent variation on the Kimbolton – Rangiwahia - Mangaweka route.

The kai was a bit scarce at our regular Hunterville eatery. To be fair there were very long lines of tin-tops on SH1 (miserable faces pressed against windows as we passed on by) and perhaps the hoards had beat us to it. Still, no one left the joint starving. 

After refreshments and a bit of a natter, Dave and Graham headed off to Wanganui and Guy followed SH1 back to PN. The rest of us took our usual suite of back roads making our way to Halcome, Mt Stewart and home. The only casualty of the day was the GSX-R which lost pressure to the clutch cylinder just out of Hunterville unbeknown to most of us, and Ian skilfully navigated his way home without having to make a stop.   

If that was summer we certainly enjoyed it!

First Ride of New Year 2017

A German, an Italian and 4 Japanese walk into a bar and ask the Barman: "Which is the quickest way to Hunterville?"
Barman: "Are you walking or do you have motorcycles?"
The Italian: "We have motorcycles"
Barman:" Ah well then, that's the quickest way!"

Or another combination would be 3 spoked wheeled vs 3 non-spoked wheeled bikes;
Or 3 smokers vs 3 four strokes;
Or 3 pre 1990's vs 3 more Moderns;
Actually we didn't walk into a bar,  we rode into Hunterville :-)

However you want to shake a stick at it, we were on a fun but mixed bunch of 2 wheeled road eating vehicles out to enjoy the First ride of the New Year, for the First ride of the month, on the First day of the month.

Forecast was for a chance of showers, but the wet stayed away and we enjoyed dry roads the whole time. Stuck to the usual back roads and before we knew it we were at Hunterville. Man, that went quick.

Enjoyed sitting outside at the cafe with our food and drink, and many chats later we heard the road calling to us again. A couple of motorcycle admirers took some photo snaps and chewed the ears off some of the guys, then it was time to depart.

Headed West out of Hunterville for a spirited ride mainly off the main roads had us quickly back in the Manawatu at Mt Biggs.  A quick yan before accepting the fact that good things must have an ending, we headed for home with some more memories locked away, to look back and remember sometime in the future.

Dion on his Aprilia and me on my GSXR (fairings currently off) were both very happy and impressed with our new bikes as today were their first decent ride out on a good number of twisties.
I can not wait for the next one!