When the Motorbike isn't a Good Option

Two weeks I photographed the Eildon Junior Tour.  This was going to be my first time where I would actually be riding the motorbike on my own.  I have been having a go here and there, but seriously I haven't ridden a motorbike for a few years, actually a lot of years.

The first time I got on it I was surprised how much came back to me.  I think the one thing that made it better was that it isn't a big bike and doesn't have a lot of go in it, so I don't have to be scared that I will go to fast, it ain't possible.

I've spoken before about the benefits of being on the back of the bike.  I can go up beside the riders and photograph them as they are moving.  Here I want to talk more about the benefits of being on my own, and when it isn't good.

When the time trial started I took off and headed out on the road.  I found a nice spot and I waited for them to come along.  During the whole time trial that is what I did.  I could have done this in a car, but it was nice and a lot easier to get around the riders when on the bike.  The best part was that I didn't need much room to pull over and stop, I only needed about a foot, as opposed to about 4 when in the car.  I didn't have to worry about the bike getting bogged, I just needed a firm base to put the stand down so the bike didn't fall over. 

I was still getting used the bike and stopping is tricky, only because you have so many gears to go down.  I can remember my motorbike from years ago, the Honda VT250FII, it had a lot of gears and if you stopped quickly then you couldn't get down all the gears.

It was a great experience and I do think I got some better shots because of it.  I was able to pick exactly where I wanted to take the photos and stop there.

It doesn't look like it, but the morning did start off very nicely.  We knew there was going to be rain, but the forecast had been showers developing and rain for Sunday.  I thought I would be able to take photos on the motorbike for Saturday, but be in the car, trying not to get wet on Sunday.  I was wrong.

The rain started towards the end of the time trial.  I had noticed that it was really cloudy in the morning and thought I would put a plastic bag over the camera, and was so glad I did that.  Not that it rained heavily, but it was raining.  I have insurance for the camera gear, but it is not something I ever want to have to use. 

When it was time for the race in the afternoon, it was really raining.  I was told to go out on the bike, that it would be too bad.  I can tell you it was.  Riding the motorbike with helmet that doesn't have a visor is bad enough, but riding in the rain is even worse.  The rain feels like hail as it hits your face.  I had to stop and wrap my scarf around me so that it covered as much of my face as possible.

I put a really think plastic bag over the camera and tied it up tightly to keep the rain off it, and hope that the trip on the bike would get it too wet.  It is an electronic gadget and they don't tend to mix well with water.

When I got to the top of Skyline to wait for the Under 19 boys, I discovered a new reason not to use the bike when it rains.  There is no shelter, I had to sit in the rain and wait.  Wait I did, for almost 40 minutes before they finally came.  I got so cold, and wet.  My motorbike jacket is pretty good and I had some waterproof pants on, but my feet got wet, my boots aren't waterproof, so they got wet.  Once my feet were cold, that was it.  I sat up there on the side of the ride, wondering what the hell I was doing there.  I just wanted it over.

Once the Under 19 boys went past, I took off on the bike again and went in search of the next group.

When I got to the top the wind was howling and it was blowing me everywhere.  I saw the U15 boys coming and pulled over.  I missed the leaders because I couldn't get the camera out of its protective plastic bag fast enough.  I also messed up shots because the wind was so strong and it blew the plastic bag, that I had taped onto the camera to help protect it while I was taking photos, right over the front of the lens.  Not good. 

I stopped somewhere else and I decided that it would be best to wait for everyone to come past me.  It was too hard to ride until I saw them and get the camera ready.  I got most of them, but I also missed heaps.

I decided to ride down to the bottom.  I knew the U19 boys would be doing a second loop so I rode down to find them.  Again I missed the leader, but got the boys going around a roundabout.   If you look at the photo you can see the rain.  It was pouring down, and I decided enough.

The race was starting and finishing in Thornton, I was staying in Eildon.  When I took that last photo there, I was on the outskirts of Eildon, I just went back to our cabin and got dry and warm.

I don't worry too much about the finishes because so many people have their cameras there.  I wasn't going to ride all the way back to Thornton.

What I learned from the weekend was that the motorbike is no good when it is raining.  You really need to have somewhere dry to wait.  Also, to protect the camera you have to wrap it up so much, that you don't get quick access to it.  I think if the weather is good, then the motorbike is perfect.  You can chuck the camera over your and just go.  The motorbike means you can get past the riders easier than in a car, and when you stop, you can just pull the camera around and take the photos, don't even have to get off the motorbike.  And, like I said earlier, you can really stop anywhere.  I'm so glad I never got rid of my bike license, and I think my next big expense might have to be a motorbike of my own.