Ambulance Ride

Today was the 2011 Anzac Day Ambulance charity ride; except Anzac day is not until next weekend. Next weekend being Easter was the reason for having the ride today.

Up until an hour before I left home it was raining. I packed the wets, just in case, and headed off to Maidstone Park just after 10.00am. It wasn't a great turnout due to the weather. I was the last to leave the park as I took some video of the bikes leaving. However, I caught up and moved up through the stragglers.

The ride ended with a sausage sizzle and presentation of a cheque of $2000 for Wellington Free Ambulance.

Total ride was 76kms and time of 2 hours 16 minutes.

Factory Recall

I took the bike into Wellington Motorcycles this morning to have the rectifier replaced under warranty as a manufacturers recall. The rectifier had been replaced at around 3000kms and at the time there were comments on a Hayabusa forum about this issue. It took Suzuki 2+ years to do something about the issue.

Hopefully, the bike is now as reliable as any other and being a Suzuki more so than most others.

Replaced at 24427Kms. It was a wet ride home.

Note: I did a ride into WMC and then a ride around Wellington with Alan last Saturday.

Apiti Scamper

A brilliant day and equally good ride with a great team. I was up at 0600 and out the door just after 0700. Rimutex was the meeting point where I joined up the John, Barry, Ken and Steve. ( GS1200, ST1300, FJR1300, Hayabusa)

We headed to Ashhurst via the Wairapapa - it was cold - winter is around the corner. A brief stop in Eketahuna and then over the Track via Mangamaire. We arrived in Ashhurst at 0940. At 1007 a few hundred bikes headed off to Apiti and the loop back to Ashhurst. We arrived back at the hotel at 1150 and lunch was ready for us.

The trip home at 1328hrs was via the gorge and Balance road. A stop for coffee at Wild Oaks in Carterton and then home. I got home at 1640hrs.

The trip was 518kms. Economy when filled at Ashhurst before heading home was 5.3L/100Kms (321kms 17l).

Last ride before daylight saving ends

Wednesday night was the last ride of the season. In attendance was Katie with the head frame she has to wear for the next 3 months.

I headed up the hill early to get some video of the bikes. The video was not very successful. After the last rider I continued on to Featherston to the Hotel.

Thursday the bike went in for its 24,000km service and I picked it up today (Friday). The hotgrips controller was replaced. Total cost $899. A very expensive service.

Tomorrow I plan on joining the Apiti Scamper.