Quads in NZ?

[Stateside Rides]

So after nearly a lifetime in the States I'm coming home and bringing my hubby and our toys. We have 2 street bikes and 2 quads (Raptor 700). Quads are very popular in the States but I'm not sure how popular they are in New Zealand. We are both experienced riders and are wondering how New Zealand off-roaders feel about quads. We're moving to the Auckland area and could also use some input on great places to ride off-road. Cheers!

[FROSTY]

I've just got into dirt riding but I've seen a few quads out there playing--

[clmintie]

A lot of the organized trail rides advertise as "quad friendly" and I've seen "quad Only" rides advertized. I'm thinking you're going to have plenty to choose from.....

[vr4king]

Yup got plenty of friends with them they are like fat chicks and scooters fun to ride untill your mates catch you...............JOKE

[oldguy]

there are a few Kbers who have Quads. one I know rides a Raptor 700 got all the fruity bits on it as well, don't know the sort of riding you do state side, you see a lot on trail rides, I guess my impression of Americans and quads is big sand dunes,
They are very popular here as well.

[clmintie]

Some pix from a Mr Motorcycles trail ride just before Xmas, looked like they were having fun......

[mattwood]

Yup got plenty of friends with them they are like fat chicks and scooters fun to ride untill your mates catch you...............JOKE

hahah good 1!! :laugh:

yeah there are quads all over the place here, ive been passed by heaps of them :)

[scott411]

as said above, most rides are quad friendly, and some are quad only now as well,

thier are some sand dunes up near arapara (spelling, near 90 mile beach) which the quad guys seem to love,

[dammad1]

I'm sure they are good for something but i'm not sure what.... maybe to fill giant mud holes?:lol:

[barty5]

I'm sure they are good for something but i'm not sure what.... maybe to fill giant mud holes?:lol:

oh come on its not like they cause trafic jams when it gets to te tight stuff:niceone:

[takitimu]

as said above, most rides are quad friendly, and some are quad only now as well,

thier are some sand dunes up near arapara (spelling, near 90 mile beach) which the quad guys seem to love,

Ahipara :), at the bottom of 90 mile beach & absolutely on the dunes there, great surfing to from what I hear, there's some good riding on the beach near dargaville from the look of it as well, it's actually longer than 90 mile beach ( 90 mile is more like 60 miles long ).

[Buddy L]

Ahipara :), at the bottom of 90 mile beach & absolutely on the dunes there, great surfing to from what I hear, there's some good riding on the beach near dargaville from the look of it as well, it's actually longer than 90 mile beach ( 90 mile is more like 60 miles long ).

Ahipara has massive dunes alright, "Jonny Rotton" lives up their, and i go visit sometimes,(been awhile)
Quads everywhere. the dunes are massive, fould up my CR125 plug while playing in the dunes, and had to get towed back.
But if you head to Dargaville and head down the coast to Pouto Piont the sand dunes are big, and endless. no place for a 2 wheeler. (but have played around their heaps)
Tryed uploading a video as well but it was taking ages so cancelled that one:Oops:

[jimmy 2006]

hahah good 1!! :laugh:

yeah there are quads all over the place here, ive been passed by heaps of them :)

i have only once been passed by a quad, and i was pissed off!!! it was at desert storm and he was flying through the trees. truly impressive. (only time i will admit i was impressed by a quad:eek5: )

[Danger]

I must be the only one here not keen on quads on our trails. Selfish I know and most are good at getting out of the way when they can, but some trails are so tight there is no getting around them for what seems like ages where as its probably only 30 seconds. And its a bit dicey trying to elbow them out of the way lol.

[barty5]

I must be the only one here not keen on quads on our trails. Selfish I know and most are good at getting out of the way when they can, but some trails are so tight there is no getting around them for what seems like ages where as its probably only 30 seconds. And its a bit dicey trying to elbow them out of the way lol.

you have that problem as well guess the worst thing is as soon as they hit a gravel road they have to flick the arse end from left to right leavin you completely blind from the dust they kick up.

[scott411]

I must be the only one here not keen on quads on our trails. Selfish I know and most are good at getting out of the way when they can, but some trails are so tight there is no getting around them for what seems like ages where as its probably only 30 seconds. And its a bit dicey trying to elbow them out of the way lol.

i know the feeling, and with them getting more prevelent its harder, i think they trail riding etiquite is lacking in a lot of people, as their gets more and more people on on these rides, its not just quads, some poeple see it as thier right to go the speed they want, incl slow people who will not move over and try to block passign oppurtunities, and faster guys that push past in places that are not wide enough or suitable for passing, and people that do not give kids and learners enough room,

thier are some really good guys, you can tell some of the people that have ridden for years they will stop and help people who are stuck, or help clear a bog rather than waiting for marshalls,

i do not have the answer to stop it, i have had plenty of susgestion such as sending people home, to banning from future rides, to the extreme and hiding with a shotgun and shooting a few in the ass,

[Ktmboy]

Oh Oh,

This thread should produce some lively discussion.

If there is someone doing donuts in the carpark, making more dust than anybody else and holding up traffic it is generally a Quad. Oh, I forgot to add that they also seem to have the biggest and loudest fuck arse exhausts (I suppose they are not governed by the same rules as off road bikes).

IMHO, NZ doesn't really have the big wide open spaces like the Yanks do. The
bombing range and beaches are fast becoming no go zones.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10493381

Can't ever see myself buying a quad unless I have a major and can't use my legs.

[vr4king]

Yeah I totally understand what your saying im rather new to the whole dirt bike thing and I have been on few rides and now I just dont want to anymore cause of the guys who think its there right to get angry and abuse me,yes I have had it because im not going up a hill fast enough even though I am really concious to moving aside for the faster riders,Then theres the quads that stop in the middle off a track just after a sharp corner and wander why you ride into them

In saying thast though there are some top guys that are really helpfull on rides but the angry,think they are pros,get there jollys off making you feel like shit guys are what ruin it to the point where now I havent been on ride for weeks because of that and im in no hurry to do another ride too

[jimmy 2006]

Yeah I totally understand what your saying im rather new to the whole dirt bike thing and I have been on few rides and now I just dont want to anymore cause of the guys who think its there right to get angry and abuse me,yes I have had it because im not going up a hill fast enough even though I am really concious to moving aside for the faster riders,Then theres the quads that stop in the middle off a track just after a sharp corner and wander why you ride into them

In saying thast though there are some top guys that are really helpfull on rides but the angry,think they are pros,get there jollys off making you feel like shit guys are what ruin it to the point where now I havent been on ride for weeks because of that and im in no hurry to do another ride too

:(:(:(:(:(:(:(:( if people are putting you off riding your bike, that sucks.

[Danger]

Yeah I totally understand what your saying im rather new to the whole dirt bike thing and I have been on few rides and now I just dont want to anymore cause of the guys who think its there right to get angry and abuse me,yes I have had it because im not going up a hill fast enough even though I am really concious to moving aside for the faster riders,Then theres the quads that stop in the middle off a track just after a sharp corner and wander why you ride into them

In saying thast though there are some top guys that are really helpfull on rides but the angry,think they are pros,get there jollys off making you feel like shit guys are what ruin it to the point where now I havent been on ride for weeks because of that and im in no hurry to do another ride too

Yeah that does suck but don't give in! Keep at it, you will get faster and don't let the tossers ruin your day.

[scott411]

to be honest, i have never ever seen really good riders do that, most of them realise where they started

i have seen people that think they are good riders do it, these sort of people are the ones that come up to me at lunch time and tell me how great they are riding to keep up with me when i am leading a trail ride, they get the you have no idea look tahts for sure,

[Waikato Yamaha]

So after nearly a lifetime in the States I'm coming home and bringing my hubby and our toys. We have 2 street bikes and 2 quads (Raptor 700). Quads are very popular in the States but I'm not sure how popular they are in New Zealand. We are both experienced riders and are wondering how New Zealand off-roaders feel about quads. We're moving to the Auckland area and could also use some input on great places to ride off-road. Cheers!

Quad sales in NZ have really picked up in the last year. We are selling lots of YFM700 Raptors and YFZ450's. Most of the trail rides cater for Quads and there are ATV clubs that get around 60 Quads turn up for a club day. Look us up when you get here if you are in the Waikato.

[barty5]

IMHO, NZ doesn't really have the big wide open spaces like the Yanks do. The
bombing range and beaches are fast becoming no go zones.

talking bout this was talking to a mate (a cop) was telling we that he had heard that somebody rather resent and been fined for ridin on the beach (muriwai)cost them a shit load busted for no wof no rego non road legal bike on a road speeding the list went on was bout $800 $1000 in fines. He was major pissed bout it as he trail rides as well.

[Danger]

Yeah last week on the news (Close up or something with Mark Sainsbury) they showed a follow up due to the pressure put on the cops and councils to do something after that idiot up north killed that girl. The cops were on the beach (Muriwai and a beach down Kapiti Coast) pulling over and ticketing bike riders and other beach users. The cops also got stuck in the sand lol!
Once again selfish idiots spoil it for all of us.

[barty5]

yup far enough bust the people being dumb arses but there is no need to become the fun police as you said its always the odd few who wreck it for everyone.

[B0000M]

ill back that up too, quads really bug me on the trails when they get in the way, especialy when one gets stuck, then his other quad mate parks beside him, completely blocking everything.

as for the gravel bits, if you get a windy section it gives good motivation to keep your speed up by either passing them, or if the quadder is fast, keep up

[takitimu]

ill back that up too, quads really bug me on the trails when they get in the way, especialy when one gets stuck, then his other quad mate parks beside him, completely blocking everything.

as for the gravel bits, if you get a windy section it gives good motivation to keep your speed up by either passing them, or if the quadder is fast, keep up

All good reasons to ride enduro's :).

Quads are tough, generally slow in the tight stuff but once it opens up & your grabbing a drink of water they take off & they don't leave alot of room to pass when they are sideways around a corner :(.

The thing is though they add numbers & make the trail rides more profitable for the organisers so it really is a good thing they ride.

It'd be kind of cool to have a pamphlet from MNZ or trail ride association ( if there was one ) available at all rides with some basic tips & etiquette advice, it's not going to solve all the problems, but it'd help.

The worst story I've heard is a guy from Kaiwaka, brand new DR400 ( I believe his first ride ) parked at the bottom of a hill & he got taken out by a quad that had lost control & took off sans rider, guy will probably never work again due to the internal/back injuries.

[telliman]

huge pile up at meremere on the weekend in the quad series, couple in hospital. i admire how quike some of those dudes can get through the trails,even at ken fells before xmas they were fukin flying,trouble was they were blowing out all the grooves and berms that had formed in the corners, loosers! haha

[scott411]

you should see Shane Van Gisbooune on one, (the new stone bros v8 driver)

as mercer, he can do top 5 overall times on a quad, faster than a lot of the pro 2 wheeler riders

[dammad1]

you should see Shane Van Gisbooune on one, (the new stone bros v8 driver)

as mercer, he can do top 5 overall times on a quad, faster than a lot of the pro 2 wheeler riders

i'm sure there are some guys that can fly on quads, but mostly they are for tossers who can't cut it on two wheels and that think they are clever doing donuts in the carparks of most rides and flicking stones at everyone when ever they hit a gravel road.

Quads are a total pain in the ass!!

[oldguy]

I feel sorry for stateside rides, she definitely got the answer to her question.
probably put her of coming back to NZ.

hey Scott, when you have a briefing, at one of you trail rides, just mention things, like giving kids and learners more room when passing and if someone is behind you, trying to get passed, where ever possible let them by.
Number one thing tell them its not a race, its a trail ride, that doesn't mean going slow, just being curtius.

[vr4king]

Number one thing tell them its not a race, its a trail ride, that doesn't mean going slow, just being curtius.

BINGO pretty mch sums it up

[Danger]

Its not a race true, but slower trail users need to realise that their fast maybe someone elses slow, and a slow trail ride is very boring for some. Probably even more reason to get out of the way. If its not a race even more reason to please pull over and let the faster guys through for their enjoyment too.
I like to give slower riders the opportunity to pull over, but you do get the stubborn few. Mostly teenagers or sometimes an older stubborn guy. I don't mind bashing bars but will do it at a last resort in a trail ride. Most are very good I have found and I'm talking bike and quad riders.

[takitimu]

Most are very good I have found and I'm talking bike and quad riders.

With a name like "Danger" it's no wonder they move over :2guns:

[mazz1972]

hey Scott, when you have a briefing, at one of you trail rides, just mention things, like giving kids and learners more room when passing and if someone is behind you, trying to get passed, where ever possible let them by.
Number one thing tell them its not a race, its a trail ride, that doesn't mean going slow, just being curtius.

Speaking from experience in organising trail rides.....

Any more than 1 bike and it's a "race".

You can say what you like a briefing, most of the buggers tune out after about 30 seconds and remember nothing you said by the time the helmet goes on. But they will remember is how to whine when their bike breaks down and they didn't bring any tools...

Stateside, there is an ATV club in Auckland www.aatv.co.nz although it looks mostly like competitive stuff, but if you are looking for competitive events then up north looks the place to be.

We get heaps of quads to our trail rides and they are becoming increasingly popular in NZ.

[dmoney]

This should be called the quad haters website
You know we arnt all a bunch of trail hogging,stone flicking losers that cant
ride two wheels
Yeah there is arseholes that give them a bad name riding like fuckers
and making trail rides suck but both two and four wheelers are guilty
of that

[mazz1972]

This should be called the quad haters website
You know we arnt all a bunch of trail hogging,stone flicking losers that cant
ride two wheels
Yeah there is arseholes that give them a bad name riding like fuckers
and making trail rides suck but both two and four wheelers are guilty
of that

LOL dmoney. Quads aren't going to go away at trail rides, so the 2-wheeled moaners better get used to it.

Have never looked at the ratio of 2 wheelers to quads that we get to our rides, but at a guess quads maybe a quarter?

[telliman]

Its not a race true, but slower trail users need to realise that their fast maybe someone elses slow, and a slow trail ride is very boring for some. Probably even more reason to get out of the way. If its not a race even more reason to please pull over and let the faster guys through for their enjoyment too.
I like to give slower riders the opportunity to pull over, but you do get the stubborn few. Mostly teenagers or sometimes an older stubborn guy. I don't mind bashing bars but will do it at a last resort in a trail ride. Most are very good I have found and I'm talking bike and quad riders.

thats like a pro riding in the novice class and then winging cause everyone go;s slower, it dosnt give you right of way just cause you faster,some would spend all day pulling over so you can roost the fuck out of them as you go past and thats no fun. whilst i understand wat your saying i still feel that if your faster or want to go faster then its your job to find a safe place to pass not everyone else move out of the way all the time. come to mx, heaps more passing lanes!!!

[Blackbuell]

What a bunch of two wheeled winjas,i have been riding 2 wheels longer than most,its my choice now that i ride one of those fricken quads that you dont like,wellget used to it cause they are bloody good fun,if you guys are so fricken good on ya 2 wheels ya should be able to get passed a loser on a Quad.what pisses me off is when ya on a trail ride waiting for the track to clear & all you so called pro 2 wheeler riders come & push past everyone,trail rides are for fun & to ride with your kids,everyone has paid there money to be there,get over it dont knock as quad riders who are there to enjoy themselves.

[Buddy L]

Well i had a ride on Blackbuells Raptor at the last trail ride i went on, and boy i tell you power. squezze the trigger and it felt like the chassie was twisting.
couldn't keep up on the gravel sections and it was hard enough to keep up in the tight trees.
Different strokes for different folks.
I find i get stuck behind slower 2 wheelers more then quads.

[charles23]

What a bunch of two wheeled winjas,i have been riding 2 wheels longer than most,its my choice now that i ride one of those fricken quads that you dont like,wellget used to it cause they are bloody good fun,if you guys are so fricken good on ya 2 wheels ya should be able to get passed a loser on a Quad.what pisses me off is when ya on a trail ride waiting for the track to clear & all you so called pro 2 wheeler riders come & push past everyone,trail rides are for fun & to ride with your kids,everyone has paid there money to be there,get over it dont knock as quad riders who are there to enjoy themselves.


very true, it's like driving a car on the road, a bit of good old curteous never goes a miss:doh:

[vr4king]

What a bunch of two wheeled winjas,i have been riding 2 wheels longer than most,its my choice now that i ride one of those fricken quads that you dont like,wellget used to it cause they are bloody good fun,if you guys are so fricken good on ya 2 wheels ya should be able to get passed a loser on a Quad.what pisses me off is when ya on a trail ride waiting for the track to clear & all you so called pro 2 wheeler riders come & push past everyone,trail rides are for fun & to ride with your kids,everyone has paid there money to be there,get over it dont knock as quad riders who are there to enjoy themselves.

Im not moaning about the quads i have many friends who ride/drive them i posted on the issue about fuckwits on trail rides..............and yes i do enjoy the odd blat on a quad too

[dammad1]

LOL... keep it coming:girlfight:
Just show all those two wheel riders that you really are big men by doing some donuts in the carpark of the next trail ride just to show how talented you guys really are:rofl:

[4stroke]

ohh deer and i thought i had issues lol
at the end of the day we're lucky we have places to ride, some countrys you have to apply for permits to ride off road.
as for trail rides, they are mostly fundraisers for schools and small clubs and we are lucky that the farmers and forest owners open up and allow us to tear thier padocks and races up.
yeah there are some of us who race arround and try to do it as fast as we can, ( im guilty of this as many are) purely to push my self to the max.
maybe we need to have a lil patence from time to time and bite that tounge.
there enough people out there wrecking it for us with us helping them.
ramble ramble ramble thats my ramblings anyway.

[oldguy]

Boy, did this thread go off topic big time. turned in to us and them,

[Danger]

come to mx, heaps more passing lanes!!!

Nah mate each to their own but sitting around most of the day to go round and around a 800 metre track is what I find boring. I much prefer doing a 25-30km loop and clocking up between 120-160km of riding than spending all day to get about a 1 hours ride in. Especially as most of the races are only 10-15 mins long these days. I much preferred it when the MX races were 25-30 mins long and you used to come off after your race ready to puke and you couldn't hardly move the next two days. While I do the occasional MX race when there is nothing else on I'd rather just get my roundy round kicks in at Harrisville over a couple of hours on a Saturday and then do a decent ride again on Sunday.

Boy there sure are some sensitive quad riders out there or they are easy to wind up. Don't mind dammad1 he likes trying to wind others up. :devil2: Other than a few comments I thought most here had been understanding and balanced towards quads and slower riders. I really didn't even think that there were that many quads out on the trails. They must all be posting on here.
So while everyones getting things of their chests I'll tell you what concerns me more than quads.
Quite a few trail rides have expert only loops or A and B options. Thats a good way of splitting up rider levels/abilities. But sometimes on an expert or A option you'll come across riders (mostly kids) that are clearly on a trail that they should not be, and there will be 3 or 4 of them stuck at the bottom of a hill or some other obstacle, ruining the run up for everyone else, or even riding backwards down the A loop trying to find their way out! I don't need to tell you how dangerous that is.:bash:
Or groups of riders will be parked up on the trail having a rest, rather than pulling off the riding line and keeping out of the way.
Or something I have witnessed in Riverhead forest. Dad and little Johny will decide to tackle loop A (which Waitemata club may have just cut in for that ride and marked an A loop for that reason) and dad will be riding ahead and removing all the loose logs and sticks trying to make the loop easier for little Johny to get around. Come on guys, stick to the B loop or at least don't make the A loop easier for those who prefer a challenge.
I knew there was a reason why I preferred week day riding. Less obstacles of the moving kind.

[Ktmboy]

Nah mate each to their own but sitting around most of the day to go round and around a 800 metre track is what I find boring. I much prefer doing a 25-30km loop and clocking up between 120-160km of riding than spending all day to get about a 1 hours ride in. Especially as most of the races are only 10-15 mins long these days. I much preferred it when the MX races were 25-30 mins long and you used to come off after your race ready to puke and you couldn't hardly move the next two days. While I do the occasional MX race when there is nothing else on I'd rather just get my roundy round kicks in at Harrisville over a couple of hours on a Saturday and then do a decent ride again on Sunday.

Boy there sure are some sensitive quad riders out there or they are easy to wind up. Don't mind dammad1 he likes trying to wind others up. :devil2: Other than a few comments I thought most here had been understanding and balanced towards quads and slower riders. I really didn't even think that there were that many quads out on the trails. They must all be posting on here.
So while everyones getting things of their chests I'll tell you what concerns me more than quads.
Quite a few trail rides have expert only loops or A and B options. Thats a good way of splitting up rider levels/abilities. But sometimes on an expert or A option you'll come across riders (mostly kids) that are clearly on a trail that they should not be, and there will be 3 or 4 of them stuck at the bottom of a hill or some other obstacle, ruining the run up for everyone else, or even riding backwards down the A loop trying to find their way out! I don't need to tell you how dangerous that is.:bash:
Or groups of riders will be parked up on the trail having a rest, rather than pulling off the riding line and keeping out of the way.
Or something I have witnessed in Riverhead forest. Dad and little Johny will decide to tackle loop A (which Waitemata club may have just cut in for that ride and marked an A loop for that reason) and dad will be riding ahead and removing all the loose logs and sticks trying to make the loop easier for little Johny to get around. Come on guys, stick to the B loop or at least don't make the A loop easier for those who prefer a challenge.
I knew there was a reason why I preferred week day riding. Less obstacles of the moving kind.

No not fair!:argue: How is somebody supposed to become a better rider if they do not push themselves and try different options.

This is part of the reason there are Trail Rides so punters can ride the experience and try things out that they wouldn't have the opportunity to during a Cross country race, Enduro or MX, where they would hold traffic up. My take on it is "If you're that good and you want to pass then make your own track" within reason of course. If Whibley suddenly appears behind you, then rules do apply.

I'll always push Logan (son) to experiment and encourage him to try for the next level. They then get to an age and ability whereby they are confident to tackle red loops with confidence.

I do however agree that Quads should stay off knarly red tracks and it is up to the promoters to provide other options to prevent bottle necks. I suppose I'll have first hand experience organising Jolly Poacher Trail ride on the 27th April and will be judged by that.

[Danger]

But the world is not fair. Same reason "some" of these riders shouldn't be on the A loop is the same reason adults shouldn't be on the kids loops. Can I ride the kids loops at the bike park? Is that fair? Its for a reason. Now if I ride like a kid can I putt around the kids loop? Sometimes its just not possible to make a track around these backed up riders on the A loop. Now your kid (or even the slow kids or quads) won't be kicked out of a trail ride for attempting a trail that is beyond them. Nor should they be. But I bet I would be kicked out of the bike park if I start tearing it up around the kids loops.
If your kid is capable and can keep a pace up then its not a problem. Your probably with him to help also. Note I said some kids that are "clearly on a trail that they should not be". I've seen 3 or 4 kids struggling to make any impression at all on a hill climb that even experts have a hard time getting up (I'm thinking of a Power trail ride I did up north a year ago) and they had given up and 1 or 2 of them were riding back down the trail the wrong way to get out.

[takitimu]

If your kid is capable and can keep a pace up then its not a problem. Your probably with him to help also. Note I said some kids that are "clearly on a trail that they should not be". I've seen 3 or 4 kids struggling to make any impression at all on a hill climb that even experts have a hard time getting up (I'm thinking of a Power trail ride I did up north a year ago) and they had given up and 1 or 2 of them were riding back down the trail the wrong way to get out.

Part of that though is the definition of "expert" loop, sometimes these are not that hard, other times they really are genuine "expert" loops, which has to be confusing for the kids ( who'll always want to push it anyway ), it's not always practical, but would be cool to have a real hard start to the expert sections that allows those not quite skilled enough yet to divert back to the main loop if they can't make it.

Mind you coming around a corner & seeing a rider coming towards you would definitely be a sphincter clenching moment.

This has been a good thread actually, lots of different perspectives, certainly made me think more about different riders.

[Danger]

Yes your quite right, some of the A loops are perfectly ridable and may just be a longer loop.
I noticed at one of Powers trail rides at Maramarua earlier this year he had a turn of called Suicide Drop experts only. Drops are something I'm not that keen on (witness my endo on the Dead Toad lol) so I avoided this all day until my last loop when I was probably the only person still out riding. I didn't want to emabarass myself on the drop. So I was casually doing this track with the Suicide Drop, riding slower than normal so I didn't get caught out by the drop and this track went on and on until I forgot about the drop. I figured out it was just a little steep down hill, no drop at all! But it did have a cool little hill climb at the end of the loop which I was disapointed to only have one ride up.
For the most part Greg's trail rides are ridable by most regardless of ability. Some of the Waitemata Clubs loops are a different story and really do test you.

[mazz1972]

LOL... keep it coming:girlfight:
Just show all those two wheel riders that you really are big men by doing some donuts in the carpark of the next trail ride just to show how talented you guys really are:rofl:

Way to go if you want to REALLY PISS THE LANDOWNER OFF.

Not in the carpark dude.

Ever.

[mazz1972]

ohh deer and i thought i had issues lol
at the end of the day we're lucky we have places to ride, some countrys you have to apply for permits to ride off road.
as for trail rides, they are mostly fundraisers for schools and small clubs and we are lucky that the farmers and forest owners open up and allow us to tear thier padocks and races up.
yeah there are some of us who race arround and try to do it as fast as we can, ( im guilty of this as many are) purely to push my self to the max.
maybe we need to have a lil patence from time to time and bite that tounge.
there enough people out there wrecking it for us with us helping them.
ramble ramble ramble thats my ramblings anyway.

Couldn't agree more! Bling coming your way.

[mazz1972]

Wow has this thread gotten way off track!!

It's almost impossible to cater for everyones ability level at a trail ride, regardless of being 2 or 4 wheeled variety. Some of you are out there to trash the balls off your bikes and be damned anyone who gets in your way. Others are out for a more sedate ride, maybe with the wife and kids. First time trail riders. Kids. Some riders may be quite inexperienced - perhaps it's their first ride, but they will improve with each ride. Everyone has paid money to be there, so everyone needs to be excercise a bit of patience and being courteous to the other riders.


Quite a few trail rides have expert only loops or A and B options. Thats a good way of splitting up rider levels/abilities. But sometimes on an expert or A option you'll come across riders (mostly kids) that are clearly on a trail that they should not be, and there will be 3 or 4 of them stuck at the bottom of a hill or some other obstacle, ruining the run up for everyone else

Not all A loops are created equal. If some of the better riders would take 5 mins to give these people/kids some pointers on how to attack the hill or obstacle, or help them get their bike up the hill, they would be on their merry way and the problem would be solved.

If everyone at a ride was to help one other rider along the way, the whole ride goes alot smoother, as marshals can't be everywhere at once!

[dammad1]

Way to go if you want to REALLY PISS THE LANDOWNER OFF.

Not in the carpark dude.

Ever.

Well clearly that one went straght over your head. LOL

[telliman]

Yes your quite right, some of the A loops are perfectly ridable and may just be a longer loop.
I noticed at one of Powers trail rides at Maramarua earlier this year he had a turn of called Suicide Drop experts only. Drops are something I'm not that keen on (witness my endo on the Dead Toad lol) so I avoided this all day until my last loop when I was probably the only person still out riding. I didn't want to emabarass myself on the drop. So I was casually doing this track with the Suicide Drop, riding slower than normal so I didn't get caught out by the drop and this track went on and on until I forgot about the drop. I figured out it was just a little steep down hill, no drop at all! But it did have a cool little hill climb at the end of the loop which I was disapointed to only have one ride up.
For the most part Greg's trail rides are ridable by most regardless of ability. Some of the Waitemata Clubs loops are a different story and really do test you.

so are you talking about kids or rider ability? in mx the etiquit is to hold your line, not atempt to move out of the way.i understand your frustration at slower riders danger, but remember it is courtesy to let you by, not a must! me enjoying the thread too, good insight. whilst you may not remember wat its like to have a gun(like yourself) up your ass some of us like to be pushed to another level, untill we meet a tree anyway, and then the trails all yours!!!

[Danger]

I like riding with the guys I ride with, we push each other. And I like riding with riders better than me. I don't expect someone who is slightly slower than me to get out of the way. If I catch them in the trees and we come out onto a gravel road I will sit behind them until we are back in the trees, I will not over take them on the gravel unless they are clearly slower and holding me up. I enjoy the chase as much as I'm sure they are and I try to keep the pressure on until they make a mistake and vice versa when someone is pushing me. If I'm slightly slower than them I like to be pushed. Often if its near the end of a loop you catch up with each other and become freinds from the competition (most of my riding buddies have been met like this). But we are of a similar ability. Now if Paul Whibley was to scream up my date I'll be pulling over pronto. He doesn't need the level of competition I can provide him.
If you read back through the posts you will see where I have said riders who are "clearly on a trail that they should not be" but its all been said now over and over and whats the point of going over it again? Its only my point of view that its a concern when inexperienced riders are mixed in with experts on expert loops. I think the example of experienced riders not being allowed on the kids loops is a good one. With good reason. But it doesn't seem to cut both ways, does it? Is it any less dangerous if you put a fast rider on a slow riders track or a slow rider on a fast riders track? Once again I'm not saying that kids (or slower riders) should be banned from the expert loops, but if they are on the expert loop I do expect them to pull over when you come up on them with twice their speed. Is that really too much to ask? And as I have said most of them do so. Others seem to take the attitude of some that have posted and seem to think why should I pull over? Some places you can pass by making your own track, others you can't.
I stay of the short loops and the B loops to avoid the more casual rider, because the pace is a lot slower on those loops. I will usually warm up on a B loop and perhaps finish on a B loop when most of the riders have gone home for the day. But through the day me and my mates are doing almost entirely A or expert loops as fast as we can. By the way I always yell out a thanks when the majority of riders do pull over. Thats after yelling at them to stand up instead of sitting down and paddling down a rutty hill with legs out in all directions lol!

[telliman]

Thats after yelling at them to stand up instead of sitting down and paddling down a rutty hill with legs out in all directions lol![/QUOTE]

so you;ve passed me a few times then?haha.
i do hear wat your saying mate.

[Danger]

Cool. I was starting to despair lol! Sometimes I'm not good at getting my point across without too many words and I think maybe I should just not bother.

[vr4king]

Ive always thought that its the faster riders job to get round you at least on a mx track

I have had a friend try and get round me on a fairly fast trail and couldnt but after it was over he said its one off the best times hes had on a ride as i was dropping into all his lines etc and he was smiling from ear to ear with the challenge that i laid down...........and i was aware it was him behind me

If I dont know the faster rider on a trail I happily pull over WHEN I CAN SAFELY some people cant wait that long i guess :wacko:

[B0000M]

Thats after yelling at them to stand up instead of sitting down

lol, he's not making this up, he actually does!

i completely agree with danger, with my poor fitness but reasonable ability i see it from both angles, at the start of the day i appreciate it when slower riders where there is room, making room for me to get passed where there otherwise wouldnt be, and towards the end of the day as my pace has dropped right off i try to do the same for the faster riders.

as said earlier - in mx the etiquate (sp) is hold your line, however MX tracks are generally at least a couple of meters wide minimum, so this doesnt really work out in the bush a lot of the time.

[jimmy 2006]

Well clearly that one went straght over your head. LOL

:clap: right over his head:clap:

[Stateside Rides]

This should be called the quad haters website
You know we arnt all a bunch of trail hogging,stone flicking losers that cant
ride two wheels
Yeah there is arseholes that give them a bad name riding like fuckers
and making trail rides suck but both two and four wheelers are guilty
of that

Don't worry boys...I won't get in your way! You'll be choking on my dust. :chase:
Sounds like some things in NZ are about the same as the States. I ride 2 wheels on the road in S. California traffic every day...if you've ever been to S. California you know that takes some balls and lots of skill, esp during rush hour.
I've never had a problem getting through trails and dunes on 4 wheels - probably haven't pissed off too many other riders either. :cool: Heaps of our trails and dunes are being closed because of arseholes who ruin it for rest and I agree etiquette is key, both to other riders and the course. I'm just out for some fun and good times. Look forward to coming home and riding with some of you. Thanks for your input.

[cheese]

Let us know when you get here and we can organise a ride! :)