A Kawasaki H1a makes an appearance at the November EoMR.

 Where has the year gone! Here we are in December and summer has finally arrived and the riding season is well underway. To celebrate the crossover from spring to summer, the 31st of November saw a very healthy lineup of bikes at Memorial Park. It was good to see more than a few pre 80's bikes brought out of their sheds to enjoy a spin around the country block. A new bike amongst this lineup was a Kawasaki H1a, just like the Revell model kit I had back in the day. (It was my first model kit with real chrome!)

The Kawasaki H1A has a Legendary reputation in the minds of many. It is often known as the original Widow maker and for many young men at the time the transition from a humble BSA Bantam or Suzuki M15 certainly challenged their mortality. One has to remember that it was at this time the word Superbike was gestating as bikes like the H1 and Honda 750 burst onto the scene. They represented a quantum shift in motorcycle markets around the world as the Japanese applied there growing engineering and mass production expertise to the motorcycle market.  The Kawasaki H1 was primarily designed for the American market and going from stoplight to stoplight. For those of us in New Zealand we certainly had a lot more corners readily available in our countryside and its chassis limits were soon found.  It was great to have one along for our recent end of month ride this last November. It has been a while since we have had one out on a run with us. It is good to see that he is doing the bike up to ride and making it look the part as and when needed or when parts become available at the right price. Sounds a lot like how things were back in the day when budgets were tight.

Alongside Steve's H1 we had Warren on his Suzuki Cobra, resplendent in all its black and chrome glory. Definitely a contemporary and it just predates  A perfect companion for Steves H1a and Allan and Kim on their H2's certainly added to this as well. The H2 is very much the epitome of this with its fearsome reputation for being the 'other widow maker' as it tore through fuel and dominated senior production racing for sometime. This was even after the Z1 arrived on the scene. Definitely the apex of large 2-stroke air cooled development and along with the Suzuki GT750. Two stroke development did move on for a while and Bruce S's RG250 is a wonderful example of this from the early 80's with the use of water cooling allowing for even more power to be extracted from the 2 stroke engine configuration. It is not often one sees such a group of motorcycles of this ilk out on the street these days and it does provide a very special nostalgia experience that others came along to enjoy on the day.

Along for the run we had a great supporting collage of bikes and riders. There was definitely something teutonic in the lineup of support bikes for the ride with John on his trusty R60/6, Dave on Grant's GS100 Dakar, Grant on his R100R, Ray on his recently acquired R850R and Gary on his F650GS. The Suzuki Bandits were also well represented with Max, Stuart and Bruce C wafting along on there steads and Rich and myself rounding out the modern Suzuki contingent on a GSR 750 and a Vstrom 650

Our run for the morning took us from Memorial Park out to Hiwinui, Colyton, Valley Rd and finally to our first stop at the Ashhurst Domain carpark. After a regroup and natter we were on our way again to our final destination, Shannon, and a much anticipated cup of tea or coffee. It was just as well sir Al phone through to the Horsemans Cafe to warn them that a large group were coming through. there were fifteen of us overall with some leaving early and others coming later in the ride, but a great turnout for our final outing of the year. 

And what a year it has been, with another round of Covid lockdowns. We have managed to fit in some great EoMR's amongst this and the usual weather challenges. Our Tuesday nights at The Cobb are still proving to be popular, so it looks like more of the same for next year. 

October End of Month Ride

The weather was looking a bit dodgy for our October end of month ride. Crossed finger's and a positive weather outlook were rewarded with a very windy but fine morning for a ride. Yours truely pulled the T500 out of the shed for a run down to Memorial Park and after topping up the tank headed to our meeting spot and was greeted by Bruce C and Stuart. Bruces gold GT750 glistened in the sun and it wasn't long until a couple of gold H2's joined him with Sir Al and Kim onboard. Gary A turned up on his ever reliable CX500 and the distinctive Suzuki GT exhaust rattle had Barry on board his red 550 park up as well. Bruce S's RG250 made its first appearance and what a treat for the ears and eye's.  Dave R rumbled up on his brand new Guzzi Le Mans replacement. He treated himself to a brand new Guzzi V7 III. Paul brought his Moto Guzzi Le Mans Mk4 out for a run having recently sorted out a few gremlins. Max brought along his Yamaha FZ750 for a spin and it was very smart in it's white and red livery. Stuart was out on his KLE 500 whilst his GT750 is in for engine surgery. Rich's Mighty T is almost fettled 

We were soon heading for our humble destination for the morning, Foxton. Yours truely ducked into home and did a bike swap with the T500 not quite fettled enough for an extended open road run into what turned out to be a very stiff westerly breeze. Sam's Bakery was reached through a variety of back roads and interesting to see the gradual increase of 80 kay speed limits appearing on different sections of road. It was lovely to sit outside in the sun and munch on a chicken sandwich and talk motorcycles. Also nice to be out and and about with some old Japanese classics on a fine spring day.  The only unfortunate incident was Gary A's CX500 decided to make a few extra noises when we arrived at Sam's and Dave R lent assistance with a trailer. We still haven't heard any diagnosis as to the cause of the noises, but hopefully nothing to drastic.

Roll call

Max - Yamaha FZ750

Sir Al - Kawasaki H2

Gary W -  Suzuki T500/Suzuki GSR750

Bruce S - Suzuki RG250

Bruce C - Suzuki GT750

Barry - Suzuki GT550

Gary A - Honda CX500

Kim - Kawasaki H2

Rich - Suzuki 650Vstrom

Dave R - MotoGuzzi 850 V7 Special

Paul - Moto Guzzi LeMans 1000

Stuart - Kawasaki KLE500

Why would you ever want to own a CBX 1000?

There is something about the sound of a Honda CBX 1000 that makes some mature men weak at the knees. Fours, twins, triples and singles make interesting noises, but sixes have that extra something that is more than just extra cylinders. Last weekend saw a small gathering of The Clans at our usual spot at Memorial Park when a new sound was heard pulling up to the assembled bikes. It was Glen on a rather red and rather chromy Honda CBX 1000. After checking our intentions for a ride he popped off for some petrol and was soon back ready to role.

We were soon on our way with Gary A volunteering an interesting route through the Hopelands area and on to one of our favourite cafe's, The Windmill cafe in Woodville. We were soon on our way over the busy Pahiatua Track and Gary had us snaking our way through a myriad of back country roads once we left Pahiatua's town boundary. we eventually popped out just south of Woodville and were soon sitting outside the Windmill Cafe shooting the breeze mostly on matters to do with motorcycles.

Glen shared his youthful fascination with motorcycles and the awe he had for the six cylinder CBX 1000 when it came out in the late seventies. He never got around to owning one. Until now that is. He is  'scratching that itch' and now has a big tick next to CBX 1000 on his bucket list. 

Following along behind Glen it was wonderful to see and hear the CBX on song. Are they the ultimate street bike of the seventies? For many yes. With its sophisticated mixture of in your face mechanical engineering mixed with candy paint and chrome it certainly stands out. Even today.  These bikes are becoming increasingly valuable so it is great to see one out and about being used. I do believe that amongst our group there is another one hiding away in a garage. Now wouldn't it be wonderful to hear two of them wandering around the countryside together? Eh PC?

Role call

Ray - Triumph 900 Tiger

John - BMW 600

Glen - Honda CBX 1000

Rich - Suzuki 650 Vstrom

Gary A - BMW GS650

Gary W - Suzuki GSR 750

How good is a 43 Year old Suzuki GS750?

I can still remember the day I first saw a Suzuki GS750 in Palmerston North. It was a red single disk model and it was different in every way to the Suzuki two strokes we got around on. All of a sudden it made my T250 look so unrefined and along with the GS 400 Suzuki had begun the shift into the four stroke world. If the Motorcycle magazines tests we had been poring over with GS750 tests were to be believed this was the bike that not only had a wonderful motor, but it also handled well. Our first post Covid internment Mk 2 ride on Sunday saw a group of six of us line up at Memorial Park for a much needed Sunday morning ride and little did I know today I was going to satisfy my curiosity about what a GS750 was like to ride.

Our chosen route was the world famous Apiti loop and a stop at Apiti Tavern for a cuppa and something to drink. With Ian leading the way we headed out to Ashhurst and up the valley. The Raumai bridge signalled the beginning of the curves as we made our way through a lot of wonderfully familiar corners. It was great to get back out amongst the country smells, and spring colours of daffodils and blossoms with glimpses of lambs in the fields. Care needed to be taken with corners that were yet to be touched by sun and the odd loose metal around the place. The air became a little cooler as we climbed up the valley and made our way to our first stop at Totara Reserve where Gary left us to go and surf some gravel on his BMW 650/800. 

We were soon back on the bikes heading to Apiti and we were still enjoying the chorus of countryside sights and smells. The final straights into Apiti invited a prolonged twisting of the throttle that soon had us sitting outside the tavern. The smell of something on the grill certainly activated the taste buds but much to our disappointment they didn't open until midday and that was thirty minutes away. So it was off to the Kimbolton to see if we could chance our luck with a cuppa and fed there. Bruce offered me a ride on his Suzuki GS 750 and I gladly accepted . Ian took the reins of the GSR and Bruce pushed the starter button on Ians W650. 

It was a bit of a revelation. The GS was definitely not as refined as the GSR, but the suspension work Bruce has had done on it made for an extremely pleasant and sure footed ride. The sumptuous seat felt like you could ride around the South Island no problem. The motor ticked over nicely and as the revs rose it certainly got into its stride and proved very precise and steady through the twisties. The twin disks did a great job of slowing down the 500 plus pounds and it was with some disappointment the ride came to end as we parked up in Kimbolton. 

The conversation around the table at the Hotel was very much around how we found our rides on each others bikes. The GS750 is definitely a very useable classic and one I would put in my garage any day. Sir Al also had a spin earlier in the ride and was also impressed. Bruce was pleasantly surprised at how well Ians W650 ran and I think Ian found the GSR more of an acquired taste. Most of the crew ordered Biker Burgers on the recommendation of our previous visits. Unfortunately they weren't up to the previous standard with the steak more like trying to chew a large piece of inner tube. Nga Boyz weren't impressed. However my Hawaiian Chicken burger was very passable but next time it will probably be a muffin or Pizza over the road at Hansens.

Oh well, at least we got to finally get out and about on our bikes and blow some cobwebs out. Being able to finally ride a Suzuki GS750 was a real treat. Thanks Bruce and the rest of the crew for a great post Covid ride.

Off to Tui to see some Jappa's

 

What a lovely change weather wise from a previous months end of month ride. It was a beautiful day for a ride with plenty of blue, little wind and a great temperature for an air cooled motor. It was good to see a very good line up of appropriately aged classic Japanese bikes for our July end of month ride. Just right as we were heading over to Tui Central for there Japanese Car and Motorcycle show. Gary was on his CX500, Dave turned up on his Honda GB500 and Bruce S brought his Yamaha TDR out for a play. It was also good to see Kim had sorted out the H2's sparking issue and Stuart on his Water Bus and Warren having a break from driving his milk tanker on his Yamaha XJ900. The rest of the gaggle were on moderns with Rich on his Vstrom, Ian and Lydia on there W650 and yours truly on the GSR750. We were soon on our way heading for the hills and then over the busy Pahiatua Track. We were soon through Pahiatua and onto Mangatainoka where we were greeted by a great lineup of classic and performance Japanese cars. It is always great to see fellow enthusiasts of Japanese machinery celebrating it and a big thank you to Tui Central for putting on these special events. A special favourite of mine was the Suzuki Cappuccino, a lovely little 2 door Kai car built around a 665cc turbo charged triple. There were a lot of  old school cars from back in the day that brought back many memories. There aren't that many around now as most suffered from poor to non existent corrosion treatment with most ending up in wreckers yards way too soon. 

We were soon on our way again heading for the metropolis of Woodville with our destination being the ever popular Windmill Cafe. Of course we had to take the back way with Gary in the lead promising us an extra special scenic route. It was going well for a while until our way was blocked by a tree across the road. Luckily no one was driving or riding by when the very large limb fell. The neighbouring farmer was soon on the scene with his tractor and we were soon on our way again. The Windmill cafe is a great destination with excellent food and beverages and plenty of parking out the back. After a good natter and putting the world right we headed home to more mundane things but happy to have been out and about on our bikes on a glorious sunny day with great company.