Lonely Track Road.

[racefactory]

Hey guys just wanted to point to bikers on the North Shore that Lonely Track rd, if you don't know this hidden gem already, is one hell of a nice small ride. Starts off as a small road venturing into the country side, bit bumpy and exciting but few/no sharp bends so all ok and with a 70kph speed limit and proceeds deeper out towards Albany, following with some really nice cambered bends that you can hit nice lean angles around and it is not busy at all, a bridge you can give it a quick cane over and observe the motorway traffic, also some fun hard downhill braking points leading into sharp bends. Lots and lot's of tightish bends and that's the way it should be in my books! Lastly it leads out towards the much larger and wider Albany highway if you feel like some speed where you can also chill out and let go of the rush from the main complex of bends.

The whole road forms a kind of circuit so it's good for regular rides if you just want to go out for the sake of it and you can just go round and round. I think it's fantastic and a good road if you want to practice your new cornering body position, testing a suspension change, braking hard or what have you.

Anyone ride this road often? I do the Lonely Track several times a week and never get sick of it.

[Tank]

I can be home from the office in 5 mins.

Or I can used Lonely Track road thru to Silverdale back from Eastcoast Bays road and take 20.

I generally take the long way on a sunny day.

[buellbabe]

I used to use it for rally driving when it was a dirt road (remember that far back?). The old mans Datsun got thrashed along there LOL!

[Littleman]

Put my mothers ford laser into a ditch there back in the late 80's.

It turns into Albany Heights the closer you get to SH17. And gets nicer.

[racefactory]

I didn't know it was a dirt road/rally track :) ?

Speaking of which there is one small section that has had some work done recently which is still a bit 'gravelish'.

[racefactory]

There is also a bit at the end where it joins Albany Highway away from anything that is perfect for testing your 0- 100 or whatever.

[The Pastor]

Its far to busy for any serrious riding.

[racefactory]

Busy, really? I go down there in the daytime and usually do not encounter anything and there are some overtaking spots if you do.

What i find is good about the road is that you don't even have to break speed limit at all to have a lot of fun- taking some of those bends at 75kph can be a rush,

[Neon]

Lonely Track Rd is often used for the 6R test at Browns Bay testing centre. 'Tis a nice little piece of road. :niceone:

[Swoop]

I used to use it for rally driving when it was a dirt road (remember that far back?). The old mans Datsun got thrashed along there LOL!
My mate's Dad used to have a Hillman Imp rallycar...
Good fun there on LTR!!!:yes::woohoo:

Come to think of it they had a TQ midget as well. Ahh memories!

[Irontusk]

I'm on the close end of Carlisle Road, so it's real close.. but I don't plan on riding it cause I've known too many people who like to take their cars through there as fast as possible. One of them said I should go for a ride down there, I said 'Fuck that, I know how you drive on that road'.

[madbikeboy]

Okay, let's pretend for a second that I'm not going to sound like KatMan (bless your cotton socks mate), but.......

Lonely track road, even ten years ago, was most excellent. but now, there are so many driveways, with hidden access, on corners, etc - I'm all for abusing all the available racetracks, ahem, I mean quiet roads that you can, but I wouldn't suggest LT rd as one of those anymore.

Plus, during the day, you get loads of Yummy Mummies driving tots to and fro, the mix of speed and kids is superbad.

Oh shit, I'M TURNING INTO KATMAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Qkchk]

Hey guys just wanted to point to bikers on the North Shore that Lonely Track rd, if you don't know this hidden gem already, is one hell of a nice small ride.

Hey Todd,
You really need to come along to the ATNR (http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showpost.php?p=1742810&postcount=5713), we have been using that road as an alternate part of the ride for 3 years now.

[Aa7]

its one of my 'get out of the office' lunch break rides and is always fun :)

not alot of traffic on it during the day but still it is a road and not a racetrack. Have yet to see the yummy mummies in their suburban 4wd your talking about. Might have to take some late lunches and see what happens closer to 3pm some days ;)

[madbikeboy]

its one of my 'get out of the office' lunch break rides and is always fun :)

not alot of traffic on it during the day but still it is a road and not a racetrack. Have yet to see the yummy mummies in their suburban 4wd your talking about. Might have to take some late lunches and see what happens closer to 3pm some days ;)

What is it about Mummies that makes them so damned appealing? :niceone:

[adam1194]

I can see lonely track road out of my window. I can see it now.
Looks pretty fun. y dad took his c109 up and down ltr a few times the other day.

[discotex]

Anyone ride this road often? I do the Lonely Track several times a week and never get sick of it.

It's a totally different road depending on which direction you go. Bays-->Albany is less bumpy and the sharper corners open up and are up-hill. Very nice ride that way.

Albany-->Bays is the bumpier side, and there's a few decreasing radius downhill corners. Not so fun for newbies but makes a most excellent short test ride for the Takapuna bike shops if you want to know how a bike handles on bumpy NZ roads.

+1 for all those who said it's no race track. Way too many cars crossing the centre line trying to be fast and way too many driveways.

And recently the inorganic collection has made it rather "interesting".

[Irontusk]

Okay, let's pretend for a second that I'm not going to sound like KatMan (bless your cotton socks mate), but.......

Lonely track road, even ten years ago, was most excellent. but now, there are so many driveways, with hidden access, on corners, etc - I'm all for abusing all the available racetracks, ahem, I mean quiet roads that you can, but I wouldn't suggest LT rd as one of those anymore.

Plus, during the day, you get loads of Yummy Mummies driving tots to and fro, the mix of speed and kids is superbad.

Oh shit, I'M TURNING INTO KATMAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You can't be Katman, I agree with you :niceone:

And discotex.. I think I know what you mean, I was coming down East Coast Road from Stillwater (now that was a crazily twisty road, with too many blind corners for my liking!) and there was a fucking mountain of junk out on the corner, wouldn't want to know what the rest of the street was like.

[dwnundabkr]

[QUOTE=Irontusk;1743543]You can't be Katman, I agree with you :niceone:

And discotex.. I think I know what you mean, I was coming down East Coast Road from Stillwater (now that was a crazily twisty road, with too many blind corners for my liking!) and there was a fucking mountain of junk out on the corner, wouldn't want to know what the rest of the street was like.[/QUOTE

ahhh Stillwater road now that is awesome road have my van at the park it is a awesome road to ride just watch the locals who cut corners apart from that is is one hell of a tyre testing ride



:ride::ride:

[Irontusk]

one hell of a tyre testing ride



I had never been down there before and didn't know where I was going (someone I know has just moved out there, and I had to go pick something up cause it didn't seem like I'd get it back any other way, I wasn't riding a dodgy road that I don't know just for the sake of it) just kept seeing all these '25 -->>>>' signs going around totally blind corners, so I tried to behave. It was getting dark on my way out and it was properly dark on my way back, so I could see if a car was coming or not by the lights shining around corners, still had everything else to worry about though :blink:

Anyway yeah, it's a bit further away but probably quieter than Lonely Track.

BTW it's pretty easy to speed on lonely track in a car without leaving your lane, and I just have an old Commodore wagon :clap: So I'd say it'd be no problem on a bike.

[snowman]

Trademe900

Have you been on O'Brien Rd/ Ridge road in Albany/ Coatesville?

Some good riding to be had there

[racefactory]

Trademe900

Have you been on O'Brien Rd/ Ridge road in Albany/ Coatesville?

Some good riding to be had there

Thanks I'll check it out... Not quite sure where that is.

Yeah totally agree about it being a better ride from Bays to Albany... that's my favourite way.

[Magua]

Nice road, though a lot of work was being done on it last time I was there.

[snowman]

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=ridge+road,+coatesville&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=50.557552,114.257812&ie=UTF8&ll=-36.731593,174.663048&spn=0.050422,0.11158&z=14

[discotex]

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=ridge+road,+coatesville&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=50.557552,114.257812&ie=UTF8&ll=-36.731593,174.663048&spn=0.050422,0.11158&z=14

Just beware that the bit of ridge road past the reserve has been recently chip sealed and is very slippery.

Map here (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&saddr=Ridge+Rd&daddr=-36.745762,174.640131&hl=en&geocode=FQxjz_0diQlpCg%3B&mra=dme&mrcr=0&mrsp=1&sz=14&sll=-36.752983,174.653435&sspn=0.039542,0.059996&ie=UTF8&ll=-36.745143,174.650002&spn=0.039547,0.059996&z=14)

[Morcs]

Ridge road is awesome.

Love it on the motard.
Hate it on the thou.