Paladin
1st December 2008, 00:05
OK, so now the little lime green monster is run in I thought that this weekend I should start finding out where I can get to on it for a day trip - the obvious limitations being the 7.7L tank and the narrow, tailbone destroying seat! Thought it might be useful for other newbies if I shared my experience and maybe others would have some ideas to share.
I'd been wanting to go explore the south coast of the Wairarapa so decided to do it over two days, west on Saturday and east on Sunday, each one a separate day trip from Lower Hutt.
Saturday:
Over the Rimutaka Hill to Featherston then south down the west side of Lake Wairarapa to Ocean Beach then west out onto the 4wd track along the coast towards Turakirae Head which is south of Wainuiomata on Coast Road. Along the beach/4wd track from Ocean Beach there's fun to be had with some streams/rivers to ride thru!
Now I've been to Turakirae Head from Wainui so I've seen the "Private Land" sign and gate although the gate that end is often open so thought I would chance my luck from the east! Would've been nice to do a loop and not have to do a retrace! Wainui looks a helluvalot closer going round the Head!
Here's what I learnt on the day - I was short on gas at the start of the day, had to fill up in Upper Hutt and didn't top up in Featherston! Bad idea! The access to Turakirae was blocked with a locked gate so had to retrace back to Featherston which made it a tad tight on fuel but fine, just a little worrying. Lesson learned! Met a local guy on a quad who reckons you can get the gate key from the Station from the western end by 9am by arrangement with return required on same day! Sounds like a future plan!
With some little detours did 250k on the day. And by the end of it was wishing I had a sheepskin for sunday, but alas not! :angry:
Sunday:
Up over Rimutaka Hill again, head east from Featherston to Martinborough, fill tank at the BP in Martinborough!!! Then south on Lake Ferry Road. Just before Lake Ferry you can turn east onto the Cape Palliser Road to Ngawi/Cape Palliser. If you're ready for a latte or other beverage you can head the 9k into Lake Ferry and get sorted at the pub/cafe and then choose to either backtrack OR do the 4wd drive track along the beach to Whangimoana Beach and then join the Cape Palliser road there. Near Te Kopi did find a couple of logging tracks with unlocked gates I had a quick look down! Then there's some twisties and you're back on the coast raod again. Just before that little twistie section there is a yellow diamond slip warning sign and a short section unsealed, along some unstable cliffs, right after you come round a bend so keep your eye out. It starts off uphill so not a major problem even if you don't catch the slip sign. Nice run to Ngawi, along the coast, where there's loos and a mobile cafe! From Ngawi it's gravel to Cape Palliser! I didn't go all the way round the end of Cape Palliser to the 4wd track but turned back at Te Kawasakawa Rocks before the Mangatoetoe Stream and had lunch in Ngawi.
For those that like a little speed at some point in their day, there's some long straights from Martinborough to Lake Ferry and the Cape Palliser road has some lush sweeping turns as you cruise by a turquoise sea - life's rough aint it?! Even made it back to Martinborough before the reserve was needed although it must have been close as i gave the bike a bit of a blowout for some of it! (well it's run in now so ya gotta haven't ya!).
The BP in Martinborough does close at 6pm on Sundays BUT they have a pre-pay machine on the wall for out-of-hours fuel purchase anytime, just stick your EFTPOS card in and away you go - good to know as it may only be 20k ish to get to Featherston but if you're out on a 250 with thimble tank and pushing your luck, Featherston could easily be a tad too far at the end of the day!
The other thing that turned out to be fun was that the D605's turned out to be fine/fun on the gravel although a bit of a pain on fine shingle/sand! They were also fun on the switchbacks on Rimutaka Hill! Thats the trade off I guess with those, they're more street than serious off road for a street legal knobbly. I think once the K760's are on the bike in the new year the 4wd tracks will be more fun but maybe the Rimutaka Hill switchbacks won't!!
Did 315k on the day and YES I WANT A SHEEPSKIN....... NOW!!!!!! :crybaby:
Anyway hope that little summary is helpful to any newbies stuck on a 250 for a few months like me!
Any suggestions for my next day ride from Hutt?
Dave
I'd been wanting to go explore the south coast of the Wairarapa so decided to do it over two days, west on Saturday and east on Sunday, each one a separate day trip from Lower Hutt.
Saturday:
Over the Rimutaka Hill to Featherston then south down the west side of Lake Wairarapa to Ocean Beach then west out onto the 4wd track along the coast towards Turakirae Head which is south of Wainuiomata on Coast Road. Along the beach/4wd track from Ocean Beach there's fun to be had with some streams/rivers to ride thru!
Now I've been to Turakirae Head from Wainui so I've seen the "Private Land" sign and gate although the gate that end is often open so thought I would chance my luck from the east! Would've been nice to do a loop and not have to do a retrace! Wainui looks a helluvalot closer going round the Head!
Here's what I learnt on the day - I was short on gas at the start of the day, had to fill up in Upper Hutt and didn't top up in Featherston! Bad idea! The access to Turakirae was blocked with a locked gate so had to retrace back to Featherston which made it a tad tight on fuel but fine, just a little worrying. Lesson learned! Met a local guy on a quad who reckons you can get the gate key from the Station from the western end by 9am by arrangement with return required on same day! Sounds like a future plan!
With some little detours did 250k on the day. And by the end of it was wishing I had a sheepskin for sunday, but alas not! :angry:
Sunday:
Up over Rimutaka Hill again, head east from Featherston to Martinborough, fill tank at the BP in Martinborough!!! Then south on Lake Ferry Road. Just before Lake Ferry you can turn east onto the Cape Palliser Road to Ngawi/Cape Palliser. If you're ready for a latte or other beverage you can head the 9k into Lake Ferry and get sorted at the pub/cafe and then choose to either backtrack OR do the 4wd drive track along the beach to Whangimoana Beach and then join the Cape Palliser road there. Near Te Kopi did find a couple of logging tracks with unlocked gates I had a quick look down! Then there's some twisties and you're back on the coast raod again. Just before that little twistie section there is a yellow diamond slip warning sign and a short section unsealed, along some unstable cliffs, right after you come round a bend so keep your eye out. It starts off uphill so not a major problem even if you don't catch the slip sign. Nice run to Ngawi, along the coast, where there's loos and a mobile cafe! From Ngawi it's gravel to Cape Palliser! I didn't go all the way round the end of Cape Palliser to the 4wd track but turned back at Te Kawasakawa Rocks before the Mangatoetoe Stream and had lunch in Ngawi.
For those that like a little speed at some point in their day, there's some long straights from Martinborough to Lake Ferry and the Cape Palliser road has some lush sweeping turns as you cruise by a turquoise sea - life's rough aint it?! Even made it back to Martinborough before the reserve was needed although it must have been close as i gave the bike a bit of a blowout for some of it! (well it's run in now so ya gotta haven't ya!).
The BP in Martinborough does close at 6pm on Sundays BUT they have a pre-pay machine on the wall for out-of-hours fuel purchase anytime, just stick your EFTPOS card in and away you go - good to know as it may only be 20k ish to get to Featherston but if you're out on a 250 with thimble tank and pushing your luck, Featherston could easily be a tad too far at the end of the day!
The other thing that turned out to be fun was that the D605's turned out to be fine/fun on the gravel although a bit of a pain on fine shingle/sand! They were also fun on the switchbacks on Rimutaka Hill! Thats the trade off I guess with those, they're more street than serious off road for a street legal knobbly. I think once the K760's are on the bike in the new year the 4wd tracks will be more fun but maybe the Rimutaka Hill switchbacks won't!!
Did 315k on the day and YES I WANT A SHEEPSKIN....... NOW!!!!!! :crybaby:
Anyway hope that little summary is helpful to any newbies stuck on a 250 for a few months like me!
Any suggestions for my next day ride from Hutt?
Dave