Thompsons track

[Crisis management]

Thompsons track runs from just south of Te aroha over the Kaimais to near Tauranga (about 35kms long) and I'm after some info about it.
I rode up the Te Aroha side on saturday on the adventure bike and that was all fairly straight forward but I only hear horror stories about the Tauranga side. I didn't go down there as I was on bald knobblies and visibility was about 2 meters (low cloud). Seeing as a couple of us want to do the whole track on adventure bikes I'm after any personal experiences riding it, I've heard all the horror stories but would like something from someones actual experience.

Anyone ridden there??

[Latte]

A mate and I did it (tried) on KX125's years ago. 1st time up to the top and back, then 2nd time we decided to go the whole way. Got about 15 - 20 mins down the other side , slow going and the puddles/mud bogs were getting bigger and bigger. Mates bike fouled a plug so we left (I towed him out). IMO you need a bike you can straddle without tippy toes and are comfortable on when things get a bit pear shaped (ie you need to be able to manhandle it etc). From what I remember the top part of the Tauranga side had lots of rocky surfaces in the corners etc so if you can make it down to a certain point, making it back wasn't too much harder.

The worst part was we came back to the ute to find it had been broken into and ripped off. My new phone and wallet were gone. Lucky I was broke at the time =D

[vazza]

Sounds like a wicked track. Keen to hit it up

[civil]

It is only the last part near the end of the Tauranga side that gets difficult due to the large deep holes. If you are coming from the Waikato side then keep going until you feel you wont get back. It may suprize you and you get all the way. At this time of year it is generally good as the clay and rocky climbs out of the holes can be achived.

[gasmonkey]

Yeah go for it.I'll be a hard ask on an adventure bike.DO NOT go alone and take a tow/retrieving rope .

[Crisis management]

Thanks for the replies guys, pretty much confirms my expectations, I shall round up a small group of suitable fools and have a go then.....(best leave the BMW's at home)

Vazza, you would enjoy it in winter, some guys I have spoken too talk about mud bogs that swallow bikes whole, not for me on 160kgs of 640 Adventure!

[tri boy]

Thanks for the replies guys, pretty much confirms my expectations, I shall round up a small group of suitable fools and have a go then.....(best leave the BMW's at home)


Reporting for duty Mr Mannering.
Got the SkyTeam200 just about ready to beat up. (if it fails miserably, then it can stay there).
Could o/night at chez tri boys then trailer the bikes to Te Aroha in the morning.
Find two more fools, and we have the makings of a mad hatters tea party.:Punk:

[EXCDirt]

Thanks for the replies guys, pretty much confirms my expectations, I shall round up a small group of suitable fools and have a go then.....(best leave the BMW's at home)

Vazza, you would enjoy it in winter, some guys I have spoken too talk about mud bogs that swallow bikes whole, not for me on 160kgs of 640 Adventure!

I think Daf and Xen would be keen? 4 or 5 bikes would be the makings of a fun day out!

[rogerh]

When?

I might just be fool enough. Need to give the bike a bit of TLC first, as it has a few bruises at present.

[barty5]

rupe and i where thinking of heading down at some point after easter

[Azzman]

Did a search on YouTube and got an idea of what the track looks like, it seems popular with the 4wd fraternity...and yea those holes look big!
Have a friend down in Te Aroha who lives 2 minutes up the road from the start of the track, which would make a great safe parking place for a day up the in the mountains, when the RMX is on the road it will def be on the cards.

[dino3310]

i did it on my old DR500 in the 80s i'l be keen on the XR:yes:

[barty5]

Ok so we are lookin at heading down on Anzac weekend as i wont have my kids that weekend

[cave weta]

Ok so we are lookin at heading down on Anzac weekend as i wont have my kids that weekend

So- if you go on sunday me and a mate will be keen. and Im sure that I can get Daf aand Xen allong on that day. On the Saturday we have a big adventure -off road event happening in waihi that is a 'not to be missed' event The Anaconda Adventure race.

[barty5]

ok will let you know

[dino3310]

Ok so we are lookin at heading down on Anzac weekend as i wont have my kids that weekend

bugga the KC rides that weekend.
Have fun

[Crisis management]

I can't do Anzac weekend either and at the moment can't find any time before that either so if I get organisedf I will post up something......

Thanks for al the replies tho guys, it has cemented my opinion of the track...go with mates only!

[barty5]

well spoke to rupe he is keen for anzac sunday so if anyone else is keen let us know

[cave weta]

PM sent to Dafyyd Roberts- put me down for two spots plus Daf if he comes - which side will we start?

[xen]

Hmm could be keen... let u kno

[dafydd roberts]

Ye I'll be there. Dont think zen will be able to find his bike, dont even get me started on JT aka flip flop.

[noobi]

Ye I'll be there. Dont think zen will be able to find his bike, dont even get me started on JT aka flip flop.

hows your foot?

[jt119]

hows your foot?

its in his mouth

[Oscar]

Find two more fools, and we have the makings of a mad hatters tea party.:Punk:

Ahem.......

[dafydd roberts]

Ye couple of cracks and purple nothing that will keep me off a bike.

[dafydd roberts]

its in his mouth

hmm :clap:

[jt119]

Ye couple of cracks nothing that will keep me off a bike.

shit and ther i was just thinking you had retard feet

[EXCDirt]

Ah, no bike as of this evening. I'd better find a new one quick.

[xen]

Ohh ok so plan is to ride anzac 25th april, was thinking this weekend

[barty5]

nah where all going to the farm for 4days of riding drinking etc

[Crisis management]

We went through Thompsons today, well not quite, we got within 3kms of the Kati Kati side according to the GPS before turning round at some bog holes. A trail bike would get through but expect to get dirty, I was in waist deep water helping to get a bike out.....adventure bikes seem to be a bit heavier than trail bikes.

Generally it was dry and a straightforward ride (apart from the bog holes on the Kati Kati side), there are lots of side tracks to explore and it's neat countryside, have a good ride when you get to it guys.

[Padmei]

Sounds like a true adventure. Well done & pics please.

[hamd0g]

heres a few pics of thompsons track, did te aroha to kati kati wit jt last weekend... caught up with some jeeps near the end in the "bombing range"...203452203453203454203455203456203457

[flyingcr250]

heres a few pics of thompsons track, did te aroha to kati kati wit jt last weekend... caught up with some jeeps near the end in the "bombing range"...203452203453203454203455203456203457

its just as fucked as i remember it lol, sometimes the te aroha side will get a bulldoze

[Crisis management]

heres a few pics of thompsons track, did te aroha to kati kati wit jt last weekend... caught up with some jeeps near the end in the "bombing range"]

Well done guys, looks like we turned around at the right place then...the 640 would still be there!

There's some pics up in the adventure biking forum thread now.

[cave weta]

Pussies!

Today cc rider and I did a little reconnaissance for you girls - just to make sure that you would be safe up there - seeing as you are now suspiciously quiet in this thread.
Seeing as a dude has my bike trailer this weekend - we couldn't take trail bikes so we rode over on my Beemer and chucked that up the hill on road tyres (two up) to see if it was doable...
Well - we got up there in about 1/2 an hour and while cc danced around kissing the clouds I pissed in the bushes and marvelled at the views for a while then we careered off down the hill again in the dark
<a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i40.tinypic.com/20fzyar.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a>

[Jinxycat]

[QUOTE=cave weta;1129731191]Pussies!

Today cc rider and I did a little reconnaissance for you girls - just to make sure that you would be safe up there - seeing as you are now suspiciously quiet in this thread.
Seeing as a dude has my bike trailer this weekend - we couldn't take trail bikes so we rode over on my Beemer and chucked that up the hill on road tyres (two up) to see if it was doable...
Well - we got up there in about 1/2 an hour and while cc danced around kissing the clouds I pissed in the bushes and marvelled at the views for a while then we careered off down the hill again in the dark]

sweet man, lol

[.chris]

Pussies!

Today cc rider and I did a little reconnaissance for you girls - just to make sure that you would be safe up there - seeing as you are now suspiciously quiet in this thread.
Seeing as a dude has my bike trailer this weekend - we couldn't take trail bikes so we rode over on my Beemer and chucked that up the hill on road tyres (two up) to see if it was doable...
Well - we got up there in about 1/2 an hour and while cc danced around kissing the clouds I pissed in the bushes and marvelled at the views for a while then we careered off down the hill again in the dark


So you managed the easy maintained side of Thompsons track then? Not entirely sure how that makes other pussies? (it is down the other side where things get tricky)
I would have made the trip just to see you try the other side with roady tires.

Love to see you get through a couple of these. :shifty:
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Gr4w3OEMfJs/S8Ao0w--WNI/AAAAAAAAIZI/3Wh0tlFVwHw/s800/IMG_4164.JPG
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Gr4w3OEMfJs/S8EWJMbED3I/AAAAAAAAIbo/qpQbpHjli1w/s800/IMG_4242.JPG

[cave weta]

My god they are awfull! 4WDers should be whipped with their own tow strops!- Its criminal that they should be alowed to cause such damage!
...however, when Im on my mighty KTM and have a couple of mates to help- we do take all that shit it our stride....
Thanks for photos :)

[dino3310]

well CW since you live closer than us I nominate you to flog the nearest digger and tidy it all up and put some decent drain holes in :shifty:

[Oscar]

Thompsons Track?

Bah!
You young whippersnappers don't know yer alive.
Get thee over the Makomako Road - that's a man's track!

Don't mention it to anyone who rode an early Raglan enduro, as the mere mention of Makomako usually causes them to faint or start crying, but in rare cases they'll spontaneously crap themselves...very messy.

[Crisis management]

Get thee over the Makomako Road - that's a man's track!


Off the kawhia road at Makomako (unsurprisingly)? I see it's a dead end, is it worth the ride? We almost went past it on sunday, would have been entertaining with the mixture of riding abilities we had!

[Oscar]

Off the kawhia road at Makomako (unsurprisingly)? I see it's a dead end, is it worth the ride? We almost went past it on sunday, would have been entertaining with the mixture of riding abilities we had!

Seriously - don't go down there.
There's a big slip and bike eating holes.
After our last Enduro, a brand new CR250 had to be disassembled to get it out...

[dafydd roberts]

Anyone got any pictures??

[noobi]

Anyone got any pictures??

Thought that one might get your attention Daf, next thing ill be hearing from John is '#$#@ Daf and his $@#@ tracks !@!$#@ %$!#@%$'
haha

[Motu]

Makomako Rd ends at a gate,I figure it might be legal to go past but have never dared.Been a nice road the times I've been down.

[jt119]

Thought that one might get your attention Daf, next thing ill be hearing from John is '#$#@ Daf and his $@#@ tracks !@!$#@ %$!#@%$'
haha its not just daf rich is just as f..ing mental thay will both be google it now. i just tag along cos ther his to be one sain person

[dafydd roberts]

Thought that one might get your attention Daf, next thing ill be hearing from John is '#$#@ Daf and his $@#@ tracks !@!$#@ %$!#@%$'
haha

ye dont think he will make it back from the next one, I know his bike wont. lol

[jt119]

ye dont think he will make it back from the next one, I know his bike wont. lol

ye ye ............

[trailblazer]

My god they are awfull! 4WDers should be whipped with their own tow strops!- Its criminal that they should be alowed to cause such damage!
...however, when Im on my mighty KTM and have a couple of mates to help- we do take all that shit it our stride....
Thanks for photos :)
fuck off thompsons track is maintained by 4wders why are they awefull when did you trailriders go and do maintanace up there because other than the local council it's only the bop 4x4 club that go in and do maintanance up there.

[Yamaha_rider]

Hey, i have been to thomo's a few times(during the winter) thompsons is easy on motorcross bikes, but it would be pretty tough with an adventure bike, we usually start te aroha side, and make it to the top in about 30-50 minutes the tauranga side is different because the track isn't as wide, and its a lot more rocky, but still is okay if you have descent tires.

[dave hamilton]

went up today with my girl on her rm85 it was mint a boggy hole but dam good ride met a few guys who came from the bop side on quads, 3 4x4s,and a group of hard case guys on ag100 farm bikes wtf lol
was a good day bummer the cloud was low but wasnt a bad ride at all will be going back again

[cave weta]

went up today with my girl on her rm85 it was mint a boggy hole but dam good ride met a few guys who came from the bop side on quads, 3 4x4s,and a group of hard case guys on ag100 farm bikes wtf lol
was a good day bummer the cloud was low but wasnt a bad ride at all will be going back again

Choice!:Punk::Punk:

[dave hamilton]

haha thompsons track was mint the girl loved it i loved it meet a good group of bop guys from the otherside but on the way back down shit happens and i came of on the rocks and snap lol but got down and thanks to the guys who gave me a hand and thanks to rupe i have a new set of forks and heading back to thompsons barpbarp

[cave weta]

haha thompsons track was mint the girl loved it i loved it meet a good group of bop guys from the otherside but on the way back down shit happens and i came of on the rocks and snap lol but got down and thanks to the guys who gave me a hand and thanks to rupe i have a new set of forks and heading back to thompsons barpbarp

Damn! - ive always thought that KDX200' s were a bit light for grown ups!

I had - until a month ago - a complete KLX250 with USD forks. - you could have had it for $500- but you don't want to hear that.....

[dino3310]

anyone looking at heading over from the western side within the month of Jan, was looking at riding over and back again this weekend but alas the weather gods have told me to F off.

[EXCDirt]

Thought that one might get your attention Daf, next thing ill be hearing from John is '#$#@ Daf and his $@#@ tracks !@!$#@ %$!#@%$'
haha

Hahaha!
Sounds like Makomako Road is the place for Daf!
I even went and had a look at wires the other weekend.... Wasn't as deadly as I remember?
Maybe 2 years of good riding has made a difference???
Started up the Gutbuster but mate didn't even get up to the quad before hitting eject!
Still keen for a recon expedition up thompsons track at some point....