Since the GOR run all the riding I've been doing is daily commuting and errands etc...........
Inner city work........urban jungle bullshite.........yes - still fun with the right attitude - but not the natural environment for an Ape.....
At first this was getting me a little irksome.....feeling a little impetuous........I need release!
But then - just today.........I walked back to the Ape after picking up groceries. She's a little dirty, needs a good wash and detail.....but she's such a stunner......and - she's mine.......my bike......
I rode home like there was a wasp up my arse..........can't tame that Ape!
Even the mundane is magic..............with the right attitude.....
\Realises the ride is not where you go - but what you make it
................frame of mind.....the moment
-- BitSar
Thursday, 21 March 2013
Monday, 11 March 2013
GOR!
Every Australian motorcyclist knows the term GOR - Great Ocean Road - one of the all-time must ride roads comprising of more than 350kms of Coastal road, Rainforest cuttings and spectacular views.
So it was on for the GOR this Saturday. Pumped.
We were not going to complete a full run - much less in fact - due to the ride being a single day trip and the forecasted heat.........the forecast was right......
An early start was a must - get up, hit the road and get the first 1.5 hour slab to Torquay completed.
The sky was already looking scorched. It was 6:50am and I was about to throw a leg over the Ape and hit the black top: tail bag packed, full tank, empty bladder. Game on.
I swung past my buddies place for a pickup at ~7:15am - quick G'day - onto the next meeting point.....
The third rider joined us in Belmont on the outskirts of Geelong. 8:30am meet - done. We rolled into Torquay by 9am for a quick regroup and caffeine then onto the GOR!
Heading out of Torquay traffic was starting to build - the GOR is a key tourist location and of course I had forgotten this was a long weekend with a public Holiday on Monday, needless to say - traffic was shite!
Coming into Lorne is was evident that we were going to have to use some "special motorcycling technique" to find holes in the mindless procession of cages. The GOR is posted from 80kp/h to 100kp/h with the majority of the switchback corners somewhere between 30-40kp/h advisory speeds. Most of the vehicles we encountered were travelling in full-blown sightseeing mode - a mode with a max speed of 60kp/h and the unconventional practice of braking hard mid corner and refusing to use the "Slow vehicle" turnouts F#^King A$$hole B4stards....
Enough was enough. Time to get creative with some passing maneuvers.
Eventually we punched through and managed to string together a beautiful run into Apollo Bay
The black stuff was warm, sticky and twisty, encouraging the bike not to be upright for very long, flicking the nose in another direction and getting the butt-cheek off the seat......
Having made our way into Apollo bay and after seeing the horrendous traffic which was back building before continuing further down the GOR, the decision was made; back track - head inland into the Otways....
Not that the Otways are a bad thing. Oh no - quite the contrary!
We stitched our way through Skenes creek and the Otway National Park. A lovely road in the shade of the rainforest with very little traffic and a more moderate temperature, from here we continued out through Deans Marsh in the hunt for some rural fast sweepers.
Without the tree canopy the temperature starting rising. It was getting HOT - I mean really hot. Out here with zero breeze and no shade we started to feel the couple of hundred kilometres already travelled.
We had another break. Fill up with water, empty the bladder, you know, do your bit for the environment - water a tree eh?
<-- look in the backgroud of this pic....what an environmentalist!
From here we changed pace. We all engaged "Cracking on Mode" - this is a mode well-known to any seasoned rider - it means "over it for now.......crack on!" Through the fast rural sweepers and back roads of inland Western Victoria I think is fair enough to keep the average tempo to a moderate $1.50.......
As we stumbled across Ballan - heading for different location - we decided another short hiatus from the saddle was in order, quick bakery refuel for the humans; the bikes would have to wait for the final refuel point in Bacchus Marsh no more than 25kms away.
Making the final stop we refuel, shake hands - "safe home fellas.....see ya next time!"
The last slab homeward bound is when the aches of the day start to come on. You've been on a bike for 8 hours, ridden near as makes no difference ~500kms in 37 C heat - BUT!
You have the biggest shite eating grin on your face for the effort....
Riding really does enrich your life - it takes you to places which are not accessible in a cage. Not because you can't drive the route we took, you can. But I'll damn well guarantee you if you'd spent 8 hours driving it you'd be wanting to forget it, not savour it.
You can't get to where we were with 4 wheels - simple as that!
I did make it home, but by then I was slightly broken
Thank you gentleman for the ride, as always - a pleasure.....
Where next?
\BitSar
So it was on for the GOR this Saturday. Pumped.
We were not going to complete a full run - much less in fact - due to the ride being a single day trip and the forecasted heat.........the forecast was right......
An early start was a must - get up, hit the road and get the first 1.5 hour slab to Torquay completed.
The sky was already looking scorched. It was 6:50am and I was about to throw a leg over the Ape and hit the black top: tail bag packed, full tank, empty bladder. Game on.
I swung past my buddies place for a pickup at ~7:15am - quick G'day - onto the next meeting point.....
The third rider joined us in Belmont on the outskirts of Geelong. 8:30am meet - done. We rolled into Torquay by 9am for a quick regroup and caffeine then onto the GOR!
Heading out of Torquay traffic was starting to build - the GOR is a key tourist location and of course I had forgotten this was a long weekend with a public Holiday on Monday, needless to say - traffic was shite!
Coming into Lorne is was evident that we were going to have to use some "special motorcycling technique" to find holes in the mindless procession of cages. The GOR is posted from 80kp/h to 100kp/h with the majority of the switchback corners somewhere between 30-40kp/h advisory speeds. Most of the vehicles we encountered were travelling in full-blown sightseeing mode - a mode with a max speed of 60kp/h and the unconventional practice of braking hard mid corner and refusing to use the "Slow vehicle" turnouts F#^King A$$hole B4stards....
Eventually we punched through and managed to string together a beautiful run into Apollo Bay
The black stuff was warm, sticky and twisty, encouraging the bike not to be upright for very long, flicking the nose in another direction and getting the butt-cheek off the seat......
Having made our way into Apollo bay and after seeing the horrendous traffic which was back building before continuing further down the GOR, the decision was made; back track - head inland into the Otways....
Not that the Otways are a bad thing. Oh no - quite the contrary!
Without the tree canopy the temperature starting rising. It was getting HOT - I mean really hot. Out here with zero breeze and no shade we started to feel the couple of hundred kilometres already travelled.
We had another break. Fill up with water, empty the bladder, you know, do your bit for the environment - water a tree eh?
<-- look in the backgroud of this pic....what an environmentalist!
From here we changed pace. We all engaged "Cracking on Mode" - this is a mode well-known to any seasoned rider - it means "over it for now.......crack on!" Through the fast rural sweepers and back roads of inland Western Victoria I think is fair enough to keep the average tempo to a moderate $1.50.......
As we stumbled across Ballan - heading for different location - we decided another short hiatus from the saddle was in order, quick bakery refuel for the humans; the bikes would have to wait for the final refuel point in Bacchus Marsh no more than 25kms away.
Making the final stop we refuel, shake hands - "safe home fellas.....see ya next time!"
The last slab homeward bound is when the aches of the day start to come on. You've been on a bike for 8 hours, ridden near as makes no difference ~500kms in 37 C heat - BUT!
You have the biggest shite eating grin on your face for the effort....
Riding really does enrich your life - it takes you to places which are not accessible in a cage. Not because you can't drive the route we took, you can. But I'll damn well guarantee you if you'd spent 8 hours driving it you'd be wanting to forget it, not savour it.
You can't get to where we were with 4 wheels - simple as that!
I did make it home, but by then I was slightly broken
Thank you gentleman for the ride, as always - a pleasure.....
Where next?
\BitSar
Thursday, 28 February 2013
Pilot Road 3
So I've been meaning to post on the Michelin PR3's.....................here it is.
I've had these boots on both ends for well over 5,000kms now...
At first they felt a little strange - not bad, just a bit odd......this soon passed...
When they were fitted I originally ran them at "normal" cold pressure of about 32/34 F/R......this was a huge part of my problem......Sport Touring tyres - as these are - have a heavy carcass and require higher cold pressures......once this was rectified, the PR3's validated themselves and lived up to hype.....I now run 40/42 F/R cold pressures.....
The past 5,000kms have seen lots of commuting, a fair bit of wet stuff, a multi-day ride and lots of weekend scratching in the twisties.....
The harder compound centre band means the commuting miles aren't killing the tyre and squaring them off......the deep sipes in the tread of both the front and rear make wet weather performance simply astounding! I have never felt so comfortable and confident with a tyre in the wet........seriously.......
For the faster stuff on more technical roads......yes....they are not a super-sticky, super-sport tyre......the shoulders do have a softer compound which heats up quickly......but yeah.....these are no Pirelli Rosso Corsa's........they make you work a little bit harder to keep the bike compliant when pitched over.....but hell - you can still get rid of the chicken strips.........
For longer rides and touring they are brilliant.....very solid on the road - comfortable and long wearing......
After the distance travelled I really struggle to find any appreciable wear....for anyone looking at a great "all-rounder" which is focused slightly towards longevity, all weather riding rather than balls out blats......take a look at the PR3's
\BitSar
I've had these boots on both ends for well over 5,000kms now...
At first they felt a little strange - not bad, just a bit odd......this soon passed...
When they were fitted I originally ran them at "normal" cold pressure of about 32/34 F/R......this was a huge part of my problem......Sport Touring tyres - as these are - have a heavy carcass and require higher cold pressures......once this was rectified, the PR3's validated themselves and lived up to hype.....I now run 40/42 F/R cold pressures.....
The past 5,000kms have seen lots of commuting, a fair bit of wet stuff, a multi-day ride and lots of weekend scratching in the twisties.....
The harder compound centre band means the commuting miles aren't killing the tyre and squaring them off......the deep sipes in the tread of both the front and rear make wet weather performance simply astounding! I have never felt so comfortable and confident with a tyre in the wet........seriously.......
For the faster stuff on more technical roads......yes....they are not a super-sticky, super-sport tyre......the shoulders do have a softer compound which heats up quickly......but yeah.....these are no Pirelli Rosso Corsa's........they make you work a little bit harder to keep the bike compliant when pitched over.....but hell - you can still get rid of the chicken strips.........
For longer rides and touring they are brilliant.....very solid on the road - comfortable and long wearing......
After the distance travelled I really struggle to find any appreciable wear....for anyone looking at a great "all-rounder" which is focused slightly towards longevity, all weather riding rather than balls out blats......take a look at the PR3's
\BitSar
Tuesday, 26 February 2013
Wet
So today I woke up to this.......
I was scheduled to have a morning push-bike ride before heading into work but as any avid cyclist knows - two things are common on pushies in the rain......punctures and crashes.....usually in that order........
I was already up so I turned the pedals over on the trainer while watching the morning news.......Damn - I hate static/wind trainers....... boring as hell.
So the rain had already peeved me off once this morning......no pushy ride......
It was going to peeve me off at least a couple of times more......
I've had my RST Touring gear through three Winters now - it has always been rock-solid, dry and warm.........after this morning I think it may need to be retired......
Oh well.......nothing for it.......get in nice and early and use the spare chairs as makeshift clothes airers.....then......do the trick with the hand dryer to get the boxers back to a wearable state.....
But that's not the worst part.......the trousers are done......It was not long after I set off that my butt started to feel a little damp......a little further into the journey and it I felt a "zing" of cold water get in...........arrrhhhhg......
At this point it was game over......the boxer shorts were gone....my socks were soaked and the boots were filling up.....a noticeable squelch every time I put a foot down at a set of lights....Yippee!
Definitely time for some new gear......
Although the Trekker helmet is great in the Sunshine.....it really is NOT great in the wet.....I've never had a helmet which fogs quite this badly.....
<-- Just giving the gloves a chance to "hang out" and dry.....
I ride an Ape but this morning.....once again.....I felt like a Duck....
Quack quack....
\BitSar
Monday, 11 February 2013
Cracked it!
Both literally and figuratively........................
Why literally?
Because now the left-hand rear indicator has cracked along the rubber joint.......in exactly the same way the (now replaced) right-hand indicator had failed.
Why figuratively?
Because I've cracked it with the OEM Aprilia indicators, the time it took me to get one delivered under warranty and the obvious flaw in the design.....
Instead - I think I'm going to go for a set of these:
Why literally?
Because now the left-hand rear indicator has cracked along the rubber joint.......in exactly the same way the (now replaced) right-hand indicator had failed.
Why figuratively?
Because I've cracked it with the OEM Aprilia indicators, the time it took me to get one delivered under warranty and the obvious flaw in the design.....
Instead - I think I'm going to go for a set of these:
Whatch this space for another indicator install post..........
\BitSar
Back and Blinking
After waiting ~6 weeks for the warranty claim to go through and for the part to arrive - finally - the postman brings me this!
An Aprilia OEM right-hand rear indicator.........can't see how this can be so much trouble to claim, order and post......but hell - it's here now.....time to install
I do a quick disassemble on the kitchen table to inspect how it all goes together - pretty simple.....there is no loom on the indicator itself - rather just two clips on the bottom of the lamp surround:
Get rid of the screw
Take the lamp housing and reflector apart - no problem
Now - onto the bike side.......as the wiring loom is on this end I had to disconnect the wiring at the clips while still on the bike......again, no problem - just a bit fiddly....
Then just unbolt the indicator housing and it's free!
Clip the new one into the wires, remount the reflector in the housing......replace lens and the screw......bolt back on and the blinkers are back
Done!
\BitSar
Monday, 4 February 2013
Reserve.........
Finally!
I got out for a good ride with some friends on Saturday..........great day out - covered just over 250kms...nothing too big..
We met at my place around 9am and hit the coastal road towards the Mornington Peninsula......stopping in Mornington for caffeine, regroup and to meet with another mate and his brand new Husqvarna Nuda 900R.....
We had a group of 6, on 5 bikes - one pillion on the GSXR1000, the Nuda, the Duc, my Ape and a Kwaka =D.................game on!
From Mornington we took off down the esplanade road which tacks along the cliff-side, over Mt Martha and into Safety Beach.
From here we hit Arthur's seat for a couple of runs up and down......myself and the Nuda riding off the front, having a play and really using that low down torque to drive out of the corners........nice indeed.
The day continued down to Shoreham and Flinders, over Red Hill, then into Cape Shank and back out to Balnarring - the Nuda pilot......who lives in this area......found us some very nice twisty roads to play on - albeit with a few potholes......still fun and fast.....
At Balnarring we decided to call it a day and start our way back to Melbourne CBD........the Kwaka rider takes the lead back to the Freeway.....before heading off the nominal question is asked..."Fuel?".............nah! She'll be right......we all decline the offer......
RESERVE!
By the time we hit the Freeway my low fuel indicator blinks on.....no problem.......it comes on very early, it's not until the ODO starts the count up of kilometres travelled on reserve until you get worried........oh shit.....I look down......3.5kms counting up.....great!
Riding past the leader I point to my tank and give him one of these to signify I am running low on fuel.....
Reserve count now at ~25kms......I'm getting the yips.....
I have heard that Shivers have about 50kms on reserve.....but I don't want to find out the hard way.....especially not on the Monash Freeway inbound....
By the Toorak Rd off ramp I am sweating bullets.....I chicken out and take the exit......I know there is a BP about 2kms from this exit which has sweet, sweet fuel...........35kms on reserve....and counting
Looking at my fuel readings I am not expecting to be near empty:
Total distance travelled = 252.0kms
Average fuel consumption over distance ~ 5.0L/100kms
(just under, 4.9)
Now - the Shiv has a 15L tank, so if I am using ~5L per 100kms and have clocked up ~250kms I should have about 2.5L to spare......so why on reserve so early!?
The fuel amount at the bowser tells a different story.......I squeeze in 12.98L with tank topped off.....to be honest....probably slightly overfilled......at least the fuel readings are somewhat accurate!
The moral of the story?
Never say no to a fuel-up offer........AND the reserve reading on the Shiver is like an over-anxious back seat driver.......a nuisance which breaks your concentration but is hard to ignore......
\BitSar
EDIT.................
Vision of the hill climb from the Kwaka.............the Gixxer is in front of the camera.....then the Ape + Nuda....the rest is history :D
--> This guy can handle that little Ninjette eh! Gold!
I got out for a good ride with some friends on Saturday..........great day out - covered just over 250kms...nothing too big..
We met at my place around 9am and hit the coastal road towards the Mornington Peninsula......stopping in Mornington for caffeine, regroup and to meet with another mate and his brand new Husqvarna Nuda 900R.....
We had a group of 6, on 5 bikes - one pillion on the GSXR1000, the Nuda, the Duc, my Ape and a Kwaka =D.................game on!From Mornington we took off down the esplanade road which tacks along the cliff-side, over Mt Martha and into Safety Beach.
From here we hit Arthur's seat for a couple of runs up and down......myself and the Nuda riding off the front, having a play and really using that low down torque to drive out of the corners........nice indeed.
The day continued down to Shoreham and Flinders, over Red Hill, then into Cape Shank and back out to Balnarring - the Nuda pilot......who lives in this area......found us some very nice twisty roads to play on - albeit with a few potholes......still fun and fast.....At Balnarring we decided to call it a day and start our way back to Melbourne CBD........the Kwaka rider takes the lead back to the Freeway.....before heading off the nominal question is asked..."Fuel?".............nah! She'll be right......we all decline the offer......
RESERVE!
By the time we hit the Freeway my low fuel indicator blinks on.....no problem.......it comes on very early, it's not until the ODO starts the count up of kilometres travelled on reserve until you get worried........oh shit.....I look down......3.5kms counting up.....great!
Riding past the leader I point to my tank and give him one of these to signify I am running low on fuel.....
Reserve count now at ~25kms......I'm getting the yips.....
I have heard that Shivers have about 50kms on reserve.....but I don't want to find out the hard way.....especially not on the Monash Freeway inbound....
By the Toorak Rd off ramp I am sweating bullets.....I chicken out and take the exit......I know there is a BP about 2kms from this exit which has sweet, sweet fuel...........35kms on reserve....and counting
Looking at my fuel readings I am not expecting to be near empty:
Total distance travelled = 252.0kms
Average fuel consumption over distance ~ 5.0L/100kms
(just under, 4.9)
Now - the Shiv has a 15L tank, so if I am using ~5L per 100kms and have clocked up ~250kms I should have about 2.5L to spare......so why on reserve so early!?
The fuel amount at the bowser tells a different story.......I squeeze in 12.98L with tank topped off.....to be honest....probably slightly overfilled......at least the fuel readings are somewhat accurate!
The moral of the story?
Never say no to a fuel-up offer........AND the reserve reading on the Shiver is like an over-anxious back seat driver.......a nuisance which breaks your concentration but is hard to ignore......
\BitSar
EDIT.................
Vision of the hill climb from the Kwaka.............the Gixxer is in front of the camera.....then the Ape + Nuda....the rest is history :D
--> This guy can handle that little Ninjette eh! Gold!
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