Street Triple vs. Blackbird - some thoughts so far

Coromandel Peninsula, NZEdit Pages

There are few absolutes in life excepting the laws of physics (and some of those are a bit shaky too).  The same goes for motorcycles and how they're regarded across the spectrum of bike owners.  It's principally what they're used for which defines how good they are, apart from the occasional genuine lemon which sinks without trace.  Also, an inexperienced motorcyclist is probably going to have a different view of a bike when stepping up in capacity than an experienced rider who is heading the other way - just like me in fact!

The decision to move from a Honda Blackbird owned for 8 years to a Triumph Street Triple was for a number of reasons but the main driver centred around increasing age, short legs and a heavy, tall(ish) bike in the shape of the Blackbird. I’ve loved that bike with a passion. It’s seen me through long distance events like the Southern Cross round NZ in 5 days ride and Grand Challenge 1000 miles in 24 hours, through to racetrack behaviour round East Cape with the lads and even occasionally pootling along with Jennie for a laid-back cruise. From the outset, a conscious decision was made NOT to replace it with a pure sports bike as it would be all too easy to make direct comparisons with something that became part of my soul. Dissatisfaction and regret lies in that direction!

However, one of the non-negotiable criteria after owning a ‘bird was something with errr… “decent” performance.  A lighter, more nimble bike might be more suitable for the area we live in but that didn't mean that horsepower had to be substantially sacrificed too.  In previous posts, I've mentioned the circumstances which lead to buying the Triple but having now covered just over 2500 km from new, it's probably worth giving a broad outline of my thoughts so far.

Let's start with something which has only dawned on me since letting the 'bird go......  the realisation that I didn't entirely trust myself to ride sensibly on it.  Sure it was fast and had blinding acceleration but there's more to it than that.  It was the absolute ease with which it built speed and to be honest, the only time you really felt that you were starting to get involved was at a pace seriously above the speed limit.  This also meant being the fastest thing on the road on many occasions and slower traffic could become a nuisance. Passing other traffic at pace, even done safely; can also bring unwanted attention and I'm probably fortunate to have escaped any serious interrogation by the authorities during Blackbird ownership.  It's a fair comment that self-control is all that's required to moderate speed but with a bike which is built for cruising at twice the legal speed limit in NZ, easier said than done as it's all too easy to cut loose; hence the comment about not entirely trusting myself.

Tongariro National Park, NZ

For a couple of weeks after switching to the Triple, probably also accentuated by observing running-in protocols, there was an odd feeling about moving to a smaller capacity bike.  If  I'm perfectly honest, this was probably due in part to a touch of testosterone (bigger is better) or as Jennie would succinctly put it: "Little Willy Syndrome".  Fortunately, that quickly passed!

In terms of specifics, the first thing I really noticed was the light weight of the Triple, plus the centre of gravity is noticeably lower than the 'bird.  Whilst the difference is less noticeable when riding, the biggest benefit to me is manoeuvring it when standing alongside the bike.  Our house is at the end of a steep drive with lots of off-cambers and relatively little flat ground. Not being tall, I always had to take a lot of care when walking the 'bird out of the shed backwards in case it got away on me - no such worries on the Triple.

On the road, the short wheelbase, geometry and light weight makes direction-changing a piece of cake.  The 227kg dry weight of the 'bird, even with substantial suspension changes meant that in the tight stuff, a bit of preparation and precision was required regarding lines.  The 167 kg Triple simply doesn’t seem to care; it’ll handle anything even if you’re a bit sloppy and need a second bite.  It makes even an average rider like me look good!  The OEM Dunlop Qualifiers (French, not Japanese made) fitted to the Triumph stick very well in dry conditions but are less effective than either the Avon Storm or Avon VP2 in the wet.  That's not to say they're a bad tyre though.  They also tend to want to "drop" into a corner rather than roll in a controlled manner - another plus to both Avons and it will be VP2's (Sport or Supersport as per photo) that go on when the Qualifiers are worn out .

Both bikes have excellent brakes but the light weight and short wheelbase of the Triumph makes it prone to unloading the rear end under heavy braking.  I first discovered this when anchoring up for a steer that decided to bolt onto the road from an open paddock gate.  The rear brake was useless with the tyre an inch or so off the deck but it still pulled up quickly and with no drama, the only side effect being a seriously elevated heart rate! 

In terms of handling uneven surfaces, the 'bird evens them out more effectively whereas the Triple jumps about a lot more but is still faster in the tight stuff.  The jumpiness is not in a scary way but it doesn't seem so well-planted as the 'bird.  The comparison is probably a little unfair as the 'bird had a top of the line Penske shock and modified front forks whereas the Triumph OEM suspension is clearly built to a price.  Had the Honda retained its OEM suspension, the comparison would have been a lot closer.  The Triumph is not really suitable for 2 up riding over longer distances (say 600+km in one haul).  The minimalist rear seat and high pegs would soon take their toll and a passenger would also compromise luggage-carrying ability.  Those limitations are just fine for my current needs though.

On the open road away from the tight stuff, the 'bird wins every time.  Better protection from the elements, big lazy donk making long distance high speed cruising an effortless affair.  The higher revs of the Triple for a given speed were slightly disconcerting during early ownership but like most things, you get used to it.  It will be interesting to reflect on long distance suitability when the 1000 miles in 24 hours Grand Challenge has been undertaken later this year!

Most modern big bike owners will rarely explore the top end of its speed capability and in most circumstances, the incredible acceleration and roll-on capability is the key to making real progress.  This is where I thought that the Triple would seriously lose out but I was in for a real surprise!  Using dyno data from "Bike" magazine and dividing by dry weight, the Blackbird delivers ~ 0.62 bhp/kg and amazingly, the Triple delivers a shade under 0.6 bhp/kg - not a lot of difference, especially where wind resistance at higher speeds isn't a major factor! It also delivers ~85% of maximum torque at 3000 rpm, making it unlikely that you'll ever be caught in the wrong gear when wanting to overtake in a hurry;  another "plus" in the real world and gives a significant advantage over pure 600cc sports bikes.  With a 0-100 km time of 3.3 seconds and a top speed in excess of 230 km/hr, it's no slug at either end of the performance spectrum, compared with the Blackbird's 2.7 secs and around 290 km/hr at the top end!

With longer distances between towns than in Europe for instance, a decent range is important to a lot of Kiwis; especially if you have a preference for long haul riding.  The Blackbird was always good for 300+ km between fills on most outings.  The Triple is still pretty good though and with moderate control of the right wrist, 280+ km is achievable.

In terms of ergonomics, the Triple is more comfortable at moderate speeds with the small Italian Barracuda aftermarket screen proving to be quite effective and the relatively high, wide bars of the Triumph also keep the load off the wrists on longer journeys.  The 'bird is clearly superior at higher speeds because of better protection. Seat-wise, there's probably not much to choose between either bikes in standard trim BUT the Rider brand seat I fitted to the 'bird for long distance events was a design of sheer genius.  Ride for as long as you like and the result was always the same - no "numb bum" whatsoever.

In terms of finish and attention to detail, the Triumph doesn't appear much different from the legendary build quality of Hondas in most respects.  Only time will tell whether the paint holds up as well but I've taken the precaution of having 3M clearfilm applied in the high wear areas as insurance.  The only poor bit of engineering I've discovered on the Triumph is where the headlight brackets attach to the inside of the chrome shells -  a rust trap if ever I've seen one! A preventative spray of the inside of the headlight shell with chain wax whilst I was fitting a bulb upgrade is good insurance in my humble opinion.  Whilst on the subject of lights, both the Blackbird and Triple lights are "adequate" for night riding in unlit areas, but not really up to it when the unlit areas are twisty too.  The headlight design of the 'bird with a sharp beam cutoff was an issue, but largely fixed by fitting 100W bulbs.  The OEM bulbs in the Triple gave a good spread but simply weren't bright enough.  I'm not game to fit 100W bulbs because of the small headlamp volume but switching to Osram Nightbreakers have made a substantial improvement and we'll leave it at that for the time being.

The only other noteworthy comparison at this stage of ownership is an audible one!  I loved the standard exhaust cans on the Blackbird.  Their quietness didn't attract unwelcome attention and somehow seemed to make the bike's performance even more outrageous.  The howl from the airbox when giving it a handful was also pretty impressive.  With the Triumph being naked, the whistle from the injectors and cam chain is a bit more intrusive at low speeds but the snarl from the airbox when the throttle is opened is guaranteed to give even a 60+ year old a hard-on and should be bottled and sold as an alternative to Viagra!

Finally, it really is true what all the motorcycling journalists say.  The Street Triple is a lunatic of a bike which encourages immoderate behaviour.  Part pit-bull, part lairy teenager with spots; it wants to have a go at everyone and everything.  It might even hump your leg if you stand close for a bit too long.  I really don't know why but so help me, even at 60 plus years of age, I'm finding myself swept along by its "fu*k you" attitude!

So there we have it.  Two bikes that I absolutely love but built with a different "fitness for purpose" in mind. For where I live now and the type of riding I normally do, the Triumph is close to the perfect choice if I'm only going to have one bike in the garage.  That's not likely to change with the various toys I've already got!

Update:  More about the Triple in more recent posts, including 1000 miles (1600 km) in under 24 hours HERE, accessories, tyres and laser wheel alignment. Use the search bar near the top of the blog.  There is also a long-term review in an August 2010 post HERE.

An Introspective Day

One of my close friends and Blackbird-riding buddies has developed a serious medical condition and is about to commence treatment.  I rode up to Auckland yesterday and joined up with our other close riding partners/mates to spend the day with him.  You can't but help have some trepidations but as it turned out, we all had a ball with plenty of banter flying and non-stop laughter.  Not the sort of banter and laughter to cover a potentially awkward situation, but the honest, straightforward and disarmingly direct conversations which you can have between true friends.  I feel both humbled and incredibly privileged to have friends of that calibre.  None of our riding group are at all religious and it seems somewhat hypocritical but we'll be offering up a few prayers over the coming months.  The prognosis is good and we'll be there to keep his spirits up.  It does, however, reinforce the notion that you should never put off anything that you really want to do in life.

On a happier note, I took our daughter Victoria for a ride today.  It's been 4 years since she came on the back of a bike and she's as good as her mother - you'd hardly know either of them are on the back.  Victoria graduated with a Masters degree in Psychology late last year and works with prisoner rehabilitation in the Justice system - we're incredibly proud of her.  She's feisty and scares the hell out of me.  I'm picking that the prisoners tread warily too!

Why do we ride motorcycles???

The Blackbird with central north island volcanoes in the background

I've been passionate about bikes since I was 5.  Sure, I love other stuff too like sailing and fishing but passionate is stretching it a bit for all but bikes. Other interests have come and gone but the one constant is motorcycles.  This needs a bit of thinking about...

What follows is a collection of personal thoughts which probably account for the majority of reasons why I ride. Feedback from others who read this will probably reveal a few more. I’ve also come to the conclusion that "WHY” is a moving target and changes as you rack up the years on two wheels. (Note that the word “maturity” has been carefully avoided!) At the end of the day, the “WHY” is nowhere near as important as the fact that we actually DO ride, but it’s fun thinking about it!

Writing this is really difficult, at least to make some sense out of all the things which contribute to a love of two wheels. Perhaps a love of bikes is an unquantifiable sum of a whole load of things which affect the head and heart, rather than being able to boil it down with mathematical precision. And if it’s so hard to quantify, is that really such a bad thing?

I’m inclined to think that there a number of “core” factors which everyone who rides would agree on as being central with respect to why they ride. There are others which will depend on the individual and how long they’ve been riding and what experiences they’ve gone through. As mentioned previously, this means that the “why” will change over time. By way of example, it’s almost as if to become a more complete rider, it’s necessary to pass through the “Ride like a twat” phase first, and even re-visiting various stages from time to time! (But as a friend put it with his tongue half in his cheek - with the confidence and authority which a mature rider brings to such behaviour!)

Is it a particular type of person who has a lifelong attachment to bikes? Do bikes help to shape a persons’ character? Perhaps it’s a combination of both.  Anyway, on to some of the thinking behind the things I’ve identified as to why I ride, not in any particular order of importance. It’s a purely personal viewpoint but sure that other riders will understand my feelings. Would love to hear your comments!

1.  PERSONAL FREEDOM
For me, a bike is not a means of transport as such. It’s a means of undertaking journeys, which is a whole lot different than merely travelling from A to B. It almost falls into the area of spirituality. It would be rare to complete a trip in a car and feel uplifted from the trip itself.

Awareness of surroundings. I love the heightened perspective that riding a bike gives in comparison with driving a car. Almost subconsciously noting potential hazards through both visual cues and smells, getting feedback from the road surface, all leading to a greater awareness and appreciation of your surroundings.You feel alive, intimately involved in the journey. Although I love music in the car, I don't wear an iPod on the bike so perhaps with everything else that's going on is more than enough for me.

Risk, challenge, excitement. Few would disagree that riding a bike exposes you to more risk than a car but isn’t living with risk and overcoming it part of the appeal? In today’s largely predictable, politically correct and over-regulated world, isn’t risk, challenge and excitement a worthwhile antidote? Do bike riders possess more of the “pioneer spirit”, enthusiasm and drive which helped shape our cultures than the average person? I’d certainly like to think so.

On your own, but not alone. Whether riding solo or in a bunch, there is always an opportunity to have your own thoughts / headspace. I’m equally at home riding either solo or in a group of people I trust implicitly although the type of satisfaction you get from solo or group riding is often quite different. Most importantly, I’ve never felt bored on even the most mundane of journeys whilst riding a motorcycle – there’s still more than enough to fill the senses!

Camaraderie. Pull into a remote stopping point to find another biker already there will almost always result in a conversation being struck up, irrespective of the type of bike being ridden or any other differences. The same applies to finding another biker in trouble when assistance is given without question. This bond is yet another indicator that riding a bike is special, and has little to do with simply getting from A to B.

2.  BEING AS ONE WITH THE BIKE
Being able to blend rider and machine into one entity on a journey is always hugely satisfying, but why is it sometimes so difficult to achieve? Occasionally, I set out on a ride with great enthusiasm, only to completely stuff up everything I do and not feel in proper control of the bike or aware of the surrounding conditions. On other occasions, I can set off feeling completely out of sorts; yet have a blinder of ride. Why is that??

“Zen state” riding. All too rare for me unfortunately! This is my pet name for one of those magical rides when you are in perfect harmony with the bike and prevailing conditions. Riding fast and smoothly almost seems to be performed at a subconscious level with minimal effort, leaving you time for other thoughts. One of the most wonderful sensations possible covered in a simple paragraph. Hardly seems right somehow but how do you adequately describe such a sublime feeling? The trick for me is to try and increase the percentage of rides when I can slip into this state. I suspect that starting a ride gently and not forcing it is one way of slipping into good subconscious control.

Precision riding. This describes the absolute pleasure gained from riding a bike close to its optimum performance for a given set of road conditions. This can be as simple as executing a perfect passing manoeuvre, or getting through a set of bends with minimal effort through good positioning. It’s not just about knowing your machine, but reading the local conditions. I once had a conversation about reading road conditions with two workmates who drive cars. I mentioned using the Vanishing Point on blind bends to judge safe cornering speed and all I got was blank looks. There is little doubt that riding a bike makes you a better driver overall.

Developing better skills. My perception is that most drivers who only own cars tend to think that after passing their test, they are then equipped with an adequate set of skills for the rest of their lives. On the other hand, bike riders in general appear to be more aware of their limitations and are continually trying to enhance their abilities. I’m sure that this is why so many of us beat ourselves up when we do something stupid resulting from momentary inattention. I mentioned in an earlier post that it wasn’t long after I bought a Honda Blackbird that I realised that there was the potential to do serious damage to myself if I got carried away, not to mention terminal damage to my wallet. I decided to put myself through an advanced road riding course which was humbling in terms of ego damage but fantastic in terms of outcome. There is no such thing as having “adequate” road skills. You never stop learning.  I found a video a while back which covers situational awareness brilliantly.  Doubtful whether many pure car owners would "get it" without a decent discussion though, much less finding it useful.  Anyway, here it is: Situational Awareness and Other Skills

Overcoming challenging conditions. This is closely allied to developing better skills but there’s much more to it. My personal belief is that stepping outside your comfort zone is a means of growing as a person. Stepping outside your comfort zone on a bike is a rapid means of growing as a rider. I’ve never particularly liked riding in the rain for its own sake, but have tried to get out in wet conditions on a reasonably regular basis. I'm  still ambivalent about riding in the wet, but think I’m more complete rider for having done so. In a similar vein, taking part in several endurance road rides previously mentioned have also been extremely challenging, as much for the mental aspects of those rides as the actual conditions encountered. They have certainly demonstrated that mental state is more important than the ability to ride fast in short bursts. Ask the people who didn’t finish these rides due to losing the battle with their own mind when things got tough. Another fantastic means of gaining skills and confidence in a short space of time.

Bottom of south island - 4000km in 5 days required to complete the Southern Cross endurance ride

3. EGO AND OTHER STUFF
This is a catch-all section for the bits and pieces that didn’t seem to fit anywhere else. Above all else, motorcycling is huge FUN and there’s plenty of room for the less deep aspects of riding a bike!

Knowing that you can blitz virtually anything on the road. Let’s face it, top speed is largely academic in most conditions, so it’s acceleration which is important in the real world. Most bikes will out-accelerate all but a handful of cars and there is joy in taking on a car driver who doesn’t recognise this. Not merely passing, but utterly annihilating their aspirations is way cool! It’s even cooler to do it to an expensive performance car as opposed to a “boy racer” type vehicle. It’s also super-cool to elect not to engage in combat, content with the knowledge that there’s no need to prove anything to anyone. This latter option calls for considerable restraint but attract points in the afterlife!

Pose value. And why shouldn’t you feel good about people admiring your machine and your good self sitting on it? Everyone likes their ego stroked occasionally! Pose value also occurs in traffic when a car driver has done something stupid and you’re able to gaze through their window with a tinted visor and watch them fail to make eye contact. Lovely!!!

Less affected by traffic. It’s such a simple and obvious thing, but one of the real pleasures of riding a bike is the ability to get through traffic with only minimal holdups. I suppose it boils down to that “freedom” thing again, the ability for you to call the shots rather than having them imposed on you by others. Riding a bike has really heightened my dislike of being stuck in traffic when driving a car.

Well there we are..... a heap of musings about why I still ride a bike. It’s been fun doing it as well as discovering a few things that I hadn’t really thought about in much depth. It's interesting that riding a motorcycle, sailing a yacht and flying an aircraft require almost identical skill sets and also give similar feelings about why we do it.  If you read any of Richard Bach's books, you're left in no doubt that his wonderful prose was greatly influenced by his flying experiences.

As a parting shot, one definition of the word SYNERGY is “The effect of two or more agents working together to produce an effect that is greater than the sum of the parts”. I’m not saying that why any of us ride is because of synergy, but it’s irrefutable that riding a bike gives far more pleasure than the individual sum of all the reasons listed here.

LONG MAY IT CONTINUE FOR ALL OF US!

Stunning day on the Coromandel Coast

Rode from Coromandel to Thames and back today to meet up with Paul from Kaukapakapa on his 1200 S Bandit (nicely set up with Ohlins and Racetech suspension).  If there's any time of the year to ride this coast road, it's now, with thousands of Pohutukawa trees in bloom all the way up the coast.  It's so breathtaking that it's hard to focus on the road!



The fishing in the area has also taken off with some very big Snapper and Kingfish being caught so will hopefully get the boat out next week for the first time since buying it.  Riding or fishing......  hard choice sometimes, sigh....

A new direction....

Getting back on the Blackbird after the accident made me realise that I'd become a bit gun-shy. The seat height and high centre of gravity had always been noticeable at low speeds because I'm a relative short-arse at 5'8". The fact that our house is at the end of a steep drive with off-cambers only served to accentuate the issue. Then there was the age question with the imperceptible ebb of muscle strength. Some of the thrill of riding had quietly slipped away - what was I going to do?

Jennie was pretty sympathetic to the problem as she knows how passionate I am about riding and didn't want any repeat accidents. I'd like to think it's because she loves me, but I'm pretty handy round the house too and wasn't about to get into the real reasons, haha. I got the provisional nod to get something a bit lower and lighter but what? Suddenly, the choices and permutations seemed endless. I wasn't ready for a cruiser because I'd have to grow a beard, wear a patch and spend more time parked outside the pub than actually riding so that was out. A tourer? Nope - does nothing for me. The process of paper shortlisting went on for weeks, culminating in visiting a dealer in Hamilton to look at various makes and models. Some which I thought would hit the spot left me cold (particularly the Thruxton Bonneville) and suddenly, there was one that fitted me perfectly and also had that elusive emotional "WOW" factor - the Triumph 675 Street Triple!
The dealer let me go for a decent ride and I was totally hooked. It may have a smaller engine than the Blackbird but its power to weight ratio and manoeuvrability is amazing! I WANT IT - I want it NOW!!! It's at this point that I should confess that Jennie's recollection of events and mine differ ever so slightly. I put this down to the difference between sexes and what constitutes a discussion. Now I thought that once the broad principles had been discussed, it was all done and dusted. Women like to pick over the detail and I must say that cost was one aspect that I may have accidentally omitted to discuss to her exacting standards. A good bollocking was followed by a fair bit of contrition on my part, with the Blackbird going to a most deserving new home in Auckland, followed by a jet black Street Triple being ridden home to Coromandel. Jennie is a real gem!

What a revelation! The Triumph is much more suited to the twists and turns of the Coromandel Peninsula and can easily hold its own with bigger bikes. Its light weight and lower height is also a colossal boost for my confidence and it's been so easy to dial into, coming from a bigger bike. There's something else too... people might question how inanimate objects like bikes can have distinct personalities, but they do! The Blackbird was a sort of "I don't have to prove anything because I can" type of bike, whereas the Street Triple is a "Who you lookin' at?" sort of bike... it's true!! Going to have to watch my behaviour on it.

Sitting indoors during a downpour a few days ago, I had one of those insidious, dangerous musings creep in. It started off like this: "Wonder what it would be like to do 1000 miles in 24 hours on an unfaired bike?" Before I'd realised what was going on, a few fuel-distance calculations had been mentally processed and it seemed quite a good thing to try, probably because the pain of previous 1000-milers have faded over time. However, the body is certainly not in as good shape as when I did it in 2003. A sensible backstop would be to email my mates to see if they wanted to enter the 2010 event, with a good chance of an "out" with them telling me to get stuffed. Big mistake.... an enthusiastic response from a few of them, a mix of innocence from potential first-timers and not wanting to be seen as wimpy by those who have done it before.

Well, guess we'd better get thinking about sticking applications in as entries are strictly limited. Also better do something about getting together for a chat and some practice rides - watch this space!

Retirement and a whoopsie!

I'd worked 50-60 hour weeks for over 30 years for my company in a number of challenging roles and after talking it over with Jennie, the decision was taken to retire at 60 and enjoy life before I was totally knackered. We decided to move permanently from the central north island to the beach place in Coromandel we'd owned since 2003. Jennie thinks we bought it for the views, boating and fishing. My cynical mates think it's because the famous motorcycling road, the Coromandel Loop, is right on our doorsetep. Personally, I'm saying nothing! Photos taken from our front deck and immediately behind the house.

Dawn from the front deck

House and part of harbour

We moved in April 2008 and apart from a bit of consultancy back to my old employer, it's been non-stop riding. (Yeah, right!) Jennie had other ideas and the biggest effort was getting the house and garden straight for permanent living. Between jobs, I was let out to play if I'd been a good boy! I also got to formally evaluate various tyres for the NZ importer which was a really enjoyable addition to the pleasure of riding. Skipping domestic chores to the words, "Honey, I've got to knock off 1000 km a week on the bike for the next month or two" seemed a pretty fair excuse although one member of the household failed to see the strength of this argument.

It was whilst riding back home from a conference in Rotorua on behalf of my old employer that things came a bit unstuck. It's probably fair to say that I was still thinking about the conference when I overshot a country-road turnoff. No problems, just do a U turn. What I failed to notice was pea gravel where I planted my boot, resulting in me losing balance and the bike falling on my leg as I tried to save the paintwork. What a dumb move!!! Adrenaline from the shock of decking it made the process of picking the heavy monster up fairly straightforward and it was only half an hour or so from home that my leg started to become pretty painful. Enlisting Jennie's help to get my leathers off revealed a swelling leg with rainbow hues appearing due to internal bleeding.

Owwwwww....

To cut a long story short, blood thinning injections for a week to reduce the risk of clots forming were administered daily by an all-in wrestler masquerading as a District Health Nurse (only joking in case she reads this), followed by 2 months off the bike until the swelling went down. Little did I know at the time that this accident would be the trigger for re-evaluating my motorcycling career!

Jennie wasn't about to be eclipsed in the motoring stakes and for her 60th birthday, got a MazdaSpeed-tuned MX 5 to replace the old one which was getting a bit long in the tooth.  She's pretty handy at making it shift too!

The million dollar shot with a P-51

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!!!

Waxing philosophical....

What is it with me and new challenges? Maybe to convince myself that I'm not really getting any older, maybe because you only get one crack at life and should live it to the full - heaven knows what the reason is! It will be a sad day when life doesn't hold the prospect of doing something both challenging and enjoyable. I still like riding fast but that alone simply doesn't give satisfaction any more. Just trickling along enjoying the scenery gives an equal buzz. The common factor about riding at both ends of the spectrum is the absolute pleasure gained from riding with precision - getting lines through corners right, being smooth and anticipating potential hazards. I like to call this "Zen State" riding where riding well becomes effortless. The challenge is to drop into that state more and more.

There's something about riding bikes that transcends mere words and borders on the spiritual when done properly. The riding itself, the cameraderie between perfect strangers, the inner glow at the end of a great day of riding, either shared with great friends or solo. All I know is that I would have been much the poorer for not having experienced any of it.

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!