Where is YOUR favourite Adventure road?

[young1]

On the WWWWW Adventure Assault we rode some very good "Adventure" type Roads. That got me thinking that everyone must have a favourite road and I would like to find out where that road is!

So how about listing your favourite road that is suitable for an Adventure bike with road legal tires. Tell us;
Where the road is
What makes it such a good road
It is sealed or unsealed
Post a picture if you have it
Is it passable in the wet

To start things I am going to go with;
Kiwi Road North Taranaki
Tight windy road through the bush with a river to one side. It gets very little use, at the start there is even grass growing down the middle of it. Best of all when heading south you go through the tunnel at the top into another world, each side of the tunnel could not be more different.
Unsealed
Sorry no picture but for now look at the wwwww pics for a shot of it.
Yes it is passable in the wet

[Jantar]

My favourites would be Thompson's Gorge and the Old Dunstan Road. Both are easy dirt road rides on road tyres in the summer, but you may want something that can handle snow in the winter.

[tri boy]

I have a few, and each have their own qualities.
Urewera crossing because its immense country. I can see why Tuhoi want to protect it. Plus you can camp/cabin it at the lake.

My new favorite is Pomarangai saddle off the Awakino-Marokopa rd. Windboy may agree on that. Like Kiwi road at the start, then opens up at the top with nice flowing corners that you can "see" through.

Hope to find many more.:yes:

[BarBender]

The East Cape Loop.
Start Whakatane...out to TeAraroa - down to Gizzy and then back up the Waioweka Gorge.

Im bias coz its home and so has sentimental value...
In terms of an adventure - its has everything I like in a piece of tarmac.
But more than that, and as many time I have ridden it, I always find something new along the way to take in.

[cooneyr]

Name one - thats hard. Here's a couple

Rainbow Road (Hanmer to St Arnaud) - Awesome fast flowing section from Hanmer end to Island Saddle then windy section through gorge near St Arnaud. Just keep and eye on the road and don't go to fast less you end up in ditch like me. 70kms of the 110 are unsealed but it is ridable with road tyres except during winter when snow becomes an issue. Cost $10 by prearrangement outside 1st December to 1st weekend in March or just turn up at the old homestead between Dec and Mar.

Other rides are the Porika Track and the Mangatapu Track. Both somewhat steep gravel/rock but ridable with road orientated adventure tyres in the dry. Fun technical rides.

Cheers R

[Big Dave]

Too hard - there's just so many.

[Oscar]

Port Waikato to Awaikino including Whaanga, Ruapuke, Mako Mako, Te Rukasummatiforgit and Pomerangi....

[NordieBoy]

Maungatapu for all conditions in a 30km ride (60km loop) - It's really a mini Rainbow, with some gnarlier and some more open sections than the Rainbow, just shrunk down to fit in between Nelson and Pelorus.
Takaka Hill (sealed) - Nuff said.
Rainbow (unsealed).
Even the short trip up the Whangamoas (sealed) and back (if there's no traffic).

Anything with gravel really.

[clint640]

The Nevis, from Clyde to Garston. Probably around 70km

What makes it a good road?

<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v653/clhandcock/nevis3.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a>

...& there's plenty more great scenery like that, wide open bits, twisty bits, rocky climbs & a pub at either end.

It is most definitely unsealed, it has many fords & parts can get snowed on almost any time of the year.

Watch out for stock & Southern Men offering you Speights 1/2 way though.

If you're camping in Queenstown the ride can be nicely topped off by a beer at the Garston pub then a cruise back along the twisty tar of the Wakatipu shore.

Of course the Rainbow gets favourable mention & in the North my favourite would have to be the almost-4wd-track Motu Road, which can be nicely topped off with a beer at the Matawai pub then a zoom home on the curvy seal of the Waioeka Gorge.

Cheers
Clint

[warewolf]

My all-time most favourite adventure road is usually the one I'm on right now, or the last one I've found!! Sealed roads would have to be pretty special to rate as an Adventure, particularly given that you can do gravel roads (and worse) on a road bike.

To me it's more about the company (flesh and steel variants both) than the road. To that end, all the roads we did on the Brass trip rate highly. Ditto the Dusty Butt roads. All the North Island stuff between Auckland and Awakino that I explored when the 640 Adventure was new stick in my mind...despite having done most of them on various other adventure bikes over the years.

North Island pick would have to be Taumatamaire Rd, the views from the top in winter of snow-capped Taranaki and Ruapehu/Ngaruahoe are stunning.

South Island, aargh there's just too many. Last one new to me was Maruia Saddle Rd, that was pretty neat with the tight climb and many water crossings on the S end, that bridge over the neat gorge in the middle (like a mini Tree Trunk Gorge - off the Desert Rd, well worth a look for all you people that have ridden past it countless times :yes:), and the high-speed open gravel road for ages to get in to Murchison. Way cool, muchos drifting.

[Big Dave]

Anything with gravel really.

Nesssst time - just say - What Big Dave said - OK. :dodge:

[Big Dave]

Way cool, muchos drifting.

Get a fuckin' job ya Nelson Yippie.

[Big Dave]

The Nevis, from Clyde to Garston. Probably around 70km

What makes it a good road?

a pub at either end.

offering you Speights 1/2 way though.

a beer at the Matawai pub t

Clint


Tonight, Homer does ADV.

[warewolf]

Get a fuckin' job ya Nelson Yippie.Gigolo? Adventures of a different kind...

...and what are you doing getting up so early? or haven't you gone to bed yet?

[Big Dave]

Te Rukasummatiforgit

At last!!! a name I understand!!!!!

[Big Dave]

Gigolo? Adventures of a different kind...

...and what are you doing getting up so early? or haven't you gone to bed yet?

Not sure - What day is it

[warewolf]

Not sure - What day is itJudging by the sunshine, it's a ride day. Don't bother calling Nordie, he'll be atop Maungatapu! :scooter:

[Big Dave]

hmmm - invoicing or motomail for lunch.....

[clint640]

Tonight, Homer does ADV.

Did someone say beer?

Mmmmm... Beer...

For a days riding rather than a specific road I reckon starting in Hanmer & linking up the Rainbow - Porika - Braeburn & Maruia Saddle routes makes for a totally spectacular trip.

Cheers
Clint

[cooneyr]

Did someone say beer?

Mmmmm... Beer...

For a days riding rather than a specific road I reckon starting in Hanmer & linking up the Rainbow - Porika - Braeburn & Maruia Saddle routes makes for a totally spectacular trip.

Cheers
Clint

Feel like having ago at the Dusty Butt next time we get of our arses and organise it? 1000kms in a day from Nelson via Manga, Molesworth, Rainbow, Porika, Breaburn, Maruia Saddle, Springs then back to NN via Tapawera, Mt Arthur, Thorpe etc. About 55% of kms on gravel. This post (http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showpost.php?p=937468&postcount=58) has the route details and the full thread is here (http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=42638). Be warned though as the thread has 421 posts!!!

Cheers R

[PeteJ]

My most memorable road was the Hakataramea Pass going from the head of the Hakataramea Valley over past Grampians Station. Gravel, needless to say, with fords and gates etc, some of it really farm track though it was public road.

Memorable because:

1. It was 1974 in midwinter, so snowy;

2. I was riding a Suzuki GT550 (2 stroke triple road bike) on road tyres - ribbed front Bridgestone, Dunlop TT100 rear;

3. My then girlfriend (and now wife of 30 years) was pillion with me;

4. We were riding in a two-day road trial;

5. We won the road trial.

We rode over Danseys Pass on the way back; average speed set for us over there was 46mph, I seem to recall.

[carver]

my favorites include.
te akau coast road (raglan to pt waikato)
Pironghia west road (from to of pironghia mt)

all nice high speed stuff...
i always preferred to do gravel in the rain- no dust

[PeteJ]

Yeah, that Te Akau road is fun on a road bike; my brother-in-law's farm is just where the coast road crosses the Waimai Stream, so I often ride one or another of my bikes down there.

We used his woolshed as an overnight stop on a long road trial in the early 1980s. (Anyone remember that one? - run by Tauranga Motorcycle Club.)

[Big Dave]

I think it was Pomerangi Rd - out from Awakino - contender.

[tri boy]

I think it was Pomerangi Rd - out from Awakino - contender.

Thats an awsome road Dave.:yes:
Tight like Kiwi road, then opens up at the top into fast, flowing corners.

[Big Dave]

I suspect I'll have some new faves after the Yamaha Southern Safari too.
Currently designated to cover that ride for the mag.
One of John Nick's specials - will be huge - post the details when I get them.

[banditrider]

Don't have an adventure or dirt bike but...

Did the Wanganui River road through to Raetahi one day (years ago actually) on my RF - the road was in awesome nick. Was able to powerslide out of corners and keep the rear wheel spinning until slowing up for the next corner. Had to stop and wait for some mates for quarter of an hour or so though...

The Bandit loves the gravel too. Have done the Napier-Taihape, some of the roads around the Catlins (Nugget Point, Cannibal bay etc - all in good nick - if you can do 100+ on a road bike on them they'd be great on a dirt bike!) and of course out to Cape Reinga & East Cape on the Southern Cross.

Be great to be able to have another bike in the shed for this sort of riding...

[Garry.W]

I'm with Colin and Big Dave on this. Anywhere really, especially South Island like Nevis, Old Dunstan Road, Hakataramea, Rainbow, Molesworth and a myriad of usual culprits everyone else has already named. North Island is certainly not shabby in comparison either, with many wonderful roads, especially around Taranaki, Waikato and East Coast/Bay of Plenty. Loads of good stuff further North as well, just travel with Mike Brittain some time.

Here's a couple of favourites from the Capital, first taken on the Wairarapa Coast and another from Devil's Gate, if you've been on JF's Capital Coast ride you'll remember it :yes:

Cheers,
Garry

[Garry.W]

Thompsons Track

[tri boy]

Our country rocks.:Punk:
It would take "one hell of a rider" to travel every nook n cranny that exists here.
Roll on Adv 3.:yes:

[warewolf]

Our country rocks.:Punk:'swhy I'm here.

It would take "one hell of a rider" to travel every nook n cranny that exists here. Working on it.

[igor]

Thompsons Track

thats the pussys thompsons track. also known as the rise & shine. The real Thompsons Track is in the Waikato. Only ride this if u r stoopid. Osssscccarrrrr wanna take the 1000-50 through there

[oldrider]

This is the track I start and end every ride with, from my garage to the front gate!

Once I'm out through there everything else "is" an adventure, "every time" ! (for me anyway)

That hill in the back ground is the Benmore end of Black Forest road, just one of our many local treasures! :ride: Livin in heavin. :yes: Cheers John.

[Zukin]

thats the pussys thompsons track. also known as the rise & shine. The real Thompsons Track is in the Waikato. Only ride this if u r stoopid. Osssscccarrrrr wanna take the 1000-50 through there

I have done this track, both ways in one day too :gob:

It was wet and very muddy, but we made it :yes:

Clint640 also did it from memory :Punk:

[tri boy]

That hill in the back ground is the Benmore end of Black Forest road, just one of our many local treasures! :ride: Livin in heavin. :yes: Cheers John.

Looks like good Tiger country.:yes:

[Oscar]

I have done this track, both ways in one day too :gob:

It was wet and very muddy, but we made it :yes:

Clint640 also did it from memory :Punk:

Feh.
Ricky Rude & Co did Thompsons Track in a Toyota Starlet.
Gospel truth - won a Radio Competition.


You guys need to try summat hard - like the Mako Mako

[clint640]

I have done this track, both ways in one day too :gob:

It was wet and very muddy, but we made it :yes:

Clint640 also did it from memory :Punk:

In a 4x4 with a winch, but we did do it the man's way from the Tga side. I don't even want to think about taking the 640 through there. Maybe a 200EXC or a trials bike...

Cheers
Clint

[PeteJ]

thats the pussys thompsons track. also known as the rise & shine. The real Thompsons Track is in the Waikato. Only ride this if u r stoopid. Osssscccarrrrr wanna take the 1000-50 through there

As in the one that crosses the Kaimais from south of Katikati? I once completely submerged an upright TS185 in a puddle on that one. I was by myself, so had to haul the bloody thing out and clear out the water entirely alone.

I was late home...

[Ronnie]

dyers pass road-diamond harbour-purau-port levy-over the hill to little river-and then back to chch. Its about 100 km and takes 2 hours if you dont stop at the pub in little river, where they have nice food. Nice after work ride.:scooter:

[mbazza]

I have to be loyal.
Got to be Dansey's Pass, done it on foot, mountain bike, rally car, 50 times in 12 months, quickly, slowly, got pigs and deer off it. Turned back once due to snow. Dragged others back onto it. Helped those broken down and out of petrol.
Have lived (at times) at either end. What's this all about 'tough', 'hard' ?
Oh, yeah. Ridden a few bikes over it. It's my local summer continuious adventure ride, jees I'm lucky!
Yet to do it on the scooter. Cheers :rockon: