Paekakariki Hill.

[car]

One thousand and one corners, and every one of them dark, wet, blind, and covered in rubble. As the great Mohandas Gandhi once said, "feck that for a game of billiards."

It probably didn't help that I don't quite trust the bike having just put it back together, nor that I haven't ridden for near half a year, but that scared the bejebus out of me.

I need more practice; roll on summer.

[Maha]

As the great Mohandas Gandhi .

Who????...you talking about Mahatma Coat?....

[car]

Who????...you talking about Mahatma Coat?....

Yes, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, famous for his love of long, fast sweepers. And roundabouts, obviously; great for getting your dhoti down.

[007XX]

I loooooooove them hills :love:

Discovered them a few months ago during a sales trip (in the cage :oi-grr:), but swore to come back and give it a good nudge on a summer day on the Orgasmatron...

[car]

I loooooooove them hills :love:

Discovered them a few months ago during a sales trip (in the cage :oi-grr:), but swore to come back and give it a good nudge on a summer day on the Orgasmatron...

In a car, they'd have been a laugh. With my current "your Nana's Nana" level of riding skill and confidence... just scary. Every corner was entered on the wrong line, back wheel skittering about, up and down the box like a yo-yo, sliding around on wet or gravel.

Anyway, first ride of the year, so plenty of time to cease being a complete and utter handbag.

[marioc]

Paekak hill owns me,I like the stretch closer to the inlet,a bit faster and more sweeping,cant beat that view when you first pop out the top though.

[car]

Paekak hill owns me,I like the stretch closer to the inlet,a bit faster and more sweeping,cant beat that view when you first pop out the top though.

Yeah, that view's a stunner, coming from the Whitby end and popping out of all those blind corners to see nothing but sea and Kapiti. And sun was high, the wind low this afternoon. Reminded me a bit why the Road Code warns driver to watch out for gawping tourists.

[HDTboy]

Until a few weeks ago, Jay Lawrence lived just off that road. Get him to show you the way along it. (Might be best if you put him on an FXR150)

[jrandom]

Until a few weeks ago, Jay Lawrence lived just off that road. Get him to show you the way along it.

Mint road.

The one and only time I went up it I was riding behind flyin (http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/member.php?u=2305). He disappeared off into the distance on his ZZR250 like he was, well... flying. Waiting for me at the top with his helmet off and a huge grin on his face.

Requiescat in pace, dear lad.

I'll have to go back sometime and see if I can get my head around the hill. I'll be thinking of him...

[devo]

I love the hill, it'sone of my favourite rides, From kapiti south over the hill, around the pahatahanui inlet and back over the hill to home. Cant think of a better way to kill an hour.

http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc116/harryah/Dscn0120.jpg

http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc116/harryah/DSCN0124.jpg

[roadracingoldfart]

Seriously people ...... its a shit hole road to nowhere and back and if it wasnt for ther view at the top it would be boring and equally as dangerous in a bloody car.
I used to ride it for 7 years between Petone and Kapiti and back every day and then for another 8 years in a car from kapiti to petone. I know the hill very well and have seen the condition of it go from fun to delapidated and lethal.
Its now got a heap of cops covering it and locals report all the "racing" vehicles to the cops. 70 kmh speedlimit is what it deserves and it should never be classed as a great bike road.

[TLMAN]

Seriously people ...... its a shit hole road to nowhere and back and if it wasnt for ther view at the top it would be boring and equally as dangerous in a bloody car.
I used to ride it for 7 years between Petone and Kapiti and back every day and then for another 8 years in a car from kapiti to petone. I know the hill very well and have seen the condition of it go from fun to delapidated and lethal.
Its now got a heap of cops covering it and locals report all the "racing" vehicles to the cops. 70 kmh speedlimit is what it deserves and it should never be classed as a great bike road.


Yeah it was getting a bit "used" in places when I rode it last year. Still a nice road though.
The cops from the local police college still use it though for their driver training programme.

[Ocean1]

Nice ride if you keep yer line, and the cages do too. If not there's nowhere to over-run, you can do a bunch of damage. I watched a guy on a Norton die under the front of a Zephyr up there, about 35 years ago. It's nowhere near as much fun now as it was then, or as safe. It's the one bit of road locally on which I excercise strict restraint.

[007XX]

In a car, they'd have been a laugh. With my current "your Nana's Nana" level of riding skill and confidence... just scary. Every corner was entered on the wrong line, back wheel skittering about, up and down the box like a yo-yo, sliding around on wet or gravel.

Anyway, first ride of the year, so plenty of time to cease being a complete and utter handbag.

oh i completely agree...my level of riding skill is still dubious at the best of times, so them hills would definitely be a challenge.

Gor for you doing it anyway! :msn-wink:

[pritch]

I remembered it fondly from years ago but was dissapointed with the current condition when I went over this year. Even more discouraging was the number of of rubber necking dickheads using all of the road in their 4WD tanks.

[Sparky Bills]

Its a great ride!
What are you talking about!!?

Been riding it everyday rain or dry for the last 6 years.
I LOVE IT!!

[Shadows]

Seriously people ...... its a shit hole road to nowhere and back and if it wasnt for ther view at the top it would be boring and equally as dangerous in a bloody car.
I used to ride it for 7 years between Petone and Kapiti and back every day and then for another 8 years in a car from kapiti to petone. I know the hill very well and have seen the condition of it go from fun to delapidated and lethal.
Its now got a heap of cops covering it and locals report all the "racing" vehicles to the cops. 70 kmh speedlimit is what it deserves and it should never be classed as a great bike road.

Too true.
And I hope nobody meets the young fuckwit I saw driving a white Senta with "All Nissin" painted all over it a couple of months back on that road. Passed me and the car ahead in one go around a completely blind right hander. Anybody coming the other way wouldn't have stood a chance.

[yod]

great road, done it a few times, doing it again today :rockon:

[Weaver]

I've havn't gone over it on my bike yet. But i've done it many, many times in my car and yeah its a fun road, but it cant compare to the rimutakas. The simple fact that there are no side roads coming on or off the takas make it alot safer too.

[canarlee]

interesting username "car".

[JayRacer37]

Its a great ride!
What are you talking about!!?

Been riding it everyday rain or dry for the last 6 years.
I LOVE IT!!

Bloody right it is!!

That road is fantastic - treated with respect. Yes, it is....'declining' in places, but if you know the road that is all part of the challenge. Its very easy to predict where rocks/stones may have fallen, or there may be damp under the trees and down by the creek, and as car's first post said, it has one thousand and one corners, all of different varieties, and all wonderful fun. Its as great on my 400 as it is on the 1100, and as it was on the old 250, or is when I flog others thousands :). Yes, as OldFart said, it does have police coverage - at the end of the long straight on the Patahanui end, on week evenings when the work cages are on the way home. Buuuut, again, thats predictable too.

I love it. and even more when I learn more and more about it. Beats the shit out of the traffic riddled, blind, rocky, narrow Rimutakas anyways.....:whistle:

Mind you, it does scare the shit out of my girlfriend....its definitly a solo riders road...

*I make claim to the blackies("guidence marks") on it...:D*

[Terminated]

With the wind this weekend, I gave the Rimutakas a miss and did a rides both Saturday and Sunday over the Paekakariki Hill. With the Nor'Wester I find it reasonably sheltered going up from Pautahanui, and can choose to bail out at top of hill and return down the same way.

Saturday brother in law and I: coffee at Pauatahanui Inlet then up and over the Paekakariki Hill to Paraparumu Beach then down to Raumati Waterfront Cafe and Bar for another coffee, then back over the Paekakariki Hill and home.

Sunday rode with brother in law and two friends over the Paekakariki Hill down SH1 then Greys Road around the inlet and coffee at Pautahanui. There was plenty of sea-spray and so a good bike wash when I got home. Also there must have been a spring tide as parts of Greys Road were covered by the rising inlet.

I enjoy Paekakariki Hill, I treat it with respect, and expect the unexpected on every blind corner.

Heads Up and Enjoy

[car]

interesting username "car".

Those are my initials. A deliberate choice on my father's part. Family legend has it that my sister's initials were truncated to J. G. R. when my mother put her foot down -- my father was all for J. A. G. U. A. R.

DMNTD already won the prize for first off the mark, I'm afraid.

:)

[Kickaha]

when I first rode it in 92 I thought it was a narrow horrible goat track, having ridden it both ways in the last two days my opinion hasn't really changed that much, although the Akatarawa road makes Piecock look like a major highway in comparison

[Ocean1]

when I first rode it in 92 I thought it was a narrow horrible goat track, having ridden it both ways in the last two days my opinion hasn't really changed that much, although the Akatarawa road makes Piecock look like a major highway in comparison

At least on the Akatarawa rd you can take an entertaining wee shortcut, (if'n yer knobs is sharp) out to the coast. Actually, you could from the Paekak rd too, (same shortcut) if they hadn't locked the gate at battle hill...

[Wannabiker]

Mmmmm akatarawas!! now theres a fun ride. 98 corners from the top to the bottom on the coast side! More fun on a small bike strangely enough though!

Was coming back from Auckland last monday and took the paekak hill back to Upper hutt. Scared the bejeezuz outa me. Have done it hundreds of times, but was a bit shattered and the road was wet and low cloud at top of hill and rocks and pine needles and slippry stuff all over the road. Was the worst part of the dam trip. Had rode Ducati to Akl, round the coromandel loop and back to welly in 4 days.

[_intense_]

mmm paekaka... take care out there though, theres some bloody dodgey bits, i usually do a "liesurely" ride through, and once ive sussed the road condition give it a bit more on the way back...

[Insanity_rules]

I love Paekakariki hill road but then again I have been accused of having a very underdeveloped fear button, love twistie bits.

I live on Akatarawa road and I would have thought it would kinda have more carnage on it but I ride it often to go up the line and home again and most people treat it with the respect it deserves although on the first stretch (coincedently outside my house) people treat it like a race track which really annoys me.

[Terminated]

Once again the windy weather was a determining factor - Rimutaka Hill or Paekakariki Hill tonight?

The Cruisie Wednesday Night Ride went up and over the Paekakariki Hill this evening.

Heads Up and Enjoy

[KoroJ]

I think it's a bit sad how you fellas are all raving about the Paekak' Hill.

Sure it's a pleasant "wee" ride but you all obviously need to get out more and sample what's on offer in the Lower North Island.

Register here for 03 November... http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=57216 ...it has some great roads included, each of which can extend the buzz you get from the Paekak Hill for over an hour....Namely
'Masterton - Pongaroa - Waipuk',
'Napier - Taupo',
'Raetahi - Wanganui - Hunterville',
'Pahiatua Track'
...not to mention a couple of shorter blats over Poihipi Rd and Vinegar Hill...and of course, as is the case with all Wellington Rides...start and finish over the Rimutakas.

[Blue Velvet]

...Even more discouraging was the number of rubber necking dickheads using all of the road in their 4WD tanks.

Or riders with pillions, coming round a blind corner in the middle of your lane...

[car]

Or riders with pillions, coming round a blind corner in the middle of your lane...

That was no pillion -- I'm just fat.

;)

[Blue Velvet]

That was no pillion -- I'm just fat.

;)

Wait, you dress your fat in separate bike gear and give it a helmet of its own?? LOL

"That's a very interesting concept, please go on..."

[car]

Wait, you dress your fat in separate bike gear and give it a helmet of its own??

Ah, no, the second helmet is to cover my hump.

[Blue Velvet]

Ah, no, the second helmet is to cover my hump.

Protective racing hump?

For when you take out other motorcyclists on pie cock hill? Heh

[Grub]

I used to commute this road twice a day - I obviously pleased the gods once.

There are 157 corners between Grays Rd in the south and the stop sign on SH1 at Paekakariki, a journey of 11.1km's. That's
- 14.1 corners per km, or
- a corner every 70.7 meters

My definition of a "corner" for counting purposes (from remaining on the correct side of the carriageway)
- Requires a movement from or through the vertical
- cannot be taken by straight-lining it
- A two-radius corner where you don't come vertical at some point in it is one corner, not two
- A two-radius corner where you *do* come vertical at some point in it is two corners, not one


Who cares ... it's just a barrell of fun and does gangbusters for your riding. I am past trying to do it at light-speed and now work on holding a constant speed (80kmh) for the whole road. That's not quite possible as there's one 25kmh I fell off on it) and one 35kmh corner but man it focusses the mind and hones your techo skills.

Other KBers I know of who do the same thing are SketchyRacer and Sparky Bills who do it north-south daily. There are others I'm sure, lets hope we don't "meet".

[unhingedlizard]

I used to commute this road twice a day - I obviously pleased the gods once.

There are 157 corners between Grays Rd in the south and the stop sign on SH1 at Paekakariki, a journey of 11.1km's. That's
- 14.1 corners per km, or
- a corner every 70.7 meters

My definition of a "corner" for counting purposes (from remaining on the correct side of the carriageway)
- Requires a movement from or through the vertical
- cannot be taken by straight-lining it
- A two-radius corner where you don't come vertical at some point in it is one corner, not two
- A two-radius corner where you *do* come vertical at some point in it is two corners, not one


Who cares ... it's just a barrell of fun and does gangbusters for your riding. I am past trying to do it at light-speed and now work on holding a constant speed (80kmh) for the whole road. That's not quite possible as there's one 25kmh I fell off on it) and one 35kmh corner but man it focusses the mind and hones your techo skills.

Other KBers I know of who do the same thing are SketchyRacer and Sparky Bills who do it north-south daily. There are others I'm sure, lets hope we don't "meet".

Me too, I use this road to work on lines rather than dragging pegs

[Clockwork]

I'm sure I saw a news story recently stating that they plan to close this road to through traffic in conhuction with mods to the SH1-end junction. Does anyone have any more info on this?

[_intense_]

I used to commute this road twice a day - I obviously pleased the gods once.

There are 157 corners between Grays Rd in the south and the stop sign on SH1 at Paekakariki, a journey of 11.1km's. That's
- 14.1 corners per km, or
- a corner every 70.7 meters

My definition of a "corner" for counting purposes (from remaining on the correct side of the carriageway)
- Requires a movement from or through the vertical
- cannot be taken by straight-lining it
- A two-radius corner where you don't come vertical at some point in it is one corner, not two
- A two-radius corner where you *do* come vertical at some point in it is two corners, not one


Who cares ... it's just a barrell of fun and does gangbusters for your riding. I am past trying to do it at light-speed and now work on holding a constant speed (80kmh) for the whole road. That's not quite possible as there's one 25kmh I fell off on it) and one 35kmh corner but man it focusses the mind and hones your techo skills.

Other KBers I know of who do the same thing are SketchyRacer and Sparky Bills who do it north-south daily. There are others I'm sure, lets hope we don't "meet".

mmm... wellywood local roads.....

[Grub]

I'm sure I saw a news story recently stating that they plan to close this road to through traffic in conhuction with mods to the SH1-end junction. Does anyone have any more info on this?

Actually that wouldn't surprise me. The Kapiti Council was really pissed last time it was closed because the big repair was on their side of the summit but there is only one ratepayer of theirs there. The Porirua Council had to pay nuffink.

I actually can't see them closing it physically though because it is still an emergency option when there is a fatal on SH1. I bet the (wealthy) residents are pushing for the closure like mad!

[Paul in NZ]

Not 'closed' as such but there will be a complicated island at the paekak end (called a seagull apparently). This will effectively stop people coming off the hill at the SH1 end turning right to head north. You will have to turn left and then attempt a U turn someplace .... Effectively this closes the Hill road for me returning to the Kapait Coast from the Hutt unless I try a U turn on SHW1.... Not happy, great safety improvement guys...

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK0706/S00062.htm

The best plan was a flyover and roundabout thingy under it but it's more expensive than a few fatalities and Transit is still in a snot about Transmission Gully... Besides, they have not quite finished digging up the bit south of there yet.

In the 10 years I've used that road i cannot remember a season where some bastard was not digging something up some place

[steveb64]

Not 'closed' as such but there will be a complicated island at the paekak end (called a seagull apparently). This will effectively stop people coming off the hill at the SH1 end turning right to head north. You will have to turn left and then attempt a U turn someplace .... Effectively this closes the Hill road for me returning to the Kapait Coast from the Hutt unless I try a U turn on SHW1.... Not happy, great safety improvement guys...

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK0706/S00062.htm

The best plan was a flyover and roundabout thingy under it but it's more expensive than a few fatalities and Transit is still in a snot about Transmission Gully... Besides, they have not quite finished digging up the bit south of there yet.

In the 10 years I've used that road i cannot remember a season where some bastard was not digging something up some place

What a F-WIT idea! :mad: Good grief - how many poor slobs are gonna get killed trying to do U-turns on SH1? Pity the dumb shits who thought this one up can't be held liable for the fatalities that are going to occur. :angry2: Bah - it's not like it's even worth complaining to transhit about the stupid idea. They'll just ignore anyone elses ideas. :brick: Grrrr.

Hey Paul - are you sure about them closing off the northbound exit?
Hmmm - just had a thought - it's gonna piss off everyone living along there too - they either have to russian roulette the U turn, or drive ALL the way back to the next roundabout before they can head north... Great for reducing emissions. ...and if Transhit were being REALLY caring, they'd put up cheesecutter barriers all the way back to Porirua... NO U turns.