Wednesday, October 30, 2024

Toothless

Well, it seems that I don't only procrastinate on blogging...

On its last outing Geoff noticed a wee issue with the RMX.

This is it after the ride.  I bet it wasn't quite as bad earlier in the ride but would have been wearing pretty fast.  I could have kicked myself - I checked the chain tension before loading the bike up and failed to look at the sprocket.

Anyway, I made it back to the ute ok and got a couple of sprockets and a chain ordered.  Then it was time to spanner.

The front sprocket was actually pretty easy (especially compared to the drama I had with the T7) as it is just a circlip holding it on.  I should get some circlip pliers at some stage though...


Getting the chain off was pretty easy too.  I got to finally use my $7 Aliexpress chain breaker too and it worked a treat.


Chain off, it was then time to whip the wheel out and change the rear sprocket.  Once again this was pretty easy and the wheel was soon back on the new chain fed over the shiny new sprockets.




I quick ride up the road to check things out and the job was done.  Nice to have got rid of the traction control system...

Anyone want some lightly used sprockets and chain?


Tuesday, October 29, 2024

Tigers on the loose

In what is becoming something of a habit, this is a blog of a ride that happened in the distant past - well, the weekend before last anyway...

But it did involve four Tigers!


Well, perhaps not those tigers.  Let's try 2 800's, a 900 and a 1200.

Grrrrrrrrr!


The ride started in the magnificent metropolis of Ashhurst where I met up with Colin, his bro Dayal and Dayal's mate Brendan.

Coffee mugs empty, we mounted up and started our ride around "the loop" to Apiti.


I have to say that the roads are in really good shape given the weather we have had.  Nowhere near the amount of crap over the roads that we normally see following winter.  As we carried on past Rangiwahia and on towards Mangaweka the road was still pretty good and it was even pretty tidy through the last section which often has rock falls and mud on the road.  Just one slide on the patch of gravel that is always present where a farmer crosses the road to his woolshed...

Turning again onto Kawhatau Road we continued to avoid SH1 and stopped just short of it at the bridge to discuss where we wanted to go from there.




In the end we decided to carry on to Waiouru for lunch before making our way over to the Paraparas.  At the cafe we had the usual awesome feed but also had a run in with another dangerous looking feline.

Tiger?


At some stage during our break I floated the idea of taking Fields Track (rather than main-roading it to Ohakune and Raetihi) to Colin and he proved pretty easy to convince.  The others were unaware of the road so that meant that we really had to do it...

Fields track was also in pretty good nick but being fairly tight, windy and rough in places, it does pay to show it a little respect.  Soon we were at the bridge, and we had to show the guys the hole in the rock.








Next up was the short climb up the hill to check out the view.

I really like that blue one...




Dropping down the hill, we got stuck behind a ute but got past him pretty quickly once on the Para's proper.  We also then picked up a new buddy on a Harley.

He initially went through on us as we were being our typical law-abiding selves, but we then caught him at the first set of lights.

Somehow Colin and I got ahead of him and led him through to Upokongaro just to make sure he didn't get lost.  Safe to say that he was riding the wheels off his compressor and managed quite well to stay with the two dirt bikes.

In Upo we waited for the other two and discovered that Brendan's bike was getting a little thirsty.  Some bad maths based on guessing the distance to Marton had me assuring him that he'd make it and we were off again.

After riding through Okoia my maths started working a bit better and I also remembered that there was pumps at Fordell now.  Unfortunately said pumps were not card operated, and the tiny servo was shut.  Oh well, it wasn't my bike that was running low...

Further up the road, my maths was working overtime again and I was working out how much of Brendan's "50km remaining" we had used and were going to use before Marton.  I figured we were probably going to use all of it and a bit more so instead of taking the delightful Makuhou Road into Marton, we carried on Turikina Valley Road into Turakina where some pumps were awaiting a very thirsty Tiger.  Apparently the 800's can go a wee ways on zero remaining...

After the three smaller fur-bags fuelled up (I still had 230km remaining - love that 30L tank) we cruised on into Sanson where I said goodbye to the chaps as they continued South on the dreaded SH1.

Great little ride of around 370km on what was a cracker of a day.





Tuesday, October 15, 2024

Monday, October 07, 2024

Muddy Mayhem in the Mangatuks: A Tale of Leaks, Losses, and Lucky Escapes

Well, it's been over a week since the ride so it must be time to write the blog...

But maybe I'll cheat again and try the AI thing:

(Title was the AI as well)

I headed down to Kapiti to join forces with Colin and Geoff for an off-road adventure in the rugged Mangatuks. My trusty Suzuki dirt bike, the "Yella Terra," was raring to go, and I was eager to put its capabilities to the test alongside the guys on their quads.

The day began with a bang – or rather, a leak. As we set off from the carpark, my camelbak's bladder decided to unleash its entire 2-liter contents down my back, soaking me to the bone before I'd even crossed a puddle. I looked like I'd taken an impromptu swim in the nearby stream. The guys couldn't help but chuckle at my misfortune.

As I waited for Colin and Geoff to catch up, I reached for my camera to capture their arrival. But, disaster struck again! My camera was MIA. Panic set in – had I lost it in the great outdoors? A sweep of my gear revealed nothing, and the guys hadn't seen it either. We pressed on, hoping it would turn up later.

We dove into the pine forest, navigating treacherous tracks filled with deep ruts and puddles. The quads handled the challenging terrain with ease, while I carefully picked my way through on the Yella Terra. The bike performed flawlessly, and I managed to stay upright – until I had to bypass a monstrous puddle via a narrow, tree-lined track. It was a heart-in-mouth moment, requiring precision and a steady hand to avoid plummeting down the steep bank or into the drink.

Meanwhile, Geoff had a spirited battle with the puddle, requiring multiple tow-outs and attempts to conquer it. Colin finally showed him the way, and after several valiant efforts, Geoff nailed it. His determination paid off, and we all breathed a sigh of relief.

After surviving the tough stuff, we stopped at the Orange Hut for a well-deserved break. 



Colin bid us farewell, and Geoff took me on a scenic tour of the high points. We even tried to contact his ham radio buddies – but they were eerily silent. The views from the top were stunning, making the challenging ride well worth it.

As we rode, Geoff graciously let me sprint ahead, waiting at intersections to ensure I didn't get lost forever. Little did he know, I had a close call, slipping into a rut and almost becoming intimate with a bank. The Yella Terra and I remained upright, but some unfortunate undergrowth attached itself to my handlebars.

Later, we encountered a washed-out bridge, requiring a creek crossing and boulder-hopping extravaganza. The quad cruised through, and I carefully broke up the crossing into smaller stages to navigate the Yella Terra through the obstacles. A group of young riders on older bikes watched us cross, then gave it a go themselves. We never saw them again, so hopefully they made it out unscathed.

Back at the carpark, I breathed a sigh of relief – and found my camera safely stowed in the ute. I snapped my sole photo of the day – Geoff loading his quad onto the trailer. Not exactly the most thrilling action shot, but a beauty nonetheless.


The Yella Terra and I survived the Mangatuks, but my camelbak and camera had other plans. Time for a new chain and sprocket set – and perhaps a waterproof bladder.


Lesson learned: Always check your gear before heading into the wilderness, and never underestimate the entertainment value of a leaky camelbak.


Actually, that took nearly as much work as typing it and I got it to change a few things here and there.  Then I wasted more time trying to create some of the photos I would have taken...








The most accurate one?

And then these one's definitely captured my skill at tricky water crossings: