Places to practice list [Archive]

carbacca

30th July 2007, 20:04

i started riding not long ago and first got on two wheels at an empty parking lot, like i am sure a lot of others did too. there have been a few posts lately from new riders not knowing where to go to and get started/practice away from traffic, and as a result having to get started on busy roads which i would imagine being rather scary. just thinking it would be a good idea to put up a list of some of the places where it is safe to practice. everyone else feel free to contribute.

Business Park Carpark, Sultan St off Gt South Road. Enter at traffic lights opposite AA Penrose 36°54'4.19"S 174°48'31.83"E
Business park, mostly deserted during the weekend. a few company cars parked about but generally you can find some large clear areas. theres even a multistorey carpark structure, but its got barrier arms (possible to get around if you are on a bike :blink:), and a small round about to practice on
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Back Carpark, 3kings Shopping Centre. Enter from Mt Eden Road
I think these ones serve the council offices in 3kings, so are mostly deserted in weekends. However since they are near the shopping centre there is a fair bit of through traffic at times. The small drive to the left/west goes to a daycare centre and a locked gate with some council utilities beyond so its quite safe, but do watch for traffic from the shopping mall turning into the road from the other parking lots.
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Hugo Johnstone Drive, Penrose
Dead end street in an industrial area. mostly deserted during the weekend, especially the part at the very end that goes nowhere except some sort of power plant. some small workshops in the area working on weekends so occasional traffic. couple of also dead end sidestreets as well.
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nb work in progress, will edit in more details as i go along.

EJK

30th July 2007, 20:42

Interesting... I should go there during the weekends and practice wheelies lol jks :nono:.

Great find, thanks

ZeroIndex

30th July 2007, 22:02

Good on ya for starting a thread like this... here's one for people in Hamilton (both north Te Rapa, near the Base, which is probably a good place to practice too, although I don't know if their security will have anything to say about that)...
The first one is empty on weekends, and I've been told personally by the Police that it is fine to practice in this carpark.

The 2nd one is busy on weekends until 6pm-ish, and is averagely lighted for night-time use... As long as your bike is WOF'd and Rego'd, and it's not after 10pm (unless you're on your full license), this is also a good place to practice, as it's bigger than the 1st one. This is where our Friday night meets ended up.

Stromble

5th August 2007, 18:10

Couple of large empty overflow carparks here to practise on... Oteha Valley road just of SH1

carbacca

7th August 2007, 16:37

oh yeah thats a very good one. one of my lecturers was doing tests for a remote control self navigating car there for the DARPA grand challenge. though a bit far away from me so i didnt think to mention it

breakaway

8th August 2007, 21:30

Heres another. Just up the road from MRGS high school. Great big carpark. Locked up in the evenings, but with a convenient gap big enough to let a bike through.

carbacca

8th August 2007, 21:55

haha i was at that place the other day on official/work related business. they are one of our suppliers that i am trying to get to do something for us. i rolled up there in the great big holden ute (work vehicle, i aint complaining) and though "why wouldnt this be great for bike practice......"

Billie

8th August 2007, 22:21

[QUOTE=carbacca;1151915]i started riding not long ago and first got on two wheels at an empty parking lot, like i am sure a lot of others did too. there have been a few posts lately from new riders not knowing where to go to and get started/practice away from traffic, and as a result having to get started on busy roads which i would imagine being rather scary. just thinking it would be a good idea to put up a list of some of the places where it is safe to practice. everyone else feel free to contribute.

Hi.I think it's neat that you have iedntified places for practising.
Have you thought of the Whenuapai Air Base where Ride Right Ride Safe put you through your paces? I went and practised what I'd learnt at one of these courses.

carbacca

8th August 2007, 22:26

yeah i went to the course too. but i wouldnt imagine they would let you in too happily outside of course times

carbacca

11th August 2007, 16:42

i have just spotted this one coming up the motorway; the carpark lot of ellerslie racecourse, where they have the carfairs on sunday. zipped past on the motorway this afternoon (satruday) and it was big, empty and deserted, although i havent actually tried to find my way into it.

sefer

12th August 2007, 12:09

In Christchurch the best place to practice would be Addington racecourse/Westpac stadium (providing there is no racing/events on of course) .

Lots of space and a fairly good surface (including some roads that no one will be on if there is nothing on). Good for most week days, some weekends.

Racing is typically:

Tuesday - Greyhounds (not a bad day, not many people and most the car park will be empty)
Either Thursday/Friday - Harness or dual code (avoid typically, much more people)
Weekends - Usually no racing, but likely to be events, so check it out.

Hortz

29th August 2007, 19:41

For those living in Hamilton you can try the University of Waikato Car park, through Gate 1 off Knighton Road (entrance going to the gym). This place will be like a ghost town once the students take off and it is massive.

NighthawkNZ

29th August 2007, 20:02

Dunedin the best place is the Ice Skating Rink Car Park

Korea

30th August 2007, 19:24

Anyone got any tips for Wellington region?

Deviant

5th September 2007, 16:50

AUCKLAND

These are where I practiced- first is a park in Newmarket/Remuera close to Newmarket Park.
The carpark is fairly deserted- long and with a few speedbumps which are very small (didn't slow me down at all, more fun than hindrance!). On rugby days it will be packed, but it's otherwise a great place to practice if you can get there.

http://i13.tinypic.com/66nc8zo.jpg

Will post the other late, but it's the Auckland Domain- perfect for a first foray into traffic as it's slow, safe, varied in possible routes, lots of corners and lots of places to pull over if you need a break.

klingon

17th September 2007, 09:53

Gubb

19th September 2007, 17:35

klingon

19th September 2007, 19:51

Wellington - Makara

The Makara road between Karori and Johnsonville has been ideal for learning to corner, and slightly lean (Hey, i'm still new at this). And the Makara cemetery has also been awesome, some longish empty roads, with a few roundabouts thrown in, for low speed maneuvering and whatnot, plus it's practically dead (Ba-Dum Tish!) traffic wise.

Actually cemeteries seem to be an untapped resource for learning to ride in! The Purewa Cemetery in St Johns (Auckland) also has lots of quiet little roads - quiet being the key word! I'm not advocating swarms of newbies trying hill-starts! But it's a pleasant place to have a practise pootle if you're in the area.

DingoZ

10th November 2007, 23:48

Korea > Here's one I know of in the Wellington region. WElltec Carpark - UDY/Britannia str Petone .. Mostly deserted on weekends when the learn to ride courses etc aren't on. And during the week, can sometimes find the whole carpark deserted. (plus its got all the obstacles marked out that you have to practice for )

Will find some more for you and post them..:)

EJK

15th November 2007, 16:21

Another Auckland one - Unitec. Accessible from Carrington Road.

It's got everything - big empty car parks, roads with stop signs, give way signs & pedestrian crossings, speed bumps, all in pleasant park-like surroundings. So you can choose whether you want to practise slow-speed car park stuff, or start getting up to speed and changing gear on some of the internal roads.

Pretty much empty during weekends and Uni holidays.

One hazard to watch out for: learner car drivers in the car parks!

Personally I go to the school and it has been my home ground for biking :yes:
If you see some skidmarks on the ground... then... errmm.... that'll be me :innocent: lol

P.S. after 5pm = no car, after 12am = kick ass practicing ground.

PM me if you want some training in Unitec, I know everything

breakaway

15th November 2007, 16:41

P.S. after 5pm = no car, after 12am = kick ass practicing ground.

PM me if you want some training in Unitec, I know everything

Can you teach me how to wheelie? :third:

alex

5th January 2008, 17:23

Couple of large empty overflow carparks here to practise on... Oteha Valley road just of SH1

Yeh, this would be an excellent place, plenty of good roads around it too if you feel like adventuring :D

Bren

5th January 2008, 21:46

thanks guys for those good pointers on places to learn....it certainly is a "mature" approach. I am sure we can all find some place to go after work:niceone:...When I learnt I had a prison road and carpark to use......my old man was a prison occifer:Police:

(i am trying not to get abusive to the above post....trying not to get pissed off)

alex

6th January 2008, 00:43

Did i say something ?

Bren

6th January 2008, 08:53

Did i say something ?

nah mate....he is just an a-hole so i would not worry

Badger8

6th January 2008, 11:41

South Auckland - Panmure

Found this one yesterday (Saturday), practising some emergency braking. Got a couple of weird looks from the dude reading/snooznig in his car on his lunch break, but other than that was prettymuch empty.
Up behind the KFC opposite the bowling alley and Miss Q's on E-P Highway.
Entry off Mountain Rd / Ford Way (this end of the carpark was deserted), it exits out by the KFC (follows that dark grey loop thingie, one way bit)

Moderate sized carpark, but with the majority empty had plenty of room to get a good run-up for E-stops etc. Plenty large enough for learning.

Practice safe y'all! :niceone:

99TLS

6th January 2008, 12:15

east tamaki, 121 harris rd behind baeurepairs is a good little spot, deserted in weekend ,and most nights but there is a truck stop there so you get the odd truck, well lit at night and acess from 2 roads

Tall Learner

10th January 2008, 13:09

Does anyone know of any more on the north shore??? like around the takapuna/devonport area???

musicman

10th January 2008, 18:16

Does anyone know of any more on the north shore??? like around the takapuna/devonport area???

I normally go to the carpark of the North Shore Event Centre to practise, there's no lights there (I think) so not so good at night, but whenever I've been there it's been pretty much deserted. Turn into Silverfield off Porana Road and you're there.

CookMySock

9th February 2008, 09:16

Edgecumbe, Bay of Plenty.

Here's a grassy park with some nice open spaces, and some trees and other well-spaced obstacles, perfect for absolute newbies practicing constant radius turns, figure eights, and slow-riding/balance following lines in the grass that the mower has left behind. Enter the park on Kauri street next to the hall.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=edgecumbe&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=28.252954,59.765625&ie=UTF8&ll=-37.979183,176.827816&spn=0.003425,0.007296&z=17&om=0

Yes, it's GRASS. Dry weather only.

Kids play there after school - don't get one caught in your spokes !!

It's across the road from the police station, but you have nothing to hide do you ? and cops are here to help.. ay..

This is not a good place to get any speed on AT ALL, but it's great for slow stuff, and you drop your bike on it and you will just get grass in the grips and fold the mirror around.

Technically, you probably shouldn't riding around a council grassy reserve, so be cool ok. If you get told off, please let me know and I will amend or remove this site.

HTH,
DB

Sofa

18th February 2008, 17:35

Thanks heaps for these! They're really helpful and I will definitely be using them :banana:

brown13

29th March 2008, 18:21

The sultan street carpark was really good,
the parking building easy to get into and the roads look nice.
I was on my pocket bike so the carpark and building were my main riding grounds. Thanks.

Swoop

26th May 2008, 08:48

Another Auckland one - Unitec. Accessible from Carrington Road.

It's got everything - big empty car parks, roads with stop signs, give way signs & pedestrian crossings, speed bumps, all in pleasant park-like surroundings. So you can choose whether you want to practise slow-speed car park stuff, or start getting up to speed and changing gear on some of the internal roads.

Pretty much empty during weekends and Uni holidays.

One hazard to watch out for: learner car drivers in the car parks!
Beware of other learner drivers on weekends. It is used as a training site by a few driving schools...
The local community use it when parents are showing their kids how to drive. If you know the makup of Mt Albert, then you know what type of drivers you can encounter...

ALSO... the place is riddled with security cameras!!!

FROSTY

26th May 2008, 08:57

One place is the little dead end road off of Corban Ave.its quiet

faredce

26th May 2008, 09:06

dunedin.....iv pretty much just started riding. and i found that north road in north east valley heading past baldwin street is great once u are confident to leave a carpark. the road tends to be empty nice sweeping corners. this will help in ur gear changing and will improve your ability to enter a corner well.

this road has helped me heaps!
give it a go!

captain_andrey

27th May 2008, 17:52

Wellington: Coast Road past wainuiomata all they way to the beach. Its an open road too so 100 all the way :P

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Coast+Rd,+Wainuiomata,+5014,+New+Zealand&sll=-41.331193,174.960709&sspn=0.226093,0.376968&ie=UTF8&ll=-41.334029,174.940109&spn=0.113042,0.188484&t=h&z=13&iwloc=addr

fridayflash

16th June 2008, 23:53

great thread!! in napier ive taught friends at the park island carparks early
on a sunday morning [no sports] or in the pettigrew arena and eit
carparks also; and lets not forget the taradale river...nothing like
riding gravel right from the get go:msn-wink:

locojob

20th June 2008, 01:14

Good stuff guys, look forward to trying ALL of the auckland ones lol...

The more practice the better yes?

EJK

20th June 2008, 10:58

Good stuff guys, look forward to trying ALL of the auckland ones lol...

The more practice the better yes?

Yes :yes:

Need help? Send a PM ;)

davebullet

13th October 2008, 19:56

One for wellington.

Newlands Intermediate school (off Helston road - from Newlands road). Never locked off. Road going down to the carpark is excellent for hill start practice. Once down in the park, it is a flat, large square with a couple of speed bumps at the entrance if you get bored :rolleyes:

Excellent for figure 8's and long straight basketball court lines for slow straight line manoeuvring practice.

Cheers,
Dave.

special_K

7th December 2008, 09:26

North Shore - Chelsea View Drive in Chatswood is good as it has everything you need for small road riding - lots of side roads to practice turns, stop signs, great hills for hill starts and two empty parking lots - one opposite the primary school (just don't go around kid pickup/drop-off times).

After riding down a 1km stretch over humps you can even get onto the main road for about 200m with one set of lights and get off it back onto the quiet one if you freak out..(my 1st 2 times I panicked at the lights and stalled twice...hehe). :doh:

Great winding roads with just a car or two in a realistic but not too stresful setting :) Awesome for practicing gear changes and e-stops.

Supermac Jr

6th January 2009, 17:39

North Shore - Smales Farm is also good, some traffic and the one parking area is blocked off but it has a traffic circle and a 'loop' through traffic if you want to.

iamkirk

6th January 2009, 18:00

The Eden park stadium used to be a good... till they blocked the whole thing off for the construction of a new stand. I learn't to drive and ride there!
Correct me if i'm wrong on the car parks being gone during construction.

slowv65

24th February 2009, 11:59

:niceone:Harvey Norman carpark Manukau road

it has roundabouts
intersections parking bays and straights to practice slow riding and slalem

its available from 6pm every evenings

so great for summer time

then when confident a nice trip down to Tuakau and Back some small bends to practice what you been learning

traffic is reasonable so not pressured

Miss Boop

15th March 2009, 19:15

Anyone got any tips for Wellington region?

Theres is a huge car park where the hockey park is on mt albert rd, newtown-ish area

Its where i started!!!

its great for learning to turn at low speeds and just getting used to handling your bike -although the car park is big enough to get out of second gear its a start

Tink

16th March 2009, 16:17

Good on ya for starting a thread like this... here's one for people in Hamilton (both north Te Rapa, near the Base, which is probably a good place to practice ...........................is also a good place to practice, as it's bigger than the 1st one. This is where our Friday night meets ended up.

Sat at the pub (irish pub from memory) just coming into Hamilton on the left... and enjoyed a really great show in the carpark across the road... front & back wheel stands... >>>newbie <<< was quite impressed..

i have just spotted this one coming up the motorway; the carpark lot of ellerslie racecourse, where they have the carfairs on sunday. zipped past on the motorway this afternoon (satruday) and it was big, empty and deserted, although i havent actually tried to find my way into it.

Two entrances and I think they both have big gates on them. :(

elevenhundred

16th March 2009, 20:41

Anyone got any tips for Wellington region?

Before I got my license I would practice at the empty lot next to the GM complex on Alexander Road in Upper Hutt (next to Dante Road)

There was a chain over the entrance but it was easy enough to lift it up and push the bike under it, nice big area, easily get into 3rd.

But if you already have a license just find some out of the way roads

TACO BELL

13th April 2009, 12:56

is the headhunters motocycle club in henderson. They offer safe riding courses for begginers.:sunny:

allycatz

19th April 2009, 15:28

The road at the back of Kapti Airport is great to practce on

alexei

27th April 2009, 14:06

Smales Farm is where i was taught to ride, however keep in mind that it has gravel like surface (i found that i works well as i learned to be super cautions no matter what the road is like). Also, dont ride too close to parked cars as i was once asked by security guys after some owner made a call.

Jenral

8th June 2009, 18:20

This is a cool circuit near my area, outside of Waihi. About 15k loop, hardly any traffic.

klingon

10th June 2009, 16:49

This is a cool circuit near my area, outside of Waihi. About 15k loop, hardly any traffic.

That looks like fun! What kind of speed zones are on that road - is it 80k or 100k?

Jenral

12th June 2009, 15:54

That looks like fun! What kind of speed zones are on that road - is it 80k or 100k?

100k the whole thing.

Deon

15th June 2009, 19:09

The first time I ever got on a bike my mate took me to smales farm in takapuna which was a great place to practice, but we were only there 10 minutes and someone form the Kiwi rail building called security on us. Bugger!

lozz900

15th June 2009, 23:16

blarrrrr. Just testing my settings, sorry lads.

squidgy

5th July 2009, 19:18

Around the UNITEC campus at Carrington is great if your in Auckland.

Mandy

10th July 2009, 10:51

Brownstoo

10th July 2009, 12:19

Dunno if it's been mentioned yet but the warehouse on blenheim road has a massive carpark and it's always mostly empty.
Edit: For CHCH bikers!

gatch

13th July 2009, 23:50

Where are some good places to practice around Palmerston North? Currently using the car park/courts at Our Lady of Lourdes School, but its a bit small and I'm pretty sure that we piss the old people off that live behind the church. :ride:

Hoon out to the rec center car park at massey on the weekend, its fuckin huge, hardly any cars there outside of classroom hours..

lilmissjellyfish

19th November 2009, 22:23

Carpark of Unitec is good in the weekends, go in the gate at the top of carrington and second big carpark on left.. fairly quiet roads around campus for practising at low speed.. my next lesson there tomorrow!

Haymaker

30th November 2009, 20:05

The carpark at the AMI Netball Centre in St Johns (where the Pink Ribbon ride started) has been good for me. Large space, can practice a bit of everything there. First time I went it was empty, last weekend there was a learner driver (a good one thankfully) and a stunt rider which was pretty cool to watch him practice.
And just around the corner from there is Tamaki Campus of Auckland Uni. I taught my bro to drive there a couple of years back, haven't tried it for riding yet. Just another carpark with some speed bumps and pedestrian crossings.

ac3_snow

4th December 2009, 18:38

Princesszxr

3rd March 2010, 17:45

Old Steve

3rd March 2010, 20:03

Thanks to the "recession, there are some nice roads out in The Lakes subdivision.

Come off SH 29 at the roundabout where the toll road comes out, and go on into The Lakes to the first roundabout in the subdivision. Turn right towards the industrial area, there are a couple of straights with roundabouts at either end, there's a hill up to the industrial area which is deserted after work hours and on weekends, and a couple of large cul de sacs for slow turns. Just be careful, cause I'm giving my son his car driving lessons there, but he's been taught to look out for motorbikes and give them plenty of room.

At that first roundabout in The Lakes, you can go straight ahead then turn right out toward the developed but unsold residential areas where the roads are largely deserted, there are some houses in pockets and a few local drivers - but that's good for your awareness training.

Scorp

10th March 2010, 07:32

This is a cool circuit near my area, outside of Waihi. About 15k loop, hardly any traffic.
Nice spot Jenral. I was thinking of open road practice on Trigg Road when the time comes (live in Waihi Beach) but your loop probably has much less traffic.

Scorp

Kiri

8th April 2010, 22:59

:whistle:Um at the risk of sounding stupid (incase its already been mentioned and i went straight past it) but are there any good places to practice here in Palmy that anyone knows of? preferably quiet or relatively quiet (to reduce the newbie nerves and saving probbable embarassement of offing infront of ppl:Oops: )

I don't know about reducing nerves, but the carpark at highbury whanau centre (next to monrad intermediate) is really quiet on a sunday - good for practising those figure 8's.

s1mple_m4n

3rd June 2010, 21:50

NORTH SHORE, AUCKLAND

I'd also recommend the overflow car-parks on Oteha Valley Rd, across the road from Mitre 10 Mega store, and NS Events Centre car-park. Week days they are pretty much empty. Most of the bigger sports grounds have large car-park areas as well.

Purepower

20th April 2011, 14:45

Had my bike for a few days, and found a really nice spot out west.
Lake Panorama Drive and the surrounding area has been completely developed, lots and lots of very nice houses with very tidy new roads, hardly any traffic (as many of the houses are still of sale). Lots of round abouts, Give ways, Stop sign etc as well
Great place to get up to speed with handling, 1st gear take offs and tight circle turning.

Oleg

2nd May 2011, 19:03

places like Kerwyn ave and around the courier post. Completely deserted on the weekend, so all of the roads are perfect to practice. few roundabouts, few low speed turns, great straights for speed confidence. And massive area overall.

GDOBSSOR

15th October 2011, 22:25

Rugby Club Rooms at Ian Galloway Park off Old Karori Road is brill for beginner riders in Wellington. If you have a pocket bike they also have a dirt track next door.

Also, Waitarere is a great place for novice riders to learn to ride around. Nice and flat and the beach is a recognised road with a 30kph speed limit.

GSF

5th April 2012, 09:12

If you're in central Auckland, I spent a lot of time learning to ride in the upper deck carpark at St. Lukes shopping centre.
Go there after 6pm on any day excluding Thursday and Friday (late night shopping) and it's an awesome place to practise emergency braking and low-speed control.

The best part to do it in is that section of carpark to the right by Cornwallis Street, it's large and open and well-lit. The tall lamp posts are also good markers to do figure-eights and turns around for learners getting used to leaning the bike.

<iframe width="425" height="350" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://maps.google.co.nz/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=80+st+lukes+r oad&aq=&sll=-36.884014,174.742527&sspn=0.083069,0.154324&ie=UTF 8&hq=&hnear=80+St+Lukes+Rd,+Mt+Albert,+Auckland+10 25,+Auckland&ll=-36.882982,174.733598&spn=0.002596,0.004823&t=h&z=1 4&output=embed"></iframe> <a href="http://maps.google.co.nz/maps?f=q&source=embed&hl=en&geocode=&q=80+st+lukes +road&aq=&sll=-36.884014,174.742527&sspn=0.083069,0.154324&ie=UTF 8&hq=&hnear=80+St+Lukes+Rd,+Mt+Albert,+Auckland+10 25,+Auckland&ll=-36.882982,174.733598&spn=0.002596,0.004823&t=h&z=1 4" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left">View Larger Map</a>

RuoskaNZ

1st August 2012, 20:38

Theres is a huge car park where the hockey park is on mt albert rd, newtown-ish area

Its where i started!!!

its great for learning to turn at low speeds and just getting used to handling your bike -although the car park is big enough to get out of second gear its a start

They have put speed bumps and raised bits between the parks there now, so this isnt as good anymore, no screw up space.
Still probably one of the better ones in the central area though.

Asylum_NZ

2nd August 2012, 12:13

What about Nelson?? anyone know of good places apart from Saxton Field Car Park? And or easy rides out country?

KIPS powervalve

13th December 2012, 20:39

In West Auckland there is the Trusts Stadium carpark, and if that's too public, the about 100m down the road is the Te Pai netball centre carpark, nice and secluded mid week if you're scared of dropping your bike with passers-by watching :rolleyes:

KIPS powervalve

13th December 2012, 20:45

Sorry if its already been mentioned but the untic campus on carrington road (auckland) plenty of car park space but also alot of quiet/private 'road space' especially at this time of year when the place is void of students.

just have to look out for the odd learner car driver too evry nw and then.

Ahhh this is where I sat my basic handling. The campus is big with 40kmh limit, stops signs, turnaround areas etc. And dead quiet during weekends (esp in summer)

evanrw

7th May 2015, 19:21

Wellington - gotta mention the Evans Bay marina car park on Evans Bay Pde. Always open and deserted on weekdays save for a few fishing trips coming and going. Excellent for BHS practice and even some intersection-esque practice through the boat sheds. Packs out on weekends though.

eeveep

2nd October 2015, 15:40

Just as a heads up to Christchurch newbies, at some point greyhound racing will be moved to Mondays. I wouldn't worry about it too much because no one goes. Closer to November the car park near the track will fill up with Cup Week crap but you'll be right.

Aphro_Ant

18th October 2016, 00:36

Cornwall Park aka One Tree Hill is the original practice place in Epsom, though I did see on Fair Go an unlicensed rider getting ticketed there for riding there without a license. Auckland Central Domain roads would be good too I imagine and thirdly Long Bay car parks and roads (a few too many speed bumps though). All three would be good places outside of great picnic / beach times and weather.

For a more advanced and actual road practice the Dairy Flat Highway and East Coast Bays road North of Glamorgan Drive and the surrounding roads of both were recommended to me and they're great, as they're generally well maintained and nowadays with SH1 cutting through the middle of them both they're only used by locals and car thieves also being semi-rural there is very, very little traffic. Also they were designed for much higher usage with Dairy Flat Highway being SH1 sometime ago. Another similar road is Upper Harbour Drive, which I will check out shortly.

If anyone could recommend any more roads or areas around the North Shore and / or West Auckland that have very little traffic and are well maintained that would be great.

hokckeyholic

20th November 2016, 18:23

Highbrow business park is great, barely ever any cars in the whole area. It also gives you the opportunity to riDe on a proper road, practice turns and these some roundabouts too

Akzle

21st November 2016, 17:38

Highbrow business park is great, barely ever any cars in the whole area. It also gives you the opportunity to riDe on a proper road, practice turns and these some roundabouts too

you mean highbrook?

Gremlin: comment removed

hokckeyholic

22nd November 2016, 08:13

you mean highbrook?

Gremlin: comment removed

Yes, yes I do

Damn autocorrect

Old Steve

27th November 2016, 15:30

I rode with North Harbour Ulysses last weekend from Canaveral Drive off Triton Drive in the Rosedale Industrial area, and that area would seem to be quiet on a weekend, Arranway Drive too. Another weekend area would be off Bush Rd - Tarndale Grove, Piermark Drive, Beatrice Tinsley Cres and William Pickering Drive . Thats just south west of Albany, quite a good cafe in William Pickering Drive, and the Pie Shop at the northern end of old Albany village is good too.

For a slightly more confident learner I'd recommend the Albany, Coatesville, Rivershead road, 80 km/hr restricted, not much traffic but the Coatesville market every so often means heavy roadside parking in the village. Good cafe (Kauri Gum Cafe) in Rivershead too. And you can make a loop of it back on the Kumeu road and across through Whenuapai to the North Harbour motorway and back to Albany or the Northern motorway, or head on back to the city centre on the NW Motorway.

Xevel

7th February 2017, 23:19

Hi!

For my first post, I'd like to contribute something: a map with most of the places around Auckland mentionned in this thread, plus a few more.

https://goo.gl/maps/jbxS6mq9Zus

Kept me busy while I wait a few more days for my first motorcycle :x

shadowbuck

16th July 2017, 22:04

The crematorium in invercargill, massive car park empty most of the time, intersection and islands to practice with

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HEsch

17th July 2017, 12:23

No good if unlicenced, however....

The new-ish subdivision out the back of Cambridge - Thornton, near St Kilda Rd - was where we went for part of the Ride Forever course. Quiet roads, lots of roundabouts etc. Suburban.
I tend to do a lot near to home, yesterday I spent an hour going up and down almost all the lanes off Newell Rd (just south of Riverlea/Hillcrest, in Hamilton). There is one gravel lane and one sealed (private) lane that do not have turnarounds at the ends, but the rest do. The road itself is 80kmph but I can tootle around at 20-50 while practicing slow speed skills on the lanes.
If I go past the school and church near the Tamahere interchange, I can go down the old SH (Tamahere Drive) which now runs adjacent to the expressway and links to Pickering and Pencarrow Rds... So many 'loops' around ie Pickering/Bruntwood/Lee Martin, or Pencarrow/Day Rd/Tamahere Drive. If you want a nice twisty ride, Pickering to Bruntwood to Zig Zag, Fencourt, Maungakawa and around Te Miro hill is lovely, also leads over to Whitehall and the road that ends up back on SH1 at Karapiro (at the Mobil)... Then zip over the dam and back via Mystery Creek... Can ride all day ;)

Went to Gate 10 / Uni carpark when I was learning to drive a car years ago, not sure if it's still quiet but would imagine so. Gate 1 probably also quiet but as it is the entrance to the Halls and Rec centre, may be busier than Gate 10.

neil.

26th February 2018, 10:26

I like those Te Miro karapiro bits as well. and the waingaro --> raglan road once the confidence is there, but actually the bit from waingaro to waikaretu / nikau cafe is better as less traffic.

when i was practicing slow stuff / u-turns I went to some of the industrial car parks up te-rapa / Maui street, as they are empty on weekends ( or were). basically i wanted an empty car-park with lots of little islands to turn around.

speaking of which , i need to go practise, getting lazy

No good if unlicenced, however....

The new-ish subdivision out the back of Cambridge - Thornton, near St Kilda Rd - was where we went for part of the Ride Forever course. Quiet roads, lots of roundabouts etc. Suburban.
I tend to do a lot near to home, yesterday I spent an hour going up and down almost all the lanes off Newell Rd (just south of Riverlea/Hillcrest, in Hamilton). There is one gravel lane and one sealed (private) lane that do not have turnarounds at the ends, but the rest do. The road itself is 80kmph but I can tootle around at 20-50 while practicing slow speed skills on the lanes.
If I go past the school and church near the Tamahere interchange, I can go down the old SH (Tamahere Drive) which now runs adjacent to the expressway and links to Pickering and Pencarrow Rds... So many 'loops' around ie Pickering/Bruntwood/Lee Martin, or Pencarrow/Day Rd/Tamahere Drive. If you want a nice twisty ride, Pickering to Bruntwood to Zig Zag, Fencourt, Maungakawa and around Te Miro hill is lovely, also leads over to Whitehall and the road that ends up back on SH1 at Karapiro (at the Mobil)... Then zip over the dam and back via Mystery Creek... Can ride all day ;)

Went to Gate 10 / Uni carpark when I was learning to drive a car years ago, not sure if it's still quiet but would imagine so. Gate 1 probably also quiet but as it is the entrance to the Halls and Rec centre, may be busier than Gate 10.

rastuscat

26th February 2018, 10:48

I'm in Christchurch, but I deliver the occasional course in Dunedin.

The skating rink car park has a remote controlled car track marked out.

It's O for Orsum for practising slow speed skills. I arrived there one day with a group and there was a guy already there teaching his mate to ride. I watched him while I was continuing with my group, and basically it was the blind leading the blind.

I went over and spoke to the pair, and after a genial discussion about how orsum he was, the lad challenged me to a race around the remote controlled car course.

I was on my 1200RT, he was on an MT03.

Timed runs showed him that he wasn't as orsum as he thought he was, and how much difference technique made.

Get down to the car park and have a play in the remote controlled car course. Gold. It's about head and eyes in sharp corners, and use of the back brake.

quickbuck

27th November 2018, 15:02

........ I arrived there one day with a group and there was a guy already there teaching his mate to ride. I watched him while I was continuing with my group, and basically it was the blind leading the blind.

Yup, seen that a few times
I had one girl go from Never ridden, to BHS Cert in the time it took a guy to get his GF to ride in a straight line... with feet still on the ground!
Apparently she had ridden in the past too!

A good place up here is Massey Uni Car Park in Albany.
Often there is one of us there to offer you tips if you are really struggling... usually we are on a course though, so time is precious.