THUNDERBIKE NEWSLETTER May - June 2005

LATEST NEWS

FIRST NEW SPRINT ST AT THUNDERBIKE: The first of the new Sprint ST's left Thunderbike this month with one very happy new owner. Dawn Howard of Nelson took delivery during our very own launch party for the new arrival, where there were drinks and a BBQ after hours at the shop. Dawn kindly (and proudly) let us use her new machine to show off to all at the launch, then rode off into the sunset (literally!) with a huge grin on her face. Dawn's already been in for the first service, so is going to put some serious K's on it now as she is contemplating a ride from Bluff (the southern most point in the South Island) to Cape Reinga (the northern most point in the North Island) Good luck Dawn!

SOUTH ISLAND RAT RAID IN NELSON: A group of 120 Triumph riders and their pillions, descended on the Leisure Lodge in Nelson for the inaugural South Island Rat Raid over the weekend of 11th – 13th March 2005. Graeme and the team at Thunderbike Powersports did themselves proud with arrangements for the weekend, great rides, great venue and above all a great time. Friday was spent catching up with old friends and making new ones over the amber ale, with most participants heading to one of the many trendy eateries in town for a bite to eat, followed by a relatively sedate evening of socialising before heading off to bed in one of the Leisure Lodges newly renovated rooms. Nelson lived up to its’ reputation as being the sunniest spot in NZ, Saturday was no exception.

Before the ride departure at 9.15am from Thunderbike Powersports, over 90 Triumphs lined up outside the shop rearing to get on the road. The ride was split into two groups, the sport ride covering around 500 k’s of windies, the focus more on the ride than the sights. The tour ride covered around 350 k’s, and was aimed more at those who wanted to check out the area. Both groups met up for lunch, carried on their separate ways and came back raving about the roads they had travelled. From about 4 pm, riders drifted back in, taking turns using the fire hoses to clean the clay and road grime off their machines. Before long, the carpark was a gleaming mass of chrome. Saturday evening festivities kicked off with a group dinner and prize giving followed by a DJ who struggled to get our riders off their bums and onto the dance floor. Sprockett was in his usual form kicking off the B52 shooter rounds, much to the delight of the bar staff. They were convinced in the early hours of the morning to join in, until 3am when they ran out of ingredients. Needless to say, there were a few weary heads on Sunday morning with some opting to stay an extra day in Nelson as the prospect of getting back on the bike was less than appealing. Many riders carried on from there and spent a couple of weeks touring the south island, but that’s a story for another day. All in all, a fantastic weekend, many thanks to John, Ian and Graeme from Thunderbike Powersports for all the time and effort, and thanks also to the staff at the Leisure Lodge for their hospitality.

(Courtesy of Lynita, Triumph NZ)Go to: www.triumphnz.co.nz/SI_raid/index.htm to view the complete photo gallery.

RIDE OUTS AT THUNDERBIKE: By popular demand the Thunderbike ride outs are to return involving both BMW rides and TRIUMPH RAT rides, these will be limited to the brands, with non Triumph riders being welcomed along on the TRIUMPH RAT rides by invitation. Contact us for details. Following the RAT Raid (see above) we had a general ride out from Thunderbike to Renwick, then toward St Arnaud by the Nelson lakes. A great day out attended by a healthy number of riders, some of which were out on the RAT ride out the previous day. The next ride out will be a TRIUMPH RAT ride out. TRIUMPH RAT dates are as follows: 15th MAY, 3rd JULY, 4th SEPTEMBER, 6th NOVEMBER. Please contact us for more info. 03 548578

THUNDERBIKE "6 PLUS" SERVICING PLAN: GREAT NEWS FOR OWNERS OF BIKES MORE THAN 6 YEARS OLD!

1.More affordable servicing rates for owners of bikes over 6 years old - 20% reduction off our normal labour rate.
2.Only highly skilled, experienced, factory trained technicians using factory tools and equipment working on your bike.
3.Servicing and repairs by the specialist road bike dealer in the Top of the South.
4.Japanese bikes are always welcomed here with affordable service rates.
5. A service history from a reputable dealer well known throughout New Zealand.
6.Scooter owner? - We now have a special low rate for scooter repairs. Call us today and lets discuss your requirements and please be aware that all work here is covered by our unique no worries `THUNDERBIKE GUARANTEE’ READ MORE ON THE WEBSITE

BIKE SALES

SAVE THOUSANDS ON A NEW SPRINT RS: We can save you literally thousands on a NEW Triumph Sprint RS. Call Jason in our sales department now for details on this incredible deal. THERE IS ONLY 1 at this price, so ACT NOW! and give him a call on 03 5485787 or 021 682946 This model also comes with a colour matched belly pan.

THUNDERBIKE USED BIKE SALES: We currently have 2 ROCKET III's for sale, one is a used 2004 model (pictured right)and a brand new model. We have much more on offer too but our bike stock changes daily, so to get the latest update of our BIKE STOCK go to the website to see what we have on offer for you.

END OF SEASON SALE!: Thunderbike are selling selected bikes from the ANZMTR fleet. All models regularly serviced, maintained and many still under warranty. Call Jason now FREE on 0800 THUNDER or 021 682946 or email him, for a list of stock, before it's too late!

NEW THUNDERBIKE PRODUCTS

TRIUMPH THRUXTON REAR MUDGURD ELIMINATION KIT: This neat design tidies up the back end of the Thruxton to give it an even better cafe racer look. The kit includes traditional Triumph rear stop/tail lamp. The standard indicators fit to the bracket and holes are provided for your number/licence plate. For more details and to buy this product VISIT THE WEBSITE

TRIUMPH DAYTONA 955i SPORTS MUFFLER: Made from stainless steel with a unique "carbon" look finish, gives this pipe a style all on it's own. Not only does this muffler look good, but also improves the performance of the 955i as it fills in the "hole" in the daytona's midrange. Dyno charts will be available on our website soon. For more details and to buy this product VISIT THE WEBSITE

DAVE'S TOP TIP!

Thunderbike service technician Dave Wilson shares his knowledge and wisdom to hopefully help you out or just give you some general useful information. If you have any questions please email us (subject- tech question) and we will do our best to answer it, or, if you have any tips of your own, let us know! Anyway here goes:

Most of us would love chain lubricant that really doesn't fly off, right? Well, when you return from your ride out simply lube the chain then as it will be hot and allow the lube to penetrate into it, so that the next time you use it, it will have dried and it won't fly off! Simple!

If you have any comments or submissions, articles or photographs for our newsletter, please contact Alan by email, (subject- newsletter) telephone or write to the address below.