Best of '24

After much (well, some) pestering from Steve at Road to Nowhere, I've climbed into another blog challenge.

Steve's challenge was to post your top ten motorcycling photos of 2024.  Here's his effort.  But seeing as his bro broke the rules then I might as well too.  I may as well use the opportunity to do a bit of a year in review as well. - even if I didn't do quite as much riding (or blogging) last year.  Here we go:

January

The Tiger was new and I was smitten (still am) and this was just coming home from Feilding.  But I like the photo because of a the light it captured, those clouds in the blues sky, the old truck and of course, Tigger.

February

This time it is more around the event than the quality of the photo.  Pictured is a resting Tiger after successfully completing its first TT2000.  Less than a month to the next one...can't wait.

March

Time to break the rules.  This time there's no bikes, but is just one of a bunch of great pics I got while on the 6 day Maverick Muster in Central Otago.  Something completely different but in a place I love and where much fun was had!

April

I really like this one of Chris and Stella coming around Pohangina Valley East road, about half way through a Saddlesore 1000 (Egsanity edition).  I ended up joining them for a while.

May

Just some random gravel ride through Manawatu back roads.  Digging the clouds and blue sky again, along with those rolling hills.

June

The T7 again and some mint winter gravel.

July

An unblogged ride with no photos so a video grab from the Desert Road as Colin and I came back from Chris's "big" birthday in Raglan.  We were the only ones to brave the ice on our bikes - just sayin...

August

And I can't find any biking ones from August so here's a photo taken by someone else (Raveen) on a wee 4WD excursion I organised for some of the guys from work.  That's me and Colin in my ute dropping down Towai Road on our way to Waihi Falls.

September

Back on the T7 and here's another pic I like 'cos of the old building in Apiti.

October

In October four Tigers escaped for a day of delicious tarmac surfing and Harley baiting.  I love Fields Track!

November

Two pics again this time as the two wee ones have not featured yet.  First the RMX up in the Maungatuks before it had a dip.

And then the mightiest of mouses, out from hibernation and after singing it's head off up the valley.

December

Not bike related (although the yellow bike was in attendance) but a cool pic from the farm of Mount Taranaki.

And there's the winning entry in the blog challenge then...

Blog Challenge

Fellow blogger Sonja has issued a challenge to post 10 photos taken in 2018 on specific topics.  Geoff has already answered the challenge so now it's my turn...

1. In the city.

Ok, so I hate cities.  Yes, I'm forced to live in one, but I prefer to avoid all the business as much as possible.  But, Whanganui is a city right?  So here's some city bikes (they're only 150's after all) tooling around in the city...

Cemetery Circuit Boxing Day races

2. In the countryside. 

This is more like it!  And the Molesworth (NZ's biggest station) definitely counts as the countryside. 

3. By the water. 

Making my way down to Christchurch for the TT.

4. Something red

A bit of struggle but I believe that behind that red door is a red vehicle...

Rangiwahia

5. People. 

How about a bunch of Adv bike riding loonies off to visit some tunnels?

New Plymouth ride kick-off

6. Animals. 

Now what to put here?

Honey and her little cousin Sam

7. Plants. 

Trees are plants...

8. Something unusual.

An idiot riding 1,000miles in 24 hours on an R1?

Chris

9. Something funny. 

This awesome picture of Ross?

10. Best photo of the year.

Wow, this is a hard one.  And I reckon I may have got a few nice one's on the TT.  But I do like this one, just on sunset above Dunedin.

Edit.  A few more have taken up the challenge:

Steve
Dave
Richard

Game of Fours - Blogger Challenge

A fellow moto-blogger, Trobairitz (gee, thanks), tagged me in Game of 4's. A challenge in which four questions are provided, to be answered by four answers to each of the questions, and then to nominate four other bloggers.

The four questions are as follows:

1) What is your favorite food?
2) What is your favorite drink?
3) Places you've been?
4) Names that you are known by?

Favourite Food

You mean I have to choose?  My preference is a seefood diet - whenever I see food, I eat it!

Actually, seafood might be a closer to the truth.  While I enjoy a nice steak (and the salad and chips that usually come with it), you cannot beat a nice piece of fresh fish - preferably one you have just pulled out of the sea yourself.  A bit of lemon juice, some nice spuds and a salad and that's about all you need.

On the road it can be pretty hard finding something nice, quick and tasty - usually the fish is deep fried something with greasy chips.  I get really sick of greasy takeaways so I try and get a nice feed of vegetables once in a while - some sort of stir-fry.  Take-away roast meals are pretty spectacular too.  The odd good cooked brekkie is nice sometimes too - no need for lunch.  Subway and Pita Pitt are possibly healthier than a possum pie or roadkill wrap...

Mmmmm, grease....

Favourite Drink

Hmmm, tricky.  I used to be a cokeaholic but now don't have it much and if I do it normally doesn't have sugar in it.  I tend to prefer fruit juices.  I also like my coffee although I'm not a coffee snob - generally if it's hot and has caffeine in it then it's all good.

On the road I generally take water.  I might have a coffee if I stop at a cafe but normally don't just stop for a hot drink unless it's freezing.  Chocolate or coffee flavoured milk is nice sometimes.  On endurance rides I try to stick to just water - I don't think much of the energy drinks as you normally perk up for a while and then it wears off and you're knackered again.  Maybe one coffee on 1,000 mile day - just before dawn.

Hydrate!

Places I've been

Well, this may not be quite complete but it's close.  All the places I've visited in NZ and thought to take a photo:

I'll try to get to those ones that are missing...

Names I'm known by

Well, let's stick to the one's that are printable...

Banditrider (who'd a thunk?).  This started out as my Kiwibiker handle and then blew out into the name of this blog (to change or not change, that is the question?).  Later on, when Banditrider wasn't available (Youtube and maybe some other forums) it became exBanditrider which is now much more accurate...

EVLED.  This was inherited when I bought the V-Strom - the bike came with a personalised plate.  Apparently Ed owned the bike previously.  I use this as my handle on Adventure Rider and the plate has stayed with me and is now on the Connie - don't tell anyone!

Not so evil Connie

Oh, and you're not allowed to call me Andy!  Ma has a thing about that - don't mess with her!

Next Victims!  Let's keep it in the Southern Hemisphere...

• Geoff  
• Phil
• Dunc
• Chillertek

Orbiting Ohakune

Today was another stunner all over the lower North Island and Darlene had lain down a new blog challenge to capture a photo that showed off either spring or autumn depending on the particular hemisphere one happened to be inhabiting.

During the week we'd had a bit of a cold snap and Neil had mentioned that there was plenty of new snow on his mountain (you can see it out his window) and as there hadn't been much snow last time I was up there I thought it might be worth a ride to check it out.

It wasn't that cold as I was getting ready to hit the road but I figured it could be further up where the snow was so I geared up for the worst and fired up the heated grips too.  Heading out of Palmy the worst thing I had to contend with was the low sun which did a fantastic job of blinding me as I rode across to Cheltenham and onto Vinegar Hill.

Vinegar Hill was a nice warm-up with just a few wet (but not frosty) corners and only one 4WD on my side of the road to deal with.  Turning onto SH1 it got noticeably cooler and I was surprised at how little traffic there was on the road.  With a 4km/h tolerance this weekend I took things pretty quietly all the way up to Waiouru where I stopped for a couple of pictures and some petrol.

Does this say "winter?"

Next up was a short squirt across to 'kune where I stopped to ring Neil and get directions to his new pad - the Sena very handy for this...

Recognise the bridge?

At Neil's there was coffee and bikkies while he fluffed around getting his Speedy ready and then Pete (a mate of Neil) turned up on Neil's Tiger.  Pete used to ride once upon a time and Neil has been pressuring him to get back into it so he's been forced to ride a Triumph for the last couple of days...

Pete shot off again to grab some more gear and to pick up the fourth rider in our merry band - a Bandit riding Renata.  Neil and I met them at the local servo and then it was time to hit the Paras...

We were pretty well behaved on the Paras and the further South we got the warmer it got too.  It was turning into a pretty nice winter's day.

A Triumph rider ruining what would have been the best photo of the day...

Pete following Renata on a familiar Tigger

Once we'd run out of Paraparas we stopped in Upokongora for a drink and a natter before taking our normal route through Okoia and Fordell across to Hunterville - more great riding.  In Hunterville there was another pitstop before I parted company with the others to take Vinegar Hill (again) home and they cruised on up SH1 back to 'kune.

Another cracker day out on the bike - fantastic!

More pics here.

Cool places to park

Time for another blog challenge.  This one comes from the Flies in your teeth blog and asks for a picture of your bike in an interesting spot.  I figure 2 bikes = 2 entries eh...

The first pic is of the Connie parked up on a little grass knob by an old wool shed in Glenorchy.  This picture was taken during the 2009 Southern Cross and on my first (and so far only) visit to stunning Glenorchy.  I like the pic for a couple of reasons.  Firstly, its a nice pic in a beautiful place and secondly as it was a little adventurous of me riding a fully laden Connie up a grassy slope...

My second pic is from my recent Top of the South Adventure and is of the V-Strom parked in front of the French Pass.  This pic is special as it marked a return to "the Sounds" for me - about 25 years (far too long) after I had last been down.  It is also a beautiful wee part of the world.  An added bonus is a dusty looking bike - she'd been out there doin' it!

Moto Mascot

Dar over at Princess Scooterpie has posted up this new blog challenge:

Do you have a Moto mascot for your bike or scooter? Does your bike have a name? 

Well yeah, there's someone who has been hitching a ride on the Connie for a little while now: introducing Mutley!

Simultaneously riding on a bike and a boat

Pausing momentarily at a TT2000 checkpoint

Taking time out to view the scenery

Meeting the nieces

The DL doesn't have it's own mascot but when I take it away on a decent trip I'm sure Mutley will be keen to tag along.

As for bike names?  Well, I'm pretty boring, the Concours is usually "the Connie" and the V-Strom is either "the DL" or "the Vee".

Bloopers

It seems that it's time for another Blog challenge.  Chillertek wants to see photo failures where the the ignorant camera operator inadvertently snaps a piccy of themselves or stuffs up in some other way.

Well, as a GoPro owner I have to say, "Too easy".  The GoPro is a really neat camera but with the display screen on the front it's pretty easy to snap pics of yourself - especially if you're wanting to check if the damn thing is running.  I need to by a remote for mine...

Merry Xmas from Banditrider from Banditrider on Vimeo.

Morning Challenge

Discovered early this morning that there was another blog challenge going on: http://livingamongtourists.blogspot.co.nz/2012/08/morning-challenge.html and as it was only just past 7am figured I'd better be in...

Looking out over the back fence

Stop messing around and give me my breakfast!

What's in my pants?

It's ok, nothing NSFW here - just another blog challenge courtesy of Trobairitz.  This time around the challenge is to show the world what I cart around in my riding gear...

Well, prepare to be amazed, prepare to be awestruck with the amazing variety of extravagant pocket stuffing knick-knacks, doo-dads and how's-ya-fathers...

First-up, stuff that I always take with me whichever bike I'm on:

Phone, wallet (empty from farkelling) and goober-catcher

Now, if I'm on the DL I need these:

House, shed, top box and pannier keys

But if I'm on the Connie I definitely need this:

KI-Pass fob

I also need these but often they're in the glove-box not my pocket (can't be carrying too much stuff in my pockets now):

House, shed, helmet lock and Top box keys

And that's about it - my top boxes are another story...

Checkout Trobairitz' Blog for a list of other bloggers taking part in this informative blog challenge...

Man Cave or Hoarder's Hovel?

Time for another Blog Challenge via A View from Above.  This time the challenge is to post pictures of where my bikes live.  Well, I think I've posted something like this in the past but anyway...

My poor vehicles are forced to live in very close comfort in a single car garage.  Somehow I manage to wedge two big bikes in with my 'baru wagon.

Count 'em

Bench needs a tidy up (again)

Naturally the Connie takes pride of place in her very own parking spot.

Heed the sign!

To access a particular vehicle I enter from a side door and then squeeze past the Connie, then the DL, then I can open the roller door and start making my selection.

Suck it in.

And for those out there that are fans of the great Aussie film "The Castle", to get the Connie out I first take the car out, then move the V-Strom and then I can get her out.  I then have to put the DL back in place and put the car back in the shed before I disappear.  The DL can be extracted by carefully squeezing past the car...

Out in fresh air!

Definitely a bit of a hassle but always worth it - remember that great old saying "The worst days riding is better than the best day stuck at work/home."