isn't 22 the best..?

[bugjuice]

Just thinking about what makes a good road, and that'd probably be something that throws everything you can think of, at you, to deal with. I can't think of anything the 22 is missing (apart from closure signs at either end so we could race it)..

It's got everything from fast sweepers to slow tight hairpins, very smooth tarmac to lumps and bumps to make your bike fly (and I have), low valley spots up to high exposed hills, even not a heap of traffic (ok, some, with tractors etc, but not heaps).. everything and anything.. And all in a good hours' ride each way.

Does this make it one of the most technical roads around?

Are there any other roads that would compete to this? Around Auckland/Hammy that is.. I know the coro loop is there, but that's a days' ride, and a trek just to get it started.
And what's in the other regions? Is it the Takas around welly? Never ridden that way before, so wouldn't know..

I just want to share my :love: for the 22

22 :love: :Punk:

[Sniper]

I love the write ups of the north Island. But I still know that on my way to work I enjoy things like that everyday, move to the South Island guys

[Riff Raff]

One of my fave rides is down Ridge road to SH22, down to Ngaruawhia, then to Huntly via west of the river, 1.5 ks on SHW1, then turn down to Te Kauwhata along to SHW2 till Maramarua, Mangatangi, Fish & Chips at the good old Kaiaua takeaways, and back via Kawakawa bay, then head over the Skyhigh Rd from Clevedon to Hunua and through the gorge back to Papakura.

And people wonder why I live in South Auckland - see what I've got on my doorstep!!!

[Motu]

There are fantastic roads all over New Zealand - but if you insist on riding a sports bikes then I'm afraid your choices are limited....you'll also see more cops than I do too.

[dss3]

You weren't riding back up to Auck's on 22 early yesterday afternoon by any chance were ya? Think I remember seeing one of 'dem ugly kawazaki 636's along there somewhere! :shake:

But yeah I luv that road too. Like you say it isn't all perfect sweeping smooth race track corners, but its all the crazy humps and bumps, dirt and tractors that keeps ya on your toes! :niceone:

-daryl

[JohnBoy]

hmm...its ok. i have ridden it a couple of times but not too fussed on it.
i reckommend that you go down to wellington for a weekend with the bike. do the aka's, rimutaka, moonshine & paekakariki hill roads loop.... that is a ride and a half! everything from fast to tight corners, high spec road surface to dry creek beds with in some areas only one lane (about 3-4 meters wide).

[Quasievil]

You weren't riding back up to Auck's on 22 early yesterday afternoon by any chance were ya? Think I remember seeing one of 'dem ugly kawazaki 636's along there somewhere! :shake:

But yeah I luv that road too. Like you say it isn't all perfect sweeping smooth race track corners, but its all the crazy humps and bumps, dirt and tractors that keeps ya on your toes! :niceone:

-daryl

them there words will cost you a few hundy Quasi cash mate ( you will understand the importance of Quasi cash soon my friend)

[750Y]

it's nice, but the loop is nicer 8-)

[Yarg]

have you tried the Woodcock road between Warkworth & SH 16. :ride:

[Zed]

I've ridden SH22 about a dozen times during 2004-5 and have always enjoyed it. Can't say I've had any really 'hairy' moments doing it like some on this site have? The first few times were riding at medium pace until I got more familiar with it and then it was no holds barred! Now that I know the road quite well I enjoy it much more, as you do, but last weekend with the low fog it was an entirely different road altogether for the first 20kms or so...reduced me down to a 'Nana' pace. :confused:

If you want the opinion of the most experienced rider of the famous 22 you know who to ask! :msn-wink:

(:mega:calling Firefight)

[Lou Girardin]

have you tried the Woodcock road between Warkworth & SH 16. :ride:

Do you mean West Coast Rd? That's a magic piece of road, only 1 or 2 k's of gravel left.

[Big Dave]

hmm...its ok. i have ridden it a couple of times but not too fussed on it.
i reckommend that you go down to wellington for a weekend with the bike. do the aka's, rimutaka, moonshine & paekakariki hill roads loop.... that is a ride and a half! everything from fast to tight corners, high spec road surface to dry creek beds with in some areas only one lane (about 3-4 meters wide).

Yeah, and around Welly itself has some good bits - but that's about all you got till you get to Palmy or other side of Bulls?
Out to lake ferrry is fast and sweepy too but at least there are more than 2 roads out of Auckland.

[Yarg]

Yup that's the one. Now I know the correct name. Thanks for that. More bikes are using it now , & ya hardly notice the gravel. :ride:

[Motu]

Yup that's the one. Now I know the correct name. Thanks for that. More bikes are using it now , & ya hardly notice the gravel. :ride:
Looks like I've lost one of my favorite roads,it was an awesome road when it was all gravel,mind you so was SH16.One of my favorites is a loop from Kaipara Hills road which joins the Tauhoa rd 1 Km from the gravel,at Tauhoa I turn around and go back...the seal scares the shit outta me! Did that on loop on sunday.

[bugjuice]

You weren't riding back up to Auck's on 22 early yesterday afternoon by any chance were ya? Think I remember seeing one of 'dem ugly kawazaki 636's along there somewhere! :shake:

But yeah I luv that road too. Like you say it isn't all perfect sweeping smooth race track corners, but its all the crazy humps and bumps, dirt and tractors that keeps ya on your toes! :niceone:

-daryl
yeah, was me actually (well, could have been)
Yesterday on that ride, I saw twice as many bikes on the road than any other vehicle (including an accient ambo, which I reckon could be a ghost ambo from days of old, still trawling the 22... oooooo)

I reckon it's just got a mix of every kind of eventuallity you can think of. Yeah, it's a great 'cruise' road, but each section of the road has something different in it to teach you something more about you and your bike, if you're looking for it. Like Zed says, you get used to it, but I think if you want to learn from it, then that's a good road to do it from.
From the bumps in the road etc, I learnt how much tank slap hurts my wrists for example. Or how you shouldn't stand on the pegs to lift your butt off the seat while going over bumps, braking and changing down, else you loose a nut. mmm, ouch.

I think you could cruise that road a thousand times, and not learn a thing, but what's the fun in that? Personally, as close to home as it is for me, I can't think of a more demanding technical road, unless you're cruising.. just mho

[Jackrat]

I lived at Nakie for three years and rode 22 every weekend plus.
I reckon it's the most over rated road in the area.
BTW the big right hand up hill sweeper just after you come off the river flats at the Tuakua end has a bloody great big hole in it half way round.
It covers the whole lane and they just dug it so it will be there for a while.Soon to be replaced with a bloody great speed bump if the boys are up to their usual skill levels. :whistle:

[SPman]

Isn't 22 the best?


No.

[Big Dave]

I lived at Nakie for three years and rode 22 every weekend plus.
I reckon it's the most over rated road in the area.
BTW the big right hand up hill sweeper just after you come off the river flats at the Tuakua end has a bloody great big hole in it half way round.
It covers the whole lane and they just dug it so it will be there for a while.Soon to be replaced with a bloody great speed bump if the boys are up to their usual skill levels. :whistle:


You should try one of these new, modern motorcycles mate - they have suspension nowdays :niceone:

[loosebruce]

22 is cool and close, better roads up north 16 etc, should get up there for a ride more often, but i'm a 25/25A man myslef. Also there's a knarly road called old taupo rd, runs off SH1 just beofre Tirau runs beside the Waikato and comes out just by Tokoroa, then continue on SH32 to whakamaru. Worth a look.

[bugjuice]

I lived at Nakie for three years and rode 22 every weekend plus.
I reckon it's the most over rated road in the area.
BTW the big right hand up hill sweeper just after you come off the river flats at the Tuakua end has a bloody great big hole in it half way round.
It covers the whole lane and they just dug it so it will be there for a while.Soon to be replaced with a bloody great speed bump if the boys are up to their usual skill levels. :whistle:
yeah, couldn't miss that..
but if you flip what you said round, the fact the bump is there means you have to deal with it mid corner. If anything, it'll make you think, then next time you're not on the 22 and something similar comes up, you'll know about it..

I know the 22 isn't everyone's cuppa. Nothing is liked be absolutely everyone, that's a point about being human, but I just thought it was one of the more technical roads around

[DEATH_INC.]

Yeh,22's one of the good'uns.
In fact,may do a run saturday...... :banana:

[XTC]

22 is good and has lots of other good roads off it if you like exploring.... Going tomorrow, who's coming??

[Jackrat]

22 is cool and close, better roads up north 16 etc, should get up there for a ride more often, but i'm a 25/25A man myslef. Also there's a knarly road called old taupo rd, runs off SH1 just beofre Tirau runs beside the Waikato and comes out just by Tokoroa, then continue on SH32 to whakamaru. Worth a look.

The old Taupo,the road I learnt to ride on.
Worked at Hodderville.
Still one of my fav's.
The road to Whakamaru is short, but Soooooo sweet.
Then there's the western access,,,Blis.
Just bought a house at Tokoroa so I'll be back there soon.
There'll be a bed for any KB'ers passing thru'. :niceone:

[Zed]

Here's a link to some great photos of the legendary State Highway Twenty Two...must have made quite an impression on this guy!

Courtesy of Big Dave: http://www.davidcohen.co.nz/22.htm :Punk:

[Firefight]

yeah, couldn't miss that..
but if you flip what you said round, the fact the bump is there mean....


prior to the commencment of the road works that Jack refers to, there were 3 separate bumps on that corner south bound, all a few metres apart, hope they haven't fixed it up too much.

F/F :love: :ride: 22

[Big Dave]

prior to the commencment of the road works that Jack refers to, there were 3 separate bumps on that corner south bound, all a few metres apart, hope they haven't fixed it up too much.

F/F :love: :ride: 22

We spent half an hour looking for Daytona Dave's testicles near those bumps.
He later found them in his throat - waddayamean not fixed 'em too much!?

[ben444]

This is my new favourite... but I'm not telling you where it is, cos then every bugger will be doing it, and I like it the way it is at the moment... nice and quiet.

[Big Dave]

This is my new favourite... but I'm not telling you where it is, cos then every bugger will be doing it, and I like it the way it is at the moment... nice and quiet.

I'll raise
http://www.davidcohen.co.nz/sign.jpg
(some of it is dirt but)

[Zapf]

This is my new favourite... but I'm not telling you where it is, cos then every bugger will be doing it, and I like it the way it is at the moment... nice and quiet.

I would have said the road heading to Milford sound.... but there is a bit too much bush..

[FzerozeroT]

the divvy on the way to raglan, also out to the east of huntly there are a few dead end roads that not many trucks travel down so although the chip is worn smooth there aren't too many entry/exit ripples. Oooh, jee willikers i'm getting all tingly thinking about all those different corners, might be time to find out how much to get this baby registered.

[Rback]

Up here in the far north we have got some awesome roads to go "play"on. The Twin Bridges road has it all then SH1 up the Mangamukas is the twists from hell. I even had motion sickness one day. May have been the alcohol consumed from the day before though. I hope to get down to Aucks to do a few of the awesome rides you guys have down there.

[DEATH_INC.]

I'll raise
http://www.davidcohen.co.nz/sign.jpg
(some of it is dirt but)
Shit,wish I'd taken a piccy in aussie,the road from Delegate to Orbost has a sign the sez <~~160km.....and only about 20 km is dirt(the aussies call it gravel),the rest is all third-fourth gear with a couple of 2nd gear corners thrown in,through a gum forest,good visability through the corners too.
PERFECT.

[DEATH_INC.]

Up here in the far north we have got some awesome roads to go "play"on. The Twin Bridges road has it all then SH1 up the Mangamukas is the twists from hell. I even had motion sickness one day. May have been the alcohol consumed from the day before though. I hope to get down to Aucks to do a few of the awesome rides you guys have down there.
If you like the twin bridges road,you'll love 22 as well,It's very similar in construction.... :niceone:

[Pixie]

Yup that's the one. Now I know the correct name. Thanks for that. More bikes are using it now , & ya hardly notice the gravel. :ride:
The SH16 end is West Coast rd-the Warkworth end is Woodcocks rd-so you're both right

[Pixie]

Up here in the far north we have got some awesome roads to go "play"on. The Twin Bridges road has it all then SH1 up the Mangamukas is the twists from hell. I even had motion sickness one day. May have been the alcohol consumed from the day before though. I hope to get down to Aucks to do a few of the awesome rides you guys have down there.
I was pleased to find (over a year ago)that the Mangamuka road has had it's surface repaired.
I first rode it in the late '70's with 2 mates.When we got to the look out at the top we stopped, but none of us could actually speak,we were giggling deleriously.
There is a plaque to the road builder at the top.Never was recognition so well deserved. :ride:

[Coldkiwi]

Meh... Sh22 is well over rated in my ever so humble (or not!) opinion.
Nice corners but ya can't attack them at full force lest a cow, cow by product or gravel bought about by tractor chasing said cows turns up on the way out of the apex. Lots of little driveways too.

For my peace of mind, I'd rather spend the day going around coromandel that has all of what SH22 has on offer, but lots more of it, less HP and more hills (whangapoa is glorious). A shorter jaunt around the paeroa/waihi/whangamata loops give the same sort of thing with VERY clean roads and a similar lack (generally) of HP.

gravel and mud are all well and good if kitted out like Motu, but not much fun on a sportsbike

[Ixion]

..

gravel and mud are all well and good if kitted out like Motu, but not much fun on a sportsbike
I'm with Motu. Variety is the spice of life.

[badlieutenant]

Up here in the far north we have got some awesome roads to go "play"on. The Twin Bridges road has it all then SH1 up the Mangamukas is the twists from hell. I even had motion sickness one day. May have been the alcohol consumed from the day before though. I hope to get down to Aucks to do a few of the awesome rides you guys have down there.
so after i leave my bike in dorkland I find another KB'r up here. Dam. my vote would go to twin bridges. just been resurfaced heaps less trafic than 22 and if you loop round opononi (better views too) you go thru the oh so much fun waipua forest road :D

[bugjuice]

so after i leave my bike in dorkland I find another KB'r up here. Dam. my vote would go to twin bridges. just been resurfaced heaps less trafic than 22 and if you loop round opononi (better views too) you go thru the oh so much fun waipua forest road :D
you'll have to take me thru them one fine weekend..

[badlieutenant]

you'll have to take me thru them one fine weekend..
heres a thought. in the not so distant future Ill be flying up from welly to ride back down but before I do id like to catch up with family. Accomadation could possibly be arranged. Id have to take the long way of course :D helensville kaukapakapa way then mangawhai heads to waipu then old russell road cut across to Kaikohe thru twin bridges loop back round opononi then somewhere near the bay of islands collapse from exhaustion. :D actually there is few variations to this route that would be just as interesting. May as well enjoy empty northland roads while they are here cause at the rate this place is growing it wont be like this for long (in fact its busy during "the silly season")

[bugjuice]

heres a thought. in the not so distant future Ill be flying up from welly to ride back down but before I do id like to catch up with family. Accomadation could possibly be arranged. Id have to take the long way of course :D helensville kaukapakapa way then mangawhai heads to waipu then old russell road cut across to Kaikohe thru twin bridges loop back round opononi then somewhere near the bay of islands collapse from exhaustion. :D actually there is few variations to this route that would be just as interesting. May as well enjoy empty northland roads while they are here cause at the rate this place is growing it wont be like this for long (in fact its busy during "the silly season")
yeah, true..
let me know when you're thinking of doing it, and we'll see what we can sort out. Bay of Islands is a hell of a ride tho, but what the fudge.. :Punk:

[justsomeguy]

For my peace of mind, I'd rather spend the day going around coromandel that has all of what SH22 has on offer, but lots more of it, less HP and more hills (whangapoa is glorious). A shorter jaunt around the paeroa/waihi/whangamata loops give the same sort of thing with VERY clean roads and a similar lack (generally) of HP.


Can we do this in say 2-3 weeks once my bike gets fixed?? As another KB slow ride???

[ktulu]

There is a plaque to the road builder at the top.Never was recognition so well deserved. :ride:

Thats my great grandfather if I remember rightly, there was a big ceremony there and my grandfather was pretty involved with getting the plaque there but some pricks keep smashing it apparently, disrespectful sods.


So far as roads go, having lived most of my life in rural areas I was always a case of getting to the end of my driveway and choosing whether to go left or right, and the then the same at pretty much every other intersection, its amazing some of the sections of road you stumble upon just going out for a ride and seeing where the road takes you.

[Big Dave]

A shorter jaunt around the paeroa/waihi/whangamata loops give the same sort of thing with VERY clean roads and a similar lack (generally) of HP.

Not this weekend mate - there are some significant roadworks and 5k's with loose shit between Waihi and whangamatta

[erik]

Meh... Sh22 is well over rated in my ever so humble (or not!) opinion.
Nice corners but ya can't attack them at full force lest a cow, cow by product or gravel bought about by tractor chasing said cows turns up on the way out of the apex....


In my humble opinion, SH22 is the closest nice road to Auckland that I know of. Old north road is too short and is too residential in the bit with corners, the second half of it is mostly straights with a few corners thrown in.
SH16 to welsford is ok, but not twisty enough for the most part.
Parts of the corromandel loop are nice. But it's pretty far away from Auckland.
Scenic drive... well the first half is closer to a 50k residential area than a road suitable for having fun on. The second half most of the corners are blind, the road is narrow and there is a fair amount of traffic.

I don't really know any of the other roads near auckland to compare SH22 to. To me it just seems to be close enough (almost; it's kinda far for me out in west auckland) and is of a decent length for a nice blat. It's reasonably open, not surrounded by trees like scenic drive, and has got sections with lotsa nice corners.

(this post brought to you with teh help of beer... ;) )

[badlieutenant]

thats why i wont live in auckland again. can't be stuffed riding for an hour to get to raods where there arnt too many people. having said that the roads round hanua and miranda can be fun except for, and here it is again, the amount of people using it now :(