Welcome once again one and all. How was your weekend? Ours ( The Lizards) was pretty bloody good .We managed to get away for another wet ride ( must do something about that). So we got away had a great time. Bumped into a few riders out there doing the same and even a few who follow the blog, that's always a good thing and got plenty of favorable comments especially about last weeks one. I wonder why that is? Even heard of one Harley guy, who thought that I don't like Harleys, that is not true, I have had some fantastic rides on Harleys, I'm just not ready to own one yet.. Although my knee would have loved me to be riding one this week. So we got away, had a great time, met some very cool people, drank far to much Bourbon, ate to much food. The levels of concentration on the ride were right up there, with gravel, big slick black patches of tarseal just were you don't need them. A conversation on the side of the road " the seals alright eh?", "no it's not it's missing the tar bit". Must admit to not really being a fan of gravel, I hate the long sideways slides out to the drop off gutter, when you are just a passenger. Those moments where you know you should let go and dismount but something in your brain makes you hold on right to the inevitable un ceremonious landing in the dirt. Not me. And then some bastard comes by going at least 60-70 k's faster standing up. Oh well see at the pub later then. Bye. So that's that weekend done and dusted. My stamina was flagging  by Sunday afternoon, and by the time I got home, it was shower and Z's. So the planning begins again today in earnest for the next ride, it will have to be a South island ride, perhaps just the top half with a night in the hot pools planned in there. Aren't we so lucky that we don't have this covid lockdown shit to deal with. Anyways here's this weeks blog for you all, be nice and wave to fellow motorcyclists, talk to them in the forecourts of petrol stations and cafes, it's what makes us who we are.

Pretty lil Duc

What a collection

Love the finish on the Duc.

We had one of these on our ride this weekend, it sounded beautiful

Ohhh yeah........

I want to ride this road, when it's just like this, on a 650 Bonneville with a slash back pipes.

I think she just chewed a bit of teak dash.

And they say they are rare.

There's just somehting about them

You'd think wouldn't you, to do that on the straight

Waiting for his next Ping Pong partner

And to finish with a bit of a bang I've managed to attach some images from the Lizard ride this weekend around the Naki. A strange group of bikes to tackle some of the roads we ended up on. Harleys, Gold Wings, cafe racers, Tuono's, big bore UJM's Triumph Rockets and lots of Multi Stradas and Africa Twins. Quite a few of the roads were full on gravel, I have to say it was a pleasure watching Ex NZ moto cross champions sliding their Rockets around in the gravel. Wish I had even a smattering of that talent. Ex Superbike racers wheel standing and burning up tyres, We met with Hugh Anderson 4 times Grand Prix world champion who was presented with his MotoGp jacket and cap before he is allowed to go to a GP to be presented in real life, had dinner with the O'Connors and rode with Rodney to their Eurobikes establishment. Thanks for the afternoon tea. I was amazed at how much stock Don and Rodney have. I can't think of a better place to buy your Givi, Merlin, Nolan, X-lite, Brembo, Spidi, chains, sprockets all sorts of wares, you name it they have it. Don has been a great stalwart of New Zealand motorsport and in particular two wheels which is why he was recently awarded the Member of New Zealand Order of Merit. Wasn't too sure to bow, or bend the knee ( that wouldn't have worked anyways , my knee is now totally knackered).So three days of rain, trees across roads, gravel, rain, bourbon, whiskey, lies, laughs, motorcycle riding , rain. It's exactly what we all love about this thing motorcycling, the people, the pies, the roadside food, waving to others out there doing it as well, and talking to anyone who takes an interest in what we do. Late nights in strange little town pubs, playing pool, watching the rugby all with like minded souls all having a good time. So here are some of the images for you to try and show you what I so badly explain. And these are mainly for the guys that came on the ride.

 

This is our un official leader and header of cats. Mick Ruane, he's known all over the country for the slick one liners.  Long may he rule in this position.

The United Nations of motorcycling going on here, Honda, Harley Aprilia, Ducati, BMW, KTM Triumph, you name it there was a bike for all taste's.

Couldn't do a blog with out the  New Zealand road side steak and cheese pie slathered in Tomato sauce. Kawhia did good.

Some of the lizards before the rest arrived

Hugh arrived to see what he had let himself in for.

Getting ready to leave Opunake, note the big black Triumph line up the road

Max Birman giving Hugh his jacket and cap. 

And when a 4x World Champion talks, you all tend to listen. Hugh's pick RINs. Interesting

Don trying to explain to us that he was just a normal guy, sorry but your not. .Stand up that man, oh wait.........

Scotty and me about to engage in a battle with some Indian food

One of the way points, I have no idea where this was except out the back of Kawhia

Giving the KTM salute

And hard to believe that 30 odd years before,  the man above was doing this at Le Man. Well not hard to believe, but you know what I mean.

Did a quick Count Aria seemed to a favored helmet

Mt Egmont, yes yes I know, but it's Mt Egmont to me, always has been always will be. Well she decided to show her face for a brief few seconds too.

And I bumped into a few old friends from Wellington sitting there having a beer. That was nice. They say if you sit anywhere in NZ for any length of time someone you know will pass by.

And a few of the lizards, just so they remember actually being on the ride.

And to top the weekend off, the weather decided to be nice to us. In all fairness though, we did thread the needle through the worst of it