Sunday 18 November 2018


Hi out there, hows the start of summer treating you all. It would seem that we have had a bad weekend on the roads with 4 of our brothers being taken. Interesting to note that the Police are asking car drivers to take more care, and to be more alert, which indicates to me, that that usual old scourge of people doing U-turns and pulling out of roads are to blame. But that's just the inference, personally I take the position that all motorcycling accidents are avoidable, by us the riders being aware of what is going on around you. I'm guessing that dispatching in London taught me that, I ride with the brake lever covered, much to the displeasure of the guys I ride with, as my brake light flickers on and off constantly. It doesn't bother me. I'm always on the lookout for a car in a drive, a car pulling over to the left ( that car is going to U-turn), a truck coming down a side road, a dog playing in the front yard, always looking and checking. I always have in mind, that if it happens, you have to train yourself to not hang on, but to stand up. Someone called for stiffer training, and to a point I agree with that, but I think first a nationwide program to make everyone more aware of us out there. I disagree with Hi-Viz shit, that's not an answer, they will just be able to find you in the bushes easier with that, after a car has changed lanes and pushed you out wide. Another thing that seriously needs attention is out roads, and particularly around this time of year when all the roading companies are getting rid of budgets by doing meaningless road works and leaving shit all over them. There's a stretch of road just north of Taupo, that they were working on for over 4 months, I went back over it last week, and it has patches already!!!!! Crap work being done to cheap budgets. Check out the Tauranga toll road, it was a great surface until they put rough gravel on to it, and then to make matters worse they leave about 6-7 long patches of the good road surface which makes it interesting on a bike in the wet. The way I see it, there is no care or consideration for the safety of motorcyclists on the roads, through design or maintenance, and I believe that this is a major contributing factor to our poor safety record. Anyways enough rambling, the blog is late because I've been in Wellington having my check ups. So enough I hear you say on with the weeks episode for you all.





That time of the year when the big guns bring out their new designs, stunning shit
A right old Barn Find


Now isn't this just so stunning?















This ones for you Barry



















































Another barn find, where do they come from?











Those that know, know.




Reminds me of me acually












yes please, stunning really








































































This is what it is all about, chasing your mates through the twisties





















































Well boys and girls, that's all for this week, I'm going to be even later next week, as I have a funeral to attend to this week, so going to be a bit busy.






6 comments:

  1. best way to start the week , thanks grant

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  2. high standard as usaul thanks Grant

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  3. I hear your sentiments about the standard of our roads. The quality of workmanship and methods used is just not like the ol days, also the use of emulsion as opposed to the traditional hot cutback bitumen. Also there seems to be a real lack of talent and passion in the industry, to be fair it’s across all industries now days. The old guys that knew how to build roads are dying off and those of us that they taught are sick of inexperienced project managers and engineers with a degree but no practical idea on how to actually pull off a good job. I too yearn to see the good layed roads of old

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  4. Great images as always Grant. Can't comment for NZ and obviously not PC but I have always maintained that in the UK before granting a full driving license everybody should first pass the motorcycle class. At least apprentice drivers would appreciate motorcycles also use the road system and also learn quickly about differing road surfaces and conditions !!

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