Which is the best track... Levels or Teretonga?

[Marknz]

Levels or Teretonga

[ZorsT]

I havn't raced at either (yet)

but what about Ruapuna?

[Skunk]

Ruapuna's missing Zorst...

Haven't done any SI tracks yet. Roll on BoB.

[sugilite]

I like levels best, it is more a riders track.

[dangerous]

well, the thing is... all 3 s/i tracks are so different to each other its tricky to say which is best. Ruapuna is awesome, its in great nick has heaps of corners.
Levels, is a very full on 'stay awear' type of track, the decreasing radious rocks, but with very little run off, so its awesome but with its dangers.
Teratonga, is very fast with only 1 slowish corner and a neverending sweeper, its awesome too, but as I have only been there once I wonder if i'd get board of it.

Ruapuna
Levels
teratonga

[Jantar]

All three South Island tracks have been modified since I last raced 30 years ago. Back then I would have voted for Teretonga, but from talking with K14 about the current Levels track, I would now think that Levels would be more of a riders track, and Teretonga would be more of a horsepower track.

[Kickaha]

Ruapuna
Levels
teratonga

You got the order wrong, it should be

Levels
Ruapuna
Teretonga


I would now think that Levels would be more of a riders track, and Teretonga would be more of a horsepower track.

Yup, dead right, but the loop off the straight of Teretonga is fucking awesome

[Marknz]

but what about Ruapuna?


Did I ask about Ruapuna?

[Jantar]

Yup, dead right, but the loop off the straight of Teretonga is fucking awesome
That loop always was awesome. Particularly on those few occassions when the track was dry and didn't have a sprinkling of beach sand. :yes:

[Buddha#81]

From a bucket racing perspective, for me Levels is my top pick. Huge grin factor battling with bigger bikes and coming out on top. Teratonga is purely a horsepower track.

[gav]

Did I ask about Ruapuna?
Well, your poll is titled best SI track, not second best SI track, get it right :yes:

[Marknz]

Well, your poll is titled best SI track, not second best SI track, get it right :yes:

The poll title was changed by one of the moderators, but you weren't to know that. All i want to know is peoples opinions on which is the best track between Levels and Teretonga. It can't be that hard.

[Maido]

That loop always was awesome. Particularly on those few occassions when the track was dry and didn't have a sprinkling of beach sand
I am a local here and I am yet to see a sprinkling of sand here yet??:yes:


I like levels best, it is more a riders track.
I thought you had to be a rider at teretonga also?

IMO both tracks are equally challenging and have differeing points, and can be favourable depending on what bike you are riding.
As pointed out, people think teretonga is a horsepower track which is true to a certain point but having superior corner speed will always win at teretonga.
(Hence my epic battles with a ZX6RR which he is yet to win!!!)
Levels is much more of a stop go track, you are only on full throttle at one point and spend most of the time below 50% throttle (on a big bike, buckets you are full throttle everywhere??:innocent: ), which is much harder on a bigger bike but way more fun if you are a demon under brakes :rockon:
Bucket racing at teretonga must be quite stressfull on them I don't think they have praduced gearing high enough to cope yet !!!!!!!!!:innocent: , I would definately think buckets are more at home at levels.

I think we can all agree both are way below par as far as pit facilities are concerned!!!

[dangerous]

A) I am a local here and I am yet to see a sprinkling of sand here yet??:yes:


B) I thought you had to be a rider at teretonga also?

C) Bucket racing at teretonga must be quite stressfull on them I don't think they have praduced gearing high enough to cope yet !!!!!!!!!:innocent: , I would definately think buckets are more at home at levels.

a) Ummm, think about it... either he is taking the piss (and you are to Invercargilian to get it) or back in the days that he is taliking about... there very well may have been sand on the track :wait:

b) Well :doh: I'm not going to explain that one, you figger it out.
c) You think wrong, I had no problems racing a bucket there... in fact I took a :first: place, The bikes hit top speed sooner at levels (due to faster entry) and at Ruapuna (longer straight, just) :scooter:

[Joni]

or back in the days that he is taliking about... there very well may have been sand on the track :wait:
Yes Maido, listen to Yoda, he knows what he is taliking about... :nya:

[MD]

I have not been to Teretonga so I looked it up on google earth and , boy it looks like a bit of fun - see pic 1 below and Ruapuna pic 2. Bugger but I couldn't even locate Levels on Google earth because it was a low resolution area. So I got the circuit map.
It's been too many years since I rode either Ruapuna or Levels and from the pic Ruapuna has had a major re-build since I was on it. All I can say is I enjoyed Levels much more than the original Ruapuna. Probably a personal thing from my riding style, but for me Levels just seemed to have corners you could lean forever and they went on and on. Whereas Ruapuna was more accelerate-brake -accelerate -brake = boring to me. The new Ruapuna sure seems to have some twists added now with several track combos to use and the tight hairpin at the end of the long straight has been taken out. From the air there is no trace of the old layout.
It would be great to do a SI tour of the tracks.
Oh yeah for technical comparisons Teretonga is listed as 2.57km, Manfeild (short track) 3 point something km (I forgot OK, 3rd beer) and Levels 2.4km

[MD]

Whats up. can't get the Levels map to upload in above post?
Lets try again...

[Kickaha]

AT levels we run the chicane before the pit entrance, so it isn't quite as marked on that track map

[MD]

AT levels we run the chicane before the pit entrance, so it isn't quite as marked on that track map
That might explain why I can't remember that erect penis shape jutting out before the pits/short straight! There was a series of left-rights but nothing as pronouced as that map shows.

[Kickaha]

That might explain why I can't remember that erect penis shape jutting out before the pits/short straight! There was a series of left-rights but nothing as pronouced as that map shows.

The old track used to turn off about 2/3 of the way down the straight, John Jones, McKissock and Waldron are additions to the old track

[k14]

Yeah as far as a 125 goes levels is the best track in NZ. Teretonga is still pretty cool though, although I've only ridden it once and that was in the wet. Both are pretty short tracks though. Ruapuna has that extra bit of length meaning there is just that extra bit of variation and more track to learn.

[diesel pig]

Ruapuna has that extra bit of length meaning there is just that extra bit of variation and more track to learn.


Lets face it Ruapuna's a mans race track.:yes:

[Kickaha]

Lets face it Ruapuna's a mans race track.:yes:

How is it that you do so well at it then?

[diesel pig]

How is it that you do so well at it then?


How come it has kicked your arse twice then?

[Kickaha]

How come it has kicked your arse twice then?

Hasn't Levels done the same to you :bleh::nya:

[diesel pig]

Hasn't Levels done the same to you :bleh::nya:


Stop changing the the subject. Mind you a tipical Kickaha tactic

[dangerous]

Shut up and go to bed you two... :first: