Favourite roads in Waikato/BOP/Auckland

**Damantis** · 26th May 2012, 16:53

Having been a fan of the road to Kawhia for a while now. Today I took a left onto Harbour Road and went through to Waitomo.

A 230km odd trip from Hamilton and now my new favourite road. A little patchy with repairs in few spots and parts of it probably never get dry in the winter, but Holy Shit! some of those bends seem to go on forever!

And the scenery is amazing. Willo have to pillion the wife out there for a picnic. Stopped in Otorohanga for a pie, and leisurely 139kph all the way home. Best use I've made of a tank of gas in a while!

Can't wait to rip it up in summer, tho I suspect when it's warmer there will be more than the 4 or 5 cars I saw today.

Anyone else got some roads they really enjoy?

**slofox** · 26th May 2012, 17:03

Originally Posted by Damantis

Having been a fan of the road to Kawhia for a while now. Today I took a left onto Harbour Road and went through to Waitomo.

A 230km odd trip from Hamilton and now my new favourite road. A little patchy with repairs in few spots and parts of it probably never get dry in the winter, but Holy Shit! some of those bends seem to go on forever!

And the scenery is amazing. Willo have to pillion the wife out there for a picnic. Stopped in Otorohanga for a pie, and leisurely 139kph all the way home. Best use I've made of a tank of gas in a while!

Can't wait to rip it up in summer, tho I suspect when it's warmer there will be more than the 4 or 5 cars I saw today.

Anyone else got some roads they really enjoy?

Do that same road but go out to Marakopa and then south to Awakino. There's about 11km unsealed but no drama. Past that the road is great. Then there's the gorge on the way home.

**Damantis** · 26th May 2012, 17:18

Originally Posted by slofox

Do that same road but go out to Marakopa and then south to Awakino. There's about 11km unsealed but no drama. Past that the road is great. Then there's the gorge on the way home.

Not a fan of unsealed but might give it a go. 11km can feel like alot further than it is when I'm worrying about assing off.

**Boob Johnson** · 26th May 2012, 17:56

Funny, when I saw the thread title I came in to tell you about the Kawhia/Waitomo run

Good stuff! A great piece of tarmac!

There's a pretty epic waterfall to see on that road also (Waitomo rd end), tis a short walk to see & well worth it.

A lil further south than you may like but totally worth it is SH43 (the Forgotten World Highway). Taumaranui to Stratford, 152km's of twisties, simply STUNNING piece of road with very little traffic on it. To NOT ride this stretch at least once in your life is a sin!

**Damantis** · 26th May 2012, 18:26

Originally Posted by Boob Johnson

Funny, when I saw the thread title I came in to tell you about the Kawhia/Waitomo run

Good stuff! A great piece of tarmac!

There's a pretty epic waterfall to see on that road also (Waitomo rd end), tis a short walk to see & well worth it.

A lil further south than you may like but totally worth it is SH43 (the Forgotten World Highway). Taumaranui to Stratford, 152km's of twisties, simply STUNNING piece of road with very little traffic on it. To NOT ride this stretch at least once in your life is a sin!

But was in the groove and figured I'd just push on. Will take some lunch out there with the missus hopefully the next nice weekend we get. Have meant to ride the forgottren highway for ages now and was supposed to go with a group through Boyd Motorcycles last summer but couldn't afford it at the time. It's a bit far for a day trip through to stratford and back ... or maybe it's not? I guess with a fine day and daylight savings it's possible, but probably be pretty hard on the body being in the saddle so many hours. Better to splitt it in two with a night in Whangamomona or Stratford.

**Boob Johnson** · 26th May 2012, 19:09

Originally Posted by Damantis

But was in the groove and figured I'd just push on. Will take some lunch out there with the missus hopefully the next nice weekend we get. Have meant to ride the forgottren highway for ages now and was supposed to go with a group through Boyd Motorcycles last summer but couldn't afford it at the time. It's a bit far for a day trip through to stratford and back ... or maybe it's not? I guess with a fine day and daylight savings it's possible, but probably be pretty hard on the body being in the saddle so many hours. Better to splitt it in two with a night in Whangamomona or Stratford.

Yea that would be ideal, stay the night somewhere in the region then head home. You could even push on through from Stratford to New Plymouth, stay there & then head home up the coast road unless of course you like SH43 so much you wanna ride it twice!

**1billyboy** · 26th May 2012, 20:47

Originally Posted by slofox

Do that same road but go out to Marakopa and then south to Awakino. There's about 11km unsealed but no drama. Past that the road is great. Then there's the gorge on the way home.

Done all that as well as a trip out from Waikawau to the beach that has a tunnel to the beach.

**1billyboy** · 26th May 2012, 21:02

One I used to do last century. Te Kuiti to Mangapehi turn right to Ongarue. Back up highway 4 to Ramaroa Road, Mokauiti, Aria, Totora Road to highway 3 and back to Te Kuiti.

**Boob Johnson** · 26th May 2012, 21:42

Originally Posted by 1billyboy

One I used to do last century. Te Kuiti to Mangapehi turn right to Ongarue. Back up highway 4 to Ramaroa Road, Mokauiti, Aria, Totora Road to highway 3 and back to Te Kuiti.

Nice looking run! Just been on google maps zoomed in 100%, road looks to be in decent nik

**Damantis** · 26th May 2012, 22:42

Originally Posted by 1billyboy

One I used to do last century. Te Kuiti to Mangapehi turn right to Ongarue. Back up highway 4 to Ramaroa Road, Mokauiti, Aria, Totora Road to highway 3 and back to Te Kuiti.

So many roads around that people just go past, not knowing what's there or where they go.

**tri boy** · 27th May 2012, 07:05

Get a dual sport bike and the ridable roads multiply by 20x.
They also get alot more scenic,and .0001% of seeing a cop car.
MHO

**Damantis** · 27th May 2012, 09:27

Originally Posted by tri boy

Get a dual sport bike and the ridable roads multiply by 20x.
They also get alot more scenic,and .0001% of seeing a cop car.
MHO

Indeed. One day. Though the point about cops is kinda moot though. I mean, the chance of me exceeding the speed limit on gravel is probably about 0.0001% ( not that enjoying motoercycles is about speeding )

**slofox** · 28th May 2012, 08:17

Originally Posted by Damantis

( not that enjoying motorcycles is about speeding )

WHAT??? Wash yer mouth out sonny! (Oops err...I mean ... ahhh... hehehe...cough - course it isn't - I never speed

)

**insomnia01** · 28th May 2012, 08:29

SH3 to NP turn off at Ohau Rd & follow through to Mt Dampner which brings you out at Tahora only a couple of km's from Moki tunnel

you do miss the 13+ gravel on SH43 but you do encounter a little bit of gravel here & there on this piece of road, a good alternative if you don't want to head into Taumarunui