Northern Coromandel Loop - don't bother!

[Blackbird]

Did the full Loop on Sunday and it wasn't too bad even with the patching. Today, they're resurfacing big time on the Thames - Coromandel stretch. There's major resurfacing from Wilson's Bay to Manaia with tar-coated gravel freshly laid today. I had to do a trip to Thames and back to Coro this afternoon and the bike is absolutely covered in tar and chips, included partially jamming my back brake. About to go out and knock of the chips before they set. :mad:

I'd recommend finding somewhere else to ride for a few days!

Cheers,

Geoff

[george formby]

Crikey!

Get those chips off your bike, seagulls love em.

347504

[Blackbird]

Crikey!

Get those chips off your bike, seagulls love em.

347504

The little fuckers would be well weighed down with these :2thumbsup . Reckon I got close to a kilo of them out of the nooks and crannies

[Moi]

Did you check your radiator fan?

Had a road chip caught between the rad fan and radiator of the previous bike... caused a wee overheating issue in traffic :shit:

[FJRider]

... I'd recommend finding somewhere else to ride for a few days!

Cheers,

Geoff

I did the full Coro loop in 1981 on a 1979 GS1000e

Once was enough. I thought it was "Busy" and bad then.

I found plenty of roads in the South island ... that are better.

I went to the 21st Cold Kiwi on a GS1000s. I ventured as far north as Turangi. Around the mountain and home.

That was my last motorcycle trip in the North island. And I don't miss it.

[SaferRides]

I did the full Coro loop in 1981 on 179 GS1000e.

Once was enough. I thought it was "Busy" and bad then.

I found plenty of roads in the South island ... that are better.

I went to the 21st Cold Kiwi on a GS1000s. I ventured as far north as Turangi. Around the mountain and home.

That was my last motorcycle trip in the North island. And I don't miss it.

If you thought it was busy then, you'd really hate Coro now.

Sent from my SM-G980F using Tapatalk

[Blackbird]

If you thought it was busy then, you'd really hate Coro now.

Sent from my SM-G980F using Tapatalk

As a local resident, weekdays are absolutely fine as long as it isn't in the school holidays. I avoid weekends although last Sunday was good as we were going against the traffic flow at the end of the school hols. During the 2 weeks of Christmas and a lot of weekends, we can't get near the ramp on our street to launch the boat :weep: Still, being retired, we can pick and choose what and when:yes:

[SaferRides]

As a local resident, weekdays are absolutely fine as long as it isn't in the school holidays. I avoid weekends although last Sunday was good as we were going against the traffic flow at the end of the school hols. During the 2 weeks of Christmas and a lot of weekends, we can't get near the ramp on our street to launch the boat :weep: Still, being retired, we can pick and choose what and when:yes:A few of us did the southern loop last Saturday and it was fine. Some traffic going up the hill from Kopu, but most people move to the left as you come up behind them. No overseas tourists is a bonus.

We stopped at a friend's place at Whiritoa and there was almost no traffic after 4 on the stretch to Waihi. A real treat. [emoji106]

We went back to Auckland through Tahuna and saw a speed camera van in one of the small settlements. But plenty of vehicles on the expressway doing 120 and not a police car to be seen. Not us of course!

Sent from my SM-G980F using Tapatalk

[Blackbird]

A few of us did the southern loop last Saturday and it was fine. Some traffic going up the hill from Kopu, but most people move to the left as you come up behind them. No overseas tourists is a bonus.

We stopped at a friend's place at Whiritoa and there was almost no traffic after 4 on the stretch to Waihi. A real treat. [emoji106]

We went back to Auckland through Tahuna and saw a speed camera van in one of the small settlements. But plenty of vehicles on the expressway doing 120 and not a police car to be seen. Not us of course!



I guess it must be frustrating up your way with all the reduced speed limits in place! The Auckland regional IAM team seem to spend more time these days doing social runs in the Waikato :innocent:. There are some fantastic back roads with stuff-all traffic.

[Gremlin]

I guess it must be frustrating up your way with all the reduced speed limits in place! The Auckland regional IAM team seem to spend more time these days doing social runs in the Waikato :innocent:. There are some fantastic back roads with stuff-all traffic.
Even more so now, with the revised limits. At worst, 100kph roads are now 50kph. So yes, plenty of motivation to get out of Auckland :lol:

[Ulsterkiwi]

The little fuckers would be well weighed down with these :2thumbsup . Reckon I got close to a kilo of them out of the nooks and crannies

That happened to us a few years back in Northland. We got into Dargaville having come through two stretches of road with this weird brown coloured gravel thrown over liquid tar.
I spent an hour at the side of the road pulling chips off both (white!) bikes. Back brakes were awful with it. The Aprilia I had then had so many nooks and crannies for the chips. [emoji33]
If I had seen a road worker over the course of the following hours I would probably be currently at her majesty’s pleasure right now. Never been so grumpy after a days riding!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[SaferRides]

I guess it must be frustrating up your way with all the reduced speed limits in place! The Auckland regional IAM team seem to spend more time these days doing social runs in the Waikato :innocent:. There are some fantastic back roads with stuff-all traffic.

It's not too bad where I normally ride in the south-east. Some 80 limits have been extended and there are a few new 60 limits through small places like Mangatangi. Otherwise all good.

But the north Waikato roads are great. More bikes now that people learn about them after doing a R4E course, but you can still ride some back roads on a Sunday and not see another vehicle for 10 minutes.

Sent from my SM-G980F using Tapatalk

[george formby]

That happened to us a few years back in Northland. We got into Dargaville having come through two stretches of road with this weird brown coloured gravel thrown over liquid tar.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Brown Scoria type stuff? You don't see it before you hear it tinkling off the bike.

Exactly the same has happened to me over that way. I was just about to peel into some twisties when I heard the tinkling and realised I was on fresh chip.

[F5 Dave]

I did the full Coro loop in 1981 on a 1979 GS1000e

Once was enough. I thought it was "Busy" and bad then.

I found plenty of roads in the South island ... that are better.

I went to the 21st Cold Kiwi on a GS1000s. I ventured as far north as Turangi. Around the mountain and home.

That was my last motorcycle trip in the North island. And I don't miss it.

There are so many cool roads in the norf you are missing out on. SH1 is of course boring as shit, but its the same going to chch.

I used to think SI was best touring area. And it is.
But there are comparable roads in the north with Google maps plotting off SH1 routes a real boon.

[pritch]

There are so many cool roads in the norf you are missing out on. SH1 is of course boring as shit, but its the same going to chch.


I'll second that emotion: East Cape, Waioeka gorge, Gentle Annie, SH43 and on and on.

[eldog]

I'll second that emotion: East Cape, Waioeka gorge, Gentle Annie, SH43 and on and on.

Waioeka gorge, Gentle Annie a few weekends ago

SH43 in a couple of weeks

:niceone:

[eldog]

I did the full Coro loop in 1981 on a 1979 GS1000e

Once was enough. I thought it was "Busy" and bad then.

I found plenty of roads in the South island ... that are better.

I went to the 21st Cold Kiwi on a GS1000s. I ventured as far north as Turangi. Around the mountain and home.

That was my last motorcycle trip in the North island. And I don't miss it.

There are some great bits. A lot more busy now.
Just a good distance between the good bits.:blink:

[FJRider]

There are some great bits. A lot more busy now.
Just a good distance between the good bits.:blink:

I did enjoy the ride ... and there was some great bits ... road conditions in some places and traffic volume aside. Most of the traffic seemed to believe they owned the road though, and I was getting in their way.

But I had a ferry to catch ... to more familiar riding areas.

Most of the North island riders that I've met ... that have ventured down here ... seem to like it.

[FJRider]

There are so many cool roads in the norf you are missing out on. SH1 is of course boring as shit, but its the same going to chch.

I used to think SI was best touring area. And it is.
But there are comparable roads in the north with Google maps plotting off SH1 routes a real boon.

Don't get me wrong ... I lived in the north island for about 5 years. On various bikes all over the north island.

I did a few gravel ones too.

There are plenty of fantastic rides up there.

My life was in the south ... and apart from the odd rally up there ... I simply remained on the mainland ... :shifty: