Twlight Road is bloody scary!

[zeocen]

Well I had some spare time this morning and decided to go for a blat around clevdon area and after reading in many threads about "Twilight Rd" I decided to take the scenic route and see what all the fuss was about.

Holy crap, I think I pee'd a little. I could have seriously hurt myself 2 times while in there. One I was just taking a corner too fast but stayed committed to my line and everything was fine, the other was near the end of the windies and a 4x4 was half on my side of the road, having never been down this road before I didn't know where corners start and ended and I was already leaned over as much as I ever had on my bike, but he quickly swerved into his lane and I trusted what everyone says (the bike can do more than you think) and leaned over a bit more and took the corner more clearer. (It was also at this time where I decided it was time to fork out some $$ for another pair of gloves (I somehow grew out of my other ones), reaaaally didn't want to crash bare handed, pretty stupid of me to be out there in the first place with no gloves)

I had to let out a yelping "WHOO!!" after it all, but my god.. maybe it's because I've never been in twisty roads that narrow but I tip my hat off to the people who burst through those roads, you must have balls of titanium!

After that I headed to maraetai to have a bit of a break before I headed home :P

This is a pretty self serving post, sorry :P I had to tell someone of my new adventures !

[McJim]

Which direction did you do Twilight in? Whitford - Clevedon or Clevedon - Whitford?

I find Clevedon to Whitford more fun.

If you watch the video clip of twilight a few times you'll learn where the corners are - take the twisties easy the fist time you ride them so you are aware of how sharp the turns are.

I have great respect for riders that can go quickly through twisties first time - I am not one of them - I call them Jedi Bikers!

Maybe next time you can call me and I'll ride behind you with the camera on.

[Gremlin]

The problem with Twilight, going Clevedon to Whitford, is that a lot of the corners are deceptive, and have late apexes. If you don't know them, you can get caught quite easily.

Most of the tight section is permanently under shade, making it slippery, and after storms, there can be a LOT of debris littering the road.

Not a bad road, but too short, and too much chance of cyclists. Going around those corners at speed, and being soo tight, if there was a cyclist, at just the right time, you might miss him, until your head hits him going round a corner :shit:

[zeocen]

Which direction did you do Twilight in? Whitford - Clevedon or Clevedon - Whitford?

I find Clevedon to Whitford more fun.

If you watch the video clip of twilight a few times you'll learn where the corners are - take the twisties easy the fist time you ride them so you are aware of how sharp the turns are.

I have great respect for riders that can go quickly through twisties first time - I am not one of them - I call them Jedi Bikers!

Maybe next time you can call me and I'll ride behind you with the camera on.

I went from Whitford - Clevedon ways.. I guess the other way is more friendly, I might have to fighten myself some more and go the other way some time.

I don't think I would be very interesting to film, I was going at a turtles pace! I think I was doing around 40 - 60 for the most part, getting up a bit higher near the end maybe, I'm not very sure.. I was too busy concentrating on the road hehe

[Motu]

I hope you look out for these guys at the top,I wouldn't want my mates to get run over.

[skidMark]

I hope you look out for these guys at the top,I wouldn't want my mates to get run over.


what you mean mates...aint that your family :dodge:

[Ixion]

Is a good road. Watch for damp slippery patches on the shaded corners after rain. And there are TWO friggin' HORRIBLE bumps that catch you if you don't know about them. An old school road I call it , like what almost all roads were when I began riding (except that it's sealed. It was an awesome road when it was gravel. )

And yes, watch out for the chiickies.

[Ixion]

I went from Whitford - Clevedon ways.. I guess the other way is more friendly,

Nah, that's teh side that has the bumps. And a couple of real wrestling corners.

[zeocen]

Well then, I think I'll be sticking to the more tame roads around those ways untill I get a bit better hehe

[McJim]

[quote=zeocen;831892]I went from Whitford - Clevedon ways.. I guess the other way is more friendly, /quote]

Nah, that's teh side that has the bumps. And a couple of real wrestling corners.
I happen to like those bumps. Just after the right hander with the 3 dead possums in a row the little windy bit where the tree roots have come up through the tarmac...helps me check the suspension still works.

[Motu]

Had to leave my bike at that horsey place on the Brookby side once and walk to Whitford in my bike gear in summer.

I used to like the next one down,West Rd,when it was gravel - it's a steep long climb to the ridge from both sides,and you could give the bike heaps going up.Had a couple of dramas coming down the steep Brookby side,with two right angle corners at the bottom.One day a mate and I changed the tyres on my BSA,and putting the wheels back on we did a side each....he though I....I thought he....Coming down the steep gravel hill the rear brake stay feel off,the backing plate wound the cable up and ripped it off.I managed to get around both corners but had to stop and lie down in the grass as my legs were too weak to stand on.A few years later same hill still gravel - and a wasp went in my helmet and started stinging around my ears....I ripped the helmet off with both hands and threw it on the ground,then got the bike back under control again.

[Dai]

"Twlight Road is bloody scary!"

Two moths ago my introduction to this particular stretch was on a run organised by Dover.

If you thought it was scary during the day try it at night

[Brett]

Twilight Rd...I have a love hate relationship with that road.

I must have literllay missed you, i have just got back from 'zinging' around that area, out to orere point then back again, did twilight road 3 times today, twice clevedon - whitford and nce the reverse way. It is a good road to pick up quality experience.
I have found it to be a very unforgiving road. I have slid the bike once, albeit i was being a dick, riding in the wet, in the dark, with a tinted visor and racing someone. I ended up just not seeing a corner, and by the time i was in it, i tried to keep my line, but the tyres just had no more grip...managed to slow the bike to 30kph before sliding. Lucky only slight fairing damage.

Because it is so narrow, you have to be very careful about on coming traffic. Heading that way once today, i was in one of the tight right handers and a logging truck came round using half my side of the road, and also in my line of corner, evasive action saw me change my line and just miss the truck, however these are the sorts of things you need to be ready for on that road.

Also as was mentioned by Gremlin, it stays wet for a long time after rain, and has some dodgily cambered corners. It is very slippery when not properly dry. The short corners also hit their apex's in some very odd places, meaning that you cannot acually use just one line through a corner, sometimes it has to be altered-the top of the hill before you start heading down again where all those chickens are is a perfect example, off camber, often covered in crap, it is one of the corners that entered into fast, can turn to crap really fast. (sorry that is a really really long sentence).

Keep riding, keep learning and you will conquer that particular road...i still haven't, and i have ridden it quite a lot. I am still struggling to hold good speed around the slow, very tight corners.

[Ixion]

If you want a real fun experience, try wrestling a Suzuki GT750 two stroke round there , in the wet, on plastic tyres . Golly. And Gosh.

[McJim]

If you want to see this road look at the attached thread:

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?p=816709

The second vid in this thread has got Twilight road in it at slightly more than Nana speed for those who didn't see it first time round (looking at youtube everyone looked at Ardmore Quarry road clip and ignored Twilight for some reason)

[Hellraiser]

If you want to see this road look at the attached thread:

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?p=816709

The second vid in this thread has got Twilight road in it at slightly more than Nana speed for those who didn't see it first time round (looking at youtube everyone looked at Ardmore Quarry road clip and ignored Twilight for some reason)

They didn't ignore it they just fell asleep watching Ardmore Quarry ....... LOL







sorry it was just way too easy

[zeocen]

Haha McJim, 1:38min into the Twilight Rd vid is where the 4x4 came at me(the side you're riding on).. I had checked the Ardmore vid but not the Twilight one. Great vid!

I never saw any chickens though, they must have been known a newbie was coming.

Brett: Damn I must have just missed you, I didn't see any bikers at all today.. I was kind of hoping to see one going my way onto the road so I could let them pass and see how they do it :P

[MVnut]

THE best road close to Auckland, well it used to be...probably heaps of traffic now unbeaten on Twilight road:Punk: :done:

[Balding Eagle]

I live in Otara North (sometimes called Howick) and have done Twilight more than a couple of times. I totally agree about the wet and slippery nature of the beast after rain and in the early morning. It is easier Clevedon to Whitford as it is uphill most of the way, but regardless of which direction you are going in, it sure teaches you about blind corners. Did the BRONZ course at Whenuapai on Sunday and I shall now try late apexing as a better technique with which to attack the ride.

It will always be a challenge but a great learning experience when treated with respect.

[beyond]

Twilight Road is real cool :)

BUT if you want a little more open, faster corners and sweepers then give Monument road a go. facing North towards Clevedon, it is normally dry, even in winter and is a very good stretch of motorcycling road. Head out from Clevedon near the monument and head up the hill over the top to Hunua. You'll love it :)

[lukelin250]

the road leading up to one tree hill at speed is a good blat!!!

bacon lettuce avocado tomato

[Brett]

Twilight Road is real cool :)

BUT if you want a little more open, faster corners and sweepers then give Monument road a go. facing North towards Clevedon, it is normally dry, even in winter and is a very good stretch of motorcycling road. Head out from Clevedon near the monument and head up the hill over the top to Hunua. You'll love it :)

Monument is also one of my favourite roads out that way!

[klingon]

After reading this thread and seeing McJim's movie, I'm off to do twilight road! Well technically I'm not really doing it... my rider and his SV1000S will be doing it and I'll be doing what I do best - just klinging on.

I expect there will be about a million Kiwi Bikers doing it after the promotion it's had by McJim & company. See you all at the Clevedon Cafe. :sunny:

[klingon]

wheeee! Twilight road is fun! So are lots of roads around there. The coast is going to look STUNNING in a couple of weeks when all the puhutukawas are in full bloom. And what a lot of blooming bikers! Everyone seemed to be out and about today.

McJim, are you getting paid by the Clevedon Tourist Promotion Board? :mellow:

[McJim]

I'm still waiting to get paid by the Scottish tourist Board....and the last time I lived there was 1999!

I'll not hold my breath for any payment - there are a few other roads I would like to run a camera over in the future - I'll post them on youtube again and embed them in my 'Vid' thread.

[SPman]

Twilight Rd....was fun on the 750 - a real bitch on the 1000!

[Nitzer]

Have only ridden that road once, went with 2 other bikers and got left way behind! :bye: Good road though

[Tonka]

I rode Twilight for the first time last Friday not knowing the "reputation" that it beholds. Being from the BOP, I was tailing my mate on his ZX14 not knowing where the hell I was :shit: Certainly some of the corners reminded me of some you would see in the mountain stages on the Tour De France!

She's a beauty!!

[BarBender]

I heard you did just fine:msn-wink:

[Tonka]

I heard you did just fine:msn-wink:

Thanks mate!

[Grumpy]

Can be a fun road alright but bites fucking hard if you screw it up. I stuffed up on one corner a few years back and then had a 5 month holiday off work after 2 weeks in hospital. Stupid thing is it was probably the easiest corner on the whole damn road.

[Ixion]

I hope you look out for these guys at the top,I wouldn't want my mates to get run over.

Yer mates are fine, still in the same place. I saw them tonight. Unfortunately, more than could be said for the whole family of opossums squashed on the road a few yeards further on.

[Chisanga]

I went through Twilight Rd (Clevedon - Whitford) for the first time ever today and probably set a new record for the slowest time through ever :) I can see, however, where the appeal lies there and I will be going through that bit of road many times as I learn to ride and get more experienced.

For an idea of my pace, watch McJim's bike cam and slow it down by about three :)

I had fun though and didn't bite off more than I could chew - and that's the most important thing for this newbie :rockon:

[notme]

Ello ello to the approx half dozen bikers that did TR today,
SlashWylde and I saw several of ya - we were doing a photo/video shoot on a set of the twisties near the Whitford end.

[krad_nz]

I wrote a $25,000 car off on that road. Be careful.

My own fault at the end of the day. Torque steer (FWD) + marbles on the edge of the road + screwed up camber of the corner + rear end stepping out = expensive mistake.

At least I was ok, well physically anyway :P