Mr Skid
30th March 2005, 15:20
When the budget can't stretch to more than one bike, you've got to make do right? Today I went out along Old North, with the intent of finding some gravel roads to meander along.
The reason I bought a 250 sportsbike as my first ride, was that none of the 250 trail bikes had much grunt. In hindsight I probably should have bought a XR600 and said to hell with the learner cc limit..
Just after the 'S' bend on Old North Road, Ararimu Valley Road on your right.
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=8849&stc=1
From the turn off it looks like a sealed road, but get about 5km along and the fun begins.
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=8850&stc=1
This is the intersection of Ararimu Valley Road, Bald Hill Road, and Chatham Road.
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=8852&stc=1
According to the map this intersection doesn't exist, but you know better now. I saw 100km/h on a couple of stretches of straight road up to this point. Sure the front might float about a bit looking for grip, but it's nothing much to worry about. How people crash on pea metal I'll never know!
I was going to head down Chatham road to see where it took me, but after seeing the first hill I turned around- if it was a dead end road, I'd have been leaving the bike behind and walking out, or disasembling it at the bottom and putting it back together at the top of the hill.
I was pretty sure there was no way I'd be able to get enough traction on road tires to get it back up the hill.
Here's a great pic to illustrate the rewards you recieve for getting off the beaten track.
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=8853&stc=1
Shortly after this I came across the intersection of Bald Hill Road, Blackbridge Road and Ireland Road.
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=8854&stc=1
I worked out that Blackbridge runs through to Dairy Flat. I didn't want to go that way, I wanted to return via old North Road, so went down Ireland Road.
I started an attempt on drawing a smiley face in the gravel, but knew I was going to drop the bike if I kept playing silly buggers, so gave that away.
Came back via Waitoki on Kahiatea Flat Road, and joined up with onto Peak Road. rather than turning left onto Old North, I kept going through to Hellensville. I don't think many people ride that other section of Old North Road. I know people up that way, so I ride it reasonably frequently.
Here's a shot taken from The intersection of Kiwitahi Road and Old North Road. I often stop here for a minute to take in the view.
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=8855&stc=1
I think I got some funny looks from the locals riding their roads in full leathers on a sports bike, but what's a lad to do?
The reason I bought a 250 sportsbike as my first ride, was that none of the 250 trail bikes had much grunt. In hindsight I probably should have bought a XR600 and said to hell with the learner cc limit..
Just after the 'S' bend on Old North Road, Ararimu Valley Road on your right.
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=8849&stc=1
From the turn off it looks like a sealed road, but get about 5km along and the fun begins.
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=8850&stc=1
This is the intersection of Ararimu Valley Road, Bald Hill Road, and Chatham Road.
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=8852&stc=1
According to the map this intersection doesn't exist, but you know better now. I saw 100km/h on a couple of stretches of straight road up to this point. Sure the front might float about a bit looking for grip, but it's nothing much to worry about. How people crash on pea metal I'll never know!
I was going to head down Chatham road to see where it took me, but after seeing the first hill I turned around- if it was a dead end road, I'd have been leaving the bike behind and walking out, or disasembling it at the bottom and putting it back together at the top of the hill.
I was pretty sure there was no way I'd be able to get enough traction on road tires to get it back up the hill.
Here's a great pic to illustrate the rewards you recieve for getting off the beaten track.
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=8853&stc=1
Shortly after this I came across the intersection of Bald Hill Road, Blackbridge Road and Ireland Road.
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=8854&stc=1
I worked out that Blackbridge runs through to Dairy Flat. I didn't want to go that way, I wanted to return via old North Road, so went down Ireland Road.
I started an attempt on drawing a smiley face in the gravel, but knew I was going to drop the bike if I kept playing silly buggers, so gave that away.
Came back via Waitoki on Kahiatea Flat Road, and joined up with onto Peak Road. rather than turning left onto Old North, I kept going through to Hellensville. I don't think many people ride that other section of Old North Road. I know people up that way, so I ride it reasonably frequently.
Here's a shot taken from The intersection of Kiwitahi Road and Old North Road. I often stop here for a minute to take in the view.
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=8855&stc=1
I think I got some funny looks from the locals riding their roads in full leathers on a sports bike, but what's a lad to do?