Lunch at Pongaroa

This is just a short blog post about a great day, a great ride and a great lunch. As you may have guessed from the title we had a wonderful lunch at Pongaroa. I would thoroughly recommend their gourmet burgers and excellent service in a lovely rural setting. A must stop off destination. The best part about the meal though was getting to it! We had Kim and Sir Al in the H2s along with Yamaha contingent with Bruce on his RZ and myself keeping the four stroke flag flying on the XJ750. The run up the Pahiatua Track was memorable due to the lack of gorge traffic not on it, and the wiggly bits through Managamaire to Rongomai were a great warm up for the rest of the ride. The left turn at the Rongomai intersection had us heading towards Alfredton along some more wonderful wiggly roads.  We then joined the wonderful Highway 52 road that was even more of the same, but longer. After a great stop at the Pongaroa Hotel we pointed our bikes towards home via Pahiatua with yet even more of the same wiggly and windy roads. We had Bruce out front so we could keep an eye on him as his petrol was getting low and after filling up with some gas it was back over the hill and home. It was a brilliant ride. As always with these roads one needs to look out for gravel on some of the corners and with the wet winter we have had there was some major road subsidence in places. A great way to check out your bikes suspension! At our last stop we all commented on how lucky we are to live and ride in such a great part of the country.

Mangahao Meander

Here is a quick view of the road to the top!

As I pulled the KH out of the garage on Sunday morning, little did I know what lay ahead that day. The Saturday before weather didn't bode well for the following day, but some faith in Metservice had me making some late night texts to gauge interest in ride out in the country. Sir Als reply was informed me that he and Bruce were heading out for some more 'Adventure Riding' out the back of Shannon. We made a loose arrangement to meet in Shannon the following day.  The less demanding terrain south of Palmy was an ideal opportunity to give the KH250 a run and so our 10am meeting time had a group of us parked up outside Manawatu Motorcycles. Richard arrived on his trusty T500, with Kim on his RZ, Shorty on his SV, Clint on his Katana and yours truely on the KH250. We made our way to Shannon via the long way down Lockwood road, Main Drain road (I wonder how it got that name?) then on to Bainese and down a back road to Foxton then finally on to the Shanon Foxton road. Nothing to challenging apart from the usual cow pooh on the roads. It was good to be out on the little KH and enjoy all the usual Kawasaki two stroke triple sensations. The new tyre on the back had lowered the gearing a tad and it was now sitting nicely in the bottom part of the power band at 100 kmh. After a bit of discussion we decided on Horsemans Cafe for food and refreshments whilst we awaited the arrival of the 'Adventure Bikers'. Bruce Sagger 'flew' in from Levin on his Yellow rocket, his Yamaha RZ350 to join us for a cuppa. The cafe was a pleasant surprise with delicious loaf shaped pies, very tasty Bacon and Egg butties all washed down with good coffee and hot chocolates. Recommended. After waiting for Al and Bruce to arrive some decided to head on home whilst Shorty, Richard and myself headed up to the Mangahao power station and a suggestion was made to head up to the first dam. The last time I was here was to have a look at the power station and the white water centre so I was fascinated to find out a bit more about The metal road was narrow and very windy as it made its way up the hill to the top of the ranges. The surface was nice and damp so no dust and as we followed Shorty up Richard and I were very pleased to be on our narrow tyred stink wheels from the seventies as he hunched over his wide tyred sports bike. As we neared the first dam a couple of bikes came into view. I think they were a little surprised to see us as we stopped had had a chat on the side of the road. They were just on there way back from having a cuppa at the last dam and informed us that the first dam was five minutes away. We said our goodbyes and parked up next to the first dam. Having never been up there it was a really pleasant surprise to see the scale of it. Walking along the top of dam I wouldn't be to sure about living in Shannon should a descent earthquake strike! Shorty was pleased for the break as his wrists were getting sore and he wasn't looking forward to going back down. Richard took the lead heading back down and disappeared off down the road on the mighty Titan. Our stop down at the power station had us admiring the wonderful 1920s architecture and admiring the whole engineering feat for the time. It was apparently the first large power station built in New Zealand and the fact that it is still operating 88 years later is a tribute to the engineers of the time. You can find more information here. Our ride back to town had me thinking about doing a bit more exploring around our region, as I am sure there are some more hidden gems like this in our region. The KH did well but maybe I need to look for something more suitable. I think Barrys definitely got the right idea. Might have to start looking for a suitable mount.....Must be a few old DTs, TSs, KTs and XLs out there!

Out and About with Al and Brucie

Just got this email from Sir Al re a wander he and Bruce went on around the back blocks of the Rangitikei district.

"Gazza, check out the pic. Bruce & I went for a ride up Turakina Valley Road from Hunterville yesterday. Almost got to Collier's Junction, but a slip made the road impassable. Re-traced steps and ended up at Taihape for a late lunch. Then down to Mangaweka and through to Rangiwahia. We enjoyed sunshine, rain, and sleet during the day, and finally snow climbing out of Rangi which lasted until the decent into Kimbolton.

We are certainly blessed as motorcyclists living in the Manawatu!"

The photo he sent illustrated the conditions and after I asked for some more for the blog and he sent these through.

One of these photos looked very suspicious. 

 Any ideas for a caption?

Here are some captions sent in so far.

"Notice how the giant claws of the Apriliasaurus is about to devour the unsuspecting fully grown Kiwi lawyer" Kim

"Al, get outa there. a bit of snow never hurt anyone" Kim

"Chocolate Lab pup bones, size nine dive boots, cartridge cases - its amazing what you find!" Kim

"The feckin Leprechaun's got out of the topbox!" Al

“It’s much bigger than my wife’s handbag but I can only fit a fraction of the stuff in here.” Judy.

"If you are not riding a Blue Haze classic vintage motorcycle and don't want to be seen, as exhibited by the motorcycle in the fore-ground, you can press button "A" on these modern motorcycles and "presto" you can be shrunk to size to fit your motor cycle carry bag as being demonstrated with the motorcycle in the background." Ken

Whats Yellow and goes like a scalded cat?

What a great way to spend a Sunday morning. Not only did we get out and about on another fine spring morning, but I also got to sample two very special two stroke motorcycles!
The gathereing of the gang at Manawatu Motorcycles at 10am saw us debating the merits of heading to the east and around the back country between Ekatahuna and Pahiatua or heading in a norwesterly direction to Hunterville return. The later got the thumbs up as some of us needed to get back to town a little earlier than normal to take care of other matters of grave importance such as lawn mowing! The role call for the ride was:
Paul De Lautour - Suzuki GT750
Richard Kerr - Suzuki T500
Bruce Sagger - Yamaha RZ350R
Kim De Lautour - Yamaha RZ250
Alan Clark - Kawasaki H2750
Gary Whiting - Yamaha XJ750
We headed out of town exiting the town boundry along Railway Road. I always love being at the back at about this time as the two strokes clear their urban lungs with a puff of smoke. Its definitely a non 'pc' sight that does nothing for the environment but my thinking is it does a lot for our heritage! Anyway I am sure our annual emissions aren't any more than a few puffs from a J class steam engine. We followed the railway line out to Bunythorpe, past Taonui Aerodrome, left at Colyton and then made our way to our first stop at the top of the Cheltnham hill via Makino road. Surveyinig the rural scene one certainly could see the change of season with the green pastures and blossoming fruit trees reflecting the noticably warmer air temperature. After a brief stop we headed off towards Vinegar Hill with a very brief stop at (not so) Stormy Point to check out our resident distant volcanoes, Mounts Ruapehu and Tongarriro. It wasn't long until we came out at the top of Vinegar Hill and took a left on to State Highway 1 and made our way down to Hunterville. This is always a great place to stop and watch the world go by. The conclusion of the Cold Kiwi provided a procession of bikes and people to watch. It must have been a good one as the rally goers we came across in the cafe were very subdued.   Mikes Trading is always an interesting view as you never know what he has in his car lot and he is always keen to have a chat about bikes from the 70s. Another interesting group who stopped off for a coffee were a group on scooters. They parked up in the cafe diagonally opposte us and I think they are the Palmy Scooter Club.  Shades of the Mods and the Rockers! Might be fun to go on a ride together?
After being refreshed and replenished we decided on our back road route to Rata where we folllow the Rangitikei River. A lovely bit of country side with a good mixture of sweepers and tighter sections. It was on this stretch of road I got to resample Sir Als Kawasaki H2. I had forgotten how torquey and  easy it was to ride in the lower rev range. You could just about say it was a good touring motor! However once you upped the revs it took off like a scalded cat and the induction and exhaust noise was  wonderful. At our next stop Bruce offered me a ride on his recently modified Yamaha RZ350R. Loved the sound of the expansion chambers, especially when they hit the power band. What surprised me the most was how well it behaved down low and the suspension modifications had it tracking around corners with ease. Bruce and the lads at Levin Motorcycle Centre have done a magnificent job on it. After spending so much time recently on the XJ its light weight was a pleasure. Our last stop at Mount Stewart had us heading back into town at 1:30 satisfied that we had definetly made the most of warm and sunny Sunday morning. Roll on next weekend!

A Kuppa in Kimbolton

This months ride has come around very quickly. As the official winter time comes to end the lengthening days and daffodils popping up everywhere signal the arrival of spring. A group of us gathered at Manawatu Motorcycles on Sunday looking forward to a spin in the country to take in all the sights and sounds of spring alongside the sights and sounds of a few two stroke motorcycles!
Role call:
Dion Tornquist - Honda NSR400
Kim De Lautour - Yamaha RZ250
Alan Clark - Kawasaki 350 Avenger
Richard Kerr - Suzuki T500M
Gary Whiting - Yamaha XJ750
The Apiti loop was decided on as a suitable ride with a stop off in Kimbolton for a cuppa and popping into Manfield to have a look at the Victoria Motorcycle Winter Racing Series. Our first stop was for Al to fill up the A7 at Ashhurst so it could complete the loop without needing to be pushed or towed to a Feilding petrol station! With that task completed we headed up the Pohangina Valley enjoying the many fruit tree blossoms along the way. Alan was setting a great pace on the A7 with the XJ having to breath a bit deeper to keep up. I am always amazed at the pace the little A7 is able to keep up both up hill and down dale. Its easy to see why Graham Crosby is full of praise for these bikes with there disc valve motors and excellent handling (for the time). Watching Dion on his NSR400 following along behind caused one to think of the huge two stroke technological developments that happened between the years the two bikes were built and what might have been if that pace had been continued? After stopping for a breather at the Makoura Rd turn off and some bike swapping we headed off towards Apiti and briefly stopped for some more bike swapping. Dion offered me a ride on his NSR and I headed out behind Kim on his 'recently power valved' RZ250. We quickly opened up a gap with the others as Kim really exercised his right hand. A quick glance at the instruments confirmed the quick pace and as we swung through the sweepers and the tighter sections on the climb to Kimbolton with the NSR gearbox getting a workout to keep it in its power band. The quick steering 16inch front  wheel and stable chassis provided pin sharp handling as the occasional bump tried to spoil things. Two stroke motorcycling at its best! Definitely a different riding experience to the limousine like XJ!
Our stop off at Hansens was much appreciated as the air temperature was definitely a few degrees less than in town. Nothing like a hot cuppa to sip on as you glance over at a blazing open fire.Hansens seems to be a popular destination for Motorcycle enthusiasts and we were joined by the local chapter of the Triumph Riders Group. As enthusiasts do we got talking and a number of them have an interest in the Japanese Classics with some involved in restoring various road and trail bikes. Some cards were handed out and there is definitely a growing interest in the 'old Jappas'. After a good yarn we headed off to Manfield only to have confirmed what we had heard that the Alfa Romeo club was having a track day. After watching a few old Cortinas and Corollas go by it was time to head home with another good ride under the belt. Role on next Sunday!

An Italian meets some Japanese

Clint sent me some photos from a rideout a few of the gang went on last weekend. His Katana is having a few issues at the moment so he brought his little Moto Guzzi out for a spin. Scones and a cup of coffee sounded appealling so all haste was made to Pilgrims Rest with the usual great scenery being supplied by the Pohangina Valley along the way. The little Guzzi impressed downhill but struggled a little up hill. To be expected really with all the RZs, T, RG and H2 it was surrounded with!

Hondas nearly outnumber Kawasakis!

Our end of month ride was notable for a number of reasons. The day began with nearly a frost but with the promise of a wonderful sunny day. Manawatu Motorcycles saw the arrival of a range of motorcycles. The plan was to go for a run around the back of Pahiatua and Woodville and come back over the track and down to Shannon to meet up with the Classic lads from the Manawatu and Wellington. As happens  with anything older one of the fleet decided to break down by leaking petrol through its fuel tap. It was a shame as we were keen to see how Johns recently acquired Yamaha R5 would run but John made the call to replace his lightweight Yamaha with his 'not light' Honda GL 1000. The role call was
John McKeagg - Yamaha R5/Honda GL 1000,
Paul De Lautour -  Kawasaki 500 H1b
Kim De Lautour - Suzuki RE5
Dion Tornquist - Honda NSR 400
Dave Henwood - Honda XL500s
Bruce Andrews - BMW GS650
Alan Clark - Kawasaki 750 H1
Paul Clemoes - Kawasaki 400 S3a
Richard Kerr - Suzuki T500
Gary Whiting - Yamaha XJ750
Our first port of call was at the top of the Pahiatua track and with everyone accounted for we headed off down the other side for a quick stop at Pahiatua and then on to Mangatainoka. It was from here that we headed off around the back roads that brought us out just north of Woodville. Time was running out to catch the classic lads so another quick stop in Woodville had us on our way back over the track via the Ballance bridge. After  skirting around Palmy via Old west road we caught the convoy of classics just south of Tokomaru. A decision was made not to chase them as everyone was hanging out for a cuppa and we ducked off down a side road to the Horse Shoe Bend Cafe. We hadn't been there for some time and its location on top of a very high bluff looking up into the Tararua Ranges made for a very pleasant cup of tea. From here we headed back into town and dispersed with Dave making his way back over the track for the fourth time in a day and heading back to Masterton. Richard and I decided to try and catch the Classic lads at Ashhurst only to see them disappearing up the road.
Next time.
It was a great way to spend part of a Sunday. With the days getting longer and the daffodils beginning to emerge out of the ground one definitely feels more encouraged to get out and about. Winter hibernation time is over so come on out for a ride. We would love to see you
Roll on spring and summer!