Advice wanted for ride today (Sat) out west

[shadynz]

I'm planning my first "longish" open road ride this afternoon... Clock up 400kms on my bike now, made up of one trip out to Puke and mostly round town joyriding!

But I feel the need for corners... :) I'm dying to try out Twist of The Wrist 2 principles on a longish trip.

Anyway, I'm planning to do the akl - helensville..usual way - off the nor'western, up and then back again.

I'm still running my bike in, so not planning on hoofing it too much, just keeping up with the flow and a few nicely taken corners.

Just wondering - the last time I was up that way when I lived out west was years ago, and it use to be a great drive in the cage. What's the road like now? Any particular areas to watch out for? I know a couple of off camber right hand curves, but anything major happening now? Big gravel spots etc?

Cheers!!

[Macktheknife]

Should be in pretty good order these days, I haven't travelled it for a little while but should be ok.
you might think about going back through the Coatesville road and into Albany on the way back, then along Greenhithe to west.

[Gremlin]

probably too late to tell you, but there are 2-3 sections of road works along the route, one at least would be on the main route up to wellsford, the other might have been on peak or old north (you can tell how much I go up there... tis all corners to me)

My bike got filthy from all the damn lime etc.

[shadynz]

Cheers guys...


farrrkkk.. I think I just had the best 3 hours of my life...! So, yes this is the buzz I'd been waiting for since getting my bike. Did Akl-Kaukop-albany-akl...

Road was in pretty good conidtion... No gravel, no rain... mmm.. Yes think I learnt more in this ride than I have done since starting.

I truly want to thank the universe for creating counter-steering... Really decided to push it and see what it was like. Was great for the corners where I took them a bit too fast or late ... Just a little push to go left without dropping throttle, and man, she leaned left alright haha...But yeah, what a buzz.

Cagers were their predictable selves... but slowing down and waving them past when they got too agro was easy. Running the bike in so didn't want to cane it much past 100...

Oh, and since I've discovered my speedo reads 6-7kms over, I now won't have people driving up my arse! :rockon:

[bull]

Sounds like you had a great ride, nothing quite like going through the corners and the smile getting bigger and bigger each time.
And my speedo is about the same - i normally cruise at 116km/h on speedo which puts me at 109 on the road. Only found this out by using my commodore to match the pace.