I want to ride the new Taupo Track, as I've ridden the old track only (and only twice).I can't easily make a commitment to attend the Taupo Track day because I will need to stay overnight.I am not an early bird like you  🙁 and I need to get to Taupo the day before the Track day.

I could be interested , depending on dates etc. When is the next one ?I work shift work so i get to work some weekends and some i don`t. CheersKevin.

Hi Dave.Keep the track reports active, great photos and if you don’t mind I'm going to use the second one for riding tips. Your body position is good and displays good upper body position and a clear visual of the physics behind transferring forces to the tires.  A riding friend won't do twisty roads, his K 1200 RT falls over in the corners, "too heavy" I can't help but feel a little sorry and intend on giving him some subtle riding instruction. My problem is that I have just got back to serious motor bike riding and consequently will struggle to convince my friend of why he thinks his bike falls over in the corners. My credentials are in Motor Racing and after 35 years I have moved on to more leisure pursuits. However the dynamics and physics behind cornering are no different between cars and bikes. During my twenties I worked in the UK for Bruce McClaren Can-Am, Bruce McClaren was light years ahead of his peers and many a long night was spent discussing the theories behind the forces developed during cornering. On returning to NZ I completed an engineering degree and completed my masters on this very subject. The passion is still very active and hence when I see photos like yours my analytical brain kicks in.One of the saddest sights is those crosses marking fatal accidents that happen around corners and if you look at where they are positioned and have a little knowledge of the entry and exit of a corner, most did not need to happen. It would be so good for every driver, especially the young, be motorbike or car to attend some driver instruction on a racetrack. I recently went on a BMW ride, first one and as a point of interest was alarmed to see the very poor basic understanding of riding a corner. Unwittingly every rider was closing down his options should the unexpected happen. For those that read this please don't think I'm encouraging break neck cornering speed, that’s not my intention for a second but if you know what is happening between you and the road and what causes it then there is never a need to say " my bike is just to heavy and it is to much work for twisty roads".I have often rubbed shoulders with the motorbike boys at Ruapuna, the cars share the same practice and track days and all the bike guys love to talk and encourage good riding skills. Since owning my bike I have had one day at Ruapuna, bike was only 1200Km's old and so it was at a very sedentary pace, no body minded and I received loads of encouragement and help. Taking a car into the first kink of the main straight at Ruapuna and then into turn one is so technical and at 130 mph you need to scrub of from the 100 mtr board 80 mph, there is so much happening great fun, how those guys on Motor Bikes do it is something to behold. While having coffee before work this morning I was thinking about it and trying to convince myself that I'm now to old and the Beemer will never get in there, then I decided to check the weather on the net and had a glance at the forum, noticed you track report and hence got tempted to send you a post of encouragement. I hear you say "never to old" I have totalled a couple of race Cars in this corner and don't like the thought of making my R 1200 RT decidingly second hand, in the new year I just might have a try.Last Sunday I rode to Akaroa via the Volcanic Plateau road, an awesome stretch of tarmac and had for company two guys on Suzuki's, hell bent on showing the RT a clean pair of heals, while the RT would be no match on a track, for these guys they could not shake me off and when arriving in Akaroa and pulling up together at the same cafe I was paid a huge compliment. We joined up for coffee and this mid 20's to 30 guy, "Kerry' said to me, "I was thinking during the ride that this sedentary Beemer touring bike is impossible to loose, when you poked your nose inside me on one corner I thought he is playing with me, holly Sh--t do these things handle. When you pulled your helmet off and all those grey hairs revelled your age I thought growing old has got to be good fun". It was fun talking with them and I encouraged them to take there bikes to Ruapuna for a track day, do it on a track, every thing is going the same way and loads of room for run off. Don't get your kicks on the open road, too much can go wrong. Truth was that they new very little about what they were trying to achieve and hence it was not break neck stuff. However I felt guilty about practicing what you preach, and for most of the ride kept myself just beyond a threatening distance. Sometimes age brings on memory lose.  So keep up those track reports and keep encouraging people to attend. Thanks and regards. Leigh.