Off the bike for a while

Last Friday I went in for a small operation with a predicted recovery time of 3 to 10 days. The op went okay and then a complication put me into A&E three times with the last visit in the early hours of this morning. So it is going to be a while before I am out of the house, let alone back on a bike.

Barry called at 2.15pm today to see if I would go for a ride with him. It is a lovely clear winters day and for the next two days the weather will be the same. I had to say, sorry I can't do this ride. My motorcycling in the last few days has involved re-reading bike mags and later this afternoon reading posts to the kiwibiker forum.

This post is from my laptop while in bed.

Ride on a Triumph Sprint

Nice day today so I called Hamish at Wellington Motorcycles to arrange a ride on a Triumph Sprint. That was easily organised so early afternoon I was ready to go. The bike for a demo was a 2005 1050 Sprint with a 2007 screen fitted. I am interested in a new ST Sprint and the 2005 model is not too different.

My ride was up through Brooklyn, down to the coast and around the bays to Lyall Bay, back through the tunnel, down motorway to Newlands and back to Wellington and Wellington Motorcycles via Jervois Quay. I took the bike around the bays and some slow roads in Kilbirnie to see how hard or easy the bike is to ride at the slower pace and in stop start traffic. This type of riding is hard work on the SV and no problem on the Motor Morini I rode two days ago. A run down the motorway was essential to see what the bike was like at highway speeds.

My conclusions; competent, smooth, powerful and flexible motor, clunky gear change and, more wind buffeting than I expect at 100 - 120 This is a bike I could ride all day. However, is it too good? Is it boring? Well after riding that fabulous Motor Morini yes it is boring. I am now wondering, is this a bike that has no character, and is that good or bad? The Sprint is definitely a better bike than the SV1000S and so it should be at twice the price.

While I loved the Moto Morini I can only afford to own one bike at a time so that makes the Sprint a more sensible choice. I am unlikely to change the SV until the new year and by then it will have some 15k on the clock. So it may be a Sprint ST; I like the red colour.

Ride on a Moto Morini

I went for a ride out to the Hutt this afternoon thinking I may have a look at a Ducati. Yes I am thinking of my next bike. While there I spied a new/demo Moto Morini Corsaro. Was offered a ride, so took it for a spin.

This is a very nice bike and everything the test reports say seems true. Compared to the SV it is very easy to ride at low speed and around town. The motor pulls smoothly from 2000rpm and the gearing means it pulls well in any gear. Great sound. The little fairing over the light works better than I expected and it has an excellent riding position. This bike is hard to fault and other than the price would be a bike I would love to own.

I didn't want to take it back. I could ride this all day.

Note: When I first posted about the bike I thought it was the 9.5 Moto Morini. I have yet to ride one of those.

Bluetooth Test Ride

This week the bluetooth headsets Alan and I ordered weeks ago arrived. We had got them charged up and fitted to the helmets yesterday and today the weather cleared so a road test was in order. I didn't have much time between essential shopping in the morning and a meeting I had to attend mid afternoon.

Alan arrived and we paired up the headsets so we can talk bike to bike or actually helmet to helmet. The range is 150 metres so we did need to do a good test. In less than 5 minutes we had the headsets going. Our plan was to ride up SH1 to Paremata, around the inlet, over Haywards and have a coffee at the Harley Tours Cafe in the Blue Mountains.

The headsets work really well except the exhaust noise from the Harley was transmitted from Alan whenever he opened it up. It is a new experience being able to chat with another rider whilst riding. It means there is no need to stop to discuss - where to next? or is all okay? Our first stop was the cafe.

From there it was to head home and when Alan got home I called him via mobile and headset to check out the operation. Alan then called me and we discussed the merits of this wonderful device while I cruised down the Hutt Motorway at around 100kph.

Ride to Masterton

This afternoon Alan and I did a run to and around Masterton. I left home a 12.30pm, swung by Alan's in the Belmont hills and then to Rimutex to fuel the Harley.

From there it was over the Rimutakas, down to and straight through Martinborough and along the Martinborough to Masterton road. We came out on the Te Ore Ore road and stopped at the Mobile service station at the intersection with State Highway 2 for fuel.

We then headed back to Carterton the long way. This was over some truly excellent motorcycle roads: Masterton-Castlepoint road, Te Weraiti road, Masterton Stronvar road, Westmere road, Tupurupuru - Te Wharau road, Gladstone road and, into Carterton. A well deserved coffee was had there at the Wild Oats Cafe and the next stop was Featherston to give the Harley another drink. Then off home, getting back at 5.00pm and travelled just under 300km. That loop out the back of Masterton to Carterton is recommended for motorcycling. As well as a variety of fast and slow corners the road is hilly with the ground rising up to Wainuioru offering a great view out over Masterton.

Here is a map of the loop and it shows the terrain.