Tuki Tuki Loop

Filled in an hour with a clockwise run over the circuit.

Ulysses Lunch Ride

This was to be a short cruise to lunch.   244 Km later and I am home.

Left home at 9.20am and headed to the start point BP Bayview with a tyre pressure check at Clive. There were about 20 bikes and we left Bayview at 10.10. The route was up the Taupo Road and turn into Glengarry Road.  A few kms up the road a bike went off the road and the ride stopped for close to 30 minutes.  On the way to the lunch stop we took in a loop up Taihape Road and the Ohiti Road loop.  Arrived at The Chook and Filly on SH50 at 12.01.  A steak sandwich was good and with renewed energy I headed home the long way;  Tikokino, Waipawa, Middle Road.   Got home at 2.16pm having traveled 244kms on some really good roads.

Napier and Puketapu 30 July

The roads out back of Taradale can be confusing.  Did the loop past Puketapu twice and didn't work out what happened until I reviewed google maps.

The gps tracker is very useful in review.

Out 1600 and In at 1615,  80kms

Shopping 23 July

I seldom take the motorcycle on shopping trips but did today.  A short run into Hastings and return via Longlands.

Tuki Loop 21 July

While just another short ride of 46kms on this ride I gave a bit more throttle and let the revs rise.  It is an impressive bike.   Ride from 1326 to 1423hrs.

Ulysses Rural Ride

This was a long weekend (Monday Queens BD) so a big turn out wasn't expected.  There were some 10 bikes.

The ride was from Bay View BP, planned from 10 - 12 with lunch in Bay View Pub.   I arrived an hour early and had quite a wait for others to arrive.   It was an excellent ride on some roads I was not away of.  
Route:  SH5 to Glengary Road to Puketitiri Road - Glengary twisty
Apley Road to Dartmoor Road to Vicarage Road to Swamp Road to  SH50
Short stop at Bridge Pa to Raukawa Road - great road
Onepu Road to SH2 and TeAute Trust Road to Middle Road and Havelock North BP.
It was just after noon so I went home.

177Kms - a great ride and road to do again.

Tuki Tuki Loop

Saturday 4 June.
A reverse ride involving a view of Clifton Park for planned camping next day.   My observation:  this road is very different this direction.

TukiTuki loop

After the loop and diversion to Hamoana freedom camp on the beach the mc has traveled 573km.

Today I finished the installation of  a relay for accessories; including heated grips and heated vest.  The GPS tracker is direct wired.

First decent ride GSX S

This ride was special as up to now I have concentrated on rides to bed the motor in.  The motor and brakes can now handle a bit of work.  The ride was down SH50 to Tikokino, Tikokino road to Waipawa and home via Patangata and Middle Road.

This is a wonderful motorcycle - what more can I say.

Route: 128Kms.

Only chance for a ride

Saturday an overcast day and forecast for showers.  Thinking I could ride around the showers I headed to the Waimarama Road and at the back of Te Mata Peak saw a rain squall ahead.  I turned around and went to the top of Te Mata Peak. A very murky day - took photo.  On the trip home got wet.
Ride of 27km.  Odo total 308kms.

Before this ride softened front compression 1 click  ie 1 out from standard setting of 8 = 9.   Bike seems to handle rough surfaces better.

Tuki Tuki and Bayview

Another ride to get more Kms on the bike.  Left home at 2.25pm and arrived home at 4.00pm with exactly 100kms traveled.  First fill of fuel and couldn't figure out how to set to trip meter - got that sorted when I got home.

Average speed was only 60km/hour including the fuel stop.  Bike is running well.

Luggage and other prep

I spent most of yesterday sorting out how to install and set up luggage and fitted R&G frame sliders and front axle sliders.

Kriega luggage is my choice for this bike.  I have had Ventura pack frames on previous bikes but don't consider a good choice for this sports bike.  The Kriega gear is the US10, US20 and Tank.   The Tank item should protect the petrol tank from scratches and provide a platform to fit an existing magnetic tank bag to as well as the US10. 

I used double sided velcro tape with washers glued on as a means of connecting the magnetic tank bag to the Kriega Tank.   I may only use the magnetic bag when both the US10 and US20 are full and on the pillion set.  If I carry a pillion I have the choice of the US10 or magnetic bag on the Tank.

I traveling light (in sports mode) 30L of luggage is ample for a few days away.

Kriega Tank fitted

Kriega US10 - 50% full

Metal washers glued to Velcro

Magnetic tank bag

Very neat Kriega tabs for luggage

Kriega US20

Charity Ride - Salvation Army

I went to the ride start point but didn't do the ride.  A number of reasons but 2 main ones:  the bike is being run in and 90mins of doodling along in a group would not be good for the motor and secondly I find these rides are risky as too many unknown riders.

Video and pics taken for upload later.

On the way home I made a minor diversion to take in a good bit of Middle Road.

GSXS Day 2

Not much to blog about.  Photos taken and a 49Km ride on a loop to Napier.

This is the bike at home.

Took delivery today

I collected the new GSX S1000FA today at 9.45am.  It was raining so on my first ride the bike got wet and dirty.

The ride home was a via rural roads so I could work the engine.  The bike had 11Km on it at delivery and I added another 14Km and was home at 10.05.  Track log taken.

The rain cleared by 2.50pm when I went for the second ride and put another 55Km on the odometer.

Initial impression:  a wonderful machine that I should enjoy riding.  It is very different to the Hayabusa and reminds me a bit of the Speed Triple;  except the GSX is much better.   The seat is comfy, handling light and precise, and the sound is superb.  This will be great once run in.

Sold

The Hayabusa has gone to a new owner in Wellington.  My days as Hayabusa Rider on a busa are over.

New bike on order for delivery next month.

Ride: GSX-S1000FA

Yes - today I took the faired model of the 2016 GSX-S1000(F) for a test ride.

I have been thinking about a different bike to the Hayabusa for a couple of years.  That was prompted by the building of a future home in Hawkes Bay and then a weekly commute to Wellington for work.  No, not on the Hayabusa, it stayed in the bay and annual kms dropped dramatically.  Different rides indicated a different type of motorcycle to fit my emerging new pattern of use.

Hawkes Bay offers excellent choices for short and longer day rides.  Whereas in Wellington I had 30kms of boring highway to get to sport/touring riding territory I have that just a few Kms from the new home.   Age is also a factor and I am finding the Hayabusa a little heavy and while a beautiful long distance machine a lighter more nimble machine will be easier for me to manhandle.  I don't want to lose the Hayabusa but there is only room for one bike in the garage!

Research has been ongoing and I considered going back to another Speed Triple or a Street Triple, to stay in the Triumph club - still have lots of Triumph tee shirts.  Other bikes considered; sport - Ducati 800 naked,  MV Agusta,  BMW RNineT, Kawaka,   and; adventure - especially Triumph Tiger 800.   So my head has been all over the place.   Then Suzuki came into the scene with an upright riding sports bike that could tour.   Now considering I toured a bit on the Speed Triple - the touring label doesn't influence me that much.  Most bikes can be used to tour on in New Zealand.

So I reevaluated what type of bike I should have, given that I could only own one bike - at a time. In Hawkes Bay my rides will be almost always day rides in good weather, on nicely sealed roads and with plenty of corners. Near to me are the playgrounds of Middle Road, Kahuranaki Road, Puketapu, Taihape Road and a day excursion could include Wairoa, Gisborne, Taupo, Taihape and the fringes of southern Hawkes Bay.  An upright sports or sports tourer is the best fit for my assessed need-to-ride.  I had thought my next bike could be a more exotic brand than Suzuki and lets face it, other than the Hayabusa and GSXR the zook is a bit ordinary.

I think the GSX S1000 is a winner for Suzuki and apparently all on shipment have been sold or pre-ordered. Yesterday I stopped to view the bikes in the Hastings Suzuki dealership and they had a demo GSX-S1000FA.  Today I took it for a short ride up Taihape and a few kms of Ohiti Road.  The professional reviews rate this bike and I have little to add other than my agreement on the issue of the throttle sensitivity.  I was surprised with the gear ratios, which I liked and very different to the Hayabusa;  the GSX-S is a joy to work up and down the gears (like my old Speed Triple) whereas having that gear changing fun on the Hayabusa requires warp speeds.  The GSX-S ticks so many boxes and I will learn how to manage the throttle.

BTW:  just read Geoff James blog - he replaced his Street Triple with the naked model.  And, in Hastings a 2013 Speed Triple was traded on a GSX-S1000; is that not an endorsement of how good the GSX-S1000 is?

I will probably choose the faired model rather than the naked.   The demo model felt a bit like a naked with a small screen but maybe that is because I ride the ultimate wind tunnel bike in the Hayabusa?

Next year?

Check Point Ride

A little  ride of 83Km to collect photos of 2 check points for the 1000k upcoming ride.  It has been a while since I rode the Hayabusa and that ride tested my clutch hand;  I need to get ride fit.

Another country road.

Cool morning ride

A good Hawke Bay frost this morning.  The bird bath still had ice in it at 11.00am.  My ride was to the sea; there was very little swell and no wind.  The road between Hastings and Napier had many sections with 50 and 30kph temporary limits.

Ulysses HB Easter Ride

A short Sunday ride.  We gathered at BP Stortford Lodge and left for the ride at 1040am.    The ride included SH50, Fernhill and the back road to Bayview.  At stop at Bayview to collect the stragglers and then to Deanos cafe in Taradale via Church Road.   I had a glass of coke and then headed home via Meeanee and Napier.

Total ride of a little over 100km.