One of the reasons working at Street and Sport is so satisfying is because it’s like working at the kind of bike shops that I used to hang around at when I was a youth. They were often a little scruffy, packed with all kinds of bikes and staffed by guys who loved bikes as much as we did, and they were a hub for the motorcycling community. On a Friday night or Saturday morning that’s where you went, and odds were good you’d run into your mates there too.
Our letterhead carries the byline “Supplying the motorcycling community of Canterbury and Westland with what they need to live their dreams”, and that’s what we’re about. We are immensely proud of being Triumph agents, and while we know that not everyone wants to own a Triumph (there are lots of other great bikes out there and there isn’t a shed big enough for them all), we are making a point of stocking the stuff bikers of all types need to enjoy riding. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a commuter on a scooter, a cruiser on a Harley or a racer on a Daytona; we want to supply you with everything you need to enjoy your bike. A few months ago I ran a survey, and the information I got from that was very valuable and is having a major influence on our ongoing business planning on what we stock and what we sell, but I’d value more input. If there is anything you want us to stock that we don’t, please let us know.
But motorcycling is more than just stuff, even cool stuff that’s shiny and new; a huge part of motorcycling is the community. I’ve already talked about waving to the rider going the other way, but there’s more to it. We’re building a community of like minded people who share our passion, and we’re using events and activities to do that. In just over 3 weeks a seething mass of scooters and bikes will terrorise Christchurch for the Mods and Rockers Winter Rumble, and we’re doing that because it’s an excuse to gather a bunch of like minded loonies in one place to talk about our bikes and scooters.
A group of us are riding over to Greymouth in Labour Weekend for the Street Races, and have booked out most of a motel. If you’re planning to ride across and would like some company, we’d love you to join us, and if you’d like to catch up for a couple of cold ones once you’re there, I hear tell they sell good beer in Greymouth. Of course I’m planning to confirm that rumour with careful and extensive experimentation, and will need help.
On Sunday we’re having our monthly RAT run. I don’t know what the weather is going to be, but I do know that I am hanging out for a ride. Meet me behind the shop at 10.30 on Sunday and we’ll leave at 11.00 am. If it’s a nice day we’ll have a longer ride, if it’s not we won’t, but no matter what happens a bunch of us will hang out together. This summer riding season I want to make RAT a bigger part of what we do, and would value input into how to do that. In the not too distant future I’ll set up a time to meet with you guys and pick your brains, but in the meantime if you have any ideas, they will be welcomed.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Friday, July 24, 2009
On how biking is like surfing, a track day at Ruapuna and amorous women wearing pumpkins
Riding motorcycles is a lot like mountaineering, skiing and surfing in that you not only get to be cold and wet, but you’re participating in a sport that carries some risk. The good thing about risk is that it can be managed - in other words you can lengthen the odds in your favour through making a few careful choices. There are basically two components to risk management: minimising the risk and minimising the impact.
Minimising risk requires specific skills, and the great thing about skill is that it can be learnt. Nobody is born a good rider - can you imagine changing a baby’s leathers? Doesn’t bear thinking about. Anyway, I digress. I regularly bang on about rider training and it’s importance, and am looking forward to my next day under the tutelage of the lads at Mainland. I know very, very
few riders that wouldn’t benefit from rider training, and I keep the Mainland course schedule on our event calendar on www.streetandsport.co.nz.
Minimising the impact means recognising that some accidents are unavoidable, and so you take the steps needed to ensure that when you do have an off the damage to you is minimised, and most of that comes down to wearing the right gear. This is a big subject and beyond the scope of this email, and in time I’ll have some information on our website, but in the short term the ACC funded website www.rideforever.co.nz has some good stuff.
There are also things that you can do once an accident is inevitable. For example, when a sleeping driver pulls out in front of you or does a U turn while you’re passing them and you know that you’re going to hit, stand up in the pegs, or better still jump. That increases the chance that you’ll fly over the top and bounce angrily along the road and minimises the risk that you’ll slam into the side of the car having first removed your lower regions on the handlebars. I’ve never tried it, and hope I never do, but apparently it works.
And on the subject of riding season, the days are getting longer and things will soon start warming up. That means rallies, races, runs and events will start winding up, and if you want to plan your life use our events calendar. I am going to do my best to get as many South Island events on it as possible, but I do need your help. If you know of something happening that isn’t on the calendar, please let me know.
Mods and Rockers is now 4 weeks away and things are hotting up. We’re using the event to fund raise for the NZ Spinal Trust and for you $20.00 registration fee you get a patch, go in the draw to win a $450.00 helmet and get to have fun while feeling nice and self-righteous, but you need to register before 15 August or you pay more and miss out on the patch and the helmet draw. You’ll also pay more ($30.00), which means you get to feel even more self righteous, so it’s not all bad. Visit our website to enroll online.
Finally, we sell a lot of Ixon clothing. It’s bloody good gear and well priced, but Ixon are a French company. There’s nothing wrong with that (we won’t talk about the Rainbow Warrior or a couple of Rugby World Cup games), but the French don’t speak English. Despite this handicap they seem to have done OK for themselves, but the names Ixon chose for some of their jackets caused me some amusement. For example, us blokes get to show our style in a Specious, a Diablo Fiction and an Esko (short for Eskimo?), while the ladies stay safe and warm in a Pumpkin, a Capricious or a Chimera. And for the woman who wants to improve her love life, there are the Amorous leather pants.
Minimising risk requires specific skills, and the great thing about skill is that it can be learnt. Nobody is born a good rider - can you imagine changing a baby’s leathers? Doesn’t bear thinking about. Anyway, I digress. I regularly bang on about rider training and it’s importance, and am looking forward to my next day under the tutelage of the lads at Mainland. I know very, very
few riders that wouldn’t benefit from rider training, and I keep the Mainland course schedule on our event calendar on www.streetandsport.co.nz.
Minimising the impact means recognising that some accidents are unavoidable, and so you take the steps needed to ensure that when you do have an off the damage to you is minimised, and most of that comes down to wearing the right gear. This is a big subject and beyond the scope of this email, and in time I’ll have some information on our website, but in the short term the ACC funded website www.rideforever.co.nz has some good stuff.
There are also things that you can do once an accident is inevitable. For example, when a sleeping driver pulls out in front of you or does a U turn while you’re passing them and you know that you’re going to hit, stand up in the pegs, or better still jump. That increases the chance that you’ll fly over the top and bounce angrily along the road and minimises the risk that you’ll slam into the side of the car having first removed your lower regions on the handlebars. I’ve never tried it, and hope I never do, but apparently it works.
And on the subject of riding season, the days are getting longer and things will soon start warming up. That means rallies, races, runs and events will start winding up, and if you want to plan your life use our events calendar. I am going to do my best to get as many South Island events on it as possible, but I do need your help. If you know of something happening that isn’t on the calendar, please let me know.
Mods and Rockers is now 4 weeks away and things are hotting up. We’re using the event to fund raise for the NZ Spinal Trust and for you $20.00 registration fee you get a patch, go in the draw to win a $450.00 helmet and get to have fun while feeling nice and self-righteous, but you need to register before 15 August or you pay more and miss out on the patch and the helmet draw. You’ll also pay more ($30.00), which means you get to feel even more self righteous, so it’s not all bad. Visit our website to enroll online.
Finally, we sell a lot of Ixon clothing. It’s bloody good gear and well priced, but Ixon are a French company. There’s nothing wrong with that (we won’t talk about the Rainbow Warrior or a couple of Rugby World Cup games), but the French don’t speak English. Despite this handicap they seem to have done OK for themselves, but the names Ixon chose for some of their jackets caused me some amusement. For example, us blokes get to show our style in a Specious, a Diablo Fiction and an Esko (short for Eskimo?), while the ladies stay safe and warm in a Pumpkin, a Capricious or a Chimera. And for the woman who wants to improve her love life, there are the Amorous leather pants.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
I was talking to a chap just the other day, and he commented that he’d seen Sean and I out on our bikes, but didn’t wave because he thought I was on a Jap bike, and it was only when he saw Sean’s Street Triple that he realised who it was. Needless to say, I was flabbergasted. Not that The Beloved could be mistaken for a Jap bike, but that there are still people who don’t wave at other bikers because of where their machine was built. I know they’re out there (usually the guys who don’t wave back), but I have never understood how someone can or can’t be acceptable to talk to/wave to just because of the writing on their tank. To me the caliber of the person holding onto the bars is more important in determining whether or not to say hello than where their bike was made, and I like to think that anyone on a bike is a good bastard and worth a wave until I am proven wrong.
But having said that, I am immensely proud of the writing on the Beloved’s tank, and love selling Triumphs – hell, I’d even go as far as saying they make some of the best bikes in the world. There is something very cool about owning a bike made by probably the last fully privately owned motor vehicle company in the world – John Bloor is the 100% owner of Triumph. And Triumph motorcycles are also different from any other bikes – in a world filled with four cylinder and V Twin bikes, Triumph build triples and parallel twins.
Something that makes me proud to sell Triumphs is the combination of legacy and vision. Triumphs have been a part of motorcycling since people first realised that sticking an engine in a bicycle was a better idea than riding a horse, and they’re very much part of New Zealand. I think all of us have had a Triumph in our lives at some stage – either through owning one personally or having a family member with one. I can still remember the awe I felt when my big brother turned up on his Daytona T100 – 500cc - what a monster!
While there is great pride in the brand’s legacy, Triumph is not resting on their heritage. As an example, the 2009 Daytona 675 is amongst the world’s most technologically advanced motorcycles, and is getting rave reviews from motorcycling journalists worldwide. And the Street Triple has become one of the most respected and sought after bikes in the world -just ask Sean. Triumph have invested heavily in state-of-the-art design and production facilities and I believe that their bikes are designed and built to be ridden in the real world, not designed with looks or race track performance as the primary design criteria.
There’s a lot of pride in riding a Triumph – you’re riding a bike that is as good as any bike on the road, you’re riding a brand with a great legacy and you’re riding something a little different - the Triumph byline of “go your own way” puts it perfectly.
Mods and Rockers: Momentum is building up and I’m regularly getting calls and emails from all over the country, so something tells me there’ll be a fair few of us. I’m looking forward to riding through the Lyttleton tunnel surrounded by dozens of bikes and scooters – the sound will be deafening, and I think we’ll turn a few heads. I’m charging $20.00 for pre-registering and going to donate the money to the NZ Spinal Trust – they’re a great organisation who help a lot of us out, and they don’t get a lot of money so we can really make a difference. If you register before the 15th of August you’ll get a fabric patch and go in the draw to win a KBC VR2 helmet valued at over $500.00. After the 15th the registration increases to $30, you won’t get a free patch and won’t go in the draw – I want as many people to pre-register as possible so I have a clear idea of numbers. There is a registration form on our website www.streetandsport.co.nz or you can register in person at the shop.
New bikes in stock. We were lucky enough to get our hands on a black Speedmaster that is unallocated and one of our customers was unable to go ahead with the America he ordered due to medical problems, so it’s now for sale. We also have an absolutely pristine 09 Daytona 675 with tons of extras and just 1600 kms on the clock, so if you have a hankering for the best sports bike on the road, now’s your chance. Check out our website for more info on these bikes. We also have a 2009 Bonneville A1 Demonstrator on the floor, so come and have a play with this lovely bike.
Phil is on holiday for 2 weeks, so don’t come looking for him because he’ll be on a beach in Rarotonga. Bastard.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Big Motorcycle Accidents - many of us have had one, none of us want to have another and a lot of them leave us thinking “how in hell did I survive THAT?” Mine was in 1982 - I was young, had a powerful motorcycle (by 1982 standards) and was at the tail end of a bottle of tequila when someone said he knew where there was a party and Nurses Would Be There. Of course the obvious happened, and soon after that I was in an ambulance heading for intensive care (where there were lots of nurses). I had a fractured skull, broken bones and a lot less blood than when I started out.
The beautiful nurses (is there another sort?) patched me up and a couple of months later I was out of hospital wondering how in hell I was going to rebuild my very broken motorcycle. While in hospital I received a lot of blood, and ever since then I have been a keen blood donor, donating pretty much as often as I can. The guys at NZ Blood Services are always in need of donors, and are incredibly grateful for any donations they get.
Because us bikers are all kind, decent folk, I thought it might be a good thing to go and do some group bleeding, and when I suggested it the NZBS guys were stoked and will set up a Monday night for us. They’ll organise a sausage sizzle in their donor rooms so we have something to eat, and swap our blood for a couple of chokkie bikkies and a cup of tea (sounds like a pretty sweet deal to me). It will happen in a couple of months, and then my thoughts were to either go for a beer afterwards or a short ride (probably both). They need to know numbers, so can you please email me back if you’re interested. No commitment, just so I can come back to them with an approximate number.
Thunderbirds are Go! I am told by the guys at Triumph that the Thunderbird has been awarded the title of ‘Cruiser of the Year’ by influential American motorcycle magazine Cycle World. Triumph has won at least one category in Cycle World’s ‘Ten Best Bikes’ issue every year for the last five years and full details of the 2009 awards will be found in the August edition of the magazine. We’re still expecting them at the end of August and we will have a demo bike.
Daytona – best sports bike in the world. The Daytona 675 has lifted the prestigious Supertest ‘King of Supersports’ award for an unprecedented fourth year in a row. Putting it into context, no other manufacturer has won the award even twice in a row.
The event, a collaboration between some of the world’s leading motorcycle publications, saw the magazines send their fastest testers to the Almeria circuit in Spain for a back-to-back comparison of the latest sportsbikes on standard tyres. Once again, the three-cylinder Triumph proved quicker than the Japanese machines to remain undefeated in the competition, having won first prize every year since the bike’s introduction in 2006.
Further confirmation of the updated-for-2009 Daytona 675’s superiority came from British weekly newspaper Motorcycle News, which not only declared the Daytona 675 as the best supersport class bike, but the best sports machine of any capacity on the market. In a demanding 2,000 mile comparison test on the iconic Isle of Man TT course, the Triumph was judged superior to the latest 1,000cc offerings from Aprilia, KTM and Yamaha, which MCN had deemed the best in their respective classes.
Commenting on its champion, MCN’s editorial said: “The Triumph Daytona charmed us with its mix of real-world ability, brilliant chassis, characterful engine and slick looks. The Triumph is the bike our testers would actually buy. In that regard it’s a deserving victor and so takes the title of MCN sports bike of the year.”
Mods and Rockers. On the 22nd of August we’re having our first ever Mods and Rockers run, and the interest is huge, and the scooter fraternity are really excited, which is good and bad. It’s good because the more the merrier and it’s bad because one of the criteria we will use to determine whether mods or rockers are superior is how many people are in each class, so get your bikes out, spread the word and let’s have every classic Brit bike and retro classic new bike we can.
That’s pretty much it for this week – as usual, if you want to be taken off my mailing list reply with the word “unsubscribe” in the subject header. Have a good weekend and I’ll see you on the road.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
On Thunderbirds, Mods and Rockers
Many of you will be familiar with one of my favourite watering holes, The Twisted Hop. It serves outstanding beer, good food and has a garden bar where I can park The Beloved and admire her over a cold pint, and across the alley is The Vespa Room. It dawned on me the other day that having a pub selling traditional English beer across from one with a Vespa theme just lent itself to motorcycling madness, or more specifically a Mods and Rockers run.
So in August we’ll be running the first Mods and Rockers run entitled “Winter Rumble 2009”. I’ve invited every scooter club I can find to join in, and we’ll be leaving from Street and Sport at 2.30 on Saturday 22 August and riding to New Brighton for a (non-violent) rumble to decide whether Mods or Rockers are superior. The tests will include a tug of war, a quiz, turnout numbers etc, and the winning faction will lead their vanquished foes on a ride back to Christchurch to Poplar lane, home of The Twisted Hop and The Vespa Room. Once there the good landlords of the aforementioned hostelries have promised to throw open their doors, wind up their beer taps and fire up their BBQs, all the while enjoying music and entertainment. And I have arranged secure and enclosed overnight storage for bikes and scooters, so we can enjoy the hospitality without worrying about drinking and riding.
Now comes the catch. The party is open to everyone, but the run is only open to classic (modern Bonnies, Thruxtons and Thunderbirds) and genuine period bikes (Nortons, Triumphs etc) and vintage and classic styled scooters. There will be prizes, including best dressed, best bike and best scooter. To find out more check out our website.
Thunderbirds. The arrival date of late August is fast approaching, and the buzz about the new T Birds is building. Triumph have released four You Tube videos of the bikes being built:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hH6UbZ_j1fo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juZSUL2SllI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StvQZzioVkE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSEaT6sl2ao
They’re well worth a look, especially when you watch this video clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-ABelgFdjA as a comparison.
New stock and demonstrators
We have a brand new Speedmaster in black, and there are a couple of people interested in it already so if you’re interested in one of these stunning bikes I suggest you call in and have a look quickly. We also have a brand new Bonneville A1 in black as a demonstrator which is available for test rides right now, and finally we have just taken delivery of a late 90s Thunderbird triple with 13,000 ks and in absolutely immaculate condition. It still has the sticker on the tank telling you how to run it in! Price is to be confirmed so give me a call or call in if you are interested in one of these bikes.
Friday, June 12, 2009
On not hitting trees, Greymouth 2009 and missing out on a RAT run
Greetings, a few years ago I took up mountain biking, and like most new mountain bikers I found myself blasting (or more accurately gasping) around Bottle Lake. Now for those of you who don’t know the area, Bottle Lake is a forest which means lots of trees, and the track often passes between said trees. Being a careful rider I’d keep my eye on the trees I was riding between to make sure I didn’t hit them, and most of the time I did just that – hit them.
After a while the novelty of hitting trees wore thin, so I slowed down, which was good because I hit the trees at a slower speed and bad because I still hit them. Then it dawned on me – target fixation. Instead of looking at the tree, I looked at the area of track between the trees, and as if by magic I stopped hitting trees and fell off in completely different places. Which is why I don’t ride a mountain bike any more.
Target fixation describes the phenomenon of going where you’re looking and on a motorcycle (or pushbike) can work for or against you. If you look at this You Tube clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZFpIpaFMlc, you will see that the first rider was obviously worried about going over the bank so instead of watching the corner looked at the bank. Which he then rode down while his mate, who was busy watching him head into the ditch, damn near followed him.
If you look at a racer taking a corner you’ll see that they’re usually almost looking over their shoulder around the corner they’re taking. What they’re doing is looking at the exact piece of track where they want to be because the way bikes work means that is exactly where they will be.
On the road the same applies – set your line through the corner, look where you want to go through the corner and where you want to exit, and that’s where you’ll go.
However on the road you need to add an extra facet – intentionally don’t look where you don’t want to be. That may sound like gobbledygook, but if you see a pothole, a possum or a tourist in a campervan in the middle of your lane, ignore them and look at the piece of road beside them (unless you want to take some time off work on ACC) because if you look at the possum/campervan/pothole etc, you will almost certainly ride into it. The same applies to the white line in the centre of the road when you’re in a right hand turn. Focus your eyes on the road at least a metre to the left of the white line, not the white line because if your wheels are on the white line and you’re leaning to the right, your head is in the opposing lane which could have you head butting an SUV. Potentially very ugly.
On a different subject, somewhere I’m definitely looking at being is* Greymouth this Labour Weekend for the 2009 Street Races *and I’ve booked enough beds at the Breeze Motel for up to 22 people (including seperate rooms for up to 5 couples). Accomodation works out to around $50 - $60 a night and the Breeze is a great motel and one of the closest to the track (and the pubs). Call/email me as soon as you can to book your place.
And thanks to those who came on the *RAT run last Sunday *- it was a great ride, the traffic was light and we had no rain. In the last 18 months I think we’ve only had 1 ride where it rained for more than a few kms. I've had a couple of people say "I don't want to come on a RAT run because I'm too slow, which is an understandable concern because many of us are experienced riders on fast bikes, only thing is we don't ride all that fast. The open road speed limit is 100 kmh, and because I love having a license; that's the speed I tend to ride at (or close to it). Some people like to go on ahead, and often come the windy bits some people will give their bikes a bit of wrist, but most of the time we travel at a pretty leisurely speed. And it doesn't matter what you ride either - we often have several non-Triumphs on a RAT ride and I don't think anyone really cares what other people ride.We take regular breaks (usually every hour or so) and while we usually have a pub as our midway point, most of us only have one small beer with a meal because drinking and riding is pretty dumb. The people on RAT runs are usually pretty friendly and we focus on careful and considerate riding.
I've often thought *Sidecar racing* looks like a lot of fun and if you've ever wanted to have a go on a sidecar, Graeme Harris is organising a have-a-go day at Ruapuna next Friday the 19th of June. Cost is a donation to cover costs which would have to make it the cheapest adrenaline fix in town - how does 0 - 100 mph and back to 0 in under 8 seconds sound? Phil will be there on his old rig, so get on down there - there will be 4 sidecars there, so you'll definitely have a go. Give me a call or drop me an email.
Finally we’re planning a *Mods and Rockers run on Aug 22^nd , *which will be open to all Vespas and classic scooters and 60s vintage Brit bikes, Bonnevilles, Thruxtons and custom café racers. We’ll ride across to Brighton (where else) where we’ll have a contest to decide the superiority between Mods and Rockers (nothing violent), then ride back to Christchurch and meet at Poplar Lane for drinks and motorcycle/scooter admiration at The Twisted Hop and The Vespa Room. You will hear more.
That’s it for now, have a great weekend and if you want to be taken off the mailing list simply reply with “unsubscribe” in the subject line.
David Thompson
www.streetandsport.co.nz
After a while the novelty of hitting trees wore thin, so I slowed down, which was good because I hit the trees at a slower speed and bad because I still hit them. Then it dawned on me – target fixation. Instead of looking at the tree, I looked at the area of track between the trees, and as if by magic I stopped hitting trees and fell off in completely different places. Which is why I don’t ride a mountain bike any more.
Target fixation describes the phenomenon of going where you’re looking and on a motorcycle (or pushbike) can work for or against you. If you look at this You Tube clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZFpIpaFMlc, you will see that the first rider was obviously worried about going over the bank so instead of watching the corner looked at the bank. Which he then rode down while his mate, who was busy watching him head into the ditch, damn near followed him.
If you look at a racer taking a corner you’ll see that they’re usually almost looking over their shoulder around the corner they’re taking. What they’re doing is looking at the exact piece of track where they want to be because the way bikes work means that is exactly where they will be.
On the road the same applies – set your line through the corner, look where you want to go through the corner and where you want to exit, and that’s where you’ll go.
However on the road you need to add an extra facet – intentionally don’t look where you don’t want to be. That may sound like gobbledygook, but if you see a pothole, a possum or a tourist in a campervan in the middle of your lane, ignore them and look at the piece of road beside them (unless you want to take some time off work on ACC) because if you look at the possum/campervan/pothole etc, you will almost certainly ride into it. The same applies to the white line in the centre of the road when you’re in a right hand turn. Focus your eyes on the road at least a metre to the left of the white line, not the white line because if your wheels are on the white line and you’re leaning to the right, your head is in the opposing lane which could have you head butting an SUV. Potentially very ugly.
On a different subject, somewhere I’m definitely looking at being is* Greymouth this Labour Weekend for the 2009 Street Races *and I’ve booked enough beds at the Breeze Motel for up to 22 people (including seperate rooms for up to 5 couples). Accomodation works out to around $50 - $60 a night and the Breeze is a great motel and one of the closest to the track (and the pubs). Call/email me as soon as you can to book your place.
And thanks to those who came on the *RAT run last Sunday *- it was a great ride, the traffic was light and we had no rain. In the last 18 months I think we’ve only had 1 ride where it rained for more than a few kms. I've had a couple of people say "I don't want to come on a RAT run because I'm too slow, which is an understandable concern because many of us are experienced riders on fast bikes, only thing is we don't ride all that fast. The open road speed limit is 100 kmh, and because I love having a license; that's the speed I tend to ride at (or close to it). Some people like to go on ahead, and often come the windy bits some people will give their bikes a bit of wrist, but most of the time we travel at a pretty leisurely speed. And it doesn't matter what you ride either - we often have several non-Triumphs on a RAT ride and I don't think anyone really cares what other people ride.We take regular breaks (usually every hour or so) and while we usually have a pub as our midway point, most of us only have one small beer with a meal because drinking and riding is pretty dumb. The people on RAT runs are usually pretty friendly and we focus on careful and considerate riding.
I've often thought *Sidecar racing* looks like a lot of fun and if you've ever wanted to have a go on a sidecar, Graeme Harris is organising a have-a-go day at Ruapuna next Friday the 19th of June. Cost is a donation to cover costs which would have to make it the cheapest adrenaline fix in town - how does 0 - 100 mph and back to 0 in under 8 seconds sound? Phil will be there on his old rig, so get on down there - there will be 4 sidecars there, so you'll definitely have a go. Give me a call or drop me an email.
Finally we’re planning a *Mods and Rockers run on Aug 22^nd , *which will be open to all Vespas and classic scooters and 60s vintage Brit bikes, Bonnevilles, Thruxtons and custom café racers. We’ll ride across to Brighton (where else) where we’ll have a contest to decide the superiority between Mods and Rockers (nothing violent), then ride back to Christchurch and meet at Poplar Lane for drinks and motorcycle/scooter admiration at The Twisted Hop and The Vespa Room. You will hear more.
That’s it for now, have a great weekend and if you want to be taken off the mailing list simply reply with “unsubscribe” in the subject line.
David Thompson
www.streetandsport.co.nz
Friday, June 5, 2009
On winter riding, the Hundalees and Greymouth
Greetings, it's now around 4 months to what is, in my rarely humble opinion, one of the highlights of the motorcycling calendar - the Greymouth Street Races. If you haven't been, book Labour Weekend now. Street races are a fantastic spectator event because you can watch the whole race from everywhere on the track - sick of one corner? Simple, walk to the next, or a straight or a chicane; and if you find that thirst has got the better of you there are several pubs staffed by experts in saving people from the ravages of thirst. And the ride to Greymouth beats the ride to Ruapuna hands down (unless you're a Coaster).
Last year a dozen or so of us rode across together, installed ourselves in a motel and had one of those legendary weekends that life should be filled with. We're doing it again this year and if you'd like to be part of the fun I need to know before the end of the month so I can book motel accommodation. As always it doesn't matter what you ride or how you ride (or even if you ride - support vehicles are always welcome), just as long as you love bikes and want to have a great weekend. If you want to know what it's like at Greymouth check out our website - in the Across the Divide section there are some photos I took, and for a full experience don't forget we're selling our DVD of the event - normally $34.95 but you can have it for $29.95.
This Sunday we're having our monthly RAT ride and I'm planning a ride to Kaikoura up through the Hundalees and am intending to leave from behind the shop at 10.30 and I'll be riding regardless of weather (unless it's snowing). If you're interested, I have put together an article on winter riding which is available if you want - just reply back to this email with "article" in the subject line and I'll send it to you.
Finally, I was musing in my philosophical peregrinations (my jeans were in the wash) on the truly sensual experience that is motorcycling. People often comment that sound and looks are an important factor in their bike choice, something they're sometimes a little embarrassed to admit. Personally I think how a bike looks and sounds is as important as the horsepower, the suspension and the comfort. When I walk out to the shed, open the door and look at The Beloved, the first thing that pops into my head is "damn that's a beautiful looking motorcycle". When I go to the pub or a cafe I like to park her where I can see her because she is such a stunning example of motorcycle art, and I love the sound of that triple when I wind her out - there is no sound that sends tingles up the spine like an angry triple. Our most popular accessories are aftermarket pipes because not only do they give more power but they release the note that Euro 3 noise restrictions have imprisoned in red tape and paranoia.
I once heard riding a bike described as perfect dancing, and that's an analogy I can agree with. When you watch expert dancers, they share an intuitive connection where both partners know exactly what their partner is going to do, seemingly before they do it, as they respond, flow and move together with a grace that is crafted by the music. Dancing is not something I do very often (much to the relief of potential dance partners), but when I ride, my bike and I flow together in a unity that shaped by the curves and corners of the road. I don't need to dance, riding is much better.
Maybe that's why bikes are so addictive? They sound good, look good and feel amazing; there really is nothing that compares. And on that note, I have work to do so I'm outta here. As usual, if you don't want to get any more emails, reply with "unsubscribe" in the subject line, and this email has been posted on my Blog which can be found on our website www.streetandsport.co.nz for those who want to make comments.
David.
Street and Sport Motorcycles, 03 366 2201
Last year a dozen or so of us rode across together, installed ourselves in a motel and had one of those legendary weekends that life should be filled with. We're doing it again this year and if you'd like to be part of the fun I need to know before the end of the month so I can book motel accommodation. As always it doesn't matter what you ride or how you ride (or even if you ride - support vehicles are always welcome), just as long as you love bikes and want to have a great weekend. If you want to know what it's like at Greymouth check out our website - in the Across the Divide section there are some photos I took, and for a full experience don't forget we're selling our DVD of the event - normally $34.95 but you can have it for $29.95.
This Sunday we're having our monthly RAT ride and I'm planning a ride to Kaikoura up through the Hundalees and am intending to leave from behind the shop at 10.30 and I'll be riding regardless of weather (unless it's snowing). If you're interested, I have put together an article on winter riding which is available if you want - just reply back to this email with "article" in the subject line and I'll send it to you.
Finally, I was musing in my philosophical peregrinations (my jeans were in the wash) on the truly sensual experience that is motorcycling. People often comment that sound and looks are an important factor in their bike choice, something they're sometimes a little embarrassed to admit. Personally I think how a bike looks and sounds is as important as the horsepower, the suspension and the comfort. When I walk out to the shed, open the door and look at The Beloved, the first thing that pops into my head is "damn that's a beautiful looking motorcycle". When I go to the pub or a cafe I like to park her where I can see her because she is such a stunning example of motorcycle art, and I love the sound of that triple when I wind her out - there is no sound that sends tingles up the spine like an angry triple. Our most popular accessories are aftermarket pipes because not only do they give more power but they release the note that Euro 3 noise restrictions have imprisoned in red tape and paranoia.
I once heard riding a bike described as perfect dancing, and that's an analogy I can agree with. When you watch expert dancers, they share an intuitive connection where both partners know exactly what their partner is going to do, seemingly before they do it, as they respond, flow and move together with a grace that is crafted by the music. Dancing is not something I do very often (much to the relief of potential dance partners), but when I ride, my bike and I flow together in a unity that shaped by the curves and corners of the road. I don't need to dance, riding is much better.
Maybe that's why bikes are so addictive? They sound good, look good and feel amazing; there really is nothing that compares. And on that note, I have work to do so I'm outta here. As usual, if you don't want to get any more emails, reply with "unsubscribe" in the subject line, and this email has been posted on my Blog which can be found on our website www.streetandsport.co.nz for those who want to make comments.
David.
Street and Sport Motorcycles, 03 366 2201
Thursday, May 28, 2009
On late nights, brass monkeys and flat batteries
Greetings, and for those hardy souls off to the Brass Monkey – bastards, I can’t make it this year due to unforeseen circumstances and I hope you have a crap time standing round that bonfire drinking beer telling lies, and I don’t wish I was there, really I don’t. If you’re going and want to rub it in my face, we’re closing at six from now (Wednesday) until Friday night for anyone who needs anything before they go.
For those of you who are thinking of parking their bikes up over winter, you your battery is quite likely to be as flat as the road to Timaru when Summer arrives. The easy solution is a battery minder, and we carry them in stock, priced at around $149.00. Simply plug it in and forget it and when you come in from a ride hook your bike up when you get home and you’ll always have a full battery.
If you do end up with a flat battery and if, like me, you’re too old to run down the road and jump on your bike jump starting your bike with jumper leads is the best solution, but there are a few things you need to consider. Once your bike is going leave it connected to the other vehicle with both vehicles idling for a few minutes. This is especially important if the battery was really flat to begin with. If you use a car charger, charge on the lowest rate you can because a bike battery may well fry if current is pumped into it at the rate car batteries can handle.
And if you’re planning to park your bike up over winter and are coming up to time for a service, get it done before you park up. Bikes like being serviced and repay you with running at their best, so getting your bike serviced a couple of thousand of Ks early is ultimately a good thing. Second come summer the workshop goes ballistic and we hate telling customers to go away and finally old oil is filled with contaminants, including acids and moisture. Leaving the delicate internals of your bike in contact with old oil for several months is not going to make your bike feel happy and that unhappiness may well be voiced in mechanical problems down the road.
Later, David Thompson
www.streetandsport.co.nz
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Email from 29 April 2009
over the weekend I met up with some friends at the Dux, and as I was getting ready to go, one of them said "now you be careful out there". That kind of comment is on a par with "Oh, but motorcycles are so dangerous" and the other classic "it's not you, it's the other people on the road" - do I look stupid? (OK, don't answer that please, it was a rhetorical question). I'm not going to get on The Beloved and ride carelessly - hell, it took me a long time to find her and the thought of damaging her scares me almost as much as the thought of hurting myself. And I know motorcycles are dangerous - do people think I wear an expensive helmet because it makes my bum look small? (definitely don't answer that one). "Oh, thank you for telling me - I had absolutely no idea they were dangerous, I think I'll give up riding now and buy a Volvo". And if you're really worried about how other people put me at risk, then do us all a favour and either buy a bike or walk. The less cars on the road the safer I am, so thank you for your concern for my safety, put your words into action by keeping off the road.
It reminds me of a quote by Sir Walter Scott: “One hour of life, crowded to the full with glorious action, and filled with noble risks, is worth whole years of those mean observances of paltry decorum". I know motorcycling is risky, but I want to live not stagnate.
It reminds me of a quote by Sir Walter Scott: “One hour of life, crowded to the full with glorious action, and filled with noble risks, is worth whole years of those mean observances of paltry decorum". I know motorcycling is risky, but I want to live not stagnate.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Greetings and welcome to my new blog. People keep telling me that they want to be able to post responses to my emails, and in an acknowledgment of the world of Web 2.0 welcome to my foray into the world of blogging.
Workshop. We're lucky to have Stefan working with us for a few weeks, and in case you don't know him, Stefan is the guy with the radical Rocket with the 3 into one and pod filters. It's meant that we've been able to get on top of all our work and can start working on bikes other than Triumphs, so if you need to have work done on your bike and want it done properly, we have 3 top mechanics in the shop. We also have some serious skill and experience in suspension setup and performance mods, so if you want to get more from your bike we can quite probably help.
Upcoming events:
This Sunday 10 May, Round one of the Bears Racing at Ruapuna. Always a good day's racing and a chance to watch the Daytona 675s show the Italians how to go fast.
Have a go day, Saturday 16 May, Levels Raceway, Timaru. If you can brave the straight line between Christchurch and Timaru, next Saturday is a have a go day. It doesn't matter what you ride, how well you ride or how fast you ride, having a blat on a race track is always fun and a good chance to practice braking and cornering. Give us a call on 03 366 2201 for more info.
The rally season is pretty well behind us, with the Brass Monkey the next item on the agenda. If you're planning to go, we're going to have a big winter sale at the shop on Thursday 21st of May. For Brass Monkey newbies (myself included) we'll get a couple of old hands to run through what happens, what to bring, what to watch out for etc.
Thinking about rallies, it brought to mind the community aspect of what it means to be a motorcyclist. In the 21st century we live in a world where marriages often don't last, typically we move house every few years so we never form neighbourhood bonds, we change our jobs every couple of years and communal and social activities are losing popularity. It's an innate part of the human condition to seek communal identity, yet we have created a society without community. Unless you're a motorcyclist.
We all know that connection to the complete stranger filling up at the gas station, and we've probably all wandered across to chew the fat before carrying on our separate journeys. Most of us still wave or nod to the rider heading the other direction and most of us have riding buddies that we enjoy riding with and having a cold one with at the end of the ride. There is no doubt that motorcycling is something that has created a sense of community, and one much deeper than car drivers or even specific brand of car drivers experience, but why?
I think partly because what we do has an innate risk attached to it there is a sense of "sharing the danger", something like what soldiers in battle would experience. There's also the reality that sometimes riding a bike is not all that comfortable (a nice way of saying "bloody miserable"), and again the person riding the other way knows what you're experiencing including the perverse sense of pride that comes from doing the ks in crap conditions brings. But they also know that feeling of ecstatic exhilaration that only a motorcyclist experiences when they ride a windy road well. Or the sense of connection with the environment that only comes from being in the wind, through smelling the forests and paddocks, feeling the warmth of the sun of the chill of the shade.
Riding a bike is something special that only people who do it will ever understand, and most of us have a sense of oneness with each other, however fleeting. What we have is something that very few people enjoy in the 21st century - a sense of community, and it's that sense of community that means most weekends you'll see a bunch of riders out together, or sitting in a pub or cafe sharing a meal or a drink and why rallies are so much fun. Just another reason why I love riding bikes so much.
That's pretty much it, stay on the road and don't leave your bike in the shed this winter - it deserves better.
David Thompson
www.streetandsport.co.nz
Workshop. We're lucky to have Stefan working with us for a few weeks, and in case you don't know him, Stefan is the guy with the radical Rocket with the 3 into one and pod filters. It's meant that we've been able to get on top of all our work and can start working on bikes other than Triumphs, so if you need to have work done on your bike and want it done properly, we have 3 top mechanics in the shop. We also have some serious skill and experience in suspension setup and performance mods, so if you want to get more from your bike we can quite probably help.
Upcoming events:
This Sunday 10 May, Round one of the Bears Racing at Ruapuna. Always a good day's racing and a chance to watch the Daytona 675s show the Italians how to go fast.
Have a go day, Saturday 16 May, Levels Raceway, Timaru. If you can brave the straight line between Christchurch and Timaru, next Saturday is a have a go day. It doesn't matter what you ride, how well you ride or how fast you ride, having a blat on a race track is always fun and a good chance to practice braking and cornering. Give us a call on 03 366 2201 for more info.
The rally season is pretty well behind us, with the Brass Monkey the next item on the agenda. If you're planning to go, we're going to have a big winter sale at the shop on Thursday 21st of May. For Brass Monkey newbies (myself included) we'll get a couple of old hands to run through what happens, what to bring, what to watch out for etc.
Thinking about rallies, it brought to mind the community aspect of what it means to be a motorcyclist. In the 21st century we live in a world where marriages often don't last, typically we move house every few years so we never form neighbourhood bonds, we change our jobs every couple of years and communal and social activities are losing popularity. It's an innate part of the human condition to seek communal identity, yet we have created a society without community. Unless you're a motorcyclist.
We all know that connection to the complete stranger filling up at the gas station, and we've probably all wandered across to chew the fat before carrying on our separate journeys. Most of us still wave or nod to the rider heading the other direction and most of us have riding buddies that we enjoy riding with and having a cold one with at the end of the ride. There is no doubt that motorcycling is something that has created a sense of community, and one much deeper than car drivers or even specific brand of car drivers experience, but why?
I think partly because what we do has an innate risk attached to it there is a sense of "sharing the danger", something like what soldiers in battle would experience. There's also the reality that sometimes riding a bike is not all that comfortable (a nice way of saying "bloody miserable"), and again the person riding the other way knows what you're experiencing including the perverse sense of pride that comes from doing the ks in crap conditions brings. But they also know that feeling of ecstatic exhilaration that only a motorcyclist experiences when they ride a windy road well. Or the sense of connection with the environment that only comes from being in the wind, through smelling the forests and paddocks, feeling the warmth of the sun of the chill of the shade.
Riding a bike is something special that only people who do it will ever understand, and most of us have a sense of oneness with each other, however fleeting. What we have is something that very few people enjoy in the 21st century - a sense of community, and it's that sense of community that means most weekends you'll see a bunch of riders out together, or sitting in a pub or cafe sharing a meal or a drink and why rallies are so much fun. Just another reason why I love riding bikes so much.
That's pretty much it, stay on the road and don't leave your bike in the shed this winter - it deserves better.
David Thompson
www.streetandsport.co.nz
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