Sunday ride to Palmerston Nth

Ulysses had a ride to PN for lunch at ANZA and then a free ride back. It was raining and the forecast was for more rain when I left at 9.30am. Only a few turned up for the ride. The rain had stopped when I got to the start at Plimmerton and we had a good run to PN with a stop at Shannon.

BBQ sausages were the lunch. Alan had been on a HOG ride to Rongotea and myself and Jude headed in a round about circuit (didn't know where Rongotea was) to Rongotea. By now it was raining steadily but the Revit overgear was keeping the rain out. On the way back to Wellington we stopped at Otaki for a coffee. I got home a couple of hours later than planned and even though it was mostly a wet ride it was a good one.

This is my last ride for at least a month, maybe two, as tomorrow I go into hospital for a big op.

Ulysses Remembrance Ride

I got the notification of this event while overseas and was waiting for further information on who was going from Wellington. A couple of days ago I made inquiries and learn t that few were going and one (Ken) was on the way - the long way round. So a plan was formed to make a visit to Hawkes Bay (business and personal) and fit in the ride to Taupo for the Remembrance Ride and Service.

This was also an opportunity to christen the motorcycle trailer. On Friday the bike was loaded onto the trailer and at 5.15pm we headed off to Hastings via the Wairarapa. The trailer towed well and other than a few rattles on rough roads we could have forgotten the trailer was there.

Saturday morning was an early start with unloading the bike and gearing up for the ride to Taupo where the Taupo Ulysses group leave for Rotorua at 10.00am. The temperature was 1 degree C when I left Havelock North at 7.45am. It wasn't until Pakowhai that the visor and glasses stopped fogging up and until I was out of fog.

It was a clear sky, very cold but a nice day was emerging. Low cloud, fog, and cold was a problem. The heated grips were performing well and very needed. As I went down the hill to the Mohaka River the water on the visor from the fog/low cloud turned to ice. I had been wiping water off the visor, now it was ice crystals. I stopped at the summit north of Te Haroto (see google map), for a 5 minute rest. Once over the hills the sky cleared and it was a good run into Taupo.

View Larger Map

Fuelled up and headed to the Spa Road meeting point. The local group of 50 odd left at 10.00am and headed along what was the reverse route of the remembrance ride from Rotorua. The route was Broadlands Road to Settler Road and then SH5. The meeting place in Rotorua was on the lake front at the end of Fenton Street. As we arrived around 11.30am there was plenty of time for food and relaxation.

At 12.45pm the assembled lot headed to the formal ride start point in the area by Whakarewarewa on the outskirts of Rotorua. We left there at 1.00pm and headed to Taupo along SH5 and Broadlands Road to the AC baths parking area. The formal ride from the AC baths left at 2.30pm to go to the Taupo Event Center for the service. The photos are of the briefing for this formal ride. I counted 231 bikes at the Event Center.

I left Taupo at 3.23pm and got onto SH5 to Napier at 3.27pm. A few kilometers up the road I needed to stop and put on the neckwarmer and balaclava that I was sure wasn't needed. I got into Havelock North at 4.05pm and 165Kms later.

The ride was excellent (other than the cold temps on the way over). It is a pity the speed limit is so low as the roads and bike are capable of so much more. There was very little traffic on SH5 and a HP at both ends.

The Scottoiler delivered half the bottle of oil and a fair bit ended up on the bike, I have wound back the oil delivery rate. The next morning (Sunday) the bike had a flat battery as the heated grips had been left on. The controller for the grips is meant to switch off when the battery volts drop so the battery doesn't get flattened. I am considering having a relay fitted to isolate the heated grips and feed to the radar detector when the ignition is turned off. More to follow on this.

Back in NZ

On Sunday early morning we arrived home from 5 weeks in the UK and Europe. No motorcycle riding during that time but I saw plenty of bikes in the UK.

Monday I fired up the busa and took it down the road for petrol and a little warm up run to Grays Road and return. On Tuesday the bike was in Wellington Motorcycles for the 6000kms service (has done 5500kms) and the fitting of Oxford hot grips and Scottoiler. I picked the bike up today (Wednesday) and did a run out to the Hutt.

The setting of the oiler will need to be monitored for 100kms or so; at the moment it seems to be releasing a lot of oil. The total cost of service, grips and oiler was $1008.