mazambaan

The 5min highlights is plenty to watch as regards the boks. Funniest though is the Aussies, from the coach down (or is it up?) squealing about the ref in their England game. Bryce Lawrence karma is a bitch.

1/4 chicken bunny in Durban today. Raised more sweat than a bike ride.

Very nice bike; what soft luggages and happy?

What is that GTRacing; a 500?

Agreed about Roald Dahl's writings - his autobiography was most interesting. Maybe covered but I read Tim Noakes' memoirs recently and found that too very informative and interesting - aside from diet on fluid intake, training for sport, coaching and even why you get tired!

To me its funny how the armchair and internet seem to encourage binary comment. I think its worth noting that the much derided Lorenzo (3rd) and Pedrosa (2nd) managed pretty well on Sunday. Pedrosa may have caught and passed MM based on pace (but if my dog hadn't stopped for a wee he would have caught the rabbit). VR was also astonishing, although it seems Pedrosa may have had a grumble or two when he passed the ballie Would VR have passed a dope test? MM is for sure brave and outrageously talented or vice versa as regards the outrageous. Would he comfortably smoke Stoner? - I'm not so sure, Stoner is regarded as one of the quicker racers by plenty of seemingly well-informed commentators (and racers). As for moaning; I still hear Kenny Roberts "moaning" about how dangerous his 750 2 stroke was. Bottom line - I'm always mightily impressed by how brave then delicate and brutal top level racers have to be, just to be competitive, let alone win.

Hmm, let's waste a bit of time with a list - why is NZ better at rugger than SA? Admin; central contracts, internal politics, external interference in coach and player selection as well as age group sport. Skills. Our players and coaches are just not as well (cleverly & skillfully) trained or well educated as NZ's; imho. And we don't seem to care or improve. Size. I suspect the Boks are smaller than the AB's. I saw somewhere the scrum is 20kg lighter (906 AB's vs 886 Boks). Interesting to see overall. Following the US NFL logic skills can be taught; speed and size cannot. Generally a good big un will beat a good little un. Succession planning. SA rugby succession planning for both players and coaches is poor. (look how long it took for AC to be appointed) Again, imho. Culture. SA's rugby culture is weakening; mainly due to the perception of injury, emigration and poor results; once again imho. The number of SA kids growing up with a rugby ball in hand is reducing and less than NZ's. The lure of overseas cash. NZ's second rate over the hillers slip overseas. SA the opposite for many reasons (exchange rate, living conditions, salary etc) and SA Rugby doesn't really care or deal with it sensibly (Frans Steyn ). Poaching. Contentious but SA has poached a few (Beast; Rhule ??) but there isn't the organised school level conveyor belt from the PI breeding ground of perfect players that NZ has. I think we do well to compete as we do.

Let's not forget the apparent mess that is rugby player contracts that could be another factor hobbling SA rugby. NZ have a centralised contract system; SA is still provincial.

He he I somehow think, and from the comments, that SA rugby's troubles extend just a tiny bit further than the coach. And I didn't even see the game.

I think and e bike is a great way of getting what is essentially a motor bike onto bicycle trails you would normally be banned from.

Exciting MGP race but could of ended in tears all round. George put ears on quite a few people, least of all the haters.

I saw a TV insert where the squad had there own chef, catering facilities etc. And Big Vern gets a tummy bug?

NZ must be good - Eish for Durbs http://www.nzherald.co.nz/index.cfm?objectid=11899411&ref=twitter

Hmmmm; glancing at the press before the game there was quite a bit of talk of big scores, coming off a big win etc. With generally fragile SA sport, iIMHO, this is bad karma.

I don't know the players that well but Rhule did track back to carry out what seemed like a try saving tackle on some French brute. Next, as long as we beat the Aussies!! Plucked by Scotland nogal, go sweaties.

It may not last but the chassis "stability" in the corners is very interesting, variable and even in these days of instrumentation and electronics, a black art it seems. A lot to do with weighting the back and front wheels under and with braking to maintain optimum grip while cornering and then chassis compliance when the bike is leaned over on a relatively bumpy track. Kevin Cameron explains it quite well (not that I understood ). How the riders respond is fascinating. Dovi may have had a Brad Binder moment when he can navigate the Duc and conserve the tyres; who knows. Lorenzo seemed to have previously relied on good corner speed which he is battling to get on the Ducati hence the thumb rear brake (I just think he went too hard too early and cooked even the H tyres; maybe a different outcome if he had worked them in?). Rossi has always had bikes pretty much set up for him and with a similar style to Lorenzo. Maybe Vinales has changed his dominance and he is battling to cope?

All the MotoGP riders are very, very good. To think otherwise is silly. Be interesting to see them on identical bikes or an old time SuperBikers event (dirt, motard, track etc) and it would be hard to pick out of say a Miller, Marquez, Vinales, Folgar or Zarco in such an event. But to reality. I think it is great that the bikes and riders styles are, for once very different by track and no one seems to dominate. Makes it exciting. Tough time to be a fanboy though. Fascinating how the combination of grip, braking and suspension/frame act in the corners and what riders are trying (see Lorenzo's hand operated rear brake) to get and keep grip.

The ironing is strong in this one. Great for Dovi and the Duck, honorable mention to Marquez who still pushed hard after five or so tumbles. But where are the sneering ones about "too slow" Lorenzo when dr Rossi and young master weren't even in sight. At least Vinales acknowledged he couldn't come to grips with the bike and conditions while Rossi blamed Yamaha for not listening to him after testing last year. More seriously it must be very hard to ride a tyre eating beast on a greasy track in the stinking heat while last years' bikes are cruising past you. All credit to these guys. The next races will be interesting I hope.

I saw this - not good at all. Hayden seems a nice guy as well.

As an aside on the race replica Porsches I did some work for a construction guy who worked his way up from nothing and had always wanted one, eventually owning one of the Carreras I think. But he was not that happy saying (I never went in it) it was uncomfortable on low profile tyres and race suspension, the seats were hard and tight (not for the well fed), it had wind up windows, light cheap sounding doors (probably exotic cf), you had to creep over speed bumps, the gearbox and clutch were harsh and it coughed and spluttered at town speed limits. Not your daily drive unless you wanted to show off. Scare yourself snotless on a twisty road. He sold it and bought a bakkie that he slipped a big Yank V8 into.

Bleddy shingles It caught me - I had a bit of pain then blisters and went to the doc, got the anti viral stuff to take for about a week and was truly ok, just a bit uncomfortable. But after the blisters it got sore, stabbing pain and never let up. Back to the doc for the list; nerve pain Lyrica, Stil Pain general pain and some anti depressant that also helps. None helped me much although still swallowing them. Tried physio and novocaine gel the the natural cures; cayenne pepper, tumeric, ginger, special herb oil ( ) etc etc without much relief. I will just have to wear it out I guess.

Shingles. Still driving me crazy after 4 weeks and 4 weeks off the bike. No lasting pain relief.

@Grebel; maybe try Coffee Merchants near bottom of Rinaldo Rd / Old N Coast Rd. I enjoyed the last batch I bought there and reasonably priced. They also do courses etc; not that I have done one. My Aeropress also has some blow past but quite old and barrel is rough. The new ones do not seem that great quality wise?

I take facmp's point but it is a circus where the riders risk their lives. Make fun of them all you like but I am very respectful, in awe actually, of their talent and courage, even the guy who finishes last. I think most riders are too. I also understand how all the sneering cracked Stoner, one of the best riders ever to sit on a MotoGP bike. He seemed to do what Rossi and now Lorenzo have battled with; taming the Ducati.

Hi Grebel, No, the water pump seal is quite well known for letting the oil and water mix - which I noticed after a ride late last year (I had just done an oil change too!); again, one guy I spoke to said it happens if you don't use the bike that often - everything dries out. But a new shaft and all the seals, gaskets and washers was less than R1 000 and took about 14 days to arrive. A little fiddly to fix and get the cam cover to seal and the recommended Loctites cost about as much as the spares but all holding; so far. I have the aluminium KTM bash plate and hit a hole or ditch that just bent the bash plate to pinch the thin "tin" of the oil filter housing and start a leak. Tried cable ties etc but couldn't stop it. Also trailer. Got a stiffening bar welded across the bash plate there. Check that all the emissions crap has been stripped off - I did mine and makes a little improvement - AdvRider is your friend.