BEST ROADS

**SARGE** · 31st August 2005, 17:22

hey all..

i am putting together a list of the best roads in NZ to ride and i would like your input.

what i need is :
ROAD) where at( between X and X)
DISTANCE (approx)
SKILL RATING) 1-10
SURFACE RATING) 1-10
FEATURES) cafes/ lookouts/police etc
COMMENTS) ie: twisty/mountains/mossy/trucks, etc

any help would be appreciated.. i will post the file here when complete and have printouts available at Colemans..

NZ has such great bike roads.. seems a shame to keep them to ourselves

**crashe** · 31st August 2005, 17:30

Sarge - I have a book here called:
Great Escapes - a guide to motorcycle touring in New Zealand
by Peter Mitchell.
www.mcycle.co.nz with updates on it.

It has heaps of great roads in it from all over New Zealand....
with the distance and road types etc...

**froggyfrenchman** · 31st August 2005, 17:32

the middle rd, argyle rd, whakapiru rd loop just south of hastings. 8/10 skill level, very windy and fun. bout 1.5hrs to do the loop... starting in havelock nth and ending in hastings. If anyone is interested PM me for more detailed description and directions
never seen a cop on run, some long straights to wind out on, some fast sweepers, lots of tight riding. 1 corner that has claimed 15 bikes in 3 year, including me and my best mate! i will give real good descriptions to anyone that wants them...

**James Deuce** · 31st August 2005, 17:32

Originally Posted by crashe

Sarge - I have a book here called:
Great Escapes - a guide to motorcycle touring in New Zealand
by Peter Mitchell.
www.mcycle.co.nz with updates on it.

It has heaps of great roads in it from all over New Zealand....
with the distance and road types etc...

Better still, Mr Mitchell has just released the Motorcycling Atlas of NZ. Hits the shelves in September and includes decent, detailed, fold out maps.

**Motu** · 31st August 2005, 17:37

Any road the sports bikes are too scared to ride is a good road by me - and it has no cafe either....maybe a fish n chip shop if I'm lucky.

**gamgee** · 31st August 2005, 17:38

i've driven the road between Dunedin - Wanaka through Cromwell quite a few times (last weekend the most recent) in the cage and always thought how much fun it would be to do on a bike, the road is gritted through winter but through summer it's usually very good, and i should be ridding it on my bike at the end of this year to go up there for new years with any luck!

it's got a few really cool twisties with true 35k corners that you really do have to slow down a lot for or you'll end up through a barrier and over the gorge, also a few really good high speed straights with good vis and no places for police to hide

**Bonez** · 31st August 2005, 18:00

Napier-Taihapi lots of windy rd, stunning scenery 15-20ks of gravel 10/10 for variety. Little traffic, some logging trucks. Can be ridden by any skill level as long as you go at your own pace. Even a camping area on about a third of the way through from the Taradale side. Can combine it with a Taupo return or via Manawatu gorge/saddle rd or Pahiatua track. Continuing on to a few back roads back to the Bay.

**Hitcher** · 31st August 2005, 20:37

Originally Posted by Jim2

Better still, Mr Mitchell has just released the Motorcycling Atlas of NZ. Hits the shelves in September and includes decent, detailed, fold out maps.

Here's hoping Santa puts one in my stocking...

**Sniper** · 31st August 2005, 20:45

You still believe in Santa?

**Marmoot** · 31st August 2005, 20:46

ROAD) Queen Street (between Britomart and K-Road)
DISTANCE) approx 2km
SKILL RATING) 10
SURFACE RATING) 7
FEATURES) police/roadside mirrors/chicks/blings
COMMENTS) definitely not twisty, but requires very high skill levels!

ROAD) Symonds Street (between High Court and K-Road)
DISTANCE) approx 1km
SKILL RATING) 15
SURFACE RATING) 3
FEATURES) university chicks, especially in summer wears
COMMENTS) requires very high skill levels and life insurance!