Kimbolton-Vinegar Hill roads awesome scenery

[MD]

Not sure how many of you have wandered the wilderness that sits east of HW1 from Hunterville and Mangaweka. Fantastic scenery. Good roads but take care, hazards around every bend, loose chip, rock falls and lots of gravel repair patches unsignposted of course. If you could trust each blind corner to be clean and clear they would be good on a sportsbike but not safe enough. I did this area on the Triumph America in January and that was the perfect bike for slowing down and enjoying unknown roads.
Anyway took off early on the Blade today and covered 800kms. Wgtn-Shannon-Palmy Nth-Ashurst-Utumoi-Apiti-Vinegar Hill-lost for awhile-back to Fielding-through Manawatu gorge-Paihiatua-Masterton-Wgtn.
Apiti had a gas station no less! Took advantage of it but the Blades got a good tank range.
A highlight was stopping the lady on the new Speedtriple from Wgtn for a chat in Carterton. The S3 looked small from behind when on the move and seemed to be getting along well. Cool to see one out on the road.
Had a sobering reminder not to fool around on unknown roads. Turned down a side road, decided to pop just a little wheelie in the middle of nowhere. I could see the clear road ahead turned right soon so started to put the front down at xxx kph to discover in the fading sunlight that the road was about to change to rough gravel in 2 seconds. Ah the joy of the Blade's fantastic front brake lasted..., well about 2 seconds, before I had to release it and trust the rear could keep it all straight and slow me before the bend. Well I'm still here, a bit of scary rear wheel drifting on gravel is good for the soul. Probably not at speed though. Those Diablos can handle any surface!
Lowlight was a large group of Harleys and assorted old and new Triumphs coming towards me around bends. What is it with these born again biker types that should stick to a Bambina or Vespa. Lots of apehangers, don't think it was a patched gang but whatever they belonged on American bikes because they have no concept of riding on the left side of the centreline. Again and again I could see some inexperienced twit struggling to get his bike around the bend. One prat stuck his right boot out at me in a 'piss off' gesture move further over. Minor point mate, yes I was leaned well over and going at a pace they could never imagine but I was well on my side of the road, at a comfortable pace for me, and already giving them extra room. I think he expected other road users to pull over and stop until they struggled pass.
Lastly, the weather was great. Got home to a cold bourbon and hot bath- reaches for another bourbon.MD

[spudchucka]

The Apiti - Pohangina loop is a good ride too. Stop in at the pub along the Pohangina - Ashhurst road for a cold beer and a feed makes for a great day. Pays not to do this ride in winter though because there is often snow packed in around the corners, black ice too!

[LED]

800 k - you champion, a well deserved bourbon! I know what you mean about those roads, apent a lil time in Manawatu and explored a few. Down here in Welly wood for another 4 weeks, if I can squeeze a ride in between study I would be more than keen to tag along. Cheers, take it easy

[Zed]

Anyway took off early on the Blade today and covered 800kms.Thanks for the good report and pics. Great day for it, great countryside, great bike!

How does the body feel after 800kms on a CBR1000? I would think you would be quite exhausted! :sick:

[gman]

its an awesome bit of road vinigar hill.
my misses used to work in the takeaways shop at kimbolton.
had lotsa fun on that road in a car killed a few motors too lol.
gota go back down there on a bike soon. :ride:

[MD]

Spudchucka- now you of all people shouldn't be suggesting a beer. The V was enough to pick me up. But I know what you mean though, those quaint little country pubs are great and one beer on a ride day goes down well. I could see what you mean about winter though. The shaded corners were permanently damp. I meant to call in at a cousins farm but missed a turn-off somewhere. Farm's near Utomoi but I went through Utowai or something.
Zed- 800kms on the CBR was no problem. Surprisingly comfortable bike. It was a long day in the saddle.

[GSVR]

Must have been a few people over that road yeaterday. I rode up through Pahongina valley to Apiti to see what the road was like. Sealed all the way but a bit of loose stuff in places. You must have taken the left road MD which turns to unsealed. Stopped and said hi to a guy on a Red VTR (whose pillon was having a pee in the bush I think) just before Apiti.

When I rode through Kimbolton all the Harleys and Brit bikes where having lunch there about 1.00pm or so.

Also rode up to Mangaweka on Friday. The road that runs through Rangiwahia to Mangaweka is closed during the week as theres roadwork going on 2 ks from Mangaweka. Mangamako Rd is in really good nic. Only stuff on the raod was leaves from the poplar and elm trees this time of year.

Great day for a ride.

[MD]

Garry, if I passed you I would have waved. I remember seeing a VTR in the afternoon. I went from Ashurst (11am maybe?) north but before Pohangina I turned right (east) crossed the river then carried on north. Our paths would have joined again at Utuwai I guess. I turned right because the sign said 'Alternative sealed route to Apiti' and it was fully sealed. Friendly local told me Magaweka gorge was closed.

[GSVR]

Garry, if I passed you I would have waved.
You would have had to catch me first :lol: I'm not that fast if I was I wouldn't have stayed upright long on that road



Friendly local told me Magaweka gorge was closed.

So its closed on the weekends as well. Right turn at Pembleton historical site (Mangamako Rd) for KB rally next weekend I reacon.

[Riff Raff]

I keep meaning to do little detours on my trips between Auckland and Welly and vice versa - really must head via Fielding and up the hill back to SH1 - especially after the boredom between Welly and Sanson. Any other detours people can think of to break up the journey?

I came across a lot of those Harley riders yesterday on my way back up - had one trying to keep up with me and getting pissed off that some chick on a Jap bike was keeping ahead of him, so when I did get stuck behind traffic he overtook me and several vehicle on the inside and nearly got taken out in the process. I decided it was best just to let him go ahead because he was liable to injure his pillion and innocent drivers.

[Hitcher]

We were through the Ashhurst-Colyton-Feilding road yesterday afternoon. If we'd been an hour earlier we definitely would have done Vinegar hill. It's the closest best stretch of biking road on the west coast north of Wellington, without doubt.

[MD]

Good to see this thread has drawn some responses.
Riff raff- make sure you fill up first. The turn off 500m north of Mangaweka is the best (don't quote me, going by memory) but not over winter and it is remote, no cell ph area with some tricky corners. Not the place to breakdown alone. Next best was the Vinegar Hill turn off to Fielding. The few intersections you come across are well signposted.
Hitcher- shame I missed you. But saw you and Mrs H heading down to Feathers this morning as I headed up. Came up behind a silver ST1300 without the panniers on! As you said they're no beauty contestant naked.

[spudchucka]

Spudchucka- now you of all people shouldn't be suggesting a beer.
Nothing wrong with just one or two. :niceone: