Matamata - Tauranga - Matamata

[Monkfish]

Hey all,

I took my first ride over the Kaimai's in the weekend.
I found it really easy to go up the steep side from Matamata, but on the way back I found it really difficult to hold my line headding down the steep part.

Anyone familiar with this road? any suggestions?

[nodrog]

I have been over them once or twice, and a few times on an s40. Its the trampoline front end that makes it no hold a line on steep downhills. I found it heaps better if you basically lean over the front end as far as you can to weight up the front to stop it pogoing. But then you start to run into problems with the biscuit front tyre. The only time i found the handling really bad was when the bottom frame rails started to hit the ground mid corner, they dont bend out of the way like the foot pegs.

You could also try using more back brake on downhills to keep the frontend abkt less overwhelmed.

[Monkfish]

I have been over them once or twice, and a few times on an s40. Its the trampoline front end that makes it no hold a line on steep downhills. I found it heaps better if you basically lean over the front end as far as you can to weight up the front to stop it pogoing. But then you start to run into problems with the biscuit front tyre. The only time i found the handling really bad was when the bottom frame rails started to hit the ground mid corner, they dont bend out of the way like the foot pegs.

You could also try using more back brake on downhills to keep the frontend abkt less overwhelmed.

Yeah I was told that the front wandered on the S40 in certian situations. I guess it is lucky I dont have to ride down steep ass mountain twisties every day.

On the other hand I rode it through the Tahuna road from SH1 to Tahuna and Back. That road is Kewl, had a blast. (the only time I was legal was, round the 55Kph corner at the eastern end of the big straight..:woohoo:) Just lots of open road sweepers and a few tighter cresting turns for good measure.
although I still got overtaken by some guys on sport tourers.

[Maha]

I have been over them once or twice, and a few times on an s40. Its the trampoline front end that makes it no hold a line on steep downhills. I found it heaps better if you basically lean over the front end as far as you can to weight up the front to stop it pogoing. But then you start to run into problems with the biscuit front tyre. The only time i found the handling really bad was when the bottom frame rails started to hit the ground mid corner, they dont bend out of the way like the foot pegs.

You could also try using more back brake on downhills to keep the frontend abkt less overwhelmed.

So you had the trainer wheels off it that one time?

[nodrog]

So you had the trainer wheels off it that one time?

Yeah but it was way too fast for me so i sold it. Could see myself getting into too much trouble on that bike.

[Banditbandit]

I find it easy both ways ... and fun both ways ... more fun going up from the Matamata side because you've got more passing lanes .. coming down that side I usually get held up by traffic ... but the big bandit holds the line well down hill ... must be the Boulevard that's shit ...

[Leyton]

Grip the tank with your knees and use your core muscles, keep your weight off the bars, they are best used for control and not to bare weight, the bike will do the rest :).

Takes a bit of practice, yall get there.

Front suspension setup has a we bit to answer for on the bumps downhill too, but if you have your weight on those bars. Start there first.

Went over the Kaimai's Sat, came home Sunday, Road surface was on the better side of average on the cooler parts of the day. Got held up coming down the Waikato side, fairly crawl with not enough safety to pass.

Leyton

[bucket boy]

[QUOTE=nodrog;1130509539] I found it heaps better if you basically lean over the front end as far as you can to weight up the front to stop it pogoing.
were you putting your whole 40kgs

[DMNTD]

[QUOTE=nodrog;1130509539] I found it heaps better if you basically lean over the front end as far as you can to weight up the front to stop it pogoing.
were you putting your whole 40kgs

When did he put all the weight on?

[bucket boy]

[QUOTE=bucket boy;1130509993]

When did he put all the weight on?
Hes given up smoking,so hes on the chips and dip.

[Old Steve]

Two of my favourite roads, over the Kaimais and the Tahuna Road. Also the Taotaoroa Road/Karapiro Rd which goes from SH29 and comes out at the Mobil Service Station on SH1 south of Cambridge.

Going up the Kaimais from the Tauranga side is great, corners have larger radii and don't tend to tighten up. Going down the Waikato side the corners are tighter, and there's some with a decreasing radius. Going down that side you've got to really slow down before the corners and start your turn in from wide in the lane, some of those corners seem to keep turning forever. I tend to feather my rear brake on some of the corners going down the Waikato side. When you do get out of the curves going down the Waikato side, don't forget that you can pass on that downhill straight - the yellow line is only on the uphill side so if there is no traffic coming up in their outside lane you can cross over and pass traffic going downhill. If the S40 is like the M50, she won't like downhill left hand corners as much as right handers. Or it might be me that doesn't like downhill left handers - but I'll blame the bike.

Coming from the Waikato side is better, going up there are the two lanes so if there's no other traffic you can use both lanes to make the most of the road - watch out for bikes coming up behind you though as they can be coming on pretty fast. The last 3 or 4 corners before the top are tighter though, I worry about the barrier on the inside of a couple of them. But once over the summit the only problem you've really got is slow traffic and keeping your speed down. The Cops are pretty prolific on the Tauranga side.

I always used to go straight down SH1 when returning from Auckland to Tauranga so I could cut through the Tahuna Road - also try going straight ahead where you reach the roundabout on SH27 and going up Swamp Rd and turning right to go back through Te Aroha on the Old Te Araoha Rd which brings you out near the base of the Kaimais. But also have a try of the Taotaoroa Rd. Thats a nice little detour between SH29 and SH1.

[Monkfish]

Two of my favourite roads, over the Kaimais and the Tahuna Road. Also the Taotaoroa Road/Karapiro Rd which goes from SH29 and comes out at the Mobil Service Station on SH1 south of Cambridge.

Going up the Kaimais from the Tauranga side is great, corners have larger radii and don't tend to tighten up. Going down the Waikato side the corners are tighter, and there's some with a decreasing radius. Going down that side you've got to really slow down before the corners and start your turn in from wide in the lane, some of those corners seem to keep turning forever. I tend to feather my rear brake on some of the corners going down the Waikato side. When you do get out of the curves going down the Waikato side, don't forget that you can pass on that downhill straight - the yellow line is only on the uphill side so if there is no traffic coming up in their outside lane you can cross over and pass traffic going downhill. If the S40 is like the M50, she won't like downhill left hand corners as much as right handers. Or it might be me that doesn't like downhill left handers - but I'll blame the bike.

Coming from the Waikato side is better, going up there are the two lanes so if there's no other traffic you can use both lanes to make the most of the road - watch out for bikes coming up behind you though as they can be coming on pretty fast. The last 3 or 4 corners before the top are tighter though, I worry about the barrier on the inside of a couple of them. But once over the summit the only problem you've really got is slow traffic and keeping your speed down. The Cops are pretty prolific on the Tauranga side.

I always used to go straight down SH1 when returning from Auckland to Tauranga so I could cut through the Tahuna Road - also try going straight ahead where you reach the roundabout on SH27 and going up Swamp Rd and turning right to go back through Te Aroha on the Old Te Araoha Rd which brings you out near the base of the Kaimais. But also have a try of the Taotaoroa Rd. Thats a nice little detour between SH29 and SH1.

Agreed, the Tahuna Road is awesome, can sit on 105-115 (and still be passed by bikers) almost the whole way through.

I did quite enjoy going up the Kaimai's from the waikato side that was awesome. But it did take a while to get settled on the way back down. It seemed that the front end didnt care about the rider countersteering it, it just did its own thing. The gradient on that road is quite insane for a major state Highway. - More akin to a Coromandel type road, rather than a 3 lane behemoth with a million logging and freight trucks. (slight exageration, but a hell of alot O' trucks!)
In the end I did settle and managed to get down without impeeding traffic to much.
- It has not defeated me I will return and master it, (insert rocky-like training montage :apumpin:) a few more rides with the SASS crew will help me hone my skills. :headbang: