Yes, yes, a bit late, but I've just had a long weekend down in Taupo. Isn't this weather just fantastic, I mean the five cast was for rain all weekend, and it only spittalled on me for about a minute, and my drive home this morning was dry, sunny and plenty of motorcycles heading south as well. Great to see so many people out on their bikes travelling and enjoying. I've been really busy sorting out my new home, so, yes, it's time to move yet again, so the blog will more than likely be interrupted even more, as I deal with broadband, internet, and all the swap overs that this entail. Shit, the paper work that I have had to go through in the last two weeks well I think they ended World War 2 on less bits of paper. My mind and it's ability to think and process stuff has certainly taken a hit since 'the trouble'. I used to be able to sale through this shit, but now.....well it's a minefield that's for sure. Just as well I have a motorcycle to go out on a ride later today to calm the grey matter down, and to give me time to think about things. I find that when I ride, my brain unbeknownst to me sorts out my issues, and by the time I get back not only do I feel better, but my issues aren't really issues at all. Ahh the secret of motorcycling. I am always amazed at how the motorcycle industry has changed in the last 15 years. I mean once upon a time it was the Japanese motorcycles that were everywhere. You just chose them because they made these great bikes, that were reliable, went like the clappers, and did everything that you asked on them. Now though I have noticed that most of the bikes on the road are European. MV's, BM's, Ducati, KTM's ( a lot of KTM's), and the occasional Moto Guzzi. Saw three Hyabusa's  all heading in the same direction, and an old Honda Firestorm? You go past the cafes on the corner of the main street of Taupo and all you see is Euro's. Now I don't know that they are any more reliable than late model Japanese motorcycles, because I haven't had a late model Japanese motorcycle in years. but they have it all over the Japanese as far as styling, handling, reliability, and the X factor. Sure there are some Japanese motorcycles that do have the same great qualities, but not in the same way. We all hear stories about Euro's with unreliable electrics, and computers that fail to recognise keys, flash up warning codes etc etc, and I am sure that the Japanese are the same. But when it comes to styling the Euro's have it down pat. Out of all the Euro manufacturers there is a bike in every range that you could look at and think "hmm I quite like the look of that". In the Japanese ranges available not so. I am sitting here thinking of the new Suzuki Katana, their latest iteration, what a nightmare! Honda's well Jesus don't even get me started, I can't see one bike in their line up that would make me want to k down my sovs. It's not that they are not very good, it's just they have missing the design edge, that desirability that we all want from our motorcycles. As for the Americans, well I have been accused of not liking Harley Davidsons, which is not true, they are a great motorcycle and it seems that everyone is riding them too, but they have also missed the boat in that their range is certainly not progressive enough and seemingly not able to keep up with modern design trends either. So it's a changing world, and isn't that what makes this world all the more interesting. So that's my take on the world at the moment. Get out there and get riding.

And this is how it all begins, or began all depending on your age

When travelling it is OK to eat vegetables, as long as they look like this

If Moto Guzzi even do hale of these concepts they are on a good road, to even more sucess

A Chinese copy if a great motorcycle, it looks OK too.

 

Ahh the good old days

What a nice view, our northern cuzzies are getting ready to hunker down in their sheds. Good to see.

The first Yamaha 8 hour motorcycle. I like it

But these bits are always eaten, always. Bread and butter is also required to mop up, ohh and beer, lots of beer.

Now, I've become a fan of this beer, and highly recommend it. They say that its best with poached white fish and lemon herb butter, but I find it goes really well with riding motorcycles. Try this beer, you will not regret it.

Be that guy

It is perfectly acceptable to dodge the green bits

This is where it all started to go wrong for the Japanese

And that's it for me this week, hope you enjoyed it. See you all very soon if I get my shit sorted.