Danseys Pass on a street bike?

**crash99** · 1st March 2010, 22:59

Hey guys - just wondering if anyone knows the Danseys Pass area? I'm off down Central way in April and looking for a different part of the SI to explore but can't see the good old Google street view for this area . . . Is that a bad sign for a street bike?

Thanks

**pete376403** · 1st March 2010, 23:26

Have done it in the dead of winter on a GS1100 Suzuki without too much bother. There arn't any guard rails, and there are some quite high drop-offs so you need to be a bit judicious when cornering. Mostly gravel if that doesn't bother you. Which end are you coming in from - Kurow or Naseby?
It is on Google maps - find Naseby and zoom in from there

**RedKLR650** · 1st March 2010, 23:26

Originally Posted by crash99

Hey guys - just wondering if anyone knows the Danseys Pass area? I'm off down Central way in April and looking for a different part of the SI to explore but can't see the good old Google street view for this area . . . Is that a bad sign for a street bike?

Thanks

No problem on a street bike. just don't be a hero on the corners, it's a LLOOOOOONNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGGGG way to the bottom if you get it wrong :-)

cheers, Stu

**crash99** · 2nd March 2010, 12:02

Thanks Pete - gravel? Hmm, thought so - not my favourite surface. Its alright for you adventure dudes! ;-)

**crash99** · 2nd March 2010, 12:06

Thanks Stu - there won't be no hero corners from this one! Pete (another KLR650 rider - is there something about KLR 650s and Danseys pass?!) mentioned it is a lot of gravel and that aint my favourite surface . . . Cheers for the advice.

**kiwi cowboy** · 2nd March 2010, 19:05

Originally Posted by crash99

Thanks Stu - there won't be no hero corners from this one! Pete (another KLR650 rider - is there something about KLR 650s and Danseys pass?!) mentioned it is a lot of gravel and that aint my favourite surface . . . Cheers for the advice.

Na mate you should be right i did it yaer ago twice on my cb900 i had.
Just take your time and watch for idiots coming the other way.
The worst bit is just off the top on the nasby side of the top it is quite tight and can have loose gravel but not a long stretch and the rest is a good road.

**crash99** · 4th March 2010, 21:24

Cheers kiwi, I'll see how it goes.

**Flip** · 5th March 2010, 21:20

Not really a bike story but....

We had been hunting down in central otago a couple of years ago in the middle of winter, and well it snowed like hell. We were in my big trusty V8 Landrover Defender and came back to Christchurch over Danseys going north. On the last steep stony bit just before the top we had to lock the dif's becaue we were wheel spinning and I was concerned that we might skid off the road. Got to the top and what did we find, a small rental barina-civic with 4 asian tourists up there making snow men. My hunting buddy and I were completely stunned that a small front wheel drive 'mini' car was able to make it up there, in the snow in the middle of winter. Looked at my hell landrover and we both joked about trading it in on a say a Toyota Starlett.
We had a cook up for lunch and the asian's left heading north, we both fully expected to be pulling them out of a ditch or worse on the way down. We never saw them again.

**newbould** · 5th March 2010, 21:29

Originally Posted by Flip

Not really a bike story but....

We had a cook up for lunch and the asian's left heading north, we both fully expected to be pulling them out of a ditch or worse on the way down. No-one ever saw them again.

As RedKlR said it's a long way down

**Jantar** · 5th March 2010, 21:37

Originally Posted by crash99

Hey guys - just wondering if anyone knows the Danseys Pass area? I'm off down Central way in April and looking for a different part of the SI to explore but can't see the good old Google street view for this area . . . Is that a bad sign for a street bike?

Thanks

No problem for a street bike. I've been over on a 1974 GT380, more than a few times on the RE5, a couple of times on a GT750, once on a katana (wire wheel), once on a GS1200SS, and I've lost count of how many times on the VStrom. Its just under 40 km of gravel and not too bad. It can be a bit corrogated on the southern side of the pass, and the road is narrow. But overall not a difficult ride.

**BMWST?** · 5th March 2010, 21:56

Originally Posted by Flip

Not really a bike story but....

We had been hunting down in central otago a couple of years ago in the middle of winter, and well it snowed like hell. We were in my big trusty V8 Landrover Defender and came back to Christchurch over Danseys going north. On the last steep stony bit just before the top we had to lock the dif's becaue we were wheel spinning and I was concerned that we might skid off the road. Got to the top and what did we find, a small rental barina-civic with 4 asian tourists up there making snow men. My hunting buddy and I were completely stunned that a small front wheel drive 'mini' car was able to make it up there, in the snow in the middle of winter. Looked at my hell landrover and we both joked about trading it in on a say a Toyota Starlett.
We had a cook up for lunch and the asian's left heading north, we both fully expected to be pulling them out of a ditch or worse on the way down. We never saw them again.

Same thing happened to me part way between ocean Beach and Orongorongos.Chinese Tourists in a toyota caldina station wagon were intent on getting to Wainuiomata.

**oldrider** · 5th March 2010, 22:58

Originally Posted by crash99

Hey guys - just wondering if anyone knows the Danseys Pass area? I'm off down Central way in April and looking for a different part of the SI to explore but can't see the good old Google street view for this area . . . Is that a bad sign for a street bike?

Thanks

Easy peasy, just watch out for stock and other traffic coming the other way! Stacks of sports bikes go through there!

I live just up the road, go through all the time, enjoy your ride.

**crash99** · 6th March 2010, 09:36

Originally Posted by Jantar

No problem for a street bike. I've been over on a 1974 GT380, more than a few times on the RE5, a couple of times on a GT750, once on a katana (wire wheel), once on a GS1200SS, and I've lost count of how many times on the VStrom. Its just under 40 km of gravel and not too bad. It can be a bit corrogated on the southern side of the pass, and the road is narrow. But overall not a difficult ride.

Mate - thats a great collection of bikes youve had/have!
Thansk for the reply Jantar.
Cheers