[JohnMember]

Where do I start? Loaded the bike and car up on Friday, went down to the local Caltex/Woollies place for fuel for the truck and bike. Enough diesel in the Prado, wife goes in to pay. I climb up onto the trailer, open the fuel cap, climb back down. Take Woollies finest premium unleaded nozzle out of the pump, climb back up onto the trailer and wait for the bowser to be turned on. Nothing…. nothing… nothing… nothing… I look toward the shop to see if Gupta is busy… I see my wife frantically gesticulating at me to put the nozzle back into the bowser.

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Maybe Gupta is new, and thinks I can’t get another pump going until we’ve paid for the first… I dunno… wait a minute and wifey comes back out. Gupta will NOT turn the pump back on unless I have one foot on the ground at all times. I’m 6ft tall in the old money, so I’m no midget, but it is physically impossible to have one foot on the ground AND be able to see in the top of the tank to know the bike is full… I said some thing about far can penis head… I’ll shop elsewhere for my expensive fuel… so we left.
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I dropped the wife off at home and continued to the next suburb which is home to one of the independent mobs, low and behold Gupta’s cousin Sanjeev works there! But Sanjeev just wants to please his customers… he turns the pump on and lets me go about the business of fueling my mudder bike in a trailer, as I have done many times before and will continue to do so…
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So I trundled up the F3 away from the mad crowd. Pulled up at Taree and waited for Bucky and Massey. I had the dinner that all Dakar champions eat the night before the big race…

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Rocked up at Brecken Ridge. Found Chuck, found our room, took our GPS’s back to Chuck which were expertly downloaded in seconds… then we wandered back to our cabin to unload the cars and set up.

My berth for the evening… very comfortable cabins I might add.

One thing led to another and the beers were opened and we ended up out under the carport talking bikes, it was a good thing as I got to meet Massey and learn about the tools he carries, though the list of tools he doesn’t carry is probably shorter. In his 12.6kg bumbag he does carry the worlds LIGHTEST tyre lever, I’ve got bottle openers that are heavier than this thing… that’s it centre right:

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KTM beer holder… well they’ve got to be good for something

Something I’ve never seen on a bike before…

A St Christopher (patron saint of travellers) medal! My grandmother gave me one that went in the glove box of my first car and has been in every car I’ve had since. Can never have too much help and guidance I suppose when you ride orange!
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My rear was so new it still had the tags attached!

[JohnMember]

Tractor wrote:

This is my Spottracker link:

http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0Pbajcue15CttgQAEkP1alGATvScR5v3m

I will be travelling with Bucky and JTB.

Dunno how this techno geek stuff works, but the link shows your ride with Bucky last week. When we kick off tomorrow will it update and show tomorrows ride details?

The wife and kidlets would like to be able to see where we are…

[JohnMember]

No probs at my end, gives me something to read!

Next week I’ll have too many photo’s and, I hope, some interesting tales to tell about two awesome days of riding in an area I’ve never ridden before on a bike I’ve done less than 1000km on following a computer gizmo that is leading me to the valley of doom, with 50 or so blokes , two of whom I have ever met before in real life! There’s nothing odd about it at all :dry:

Bags are packed. Few things to do in the AM and then head up lunch time’ish or just a bit later.

[JohnMember]

Trailboss wrote:

wow Eags Internet is down I think he hasn’t posted for a few mins :laugh:

Did mention its dusty Strucky’s air filter from last week we just pulled it out

TB

Far KING hell!

[JohnMember]

Jeffro,

I’ve taken my tyre pressures from Mr TENERE himself… if it’s good enough for him it’s good enough for me. No rimlocks on the Tenere and super (butter) soft rims means I’m happy to run at 28. If I had rim locks I’d drop a few PSI, but would still be fearful of damaging the rims. They can put Takasago Excel’s on a WR450, don’t know why they couldn’t be put on the Ten’s. And no I don’t have the $600 odd to buy new rims for it (wish I did though).

The 45 was put in by the sideways cap wearing, pimply faced apprentice/work experience kid AFTER I told him I wanted 28PSI and he tried to tell me I needed 40, then 38 then 35PSI… Typical young farker, he knew better than me. But they forget that we all knew everything when we were 16 or 17 years of age.

[JohnMember]

Thanks mate. I think I read some where you are in western Sydney? Can’t even remember what the post was about. But if you are, I’d be happy to call around to yours at some stage in the future for some learning… I live in the Hawkesbury.

Thanks for the offer but not sure on the timings and may be closer to six than 4pm.

[JohnMember]

Trailraider wrote:

Few beers, set of levers, electrical tape …….. all good :laugh:

Wrong order TR… this is better set of levers, electrical tape AND THEN a few beers!

My fault re the tyre, I did the last tyre but just couldn’t get this one. Plus I was working all week before the ride and it was more convenient to just get it done. Simple case of needing to get the technique down pat and then practice, practice, practice, practice.

[JohnMember]

Just got off the phone from Bucky and he has been having his own mechanical issues with his bike not being ready when the mechanic said it would following a 12v power outlet mod… then to top it all off when he does get his bike home and turns left (or was it right?) the wiring pops out because they didn’t fact in the steering movement when they did the wiring :ohmy:

But we are looking forward to tomorrow and the trip north for the briefing and GPS loadup before the ride proper on Saturday :woohoo:

[JohnMember]

H,

I’m running Oakley’s O frames in my M2R. I also run a cheek/nose guard piece on the goggles to stop rocks and crap that find their way into the gap between the top of the chin piece and the bottom of the goggles and usually sting like buggery.

It takes a nano second longer to put the goggles in the eye port due to the slightly longer length of the goggles… but well worth it.

That is the nose/cheek thingo in the pic below

[JohnMember]

Working again today, another 12hr shift. So wife went to bike shop and picked up rear wheel with 606 mounted…

Just to remind you I needed this put on on side one and the whole of side two helped on. Tube was already in… a whole three minute job on a tyre changing machine. Mrs shop lady even joked that they would cheat and use the tyre machine to finish what I started.

How much did this arse raping cost me?

$25! :ohmy: I know I took it there, I know I should be able to do it, but PUUUUUUUULEASE!!!! That’s a better hourly rate than a rocket surgeon! I’ll wear it, but I’ll never spend a cent in your shop again. I don’t mind paying for a service, last time I went to the bike shop next town over and they only charged me $15, which included having the tyre taken off the rim, new tube fitted and tyre put back on. I ACCEPT FULL FAULT FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO FIT IT MYSELF, but I don’t have to be happy about being reamed for it.

For those coming along and reading this as part of your research into the secret art of Chuck’s NAV ride survival these TYRE CHANGING VIDEO’S FOR GUMBIES are compulsory watching.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nURD6MquiE[/video]

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_ZfaltNsVA[/video]

As it turns out the valve stem is slightly off centre and I had it spot on. Not overly happy with the end product anyway. BUT at least they didn’t put 45PSI in it like tha last mob. Was only 32 so let four out.

Hanging for this ride! The days at work are going pretty quickly. Hopefully tomorrow is only 10 hours at work and I can throw the rear on and pack some gear. Friday I’ll throw the trailer on fuel up the truck and bike and head north… :woohoo:

[JohnMember]

Trailboss wrote:

TB

Look Bucky! Logs and enduro arrows… your worst nightmare in a single photo

Even better ELDERS weather still say 80% chance of 5-10mil of rain Saturday… should keep the dust down nicely. Be better if the rain was between midnight and 6am Saturday morning :woohoo:

[JohnMember]

Trailboss wrote:

… and fitted a new 606 on it for him (because he is gay )

TB

Not that there’s anything wrong with that Chuck!!

[JohnMember]

Footage shot from TB’s pre ride of the next NAV ride… Yamaha were trying to extend their Adventure Range and TB took what he was given :dry:

Starts getting good about 3:30…

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWng5pEtgkg&feature=player_embedded[/video]

[JohnMember]

Trailboss wrote:

Its all a secret talk to me Sunday arvo little Johnny, you will be a spent force :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

TB

In which case it will have been the bestest 2 Day NAV ride I’ve ever done

[JohnMember]

Thanks Chuck!

I needed this yesterday :blush: I’ll have to give it a go next time. I broke my Torpedo 7 bead breaker trying to do something with it that it wasn’t designed to do. :pinch:

But this video should help LOTS! I hope…

[Author]

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