VOTE FOR NZ's BEST ROAD

[Big Dave]

Running a just for fun poll on KR

http://kiwiridermagazine.blogspot.com/2009/12/vote-for-nzs-best-road.html

[junkmanjoe]

voted..
id have to say the road that runs through Waikaremoana gravel and seal road,
great ride with great views..we had wild horses and snow last time in there.

JMJ

[Firefight]

Running a just for fun poll on KR

http://kiwiridermagazine.blogspot.com/2009/12/vote-for-nzs-best-road.html



done Big Dave, no prize for guessing my choice, good poll


F/F

[Mr Merde]

The one that leads out of the country

[Big Dave]

done Big Dave, no prize for guessing my choice, good poll


F/F

I can probably put two and two together :-)

[Big Dave]

voted..
id have to say the road that runs through Waikaremoana gravel and seal road,
great ride with great views..we had wild horses and snow last time in there.

JMJ

Adv riders have a different perspective hey.

When the heavyweight tourers and sportsbikes turn around - they start to go 'you beauty'.

[Big Dave]

The one that leads out of the country

Flush to exit Merde. :done:

[avgas]

Supprised Piha loop is not up there

[gijoe1313]

I voted Other ... the road that you are enjoying riding on at the moment is the best! :msn-wink:

[Matt Bleck]

Where is the Wioeka road?

[Big Dave]

Where is the Wioeka road?

My bad - Waioeka - SH2.

[Big Dave]

I voted Other ... the road that you are enjoying riding on at the moment is the best! :msn-wink:


GI wishy washy.

[boman]

I voted Sh22. I was torn between The Forgotten Highway, and SH22. Chose 22 'cause it is closer to home.

[Holyshift]

Just done 3600ks down south after the Burt Munro. So many awesome roads, puts the Nth to shame. Pick of them has to be the Lewis Pass with West Coast a close second. Buller Gorge, Millford, and Glenorchy equal third.

[Big Dave]

My personal favourite is now from Fields Track to Hunterville via the Whangahehu Valley on a dirt capable bike.

[Movistar]

I voted Forgotten Highway...can't remember why...I forgot.

Seriously though, it's great whether it's blissfully fine in summer, or painfully wet and cold in winter.
Whether you meander through and take in the sights, sounds and smells, or tear it up and the whole things a blur.

Magnificent.

[Big Dave]

Magnificent.

Much chur-ness.

[Skyryder]

At the risk of being a smart arse the best road is the one you are on..


But on a more serious note I liked the one at the back of Egmont. Nice bit of kiwi land too.

South Island, not that I get on this one very often is into Mt Cook. If it was not for the cops the Tekapo run thru the McKenzei would be the one hands down. Just to many cops that way to fully enjoy. Still nice scenary makes up for it.


Skyryder

[junkmanjoe]

Adv riders have a different perspective hey.

When the heavyweight tourers and sportsbikes turn around - they start to go 'you beauty'.

a couple photos from Waikaremoana road, wild horses. snow, and great water fall.
we will ride this road again.
Another favorite or mine, from an adv point of view. the motu road.
from a sealed road view. the old hi way 52.

JMJ

[shafty]

Great Poll BD;

While the Forgotten World Highway is on my (NZ) back door, is a great favourite and have enjoyed some overnighters at the Pub (Publican Geoff and Penny = 1400 Concours) for me, it was the Middle Road, Havelock North:

"Some nice twisties, some hills, beaut vineyard scenery, a hoory great straight to tap it out, and then.....(drum roll)....a cool PUB! How good is that?"

[MaxB]

Went for East Cape/Waioeka just for the variety from flat out stretches to single lane goat track. Great road.

The thing I noticed from the list is how lucky we are to have such great roads and how lucky I am to have done them all over the years.

[banditrider]

Some great rides there for sure but I just had to go for Te Anau to Milford. Can't get enough of that scenery and the ride is fantastic (esp early in the morning before the buses).

[Swoop]

Damn. Reducing the choices down to that many, would have been interesting all by itself. So many that could have been added.

[MIXONE]

I voted but it's more like a list of dream roads and rides.Love every one of them.

[Big Dave]

Damn. Reducing the choices down to that many, would have been interesting all by itself. So many that could have been added.

There are quite a lot of others - the Hunderlees, Kaimais, Old Taupo Rd, heaps more - that prolly deserved, but weren't 'seconded'.

[Big Dave]

Some great rides there for sure but I just had to go for Te Anau to Milford. Can't get enough of that scenery and the ride is fantastic (esp early in the morning before the buses).


<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kiwirider/4157668446/" title="milfordrd by KIWIRIDER, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2778/4157668446_570972bdfd.jpg" width="500" height="313" alt="milfordrd" /></a>

[banditrider]

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kiwirider/4157668446/" title="milfordrd by KIWIRIDER, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2778/4157668446_570972bdfd.jpg" width="500" height="313" alt="milfordrd" /></a>

Yep, that's the bugger! Fantastic: the sights, the smells, the road...

[shrub]

and my favourite tends to depend on where I live, how much time I have etc. If I feel like a quick squirt, Dyers Pass, around the bays and up over Gebbies pass takes a lot of beating. If you go in the week or early in the morning and dodge the tourists and retarded power rangers, Akaroa is a classic. When I lived in the NI, the Coromandel was always guaranteed a good un.

These days my favourite road is the block over Arthur's, up to Westport, through Buller and back over Lewis. Guaranteed a day filled with smiles.

[Big Dave]

These days my favourite road is the block over Arthur's, up to Westport, through Buller and back over Lewis. Guaranteed a day filled with smiles.

If we could just do something about those plains to get there.

Same with Akl to Corro - you have to cross the Hauraki, but 'taint as long a bore at least.

I was surprised Arthur's only got one nomination.

[pritch]

Ummm BD it's actually the Forgotten World Highway.

My first choice would be Hanmer through to Wanaka which has only one boring bit (Greymouth) in a couple of days.

But I voted for SH43 'cause it's local and out of sympathy at the indignity of its having been misnamed...

All those guys who voted for the Coro loop, you need to get out more.
It's good but it's not *that* good.

[Big Dave]

43 - Yeah, I know - but not one of the nominations called it that.

[banditrider]

All those guys who voted for the Coro loop, you need to get out more.
It's good but it's not *that* good.

My thoughts too. Plenty of the other roads on the list would rate higher in my book.

[Highlander]

I voted East Cape / Waioeka (the road between Gisborne and Opotiki for those that are unfamiliar with it). Strugling to find and excuse to take the bike to my folks place (Gisborne) for Christmas while the rest of the family take the van.

Couple on the list I have yet to do, but I agree the Coro Loop while certainly a good ride, is a tad over rated I think.

[pritch]

I voted East Cape / Waioeka (the road between Gisborne and Opotiki for those that are unfamiliar with it).

If there's any justice, and there probably isn't, the West Coast Highway will win. It's the only NZ one I know of that has appeared on lists of the 10 best rides in the world.

In the North Island I cant think of a better ride than the East Cape/Waioeka. Except that, by the standard applied to the rest of the nominees, that should almost count as two rides.

For those who have never ventured over the Brynderwins or the Bombays the Coro loop probably looks the bees knees. Likewise those Southerners who voted for the Catlins or the Takaka Hill. The Catlins road is nice but it's not a million miles from the West Coast Highway and there is just no comparison.

I guess there is a tendency for us to vote for our local track err road, but if you've never experienced the pleasures of touring the other Island may I respectfiully suggest you give it a nudge. It's great.

[Highlander]

In the North Island I cant think of a better ride than the East Cape/Waioeka. Except that, by the standard applied to the rest of the nominees, that should almost count as two rides.

Often thought of doing it as a day ride from my place. Haven't yet though.




I guess there is a tendency for us to vote for our local track err road, but if you've never experienced the pleasures of touring the other Island may I respectfiully suggest you give it a nudge. It's great.

Quite right, there is nothing like making a list of roads you want to ride and seeing how many you can link together in a couple of days rides like this (http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?p=1503304#post1503304) leave you on a high for weeks.

[banditrider]

rides like this (http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?p=1503304#post1503304) leave you on a high for weeks.

Ahhhhh, yes, it seems such a long time ago...

[Highlander]

Time for another one. Already working up my game plan for the 2011 Southern Cross. Will try to link in some of the roads listed here that I haven't done yet. :niceone:

[BoristheBiter]

I to voted East Cape but that was before I realised that it was the quick way to Gisborne.
The road around the cape (SH35) is much better.

[MD]

I voted but it's not fair to pick one Sth island stretch over the others...they are all awesome and all equal. I suppose some are more equal than others at times, if we must be picky I went with the West Coast but that's probably my sentimental bias having grown up a Coaster as a wee Lad.

Trying to get to the Burt Munro this year with dozens of mind blowing "detours" to distract you, just makes the decision impossible and highlights how the answer is quite simply..the whole South Island! (except the Canty Plains)

Just some of this year's memorable runs for me were; Lewis Pass; QT to Genorchy, Ranfury south through Middlemarch; Lindis Pass, Crown Range; Arthurs Pass and up the West Coast; Queen Charlotte Sounds. Dare I whisper it... The Buller Gorge

East Cape is up there aswell.

[Big Dave]

I to voted East Cape but that was before I realised that it was the quick way to Gisborne.
The road around the cape (SH35) is much better.

It means the loop. Around the outside and back through the middle.

[MaxB]

Some people have touched on this but I reckon a lot of how you look back on how good a road is depends a lot on how things went on the day you were there. I have a bit of a love hate thing with with the Milford-Te Anau run and Cape Reinga. Tourists and over zealous cops can make or break a road for me.

[marty]

The Thames Coast Highway part of the Coro Loop for me. Closely followed by the Western Bypass Rd from Whakamaru to Turangi. Coro because it's just such a nice road, Western Bypass because it's so quiet, fast and flowing

[BoristheBiter]

It means the loop. Around the outside and back through the middle.

oh OK then, yes this the best.

[dipshit]

Some people have touched on this but I reckon a lot of how you look back on how good a road is depends a lot on how things went on the day you were there. I have a bit of a love hate thing with with the Milford-Te Anau run and Cape Reinga. Tourists and over zealous cops can make or break a road for me.

I love living in the south island with my job as i get to have 6 days off in a row every 3 weeks. I can pick and choose when and where i head off to on my bike. If the weather is bad down south - i head north or vice versa. Prefer travelling during midweek days as the roads are a lot quieter without the Sunday drivers out and about.

The west coast, up around Nelson... and the east coast road back down to Kaikoura and Christchurch are an extra special treat. :drool: