The other petrolhead in the family

My C.E.O has always been a terrific pillion passenger.  Would hardly know Jennie was there, apart from the fact that she also acted as a human Speed Governor with a whack on the helmet or prod in the ribs if I was getting a bit enthusiastic for her liking. A rather public bollocking out the front of a biker cafe/pub for excessive speed a few minutes earlier with a couple of dozen riders and their significant others laughing their heads off  will remain burned into my memory forever.  Be that as it may, there's still no-one I'd sooner have on the back - absolutely unflappable and almost telepathically connected to what I'm going to do.

With our old BMW K100RS

With the Blackbird on a charity toy run

Jennie's prowess isn't just limited to pillioning though, oh dearie me no!  A few years ago, we spent nearly a month touring NZ's south island by car.  We were staying in Queenstown, NZ's adventure capital and I saw an advertisement for going on a quad bike ride into the mountains.  Jennie wasn't at all keen but after some pouting and generally childish sulking on my part, she reluctantly agreed to come along.  I'd assumed that they would be docile farm quads but when we arrived at the base camp, they turned out to be Polaris 2 stroke screamers with a pretty narrow power band - oh hell!  Cowardice prevailed and I kept my mouth shut.  The guide / instructor was superb and gave us both a bit of practice on undemanding terrain first with Jennie taking to it like a duck to water.  Going into the mountains proper she absolutely lapped it up and on one scary downhill section littered with boulders, she was sticking with the instructor and pulling away from me like there was no tomorrow; a perfect example of where your mental limits are set - what a girl!!!

The Remarkables mountain range - NZ south island

When the last of our kids left for university, meaning that Jennie didn't have to drive them to sport or anywhere else; she decided that the boring old Mazda saloon she owned was cramping her style and it was time to get out and have fun.  Fun came in the shape of a Mk 1 Mazda MX5 in British Racing Green, tan leather upholstery and Panasport lightweight mag wheels.  I was impressed with just how much fun they were to drive.  Cornered like it was on rails and perfect for the twisty roads of NZ.   You didn't need to go super fast to have a lot of fun either.  Jennie loved that car and drove it well too.

Jennie's Mk 1 MX 5 outside the Warbirds airfield

NZ's north island East Cape region
Active island volcano on the horizon

Unfortunately for Jennie, a hip problem was limiting her pillion riding to relatively short journeys on the Blackbird and my solo riding increased.  It didn't dampen Jennie's enthusiasm for driving though and a short while before our retirement to the beach, the question of a later model MX5 was raised as the current one had accumulated a decent mileage.  

We knew a reputable local car dealer who sourced low mileage performance cars direct from Japan and asked him to keep an eye out for one on his trips to Japan.  After one or two false starts, we got a call from Tokyo.  He said he'd found the perfect car which was going to auction that very day.  He'd email photos and some details and did we want him to bid for it?  After seeing the photos and specifications, Jennie took about a nanosecond to decide that she wanted it whatever the price.  And she calls me impulsive on occasions!  The dealer won the auction, Jennie was over the moon and surprisingly, we didn't quite have to sell our first-born to pay for it.  This is her baby in rare metallic merlot paint:

MazdaSpeed-prepared Mk2 MX5

It came kitted with a whole raft of MazdaSpeed performance engine and suspension parts and with only 21,000 km on the clock, it was/is absolutely mint.  The cream leather interior and Bose stereo topped it off nicely.  It goes like a cut cat and the exhaust note is absolute music to the ears!  As per Jennie's first MX 5, she doesn't pussyfoot about in it either!  The eagle-eyed might have noticed the same numberplate on the second photo of the Mk 1 and on the Mk2. In NZ, it's relatively easy to get personal plates and transfer them to new cars.  The plate was a birthday present from me.  Jennie is a keen family historian (genealogist) and the small print at the top of the plate says, "It's all in" and the big letters say "DGENES". Ok????

One happy lady - the secret to staying forever young!

The additional good news is that with Jennie's hip problem now resolved, she can resume being the passenger in a million.  However, she's made it clear that Hell Will Freeze Over before she scrunches up on the back of the Street Triple but she's quite enthusiastic about a cruiser or a trike.  As I'm not ready for either, it'll have to be travelling together in the Mazda for a wee while yet, haha!  Oh yeah, and I'm occasionally allowed to drive it provided I keep it clean and serviced.  Generous of her, isn't it?

What's age got to do with it?

The title is just one word different from Tina Turner's classic song, but a whole world of meaning away!

A few days ago, I had an email from David L Hough in response to the recent Speed doesn't kill, stupidity kills post, plus other posts on motorcycle safety. If David's name doesn't immediately ring a bell, he's an eminent American author on motorcycle safety and skills (see Wikipedia entry) and I felt somewhat humbled and a bit over-awed that someone of his eminence had bothered to get in touch with an average Kiwi rider.  However, I felt a bit more comfortable when he said that on reading some of my blog posts, it was clear that I'd been thinking about my age relative to riding a motorcycle, which is perfectly correct.

 David L Hough

By way of background, he mentioned that was 73, had travelled over a million miles by bike - an incredible pedigree!  He went on to say that 3 years ago, he'd had an accident on a BMW 1150 GS in a remote desert area of California and as a result of that and presumably considering his own mortality;  now rides a Can-Am Spyder.  He went on to say that the mean age of motorcyclists in the USA is increasing, indeed accelerating.

David asked what, if any, thoughts I had with respect to increasing age and its impact on my riding.  Part of this enquiry was whether I had a plan for the next 5, 10, 15 or 20 years. I thought that the topic was both interesting and relevant, especially as motorcycles have progressively switched from cheap transport for impoverished young people to more of a lifestyle choice for riders of all ages.  In terms of ageing, I guess the term is pretty broad as we're all ageing as part of the natural process and I have no difficulty including returning riders after raising a young family or establishing a career etc.

I retired at 60 to enjoy life whilst my wife and I enjoyed good health.  Not long after retirement, I was undertaking a short-term consultancy job for my old company and I'd been to a conference on their behalf.  I used my Blackbird and on the way home, had a walking-speed accident when my foot slipped on gravel when turning round on a narrow road.  The fairing crash knob hit my leg and it suffered internal bleeding.  My fault entirely for failing to notice the gravel.  The 2 months away from riding and hobbling around gave me plenty of time to ponder the future.  I'm completely passionate about riding and must say that giving up never entered the equation but what to do?  The Honda CBR1100XX Blackbird I'd owned for 8 years was a little tall for me (I'm 5' 8"), especially with its raised ride height to improve handling.  The centre of gravity was also quite high.  This lead to some degree of instability when manoeuvring at low speed or parking.  As I aged and lost a bit of muscle tone, it became more noticeable.  It was also exacerbated by road cambers in the area where we now live and also the off-cambers around our house which is on the side of a hill. 

The answer was to get a lighter, lower sport-orientated bike with good ergonomics.  More difficult than you might think.  I still wanted handling and performance but the number of bikes with a seat height of around 800mm excepting cruisers are in the minority.  The other obstacle was to put it crudely, "little dick syndrome"!  I was used to riding the Blackbird hard and fast with my riding partners, most of whom are younger than me.  I honestly felt that getting a smaller bike would be akin to losing a bit of my manhood.  Ludicrous, but that's how I felt.  To cut a long story short, subsequent ownership of the Triumph Street Triple has been a joy on all counts and a smart move.  It's rejuvenated my motorcycling enjoyment.  Incidentally, you'll find more detail about all this in my blog posts from about 12 months or so ago, including a photo of a rainbow-coloured leg!

However, I thought I'd share other relevant bits of the discussion with David so far in case others have been thinking about the subject and might wish to articulate their thoughts.

Old dog, new tricks!  Yours truly (centre) with great mates, having successfully completed the Southern Cross round NZ in 5 days endurance ride in 2005

Chronological age is clearly going to have a bearing on fitness to ride in terms of physical condition, mental attitude, reaction time and so on.  However, such factors will have such a huge variation between individuals that age itself will have little relevance across the board.  Skill level certainly will have a major bearing. In the recent post on advanced situational awareness coaching, one forum respondent asked what was the point of him wasting time in undertaking any advanced training when all he wanted to do was cruise slowly on his bike and not bother anyone.  It sounds like he missed the point that good situational awareness is applicable at all speeds in terms of keeping you from harm.  Now coming directly to the point, any skill (or physical activity) if not regularly used diminishes, probably more rapidly as we age.  This is why I'm a strong advocate of refresher training, particularly as we get older - probably the most important consideration of all.  Not only is it beneficial for its basic purpose, but I suspect that it could also be a good personal "honesty" indicator with respect to whether you can cope any more.  Incidentally, I now try to cycle regularly too to keep up basic fitness levels!

I don't have a long-term plan other than to keep riding as long as possible.  This isn't just a blind faith option, simply a statement of intent as I love it so much.  Switching to a Street Triple with its lighter weight meets current requirements perfectly.  I'm not opposed to owning a cruiser with their low C of G and correspondingly low seat height - it would certainly entice Jennie back onto the pillion.  Maybe I ought to give one a try.   Maybe an English classic or the modern equivalent.  So in short, although I don't have a clear plan, there are some options when the next stage comes. Have done a fair bit of roadcraft training but have never done a coached track day yet so at 63 years of age, that could well be addressed this year!

Mental attitude, or call it a love of life if you like is probably as important as any of the other factors.  I've had a number of other strong interests at various stages of my life including sailing competitively at national championship level but motorcycling is the only interest that I've been enduringly passionate about.  It would certainly leave a big hole if I was to give it up BUT.....!!!!  To have no interests is to wither and die.  Living on the coast, we have a boat and go fishing regularly.  Jennie has a tweaked open-top sports car which is huge fun to drive and should I just be restricted to driving a car, something like a Lotus 7 replica might be sufficient to keep the juices flowing! We also enjoy travelling.  What I'm saying is that I do have some fall-backs for when the time comes to give up motorcycling.  Life is for living and I'm not the sort of person who could currently just sit around, waiting for God! 

Honda Blackbird-engined Lotus look-alike

The perfect weapon after bikes?

Sooooooo......  to finish off with some of David's questions, are we capable of making honest judgements about our fitness to ride? What are the measurements or tests to determine whether you are fit to ride? Is a crash an indication you aren't fit anymore, or just bad luck? Do you give up riding just because your knee, ankle, or back have chronic problems? Or do you stay off the machine when your body is complaining, and ride only when it allows you to? And, most importantly, if motorcycling has been your primary interest in life, how do you deal with your interests waning?  Food for thought for a fair percentage of riders perhaps.

Update:  Follow-up post with more info to come in the next week or thereabouts.

Discovering slow riding

Salutations from the first country to reach 2011!  Time travel at its best.

I've always liked to "press on a bit" and it was getting to the stage with the Blackbird where true involvement was at speeds which sooner or later were going to cost serious money if I got caught, not to mention the inevitable Disturbance in the Force at home which would follow - I know which would be worse!  I'm going to kick off this post by mentioning  a ride some 18 months ago which will hopefully provide a bit of background to the main point.  Ummm... if there really is a point, that is; other than wanting to scratch a mental itch which has been present for a while!

Going back in time, my attention was caught by a thread on an NZ motorcycle forum by a couple of young Kiwis.  Their plan was to undertake an epic ride, flying to the south island, laying their hands on a couple of small, old 2 strokes and riding them about 2200 km home to Auckland in the north island via a circuitous route, scrounging accommodation along the way.  Who said young people today lack a sense of adventure?  Errr...  I probably did - on numerous occasions!

Anyway, their ride should merit a story here in its own right, with the Suzuki A80 expiring before leaving the south island and the two strapping lads completing the rest of the journey 2-up on an 80's Honda H100S 100cc 2 stroke, complete with a lightly-silenced expansion chamber!  That story can wait though.  When they got near to the Coromandel Peninsula, I met them and rode "shotgun", escorting them home, putting them up overnight; then seeing them safely off the peninsula the next day en route to their Auckland homes.  The following 2 photos show the lads and their wonderful Honda which survived such a prolonged caning whilst grossly overloaded.  Whilst following, the frame flex was so obvious that you could see the wheels moving in and out of alignment!

Overloaded Honda H100 - being ridden with verve and imagination

The trusty 1980's Honda 100

Waiting patiently for the little Honda to climb a steep hill!

Moving ever closer towards the point of this post, whilst I was riding with these 2 lads; they rarely passed 90km/hr, even on a downhill grade with the wind behind them.  This speed was significantly less than my normal rate of open road passage and I was genuinely surprised how much more of the surrounding local countryside I took in and appreciated, as opposed to just the normal mandatory scanning for potential hazards and threats on any ride.

I penned a piece for an NZ bike magazine on "Why we ride" which received some good reviews, so reproduced it in the blog just over 12 months ago: Why do we ride motorcycles? .  Most of the reasons listed still seem perfectly valid but reckon I missed a few.  There probably isn't much argument that we're more aware of our surroundings on a bike than in a cage but does that relate more to risk assessment than simply appreciating our surroundings?  From a personal viewpoint whilst riding bigger capacity, faster sports-oriented bikes, riding challenging roads at pace with precision constituted most of the pleasure; enjoying the scenery was an altogether more rare experience.  Bikes like the Blackbird are capable of being ridden slowly but they can get uncomfortable quite quickly in this mode and to be perfectly frank, they're boring unless being operated in what might be termed their design performance envelope. (A technical euphemism for coming to the attention of the Highway Patrol in a big way).

Starship Blackbird, the Warp Speed Express

Whilst a good, fast fang is still excellent, especially with trusted friends; a naked bike such as the Street Triple with superb ergonomics has undoubtedly broadened my riding pleasures.  Being able to drift along at slower speeds sitting more or less vertically with minimal load on the wrists or neck has opened up a whole new dimension on the world.... and actually stopping for longer than rapid refuelling and a quick gas station pie is suddenly ok!!!!  Ok, so those of you who don't currently own sports-oriented bikes will quite rightly say, "Took your bloody time to figure that out, didn't you?"  Maybe it has nothing at all to do with age or maturity, and everything to do with the versatility of the Street Triple.  The point is though, there must be a whole world of riders like me who simply haven't really experienced how enjoyable riding at both ends of the performance spectrum is.

Having ridden for over 40 years and taken all this time to gradually cotton on to slow riding on isn't something I feel awkward about; it's actually rather exhilarating to realise that you never stop learning about new ways to enjoy your passion! (Like the previously reported riding of a scooter for the first time ever in 2009!)

  Stopping to contemplate and enjoy the scenery is ok!!!


Happy and safe riding in 2011 !

1000 miles in 24 hours, part 2

Following on from the introduction to what the Grand Challenge involves (see Part 1  ), the following notes are some personal musings about preparation; not in any particular order of importance. Both age and the 7 years elapsed since last taking part in this painful  marathon suggests that it would be wise to do a little planning prior to the event!

Nutrition on the ride
On a couple of the early rides, I ate food that didn't really suit me, at least under those riding conditions.... gas station meat pies of dubious vintage, chocolate bars and caffeine-laden energy drinks . Felt slightly sick, wired and a made a few "close call" unscheduled comfort stops!  My personal preference is for a big bag of scroggin/trail mix, i.e. dried fruit and nuts which give a more linear energy release and you don't feel over-full. That's what I'll be sticking to this time unless any cravings intervene - I do like pies though!

Good hydration is essential for alertness and to keep cramp away.  For me, plain bottled water is sufficient or light sports drinks with any Red Bull or other concentrated caffeine drink strictly held over until the last checkpoint before finishing. Personally, pills are an absolute no-no; apart from the odd mild painkiller if absolutely necessary.
 

Dawn, 1996 event - fried eggs, fried bacon, fried sausages, fried hash browns, fried cholesterol.... ewwwwww....

Clothing
This has been pretty much covered in the earlier post: Wet weather gear but staying warm and dry is essential for such a long distance.  I don't like feeling constricted with thick sweaters and the like, which is why the Icebreaker brand pure merino layer system under riding gear is the clothing of choice.  Just to add a note of levity, I will throw the word "underpants" into the ring!  Whilst trying to avoid this post descending into the gutter, it does have a serious side!  Without being too unseemly, briefs in the shape of minimalist swimwear drove me nuts on the first event.  When they weren't periodically climbing up between the buttocks, the raised seam on the leg cutaways seemed to be pressing right into the flesh and reducing circulation.  I tell you, these seemingly trivial things take on major significance on a long ride and the gymnastics attempting to rectify the problem whilst on the move defy description!  The problem was subsequently solved by riding in the sort of close-fitting stretchy boxers which good-looking young male athletes endorse on billboards and in magazines.  As I'm at the opposite end of the scale on all counts (apart from being a male), keeping quiet on the subject would be preferable but in the interests of comfort, it would be remiss not to reluctantly share the tip with any readers.  You may now snigger :-)

Oh yes... and helmets!  How is it that a helmet which is perfectly comfortable for "normal" riding can develop into something like Chinese Water Torture on long hauls?  I used a Vemar brand helmet on one ride which at around the 1000 km mark, pinched the tip of one ear.  It was really distracting and I almost attacked the lining with a knife.  Fortunately, common sense prevailed and a bit of strategically-placed duct tape solved the problem.  It ain't the big things which normally conspire against you, it's little things like this which can make or break the ride and its enjoyment!


Fitness
Physical and mental fitness both fall into this category. Ride fitness is probably a better description than physical and it definitely helps to have a longish ride or two not too long before the event proper to toughen wrists, backsides and numerous joints.  A practice night ride with your mates is also a smart move to dial in with each other and get mentally used to riding in the dark on unfamiliar, unlit roads.  (Covered in more detail on this previous post: Night riding ).  I'm carrying some old sports injuries to my knees which are becoming more of a problem these days so I'm progressively getting out on a mountain bike to build a bit more stamina whilst minimising joint stresses. This is my token gesture for building fitness apart from riding the Triumph over longer distances as the event draws closer!

Mental fitness is something I don't have any real experience of, apart from possibly questioning the sanity of anyone who enters this event.  However, the sheer distance can overwhelm some participants causing a withdrawal from the ride; normally in the early hours of the morning.  I reckon that it's more about mental toughness that either physical fitness or the type of bike you ride. We've always found it helps to treat the distance between checkpoints as separate rides and reset the mental horizon for each one.  I seem to suffer from anxiety in the small hours before dawn.  I'm not sure whether this is because the body clock is trying to shut down for sleep or what, but a cure has eluded me.  However, having good friends along definitely helps. Swapping the lead at gas refills if travelling in a group also helps with stress levels, allowing time to relax and recover if you're not up front.

Stretching, waving extremities about, standing on the footpegs, all whilst on the move helps a lot.  It also provides amusement for the following riders and probably alarms members of the general public.  A decent saddle is a major reducer of fatigue.  I had a custom one made for the Blackbird with varying density foams to eliminate pressure points and it was literally possible to ride all day without discomfort.  Other long distance regulars use sheepskins, large cell packaging bubble wrap taped to the seat and I'm tempted to experiment with this latter option on the Street Triple. An Airhawk inflatable pad is also on offer from a friend and this will be investigated in the coming weeks.

2003 competitor with sheepskin seat cover.  He also had a camelback for drinking whilst riding

Route planning and riding
With the organisers not disclosing the route until the riders actually arrive the previous evening or on the day of the event, there's little to be done except to transcribe the route onto a large scale map of the north island and discuss various aspects of the route with riding partners to pool any road knowledge (or to panic over some miserable goat track that we have to negotiate at 3 am!).  I've owned a GPS for a few years but have rarely used it on the bike so might give it a go this year, in addition to a back-up paper map which will never misbehave. As we have 3 riders in our group who haven't previously done the event, we'll have to be a bit careful about who leads at what stage.  After all, the purpose is to enjoy the event, not turn it into a nightmare for the first-timers.  Oh yes, and the organisers inspect your bike minutely for defects, even if it does possess a current warrant of fitness sticker. If there's anything even slightly dodgy, it has to be fixed or you don't ride!

Something we did for our first ever Grand Challenge was to make up a simple time/distance chart (see below).  It might seem like overkill but in the middle of the night when you're tired, hurting and under stress, performing mental arithmetic to figure out if you're on schedule takes a bit of nosedive. Looking at the actual time and actual distance covered, then seeing whether you're above or below the line on the chart was a simple means of assessing progress and although we haven't used it on subsequent rides, it might be of use to our newcomers, or if we encounter adverse conditions or any other form of delay.  Clearly the influence of an anal engineer, (who, me?) sigh.......

On the first ride, we stopped for 2 decent breaks for dinner and breakfast which was a mistake on our part.  Getting back on the bike after a good break was tough as we were starting to stiffen up and that affected the mental side of things too. On subsequent events, it was preferable to stop at a checkpoint to register arrival, check on each other, gas up, a quick bite to eat and drink, meet the needs of nature, do some stretches and get going again; all in the space of around 15 minutes.  Looking at it another way, you probably make 6 gas stops on the ride.  6 stops at 15 minutes is 1.5 hours of stationary time.  Adding another 2 + hours just for eating with questionable recovery benefits means that you have to go just that bit harder on the road with all the potential disadvantages and risks. On one previous ride, we covered the 1000 miles in a little under 19 hours but that was mainly resulting from uncharacteristically good weather and 3 experienced riders in phase with each other.  There was certainly no intent to do a fast time and there won't be this time either.

Going really hard is physically and mentally fatiguing, even with the benefit of a big screen or a fairing. Our personal preference is to cruise a "wee bit" above the legal speed limit which also reduces the risk of getting pinged for serious speeding and coming to a grinding halt whilst summary justice is administered.  Besides, I'm the only one with a radar detector and I'm definitely not going up front for the whole ride!  On a previous ride, two of the entrants spent an hour hiding behind some shops whilst evading the Highway Patrol for excessive speeds in the dark.  That's not a good position to get yourself into although we had a good laugh at their expense!

I previously lived only 160km from the start/finish of the Grand Challenge so I would ride from home directly to the event and then home again straight afterward, covering close to 2000 km in a touch over 24 hours. Now living about 350km away and 7 years older, it might be a smart idea to spend the 2 evenings either side of the event somewhere a bit closer!

 

 1997 - Minutes before departure and no smiling now!

Well, that's probably covered off all the basics.  All we need to do now is organise some decent rides in all weathers to start mental and physical conditioning without leaving it until the last minute!  More on this in future posts.....

Update:  2010 Grand Challenge ride report and photos:  2010 Grand Challenge

1000 miles in 24 hours, part 1

1997 - 7 friends about to enter a world of pain

Many Kiwi riders know all about the the reputation, pain and anxiety that is the annual Rusty Nuts Grand Challenge, but comparatively few are inclined to take part.  Internationally; it probably isn't that well-known other than to a few other long haul specialists dotted around the Globe. 

What is it anyway?
NZ's equivalent of a U.S Iron Butt event.  Sounds pretty straightforward if you say it quickly. Cover 1000 miles (1600km) within 24 hours, an average speed of 41.67 mph or 66.67 km/hr.  Surely not that difficult, is it? 

Now let's add a bit of context...........

It's held annually in October when NZ weather can be quite variable. (In fact, the 1996 event was a nightmare of almost continuous rain and gales, with quite a few other GC's having being run in less than pleasant weather too).

It starts and finishes at Turangi in the central north island but the actual route through manned checkpoints changes each year and is only disclosed the evening before the event to keep it a surprise.  The organisers are sadists and much of the route (especially in the middle of the night) is on unlit, poorly-marked twisty back-roads miles from anywhere.  In NZ, there are no motorways or freeways as such apart from through a couple of major cities so nearly all the event is on 2 lane sealed roads, mainly twisty and of variable quality.  That's one heck of an obstacle, particularly with respect to both fatigue levels and keeping to the schedule.

The event starts mid-afternoon on a Saturday which only gives around 4 hours of daylight riding, then  11 hours or thereabouts of darkness before finishing in daylight sometime the following day. A hundred or so riders start the event, being sent off in bunches a few minutes apart to spread them out on the road.

As the organisers quite properly state, it's not a race and there are no prizes for finishing first.  In fact, all you get is a badge a certificate and a large feed on completion. All that's irrelevant as the reward (perhaps not the best choice of word!) is simply taking part and if you're fortunate; finishing safely within 24 hours. The real battle is with what's inside your own head as completing the ride has more to do with your mental and physical fortitude than the bike you're riding.  In fact, some entrants ride scooters, 50cc motorcycles and so on, just to make things really difficult, bless 'em!


Why would you do it to yourself?
Hmmmm...  good question and there's probably no single answer.  Maybe the closest to a common response is the reasons we all ride - the thrill, enjoyment and challenge in extending ourselves. Doing it tough in comparison with our normally comfortable and relatively soft lives, perhaps.  You certainly find out quite a bit about yourself, that's for sure!  In my case, I saw a magazine article at the end of 1995 where a journalist entered and ended up hallucinating with pain. If memory still functions, he missed the time limit by just over an hour.  Some friends and I talked it over and decided to enter for the 1996 event as it sounded like something which would stretch us (a magnificent understatement, uttered by idiots).  As already mentioned, the weather was appalling for most of the ride, we were in a bit of a state (another understatement) at the end but the sense of accomplishment on finishing with 45 minutes left on the clock was indescribable.

The aftermath of that first event was memorable too, for all the wrong reasons:  Almost unable to hold utensils when eating a meal after I got home.  Laying in the bath nodding off, with Jennie sitting on the side to make sure I didn't slide beneath the waves (the outcome might be different now with decent retirement funds and insurance so I'll stick to a hot shower in case she's tempted to hold me under). Going to bed early and waking up in the small hours with severe cramp, screaming my head off and colliding with bedroom furniture in the pitch blackness in a futile attempt to straighten a leg.  Going to the bathroom in the early hours and shaking with fatigue so badly that the aim was..... well.....ummmm... you get the picture.

I guess that the atrocious weather in combination with not knowing what to expect magnified the memories of that first event.  Subsequent Grand Challenges have all still been a real test but I don't remember being in quite such bad shape at the end of them.

 Grand Challenge '99. 2am and looking a lot better than we feel

 Grand Challenge '97 finish, just having a wee lie-down

1997 - Bladder control problems and there's always a mate with a camera...

1996 - Steve, feigning death at a gas station to avoid any more riding

Three more Grand Challenges have been completed since the first in '96, the last one being in 2003 and I thought it would be the last.  However, since then, I've blinked and moved well past 60, changed from the faired Blackbird to a naked Street Triple and stupidly got to wondering whether it was still possible to successfully complete another one.  A half-hearted email was sent out to my riding partners, half hoping that the answer was to get stuffed.  However, a close friend who has done the previous GC's with me was keen to have another go, together with 2 other good mates who haven't previously done it (suckers) plus a relative of one of the other lads.  So here we are, entries having been accepted and due to start at 3.03pm on Saturday October 16th; 2 days before my 63rd birthday!  An eclectic range of bikes amongst us - Triumph Street Triple, Kawasaki 500, Kawasaki ZX10R (fool!), BMW K1200S and a BMW R1200 GS.

Fellow NZ blogger Bandit Rider (Andrew) will also be doing the event for the umpteenth time so it will be great to meet him in person at long last. Hopefully, he'll blog his involvement too.
 
Because of increasing age and being currently less fit than for previous GC's, I thought I'd try and be a bit more systematic in the preparations this time rather than being too casual about it. Reporting the preparations (or lack thereof), thoughts, apprehension, blind panic and everything in between might provide some light amusement at my expense; so more reports to follow at odd intervals over the coming  weeks......

 2003 - Apprehension and not long from getting underway

Model motorcycles - never again!

And now for something completely different..... (With a nod to Monty Python)

Hadn't done any model-making since my teens but about 15 years ago, the kids bought me a Tamiya Ducati 900ss plastic kit for Father's Day.  Just the thing for a winters' night so went out and bought some brushes, paints and cement.  Now, if anything is going to show up eyesight problems as the years go by, it's plastic models with a million microscopic parts. Dexterity was also an issue and it felt like bunches of bananas were attached to my wrists rather than fingers.  Whilst the challenge of putting the Ducati together was quite enjoyable, concentration span was an issue so a limit of one hour per occasion was about right to avoid loss of temper.  Being a pedantic engineer, the exhaust pipes were given a bit of colour too.  Here's the result (click to enlarge):

Whilst the outcome was reasonably pleasing, there was no intention to do any more model construction but as is the way of things, in 2001, fate stepped in.  Back then, I owned a BMW K100RS but had just bought a Honda Blackbird.  A workmate was wanting to get back into bikes and made an offer for the Beemer which was duly accepted.  When he came round to pick it up, bless his good heart; he gave me a Tamiya K100 kit to keep the memory alive! It was a naked K100, not the faired RS as there was no RS kit available but it was a lovely, generous gesture so building started again.  This is how it ended up:

Getting eye strain at the dining room table for nights on end was hard going and there was no intention of building another model in the foreseeable future.  However, eating my own words seems to be a speciality and when a Tamiya model Blackbird caught my eye, how could it be resisted?

The temptation to be pedantic again reared its head as the kit was an early carburetted Blackbird and mine (the real one, that is) was injected. Now, train-spotters, obsessive-compulsives and other anoraks (an English term for sad bastards like me who need to get a life) will recognise the dilemma.  The ram air intakes in the fairing of the kit had mesh in them and the injected real bike had vertical bars.  Consequently, I started rummaging through boxes of bits in the workshop to see if there was anything which could be adapted to make it look like an injected version.  Here's where a slight miscalculation was made by mentioning to Jennie what I was up to.  Her reply was laced with words that I hadn't heard her use before so it was a fair pointer that some sort of invisible line had been crossed.  Oops, mesh grilles they'd stay, and there was no way that I was going to add fuel to the fire by mentioning that  there was a small difference in the tail light between the earlier and later models which was originally going to be addressed too!!!

Although plans to build an exact replica of my bike were now clearly in tatters, there was nothing to stop a paint job to match it, so some Tamiya translucent blue was procured, along with silver metallic base coat.  Buying an airbrush for just one model would have seen me sucking hospital food through a straw so the plan was to apply multiple coats (7 from memory) of highly thinned blue over the silver base.  It worked out pretty well too as you'll see from the pictures below.  Oh, and I did adorn it with my own numberplate as a silent act of geeky defiance!  Construction and painting was such a difficult process that it nearly got hurled against the wall on several occasions and there's little likelihood of another one being built - EVER! Even the rear shock and chain got painted - really obsessive!  We still have all 3 models but they remain packed in one of the many boxes that haven't been opened since we moved home a couple of years ago and there are absolutely no plans to add a Street Triple to them!

Radar Detectors - worth having?

Introduction
On NZ motorcycle forums at least, one of the regular topics is radar detectors - do they work, what make is best and so forth.

I've used a detector since 2005 so thought I'd take the opportunity to share my personal experiences about what they will and won't do.  There's clearly things I'm not aware of but the experiences and knowledge listed here will hopefully be a good starting point.  These are in the New Zealand context but apart from legality of use issues, the technical aspects will largely apply to any country. Legality of use varies from country to country and state by state.  In NZ, they are legal but if you get pulled up and the enforcement officer sees a detector, don't necessarily expect a sympathetic response!  Interestingly though, an academic research study from Western Australia on the use of detectors shows that there is a strong international correlation between the use of detectors, safer driving habits and reduced serious injuries.

Before going any further, a radar detector  merely confirms the presence of transmitted signal activity. It is only an aid, not a guarantee of avoidance and relying on your situational awareness in combination with a detector is still essential.  Too much reliance on a detector will still see you in a world of grief! Active countermeasures will also be commented on further on in the post.


Why would you want a detector?
Owning a detector doesn't automatically mean that you're Public Enemy #1 who has no control over his or her right wrist!  Most riders like a good blast from time to time but choose an appropriate time and place to do it.  It's not normally these circumstances where a detector is really useful.  It's where speeds are over but closer to the legal limit where your attention is perhaps temporarily diverted from your speedometer.  The trigger for me getting one was in 2005 when putting in an entry for the Southern Cross round NZ in 5 days endurance ride.  I doubted that I'd be hitting hyper velocities on the ride but a detector could be a useful warning when, for example, overtaking slower traffic at "perhaps" 20-30km/hr above the legal limit to minimise overtaking time.  Get the drift?  I can also say in all honesty that having a detector on the bike and being paranoid about it going off has increased my overall situational awareness.

What do detectors detect?
There are several radar bands used to detect vehicle speed, the most common of which are X, K, Ka and Laser. Most quality detectors will emit a different signal for each type of band.  Personally, I only look at the detector visual display AFTER I've hit the brakes as scrubbing speed off is a sight more pressing than knowing what band has been picked up! Similarly, the rate of beeping and intensity will increase as the emitter gets closer but that's academic for the same reasons.

X band is largely outdated these days but most detectors will pick it up.  Unfortunately, X band is commonly used for automatic door openers and other security systems in shops and offices etc, so any X band signal is likely to be a "false" warning.  Good detectors will allow X band detection to be turned off, cancelled or muted to stop it becoming an annoyance, particularly in town.

K Band is similar to X Band in that it has commercial uses although some K band mobile speed cameras in unmarked vans have recently appeared in NZ.  Consequently, I've re-activated K band detection and simply switch it to mute in town.

Ka band is the most commonly used form of microwave radar used by the police in NZ and is fitted to Highway Patrol vehicles as well as most mobile speed cameras. It's early detection of this band which has saved me multiple times more than the cost of a detector! The broad signal beam (or scatter) paints a large area and good detectors have 360 degree signal detection. Microwaves will pass through objects like windscreens and the human body.  Consequently, you can pick up Ka signals from other roads but that's no bad thing anyway. OH, AND THERE ARE NO PRACTICAL MEANS OF JAMMING Ka SIGNALS WITHOUT TOWING A VIRTUAL TRUCK LOAD OF ELECTRONICS!

Laser band is less common in NZ than Ka band and as far as I know, can only be used statically as opposed to on the move like a Ka microwave radar.  Once you've been hit by a laser particularly if you're not in traffic, it's likely that you're going to be a goner if you're above the legal limit as the beam width is very narrow and therefore very specific in its aim!  A laser beam won't penetrate a solid object and is also affected to some extent by tinted screens and the like so the positioning of a detector for good pick-up is more critical than with microwave radar. The good news is there are laser countermeasures, although there are a few considerations which go with them - more on that later.

Detector in waterproof case mounted on left handlebar

Hearing any warning
Most detectors have a an inbuilt speaker with volume control but even on maximum, it's largely inadequate for motorcycle use.  I started off using a small speaker attached with velcro inside my helmet and connected to the detector via a jackplug and cable.  Whilst it worked well enough, there were times when I'd accidentally disconnect the jackplug or break the lead by forgetting about it when I dismounted the bike! Bluetooth is another approach although I have no personal experience of this

Another alternative is a commercial system called H.A.R.D. which uses a helmet-mounted LED on a small stalk just within peripheral vision.  Connection to the detector is by radio frequency and when a signal is detected, the LED flashes red.  The system works well although there are two potential downsides.  The first is that it is battery-powered and it's essential that the batteries are kept charged and the unit switched off when not in use.  Secondly, a visual cue is less effective than an audible one in terms of the brain's reaction time.

I use a device called a "screamer" which is of proprietary manufacture.  It emits a scream similar in intensity to a domestic smoke alarm at the loudest setting and I'm told **grin** that it's perfectly audible at well over 200 km/hr!  It's compact, hooked directly to the detector and powered by the bike electrical system.  It's the round black object in the picture below mounted on the right of the Blackbird top yoke. (Not the heated grip control on the left).  It's mounted behind the twin headlights on the Street Triple.  It has 2 volume settings and an "off" position, all easily reached by the thumb via a switch mounted next to the left handlebar grip.  I haven't found any significant disadvantages with this system.  It's also worth adding that a friend built his own version, using the internals from a smoke detector.

 "Screamer" is black circular object to the right of the headstock

Practical experience to date

I've only been lasered once and was travelling at legal speeds so all that can be reported is that the signal was picked up at about 100 metres with no other traffic around.  However, with Ka microwave detection, the number of potential "saves" have been numerous.  The terrain has a bearing on detection distance but in flat, uncluttered countryside, my maximum known detection range was around 5km.  On twisty, hilly roads, range has been as low as 100 metres but still provided adequate warning in those conditions.  Camera vans using Ka band are usually picked up at 100-400 metres.  This is probably due to the beam being angled across the road and perhaps the strength of the signal itself.

The biggest influence on early detection is how the Ka signal emitter in the police vehicle is being used.  If the radar is left running in target acquisition mode, then it's easy to pick up a long way out and this is a relatively frequent occurrence from personal experience. I guess that members of the Highway Patrol can be as lazy or forgetful as other sections of the community.  More of a problem is when police are using the  "instant on" technique and then there's almost no warning unless you pick up the ground calibration pulse and react immediately.  Your best chance of "instant on" detection is when it is is being used on traffic further down the road and the wide microwave beam scatter and reflection off solid objects allows it to be picked up by your detector.

It's worth adding that as with most things, you get what you pay for and there are plenty of detectors on the market which perform poorly. The Escort, Bel and Valentine brands consistently score highly in independent tests (available on the 'net). I've used an Escort Passport X50 for several years.  You really do get what you pay for.

Laser countermeasures
Laser countermeasures are a bit of a minefield for two reasons.

Firstly, from the legal perspective.  Technically, they are legal in NZ as well as some other countries.  However, the understanding is that it would be possible to bring a prosecution under perverting the course of justice or a few other legal avenues.  Even so, no known prosecution has ever taken place, perhaps because they can be discreetly located and also, because not many people have them.

Secondly, product performance.  Independent testing has shown that a number of so-called countermeasures simply don't work - a rip-off in other words.  The only two I'm aware of that have solid credentials are the Blinder and Escort jammers although there may be more.  There's no intention on my part to buy one because of the relatively low frequency of use of lasers in NZ.  Besides, detection and active jamming are rather different issues.

In summary
So there we are.... detectors are a very useful device but personal vigilance is still required.  My Escort X50 has saved me from trouble countless times, not from hyper velocities but those times when you're "a bit over" the limit.  It has certainly paid for itself many times over.  They are also a genuine aid to better riding which is only fully appreciated after you've owned one for a while.  Hope that the post has been of interest.

And one more thing......  in NZ advertisements for radar detectors, you will frequently see "Tuned for NZ conditions".  This is marketing nonsense presumably aimed at deterring you from buying from overseas often at a significantly lower price. The "tuning" is simply turning off the bands which are not used by NZ law enforcement to reduce the risk of false alerts.  This is a job you can do yourself in about 5 minutes or less by following the detector instructions, so don't be fooled!

Touring NZ's South Island...

One of my Blackbird-owning mates, John Pritchard, suggested a 2 week tour of the South Island in 2007 and was just about flattened in the rush! John's partner Karen also wanted to come as did Jennie but not on the back of the bikes. This was happily resolved by Karen and Jennie sharing the driving of J&K's people-mover loaded up with luggage whilst John, Martin Blandford, Dave Easey and me were free to misbehave on our Blackbirds, meeting the girls at various locations for lunch and in the evenings!

Overseas riders who visit the south island say that it's the best riding in the world with challenging roads and stunning scenery. Don't think there would be many Kiwis who disagree either! As well as riding through all the fantastic mountain passes, we covered a few touristy things too - whale and dolphin watching at Kaikoura, Jet-boating and helicopter glacier flights near Wanaka and the famous Milford sound to name just a few. I had an alternator failure part-way through the holiday but charging up 2 batteries overnight and running total loss ignition was a great way of getting round the problem.

There are far too many great pictures to post so here's a very small selection. Also, here are to links to YouTube videos of parts of our tour: (best watched in the High Quality option).



and




It was a breathtaking holiday and we'd all do it again tomorrow. We were fortunate to get back to our homes in the northern half of the north island when we did as the following day, State Highway 1 was closed for much of the day as a precaution when the active volcano, Mt Ruapehu, finally discharged millions of cubic metres of lahar from its crater. What an exciting place we live in!!!

More long distance events....

In 2003, the lure of a fourth 1000-miler Grand Challenge started to surface for the most stupid of reasons. The previous 3 events on the BMW had been fairly painful experiences, even with the upright riding position. Hmmmmm.... wonder what it would be like on the Blackbird with it's almost racing crouch and greater load on the wrists? Could I last the distance? Bloody hell, it hurt all right but we got through it with about 5 hours to spare. Riding the 160-odd km home from the finish was a nightmare. The pain in the wrists was so bad that the journey had to be mentally divided up into 20 km distances to get through it. Get through one, watch the odometer for another 20 and so on until reaching home in Tokoroa!

Ride report: 2003 Grand Challenge 1000 miles in 24 hours

Bluff - starting point and the southermost point of State Highway 1

You'd be forgiven for thinking that the Grand Challenge was quite enough of an ordeal on the Blackbird but the need to step outside the comfort zone again surfaced by entering the 2005 Southern Cross endurance event. Covering both islands from the most northerly and southerly points, plus the most easterly and westerly points in the north island right on the edge of winter - about 4000 km in 5 days is a big ask in anyone's money, especially in bitterly cold conditions! Riding in the company of two outstanding companions in all weathers, seeing some of the most spectacular scenery in the world and finishing it on time was an unbelievable experience. It has been the highlight of 4 decades of riding. The top photo was taken at the southernmost part of the south island, where State Highway 1 runs into the sea!

Blackbird firmly lashed down on the inter-island ferry!

Below freezing, middle of the night and multiple layers of clothing!

I checked in to a cabin in a New Plymouth camping ground after the event around mid-afternoon.  The intention was to walk a few hundred metres to the Game Fishing club for dinner.  Whoops - I fell asleep on top of the bed, still in my leathers, door wide open and keys in the ignition.  Woke up at 7 the next morning, just about frozen solid with a massive hunger headache! A quick shower and shave plus some Panadol, then ride an hour up the road to where the region's famous whitebait fritters are served.  Breakfast has never tasted so good before or since!
Ride report: 2005 Southern Cross round NZ Endurance Ride

A slight lapse in behaviour....

The responsibilities which go with owning one of the fastest bikes in the world began to dawn with the realisation that serious harm, either to my person or to my wallet was likely to happen if I wasn't careful. I decided to enrol on an advanced course run by the ex-chief instructor for the Ministry of Transport. It was pretty stressful (not to mention ego-damaging) in places but it was also one of the best things I'd ever done as he picked up a few less than desirable habits and proceeded to work on them with me. The most outstanding part of the course and also the scariest, was learning high speed emergency braking skills. I had visions of going over the bars or following the 'bird down the road on my arse but he improved my technique to the extent I was braking so hard that my elbows and wrists were creaking and wedding tackle was being painfully squashed into the rear of the tank. As the instructor correctly pointed out, knowing how to brake properly from high speed may well make the difference between serious harm and walking away scot-free from a hazardous situation. The course undoubtedly changed the way I ride and observe the surrounding environment, very much for the better.

 Blissfully oblivious of what was about to happen......

Ahhh... with one exception, that is! There was one subsequent occasion when some monumental stupidity nearly lead to tragedy. A number of us were out for a ride and a friend had borrowed his daughter's little RGV150. At fuel stops, we'd play "tortoise and hare", sending him off a few minutes ahead and then chase him down. Along a straight in the countryside, we spotted him in the distance and decided to go past at warp speed, which we duly did. What we had neglected to remember was some very bad ripples in the road and at an awful lot above the legal speed limit, our mate was treated to the sight of a Hayabusa, a Blackbird and a GSX-R 1000 showing a lot of daylight under the tyres. Time slowed down into a series of freeze frames and there was no fear at that moment, just a feeling of regret that I'd buggered things up completely and that tomorrow was never going to come. However, the Hayabusa and Blackbird came back down arrow-straight with the slightest of shimmies but the GSX-R was all over the road trying to buck the rider off. After stopping shortly to scrape out our leathers, we let another mate on a Harley Davidson lead us home. A lucky let-off and a serious error of judgement on our part.

 The caption says it all!

Playing with the seriously fast stuff....

The great thing about Jennie getting an MX-5 was that it signalled a possible quid pro quo in the shape of a new bike after 7 years of enjoyable BMW ownership. The opening gambit was a few casual visits to various dealerships with a non-committal Jennie in tow. Various machines were sat upon, with the Chief Executive declaring that the narrow seats on pure sports bikes made her eyes water!

Now as it happened, we found ourselves in Auckland to celebrate our wedding anniversary and by sheer fluke (haha) we found ourselves in that street again! In the window of the Honda dealer, there was a candy blue Honda Super Blackbird and it was quite simply love at first sight. A few weeks went by of dropping progressively less subtle hints and some equally unsubtle grovelling before Management allowed a phone call to see if it was still available. It was indeed and an appointment was made for a test ride.

 CBR 1100XX Super Blackbird - deceptively wicked performance - absolutely effortless

If I'd thought that the BMW was impressive, the Blackbird was literally mind-blowing. The test ride up the motorway left me quite rattled due to a glance at the speedo and realising that I would have been without a license had the Boys in Blue been about. A deal was done and a few days later, an absolute missile graced the garage at home. The first couple of weeks did not go smoothly. A friend was standing outside his house and as I pulled up to show off the new acquisition, my boot caught on something in the road and the bike toppled over with me underneath stupidly trying to protect it. Despite the shock and embarrassment, watching my mate trying to keep a straight face whilst lifting it off me was something to behold.  Not a good start to owning a superbike!