North Coromandel

[andy mac]

Next week I'm off to the Coromandel and the WR250R is going trailer trash ( thanks BMWRSNUT). I'm staying at Whangapoua & was planning to ride the gravel to Fletchers Bay & Port Charles. And Coro to Kaimarama and Coroglen to Tapu. Any other must do suggestions?

[Eddieb]

Yes, strap a jerry can on the back.

[Crisis management]

I have a faint idea (I have no idea where I picked it up, so proceed with caution) that some of the forestry around there allows bikes in, I would ask the locals when you get there. Also there are a number of tracks / roads that wander up hills towards castle rock(?) from behind Whangapoua.
If you want to go a bit further how about Thompsons track in the back of Te Aroha?

[Eddieb]

I have a faint idea (I have no idea where I picked it up, so proceed with caution) that some of the forestry around there allows bikes in, I would ask the locals when you get there. Also there are a number of tracks / roads that wander up hills towards castle rock(?) from behind Whangapoua.
If you want to go a bit further how about Thompsons track in the back of Te Aroha?

I was going to suggest Thompsons but thought he may be staying too far up. Thats fun.

[Kokopelli]

I was going to suggest Thompsons but thought he may be staying too far up. Thats fun.

That sound like something I'd like to do, but I'd need some back-up, a lot of back up come to think of it. Igor claims it's the most impassable road on the planet and that he has done it on his R100GS. Reason enough for me to give it a go.

[Eddieb]

I've done the Matamata side on my G/S in the dry and the wet/mud. In the dry it's entertaining and you have to work a bit but not to the extent of pushing your limits. In the mud it was serious fun and hard work.

I have walked the other side, I wouldn't want to take a GS though there without a winch. There's bogs that would swallow a landrover whole 365 days a year.

[smoky]

And Coro to Kaimarama and Coroglen to Tapu. Any other must do suggestions?

309 road.....

[MaxB]

Had friends with a bach at Port Charles. Kept an XR200 there. In the dry that run is easily doable on a road bike. More and more of the area is being sealed, they were doing Kennedy Bay last time I was there.

The longest unselaed run is Colville-Port Jackson up the western side. Your choices of crossing the ranges on Sh309 and Tapu-Coroglen are fun to do as a loop.

North of Coromandel township most of the good gravel runs up the eastern side.