Gravel

[MSTRS]

Have been hearing about this 'Coro Loop'. Is this Thames-Coromandel-Whangapoua-Whitianga?-Thames and is there any unsealed sections left. Was last there in the early 70's & there was LOTS of gravel on the eastern side then.

[bugjuice]

the eastern side (from memory), is almost race track smooth in a lot of places.. and with all those twists and contours, it's one hell of a road.. The west side (which I did yesterday) is that tar/stone chip most of the way, and cos it's real twisty and shaded in places, the middle of the road can have a lot of crap, and be damp. But, the loop is a top notch ride..

[MSTRS]

Also - good or bad place to go during Ak Anniversary??

[bugjuice]

Also - good or bad place to go during Ak Anniversary??
:spudwhat: dunno.. Some parts will be busy, others will be fairly empty. But then the empty bits could be busy with people getting to the busy parts. Never really been that way at that time really. I've always gone on just any ol' good weekend, and it's been fairly quite, or at least bearable..


One thing I don't know, which I'm curious about - is how long is the actual loop? From Kopu to Kopu?

[MSTRS]

:spudwhat: dunno.. Some parts will be busy, others will be fairly empty. But then the empty bits could be busy with people getting to the busy parts. Never really been that way at that time really. I've always gone on just any ol' good weekend, and it's been fairly quite, or at least bearable..


One thing I don't know, which I'm curious about - is how long is the actual loop? From Kopu to Kopu?
Thanks for that BJ. Got a 4 day W/e this Jan coming & always wanted to get up that way.

[Firefight]

Also - good place to go during Ak Anniversary??



Wellington.

F/F :ride:

[FROSTY]

alll in all its a bloody good bit of road -the west coast for sure is better in summer--not after some shit weather-cos the hillsides have a tendancy to drop onto the road -in little chinks

[MSTRS]

Wellington.

F/F :ride:
:nono: :weird: :rofl:

[Riff Raff]

The last gravel section between Coromandel Town and Whangapoua was finally sealed 4 years ago. Had some pretty wild drives over there in the ambulance just before they finished sealing - particularly good fun on the 15km corner! Unfortunately the sealing meant a lot more campervans on that bit of road.

The Coro loop is a great ride - you'll love it.

[mangell6]

He's right though.

Its a dangerous place to be during AK anniversay, to many people.

[unhingedlizard]

when is ack anniversary?

[Ixion]

The last gravel section between Coromandel Town and Whangapoua was finally sealed 4 years ago. Had some pretty wild drives over there in the ambulance just before they finished sealing - particularly good fun on the 15km corner! Unfortunately the sealing meant a lot more campervans on that bit of road.

The Coro loop is a great ride - you'll love it.

Bastards !

[Motu]

The last gravel section between Coromandel Town and Whangapoua was finally sealed 4 years ago. Had some pretty wild drives over there in the ambulance just before they finished sealing - particularly good fun on the 15km corner! Unfortunately the sealing meant a lot more campervans on that bit of road.

The Coro loop is a great ride - you'll love it.

There was a few km of gravel south of Whitianga too - I used to enjoy the Coro loop on my XLV750,it was not something anyone did much back then (like,5,6 yrs ago,ancient history) It's still a good ride,but I miss my undisturbed loop.Still gravel further north,I hope to do that this summer.

[justsomeguy]

One thing I don't know, which I'm curious about - is how long is the actual loop? From Kopu to Kopu?

I think it's on the lower side of 400 kms ... maybe something like 300-350 kms....

[Zapf]

or even 200 odd km. I remember being able to do it in one tank on the SV650 from Kopu to Kopu.

[Devil]

or even 200 odd km. I remember being able to do it in one tank on the SV650 from Kopu to Kopu.
Did that included going to Whangamata and back? Good piece of road to include in the loop.

[Ixion]

or even 200 odd km. I remember being able to do it in one tank on the SV650 from Kopu to Kopu.

Less actually.

Thames to Whitianga via Kopu is 85km. Whitianga to Coromandel via Kuaotunu is 46 km (32 via 309 but i doubt any sprotsbikers would take that road) .

Coromandel back to Thames 50km via Tapu. So the whole Thames to Thames loop would be 181km.

Add another 120km though each way Auckland to Kopu. So from Auckland to Auckland the loop would be approx 420km

[Lou Girardin]

I think I'd give it a miss on a holiday weekend in Summer, unless you go slow and cautious.
Too many pissed off Jaffas will be trying to make up time after sitting at the Kopu bridge for an hour.
Great ride though.

[marty]

Less actually.

Thames to Whitianga via Kopu is 85km. Whitianga to Coromandel via Kuaotunu is 46 km (32 via 309 but i doubt any sprotsbikers would take that road) .

Coromandel back to Thames 50km via Tapu. So the whole Thames to Thames loop would be 181km.

Add another 120km though each way Auckland to Kopu. So from Auckland to Auckland the loop would be approx 420km

coro-whitianga via the 309 takes the same time as sh25, (actually about 2 mins quicker on the 309) but the av. speed on sh25 is much higher. the 309 would be awesome on a trailie, as would the ride up to port jackson, north of colville - it's 50k of gravel, right on the coast. any duallie could then get across under the powerlines down to stony bay, and come out again at coromandel town - probably 120k round trip - all offroad.

[oldfart]

Approx 400k Ak - Whitianga - Ak. Think Kopu - Whitianga - Kopu would be around 160 / 170 Km

[TLDV8]

I need to do a oil change, so if its not to wet tomorrow i will zip around the Loop to warm it up... .:ride:

<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v63/manurewa/Yellow.jpg" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com">

[mattt]

Approx 400k Ak - Whitianga - Ak. Think Kopu - Whitianga - Kopu would be around 160 / 170 Km

Kopu - Kopu is 196km - Did a cycle race around there a couple of times. :weird:

[TLDV8]

Zipped around it today, only rain was the last 60k..perhaps a little to much zip near home. :whistle: :doh:

<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v63/manurewa/DSC02476Small.jpg" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com">

<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v63/manurewa/DSC02482Small.jpg" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com">

[Toast]

How much did it cost TLD?

[Toast]

Man I love that view from the top of the hill on the way to Coro... :)

[Ixion]

I've always yearned to ride down it on a trailie

[oldfart]

Zipped around it today, only rain was the last 60k..perhaps a little to much zip near home. :whistle: :doh:

Good reason to go Orere - Kaiaua - miss the feds :no:

[TLDV8]

How much did it cost TLD?

Its a public board,so all i will say is the ticket was (only) $80 (115kmh)...he was a "good guy" it could have been more :whistle: ...when i passed him coming down the Bombays (in the spray) i thought that is quite sporty looking,i hope its not a cop car,when he popped up in the mirror coming down the straight,i was starting to think :yes: then the grill lit up.

<img src=http://photos.imageevent.com/tldv8/coroloop/websize/RightCoast.JPG>

[TLDV8]

Good reason to go Orere - Kaiaua - miss the feds :no:

Miss the Feds,Hit the Bridge :confused:


<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v63/manurewa/Broken.jpg" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com">

[Toast]

Its a public board,so all i will say is the ticket was (only) $80 (115kmh)...he was a "good guy" it could have been more :whistle: ...when i passed him coming down the Bombays (in the spray) i thought that is quite sporty looking,i hope its not a cop car,when he popped up in the mirror coming down the straight,i was starting to think :yes: then the grill lit up.



Ah, you lucky bastard...but good on him for keeping his sensibility...as I'm sure you weren't being a dangerous bastard.

[unhingedlizard]

i would be quite keen to do this when the bikes back together. Down those hills would be fun.

[Riff Raff]

Man I love that view from the top of the hill on the way to Coro... :)
Yep... damnit! I lived in Coro for 2 years and never got tired of that view. And now I just want to hop on the bike and head over there.