Author Topic: To fallen riders (Read 2391 times)

Hush · « **on:** February 25, 2009, 07:53:56 AM »

New Zealand is a very very small place in context to the whole world and our population is only 4 million alltogether so those Kiwis who motorcycle are a very rare breed, not sure what the exact percentage is.
Anyhow this has been a dark fortnight for bikers here in Godzone, 6 riders have lost their lives on the roads doing what they loved.
You would think that cars or trucks or something alien to bikes and their riders had caused this but unfortunately most have been riders losing control of their machines for some reason.
Here in Napier today we have the funeral for a really decent bloke that everyone knew as "Kanga".
He and his partner had just recently completed a ride through North and South America and he was a complete bike nut, attending bike meets around the country, helping set up bike events and doing bike club activities.
Kanga and 3 other riders were returning from the "Paeroa Battle of the Streets" bike racing weekend when they encountered oil that had been spilled onto the main highway just out of Taupo.
All 4 riders came off and one other was seriously injured but Kanga died where he fell, his bike suffered only minor damage in the crash so he must have landed badly.
Today he will be farewelled by as many riders as can get to Napier for his funeral, he was a much loved and respected member of the motorcycling fraternity and his sendoff will be huge.
His club has asked even riders who had yet to meet Kanga to attend because in their own words, "if you hadn't met Kanga yet and you rode a bike, you would sooner or later".

I'm working today (and can't claim him as family) otherwise I'd be there, bike and all as a sign of respect to a fallen rider, I'll just have to satisfy myself with a lap through the cemetery on my Honda after work, Kanga will understand.....he was that sort of guy.

lynchj · « **Reply #1 on:** February 25, 2009, 08:09:54 AM »

Sorry to hear about that, may they ride in peace. Unfortunately this sort of thing is happening all to often around the world.

Frankenkit · « **Reply #2 on:** February 25, 2009, 08:14:20 AM »

Rest in peace.

azuredesign · « **Reply #3 on:** February 25, 2009, 08:49:21 AM »

Always sorry to hear about this sort of tragedy, as it could have happened to any of us. Let's hope fate gives us a better shake than it did Kanga and his group. Had the spill just occurred? Is that why it wasn't marked or blocked off. I don't think I've ever encountered a big slick on the street. Little patches yes, but not enough to take 4 riders down.

goon 1492 · « **Reply #4 on:** February 25, 2009, 01:30:10 PM »

Man 36 reads and only four responses

, Rest in Peace Brother....Amen

Rocking-M · « **Reply #5 on:** February 25, 2009, 01:34:37 PM »

There is so much can get you on the public roads. RIP Kanga.

jtb · « **Reply #6 on:** February 25, 2009, 01:46:50 PM »

RIP Kanga

heffay · « **Reply #7 on:** February 25, 2009, 02:07:28 PM »

Quote from: goon 1492 on February 25, 2009, 01:30:10 PM

Man 36 reads and only four responses , Rest in Peace Brother....Amen

are we not allowed to mourn in peace?

hush... i'm not sure what a fortnight is. all in one night? week? no matter the frequency... always sad.

tramp · « **Reply #8 on:** February 25, 2009, 05:13:44 PM »

it is a risk we all take when we ride
but we still ride

Hush · « **Reply #9 on:** February 25, 2009, 05:27:36 PM »

Sorry guys, Colonial speak

a fortnight is 14 nights therefore 2 weeks, guess I better watch my coloqualisms he he.
Just attended Kanga's funeral, many moving tributes and many more funny stories, this guy was a riot who never missed a trick.
Ex race mechanic and built a few of his own cars too.
Many bikers there, going to miss a good mate.
No one knows where the oil came from, it was a dry road too.

my78k · « **Reply #10 on:** February 25, 2009, 05:30:49 PM »

R.I.P. Kanga and also to the other fallen brothers.

I don't get it...so many people doing such awful things everyday and are allowed to still roam the earth then one of the good guys gets taken from us. Makes me just shake my head sometimes...

Dennis

BobbyR · « **Reply #11 on:** February 25, 2009, 05:41:24 PM »

Quote from: Hush on February 25, 2009, 05:27:36 PM

Sorry guys, Colonial speak a fortnight is 14 nights therefore 2 weeks, guess I better watch my coloqualisms he he.
Just attended Kanga's funeral, many moving tributes and many more funny stories, this guy was a riot who never missed a trick.
Ex race mechanic and built a few of his own cars too.
Many bikers there, going to miss a good mate.
No one knows where the oil came from, it was a dry road too.

Rest in Peace Kanga

Fortnight is a perfectly good English word. It is in the American Dictionary. In the US we just don't use it much if at all. Write your own dialect, we do!

mcpuffett · « **Reply #12 on:** February 26, 2009, 03:32:10 AM »

R.I.P. Kanga

Duke McDukiedook · « **Reply #13 on:** February 26, 2009, 07:05:32 AM »

Had Mr. Kanga in my thoughts last night as I lit out on the highway... and almost got killed myself.
Stupid person in Explorer pulls a right in front of me at the intersection on Metcalf at Shawnee Mission Parkway Target. Luckily I was passing the camaro on the right side and was able to veer into the passing lane quick enough.

Be careful out there guys, too many idiots on cell phones not paying attention out there.

shaft9ii · « **Reply #14 on:** February 26, 2009, 10:15:07 AM »

Sam Green Racing · « **Reply #15 on:** February 26, 2009, 12:39:40 PM »

Perhaps it was a diesel spillage, careless driver over filling the tank $:-\$ $:-\$

R.I.P bud

Sam.

Caaveman82 · « **Reply #16 on:** February 26, 2009, 12:52:28 PM »

Go easy.

Rocking-M · « **Reply #17 on:** February 26, 2009, 03:02:14 PM »

Quote from: Samcr750 on February 26, 2009, 12:39:40 PM

Perhaps it was a diesel spillage, careless driver over filling the tank $:-\$ $:-\$

R.I.P bud

Sam.

Diesel and something y'all should know. We have a curve nearby that has been the scene of numerous accidents (car accidents).
It was finally decided the reason the road is so slick there is Diesel exhaust from School buses. There exhaust is down low and
when under a load, as in pulling a hill, you get the black exhaust soot. Leaves an oily film on the road. Trucks with high exhaust
don't do this.

seven · « **Reply #18 on:** February 26, 2009, 09:46:04 PM »

RIP Kanga.......and take care out there!

Hush · « **Reply #19 on:** February 27, 2009, 01:56:54 AM »

Cheers guys, Ride In Peace Kanga, they gotta have bikes where you're going or you'll refuse to go...right?

1timduke · « **Reply #20 on:** February 27, 2009, 03:39:36 PM »

Rest in Peace.

goon 1492 · « **Reply #21 on:** May 11, 2009, 09:40:43 AM »

Just waned to post this, we had a beloved friend that passed almost three years ago, he didn't pass from the bike accident he had which we all thought was it at first. A month or so before he went he had laid down an old triumph I think in one of the cloverleaf turn on the highway. Ended up passing from having a bad heart we found out after months of tests after the autopsie. We loved that guy here at my work, he was as cool as a polar bears toe nails. Sad to he had just bought his first house and that weekend he had just moved in, was big in to motorcycles, had old duc's, new duc's and many others as well.
We made a designated motorcycle parking spot for all the other bikes here at work that was honered in his name and made a monument for him. Here it is and let me tell you when I cut the .375" aluminum flames and the .75" aluminum plate and engraved his face into it that it was the quietest day in the shop I had ever seen. Brought tears to all of our eyes because it came out so well looking like him.

RIP Pauly.

martino1972 · « **Reply #22 on:** May 11, 2009, 09:46:15 AM »

that's beautiful,goon..........

Hush · « **Reply #23 on:** May 11, 2009, 09:50:54 AM »

Hey that's an amazing tribute Goon, what a damn good idea to honour his memory like that.
We are building a memorial Karn (wall thing) at work to remember the Officers who have died while in service to the Corrections dept, something just for us staff that need to remember the neat people we have worked with and lost...........cheers...........Hush.

Ecosse · « **Reply #24 on:** May 11, 2009, 10:12:20 AM »

R.I.P. Kanga

i've found that funerals and wakes can be a great way to actually celebrate a persons life, rather than only mourn the passing. so often groups of people collect and wind up happily recollecting fond memories. that's why we miss them; it's our loss most times that we mourn and is a statement about their character.

geez, i get preachy don't i?

goon, that's a great monument, and touching.

rocking' i have wondered why the new buses around here have exhaust out of the top, figuring it was to keep it above the level of open car window. you explanation perhaps makes a bit more sense.

thanks for posting hush.

my78k · « **Reply #25 on:** May 11, 2009, 10:16:39 AM »

This is one of the threads I dread seeing when it appears as new replies. I am glad in this case Goon it was paying tribute to a previous fallen rider and not a new one.

Good work on the memorial! Looks good and I am sure he would have approved...

Dennis

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Author Topic: To fallen riders (Read 2391 times)

Rocking-M

shaft9ii

Rocking-M