Thunder Cross Bike Park?

[L.L. Cool M]

Hello,

One of my friends has suggested going to Thunder Cross Bike Park, but it is not easy to get decent information about it. We have never ridden dirt bikes before, and some of my friends have not even ridden street bikes. My friend said that he heard you could hire a dirt bike and gear all day for $200.

Does this sound correct? Any info? Not even a webpage for this place is a little strange in this day and age, surely?

Thanks.

[Atomic]

Phone James on 09 233 3117
Highway 22 Niake Tuakau, we usually head west from mercer.

Last I heard it was about $170.00 to hire a DRZ250 or 400, riding gear, gas for the day, entry fee.

Good place to learn.
Once you go dirt, you never go back.

[DELLORTO]

sounds gud.....ive been out there.......i heard it was toooooo muddy :(

[Reckless]

Its simply a farm he lets people ride at but Probably one of the best places to go for you and your mates! Ask for access to the top paddock where they let the kids learn (up the hill at the end of the carpark) You should be able to teach your mates to ride up there on the hire bikes. Then you can go back down the hill and do the easy part of the B loop back to where you are. If your good enough you can carry on over the hill and complete it. Then have a bash at the A loop. Hire bikes looked in good nick last time I was there and it will be dry at the moment.
There is some detailed instructions I posted on how to get there for our last KB get together. I'll try and find it??

[theblacksmith]

Thunder is a cool place to learn.Reckless has answered your questions very well Id say - let us know how you get on if you decide to give it a bash.

[meteor]

Was there yesterday for the first time, very dry, easy to find your way around, I took my 2 boys first to the kids track which is a wide open flatish field and then did the B loop several times which is about a 15 minute track over open farmland with some steep and rutted areas but ok for learners. Saw the rental DRZ's (125, 250 etc) looked in good nick. Do it, it's a good day.

[LittleJohn]

Is it an actual kids track as such or an open paddock you can ride all over?What are the costs when taking your own bikes? Whole family are thinking of going.

[SpikedPunch]

Is it an actual kids track as such or an open paddock you can ride all over?What are the costs when taking your own bikes? Whole family are thinking of going.
There's a little dirt loop at the kids track, the rest is a big open slightly hilly field complete with moo cows :) good for learning and noodling about. It's $20 (iirc?) for adults, free for ladies, not sure about kids prices.

[noobi]

haha moo cows
its $15 for kids, $20 for 16 +
minis and ladies are free I think so depending on what your kids are riding there probably free
In that top paddock there are two really simple tracks, one small oval on the flat and another one that goes around the whole paddock with some gentle hills, and both of them are REALLY easy tracks for the kids, I think both of them are counter clockwise in direction??
I found that turkeys are more annoying than the cows

[cheese]

Just don;t take a quad on teh A loop.......

[krad_nz]

If you're a complete beginner you won't like some of the steep sections on the B loop. Before you go out make sure you're brakes are working. :)

Use the run off and just go with it. If you try to go too slowly you will make life difficult for yourself :)

[oldskool]

Went out there last Sunday with the family. Had a blast, really enjoyed it. Fully agree with all the above postings. My input is to take A and B loops easy for the first time, get to know the track before you let rip, you don't want to go off the edge of some of the A loop track. It's a track better suited for disc brakes, the steep sections are real loose when dry, I wouldn't enjoy it riding on drums. I'd definitely go again, although the loops are short it's a fun track to practice getting your speed up.

[mfordy]

Took family out on Saturday. Kids thrashed the kids track for hours (cost me a clutch thou for the PW80!..)
I've only been riding for 3 months but was ripping up the B track after a couple of laps. The downhill at the quarry psyched me out for a while.
Was more rutted and bumpy then anything else I'd ridden but still had a blast.
Going back next weeked to take on the A Track!..

[jt119]

i was up ther to in white van got stuck in the bog hole on the a track made my day its a cool place to ride

[oldskool]

One thing I forgot to mention, not sure if it's worthy as I dunno if it's common, but I passed a rider going the opposite way on the 'A' track. It wasn't till after we passed that it occurred to me that given another split second and we woulda met on a tight bend. Made me a bit careful after that. Beginner riders should be briefed to pull over if they hear oncoming bikes rather than go on their merry way against the traffic.

[Reckless]

Beginner riders should be briefed to pull over if they hear oncoming bikes rather than go on their merry way against the traffic.

Un written law is never go the opposite way from what I have seen since getting into off road. The guy should have been briefed simply never to do it, and a kind word to him on the trail or in the car park would have been wise. The guy is a bit silly doing that even without being told the rules. Bloody lucky he didn't meet Barty, Rupe, or dammad1 or a number of others on here at their speed!! Thats bloody dangerous!

[oldskool]

Bloody lucky he didn't meet Barty, Rupe, or dammad1 or a number of others on here at their speed!! Thats bloody dangerous!
Don't forget 'Cheese', from what I read recently on the Riverhead thread he was even faaster than Barty and Rupe!

[B0000M]

Don't forget 'Cheese', from what I read recently on the Riverhead thread he was even faaster than Barty and Rupe!

just think, if he actually got out riding from time to time he could be bloody quick!

:Pokey::Pokey:

[barty5]

Don't forget 'Cheese', from what I read recently on the Riverhead thread he was even faaster than Barty and Rupe!

You ever heard the fishing story no really it was 40 pounds i kid you not.

[cheese]

Don't forget 'Cheese', from what I read recently on the Riverhead thread he was even faaster than Barty and Rupe!

What do you mean? I said that they were really late getting there and I had to spend ages waiting for them.

I did beat Aaron at the Tarawera 100 last year though.

[Crisis management]

I need somewhere with a clay/ dirt base (not the sandpit) to practise a few things (bunny hops, turns, crashing, you know the stuff...) preferably with a bit of open space ie a paddock. Is thunder park that sort of a place? If it is basically farm land with a track on it that will be ok but if it's all tracks (like Maramarua) that is of little use.
I wouldn't mind something tight & technical as well (A trail?) as after all this bloody practicing stuff I'll have to see if i actually ride any faster or crash better....

Open to any suggestions but I'm central Auckland based so skip the south island ok?

[cheese]

thunder is great. a mix of everythign.

[barty5]

What do you mean? I said that they were really late getting there and I had to spend ages waiting for them.

I did beat Aaron at the Tarawera 100 last year though.

you still usin that line but credit where its due yah did beat me a few offs and a bad start didnt help thinks that 1st hill climb is what stuffed up any stort of even flow through the whole race unless you got there at the front of the pack

[Rupe]

I need somewhere with a clay/ dirt base (not the sandpit) to practise a few things (bunny hops, turns, crashing, you know the stuff...) preferably with a bit of open space ie a paddock. Is thunder park that sort of a place? If it is basically farm land with a track on it that will be ok but if it's all tracks (like Maramarua) that is of little use.
I wouldn't mind something tight & technical as well (A trail?) as after all this bloody practicing stuff I'll have to see if i actually ride any faster or crash better....

Open to any suggestions but I'm central Auckland based so skip the south island ok?

Yep, thunder sounds like what you are after. You'll enjoy it i'm sure.

[LittleJohn]

Think we may head to Thunder on Waitangi day, need the practise and to clock up some riding hours before I attempt to complete some races, especially at the speed that cheese rides at.

[barty5]

Think we may head to Thunder on Waitangi day, need the practise and to clock up some riding hours before I attempt to complete some races, especially at the speed that cheese rides at.

Where thinkin of going to kimmies om waitangi day havnt been done this year yet. Tracks not as long but more of a challange.plus the mz track.

[LittleJohn]

Where thinkin of going to kimmies om waitangi day havnt been done this year yet. Tracks not as long but more of a challange.plus the mz track.

Is there a kids and learners tracks there. Have wanted to try it, but have to go somewhere the qhole family can go.

[tommorth]

last time I was at thunder it was a while ago we meet some riders going the other way it there was some muttering from both partys after some looking around I found that there were arrows at each end of the section pointing towards each other

[barty5]

Is there a kids and learners tracks there. Have wanted to try it, but have to go somewhere the qhole family can go.

yeh there is its no that big though. seen a lot a kid that just totle round the mx track people kep out of there way.

[LittleJohn]

Sounds good, although think I'm outvoted as the kids (both on LT50 quads) and missus have all said they want to go to thunder again.... O-well will have to put Kimmi's on the list of places to go before Winter this year, along with Ardmore (want to try jumps, haven't done any since I was a kid).

[noobi]

last time I was at thunder it was a while ago we meet some riders going the other way it there was some muttering from both partys after some looking around I found that there were arrows at each end of the section pointing towards each other

there is a bit on the A track where the track comes quick close to itself and a lot of people have straight lined a corner and gone straight across the track then down the fence and rejoined the track to bypass a hard bit but gone the wrong way , not helped by the ruts that suggest to go that way

:bash:

thats how people die on dirt bikes :bye:

[jt119]

when you and the old man going out again noobi

[noobi]

dunno a mate, going to the MR cycles ride on Sunday, probably half the people on here are too.
next weekend is waitangi I think, but we have to go to a wedding that weekend, ^#%(!#$& bull!@#$ and stay the whole weekend to socialise with family???????$#%, even though the wedding is on Friday???

anyway,
depends what the organised trail rides are doing the weekend after that, 14th 15th, were always keen on riding though
:2guns::Punk:

[cheese]

Think we may head to Thunder on Waitangi day, need the practise and to clock up some riding hours before I attempt to complete some races, especially at the speed that cheese rides at.

I love it how people like to pay you out even though you've never met them......

LOL

[LittleJohn]

I love it how people like to pay you out even though you've never met them......

LOL

We have meet and know each other, few years ago since we seen each other now Stephen!!!!!!

[oldskool]

We have meet and know each other, few years ago since we seen each other now Stephen!!!!!!

:bleh: c'mon, give us the lowdown then!! :spanking: LOL

[telliman]

I love it how people like to pay you out even though you've never met them......

LOL


We have meet and know each other, few years ago since we seen each other now Stephen!!!!!!

get a room!!!

[SpikedPunch]

:bleh: c'mon, give us the lowdown then!! :spanking: LOL
Ah, must have been before the fuel went stale :eek:

[cheese]

We have meet and know each other, few years ago since we seen each other now Stephen!!!!!!

Shit are you little John from the Navy?

[LittleJohn]

Shit are you little John from the Navy?

Sure is. Hafta catch up sometime on a ride

[cheese]

Shit mate didn't even click it was you. Why didn't you say something earlier!!

How you been? What you doing now days?

Not riding for a few weeks, but keen as to head out soon! you still on the shore?

[oldskool]

Shit mate didn't even click it was you. Why didn't you say something earlier!!

How you been? What you doing now days?

Not riding for a few weeks, but keen as to head out soon! you still on the shore?

oh my gawd a couple of navy boys, nothing better than a couple of matlocks to liven up the boys room!

[LittleJohn]

Yeah mate, only figured it was you after the T100 when I saw the results. Was wanting to catch up at a ride but seem to miss the ones you go to.

Still living the dream, it's money for jam...... Still on the shore, sold our old place, now in pussers housing near Hauraki Corner.

How have you been?? Here from many of the others?

[LittleJohn]

oh my gawd a couple of navy boys, nothing better than a couple of matlocks to liven up the boys room!

Not me that works with them in a little back office with only one entrance!!!!!

[cheese]

You have a PM.

Go fix those bikes oldtool and come for a ride mate!!

[oldskool]

You have a PM.

Go fix those bikes oldtool and come for a ride mate!!
well er um actually LittleJohn is helping me out on that! Just waiting on some XR gear parts to arrive. And the DR is booked into spectrum so with any luck I could be riding on one of them next week! I'm wondering how I'll go at Thunder on the DR350.

[Rupe]

Cheese and little john

[oldskool]

Cheese and little john
LOL classic! Reunited and it feeels so goood

[telliman]

the one that got away!!!

[barty5]

Cheese and little john

That ill explain the YMCA song on his ipod.

[camchain]

Concerned about how quickly some of you characters were able to locate the above images.

[telliman]

Concerned about how quickly some of you characters were able to locate the above images.

wasnt hard, just typed "cheese and littlejohn" into google and that popped up!

[camchain]

wasnt hard, just typed "cheese and littlejohn" into google and that popped up!

Genuinely cracking up here! Cheers - I needed that. Back to work now.

[Rupe]

Concerned about how quickly some of you characters were able to locate the above images.

I typed nz elite navy!

[cheese]

Ha ha, funny fullas......

[2strokekid]

hi there does anybody knw if they have a website? if so could u pls let me know what it is. thanks

[flyingcr250]

i went out there today expecting a boggy mess, but i was plesantly suprised at how rideable the track was and it just got better and better, infact by about 12:30 it was DRY in most places with only a few bogs. it wasnt as bumpy as it usually is, in fact id say its the best ive ever seen it, i had an absolute blast, so much so that im heading back out there tomorrow, and with the weather forcast the way it is it should be mint as. good times. :yes::scooter:

[oldguy]

Mmmmmmmm, Ive already made plans for the sandpit tomorrow bugga. be my first ride in a while, so be cruzin.

[jt119]

i went out there today expecting a boggy mess, but i was plesantly suprised at how rideable the track was and it just got better and better, infact by about 12:30 it was DRY in most places with only a few bogs. it wasnt as bumpy as it usually is, in fact id say its the best ive ever seen it, i had an absolute blast, so much so that im heading back out there tomorrow, and with the weather forcast the way it is it should be mint as. good times. :yes::scooter: ive got sunburn

[jt119]

cpl more that place dryed out alot

[roadkillnz]

Stop playing in the kids track JT :P
Can't wait to get back to thundercross, once my expansion chamber is fixed.