Saturday's ride rocked

[buellbabe]

Another beautiful Summer's weekend and so once again I found myself on the bike bright and early, meeting a couple of others at the Albany Pub then heading North. A few weeks ago we had done this same ride (destination Opononi for lunch) and it had taken me a while to find my groove... well not so this time YEEHA! Did the obligatory Riverhead, Kaipara Coast to Wellsford then headed towards Dargaville but hung a right at Paparoa and travelled roughly 150kms to Kaikohe. I gather Qkchk and a few others did the first section of this stretch recently and had a great ride... Well ditto! Aside from being a wee bit bumpy ( I feel it on the Buell! ) it was a lovely bit of back road. Then from Maungatapere we continued North to Kaikohe (still OFF the main drag ) and the only downer on that stretch was about 1/2 km of gnarly gravel ( like friggin boulders! ) Thought I was gonna lose it at 1 point and breathed a huge sigh of relief when I got to the end of it! Well from Kaikohe to Opononi it was just bliss! Opened it up and were flying along at well over licence-losing speeds.
Had a food and beverage stop at Opononi then continued on thru the Forest (we were lucky as there seemed to be no cars going the same way!), NICE! Cool ride continued...only 1 boring part and thats those Dargaville straights, oh well the radar detector on the Gixxer got put to use! ... Anyways once we got back onto #1 the bikes were on autopilot for the Puhoi and there endeth an awesome day!!!
Aside from wanting to share this riding story I also have a point to make... All 3 of us agreed that the road from Kaikohe TO Opononi was bloody brilliant, a ka-zillion times better than going OPO TO Kaikohe... But when it came to the Forest, well I really enjoyed it but the boys didn't! They both preferred the Forest road heading North! I think the reason I like it heading South is cos theres more uphill twisties than downhill... But I just thought it was interesting how a ride can be so different going in 1 direction as opposed to the other!!!:woohoo: :first: :sunny:
Oh yeah, nearly forgot... that wee day ride was 680kms YEEeeeeeeHA!!!!!!

[Lou Girardin]

It is a superb ride isn't it? Equals the Coro loop.

[buellbabe]

Yep thats a goodie too, but which direction is best? IS 1 way round better than the other?

[Fishy]

Coro loop is better anti-clockwise. Most people prefer to go anti around the loop.:ride:

[Zed]

Great write up BB! Those roads are up there with the best in my books too!! :blip:

[Sniper]

Nice write up.

[Motoracer]

Nice write up! :)

I have been hearing that the roads up north are pretty damn mint. It's a shame however that I have taken a vow as of October last year to never in a million years, set foot through that particular cursed destination...

[NhuanH]

Nice write up! :)

I have been hearing that the roads up north are pretty damn mint. It's a shame however that I have taken a vow as of October last year to never in a million years, set foot through that particular cursed destination...
are you scared of the northern taniwha bro?

[thealmightytaco]

are you scared of the northern taniwha bro?

He's a scary muthaf***a

[SwanTiger]

Oh yeah, nearly forgot... that wee day ride was 680kms YEEeeeeeeHA!!!!!!

Sounds like you had a really good time, its awesome to see a chick out there enjoying herself.

[beyond]

Sounds like a real good day out.

I second the Coro loop anti clockwise. It's seems to be faster and quicker through the corners when you are going uphill through them rather than down. The twisties seem more predominant uphill when you go anti clockwise.

There is also the fact that as we get into Autumn, the East side of the coast can have damp corners from early morning dew or overnight showers sitting wet under the Pohutakawas. Depends how exciting you like your ride eh? :)

[Toast]

Coro loop is better anti-clockwise. Most people prefer to go anti around the loop.:ride:

Although the 54kms between Coro and Thames is best done South to North (clockwise) though, in my opinion :sherlock: , 'cos you're less likely to hit shit that's fallen from the cliffs on to the road. Better visibility through the corners on average too I think. Ah, why debate the finer points, what a dick I am, it rocks either way :niceone:

[Toast]

It is a superb ride isn't it? Equals the Coro loop.

I'll have to try this out for myself then. Normally only ever go to Wellsford and back, which isn't bad for a short ride. Was infested with cops for a while though, which normally made the ride home longer, but strangely faster.

[Zed]

I'll have to try this out for myself then. Normally only ever go to Wellsford and back, which isn't bad for a short ride. Was infested with cops for a while though, which normally made the ride home longer, but strangely faster.I was part of this ride up north last weekend, and i'd be happy to show you the roads one Saturday in the near future if you're keen Mr Toast. Maybe i'll start a ride thread sometime in the next few weeks, it'll be a *full day* ride though...can you handle it! :spudbn:

[APPLE]

havnt done the ''coro loop in ages man?last time i did it woz with the boys from road'nsport.something like 4to5 years ago now?i think we got 4complaints from cagers,and 2 complaints from the cops.so that woz the end of the road'nsport rides.

[Toast]

I was part of this ride up north last weekend, and i'd be happy to show you the roads one Saturday in the near future if you're keen Mr Toast. Maybe i'll start a ride thread sometime in the next few weeks, it'll be a *full day* ride though...can you handle it! :spudbn:

Haha, can I handle it? After 3 months no riding, a 700km trip from Welli to Akl, and a 500km Akl to Hami to Coro and back trip the following weekend. Can I handle it? Well, actually, my wrists were screaming and I was complaining like a beach under my helmet for the second half of each ride...but in a couple of weeks I should be hardened up :)

Probably gonna do a Coro loop this weekend for some more practice (I'm thinking Sunday, was gonna do it myself, but happy for any company really). May or may not have the new Pilot Powers on. Quite keen to get back to something I truly trust. I'm having a bit of trouble trusting the front Diablo on long corners (just tested it out on that super long Pt Chev onramp to the North-Western). Exiting corners is fine though, having a ball with that :niceone:

[buellbabe]

I second the Coro loop anti clockwise. It's seems to be faster and quicker through the corners when you are going uphill through them rather than down. The twisties seem more predominant uphill when you go anti clockwise.

Have only done it anti once... and that was with an overnite party stop in Kuotunu (think thats how ya spell it?) Over the hill to Coro and back to Auck was done with a hangover :-(


Although the 54kms between Coro and Thames is best done South to North (clockwise) though, in my opinion :sherlock: , 'cos you're less likely to hit shit that's fallen from the cliffs on to the road. Better visibility through the corners on average too I think. Ah, why debate the finer points, what a dick I am, it rocks either way :niceone:

Yeah I agree and have done this stretch quite a few times but haven't done the full loop clockwise for ages so me tinks the next day ride is gonna be south!
:2thumbsup

[oldguy]

Hey buellbabe glad you had a great ride, there are some real good back roads up there, if you went from Maungatapere to Kaikohe via the back roads you prob. went via Mangakahia Rd, my dad lives up that way so have travelled that road quite abit sadly not as much on the bike as I would like, can't fit all the kids,
would love to have been on that ride, depending on the time of day you have to watch out for cows heading to or from the milking shed all part of the challenge of riding. :niceone:

[buellbabe]

would love to have been on that ride, depending on the time of day you have to watch out for cows heading to or from the milking shed all part of the challenge of riding. :niceone:

Yr not wrong! Many years ago I came thru there with the Ruawai Riders. Now those guys know the roads and they don't muck around. We had a big group of bikes and came flying round a blind corner to find 2 rogue cows and a dog on the road. Its a miracle no-one binned! That was a valuable lesson learned and I'm always on the lookout for stray farm animals when riding back roads!!! Like ya say Oldguy, its all part of the experience!
:niceone: