Nice bikes, nice people

I got an email yesterday from my long-time riding partner, great mate and fellow IAM associate Andy.  He and some fellow Auckland riders were going to finish the working week a day early and come for a "quickish" ride round the Coromandel Peninsula and would I like to join them?  Hard choice actually as a trip out in the boat for a spot of fishing was also on the cards.  However the ride won out and I met Andy and his friends a couple of km from home.  I'm normally a bit wary about riding with people I don't know, but trusted Andy's judgement as always.  Lord knows why,  seeing as Andy's a respectable banker by working day and a complete hooligan on 2 wheels!  Actually, he's a top class rider and exceptionally quick if he has the mind to boogie :-).  Andy did the introductions and I felt immediately at home - really nice people.

Meet Andy and his brutal K1200R

Nice Ducati Multistrada kitted for touring

No good for me - I'd need a step ladder!

A Multistrada in tasteful black sir?

Nice KTM and BMW F800

Note the badges - more on this in a moment

After gassing up, we set off for the Eastern side of the Peninsula - great sweepers and twisties the whole way.  Being the local yokel, I lead the first 40 km to Whitianga.  Trying to set an acceptable pace for people you've never ridden with before isn't always easy but everything worked out fine at a "slightly" illegal pace, even if that phrase would have zero credibility with the boys in blue :-).  It very quickly became apparent that the other riders were really smooth, very patient and extremely competent - a pleasure to ride with.

Andy took over up front for the leg from Whitianga to Tairua.  His IAM training really showed through with great positioning and well-judged overtakes and everyone was enjoying his lead.  Easy to make good progress when there's a really smooth rider up front taking the stress off everyone else.  We all pulled into Tairua for refreshments and it was here that I learned that Jane on the F800 and her husband had ridden the length of South America last year.  A really impressive feat but sadly, I didn't have the opportunity to quiz them on the adventure.

All to soon, it was time for me to turn north and head for home and for the others to head south, then back to Auckland.  Yet another unexpected afternoon ride this week and just as enjoyable, albeit for different reasons to the one in the previous post.

Cheers Andy and thanks so much everyone for a wonderful afternoon!