I arrived fairly early and signed on and spoke to a few riders while I waited in the hot sun. With a lot of agricultural equipment surrounding me I felt a little like the odd one out but hey, it was great that the ride was getting a good turn out. The photos below are pretty much before "everyone" arrived, I'd say that before we left there would easily have been 4-5 times as many bikes.
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| Early days yet... |
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| Beauty amongst the beasts... |
Eventually, we had a short ride briefing where the we were told that the main thing for us to do was to ride safe and be careful...nice idea...
The lest said about the ride itself the better really - James and I pulled out when we hit Tiritea. The videos can speak for themselves - although I did not have the camera going when some of the worst of the riding was going on.
Check out this hairy-chested, bad-ass...probably someones accountant...
And then we came to Valley Road. This ones a little tricky as there are a couple of moderate bends in places...
As I said before, I didn't manage to capture all the antics so you'll just have to believe me - there were some total morons on this ride and James and I gave up and went to find a coffee...
A real shame as the ride was supporting a great charity but they will have done well out of it so that's good. It's also great that so many riders turned out for it - regardless of what they were riding. I just hope that everyone got home safe and sound...
Oh dear, the wannabe 1 percenters!!! Get the same behaviours on the Coromandel poker run and probably on similar runs everywhere. Alcohol is a major problem too. Enough said. Gives everyone a bad name. Good for you, taking the action that you did,
ReplyDeleteThanks Geoff. I knew you'd be impressed with the antics...
DeleteVery sad really because we all get tared with the brush of these dickheads.
ReplyDeleteThey are some of the reason our ACC levies are so high. Well done for pulling the pin .. I hope they all got home to their families in the end
Exactly Phil. Annoys me no end. There's a certain Facebook group which they're all over with their messages of RIP for fallen riders but next minute...They also hate it when taken to task or offerred any advice. Mr Riley and I have both had some experiences there...
DeleteHe obviously thinks he owns the road, that's why he's using all of it. Problem is with these guys he will one day meet someone else that thinks the same way and you'll be reading about it in the obituaries section most likely wiping out some other innocent motorist.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately he was just one of the idiots. Did look cool with all that Harley crap he had wrapped himself in though eh...
DeleteThe very few large group rides I've been on convinced me early on that a. not my thing and b. a lot of riders really don't ride enough to gain experience or perhaps haven't any training in safe riding....so I avoid the large group rides.
ReplyDeleteAnd you hear this all the time from other riders. It's a real shame - especially with the good intent that the rides are setup for.
DeleteI feel your pain. I am glad you guys bailed.
ReplyDeleteThe one and only ride we went on with a group of 'cruisers", which may have been a charity ride, we pulled out as well. This was back when Troubadour has his Triumph America so technically we were on a cruiser, but he could actually ride his and keep it in his lane.
It was the accordion effect that bothered us. All the riders wouldn't/couldn't corner very fast in the twisties or at an intersection so they bunged up together like an accordion then stretched out in the straight sections. No fun at all. I think we made it about 25-30 miles before bailing.
Puts me off cruisers, especially if it's compulsory to behave like an idiot once you get all dressed up...
DeleteI call it the yoyo effect... :)
DeleteAfter the riders?
DeleteNice to see you guys give the cyclist a good 1.5m of space, even if he did happen to be on the opposite side of the road lol.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I think he probably appreciated it...
DeleteJeez! Often thought about doing a charity ride but not after watching this. Maybe just donate the money and stay home next time?
ReplyDeleteIt's an option that I may pursue Alan. Just annoys me that the idiots on the ride will have a negative effect on rider numbers next time and the money going to a good cause.
DeleteThere will be a few motorists out there with some negative things to say about bikes too...
1KC is a charity ride Alan! Feel free to keep doing that one....even if the odd Harley turns up!
DeleteAnd a favourite. It also attracts people that can ride rather than those that like to be seen attempting to ride.
DeleteBiggest problem I've had is getting cut of by Harley Riders.Would like to think it's a lack of riding ability rather than the fact that I'm on a rice burner.I blame Peter Fonda and the Hell's Angels for the weekend biker craze here in NZ.The riding style may be great on the interstate or in a movie but is pretty ------ dangerous on our curvy little roads.And I nearly forgot Double yellow lines are there for a reason.I'm sure we have all erred at times but not consistently.Rant over and out.
ReplyDeleteThere was plenty of cutting off on Aokautere Road...
DeleteNot sure that we can really blame Peter Fonda but yeah, there are plenty of wanna bes out there...