Waikaremoana on a cruiser - mad?

[Shewolf]

As much as I'd love to get my adventure bike asap I don't think I'll have it before I do the lovely stretch of gravel from Waikaremoana to Murupara.

Am I mad to do this on a VN800 or what - I did SH43 and loved it - this however would be more of a challenge.

Anyone else on a cruiser done this road?

My only concern is if I drop my bike .... I guess someone would eventually come along to help me pick the bike up!? So if you spot a skele next to a cruiser on this road, give us a wave

[crazyhorse]

If you can handle gravel, then I am sure you will be fine. I am certain that it won't be any worse then the trek into Waikaremoana. I've only gone to Waikaremoana on a road bike, not the rest. But sounds like fun

[CookMySock]

Waikaremoana to Murupara - Am I mad to do this on a VN800 or what..

I think you will be fine. It will be the fully-faired higher-geared road bikes with low bars that I wouldn't take on this road.

My only concern is if I drop my bike .... I guess someone would eventually come along to help me pick the bike up!?

Yep, there's a few people along there all the time, but I would be wanting to be out of there well before dark. Consider carrying some method to overnight somewhere if you had to.

A great trip. Do it. Just be vigilant, and don't hurry. There's absolutely no point in hurrying on this road anyway - all you will do is skip all the cool scenery. Set off early and pootle and stop everywhere.

Steve

[rainman]

My only concern is if I drop my bike ....

Cruisers are, in my experience, generally quite stable on gravel - at low speeds.

And, there's a trick to picking up your bike on your own - I'm a skinny bastard with a bad back and I can do my Marauder, easy,

If fallen onto RHS:
1. pop out side stand
2. rotate bars to the right, so throttle grip is near the tank
3. squat down next to bike, with your back to it. Left hand on throttle, right hand under back seat.
4. stand up, using your legs to lift the bike. (Hang on with your hands of course)
5. when bike is vertical, gently drop over on to stand

If fallen onto LHS:
1. pull clutch-end grip toward tank (bars to left)
2. squat, back to bike, grip and lift as before
3. this time stop near the top and use your right foot to kick the stand out
4. lower bike onto stand

Easier to do on the flat, probably harder to do on gravel - but still something you can do if you have to. Legs are stronger than arms.

Better to not drop the bike, of course...

[MaxB]

Easy as. Cruisers have some low down grunt and low centre of gravity. Take it real easy and you will be fine.

If you are really worried why not let someone know when you are going and expected back. They can raise the alarm if you come to grief.

[Krayy]

Most of the road from Murupara has good clean grooves in it, so as long as it hasnt been raining, you'll be okay. There are a few deep gravel bits (and stupidly enough they are usually on the downhill sections), but just take it easy and don't use your front brake.

The one thing I wouldn't want to do on a cruiser is wash it afterwards ;-) Be aware that the dust on the road is also quite fine, so might get into some nooks and crannies that you didnt know existed before.

[Shewolf]

thanks for great tips

[junkmanjoe]

when you looking at going through, and which direction please..

JMJ

[thehovel]

As much as I'd love to get my adventure bike asap I don't think I'll have it before I do the lovely stretch of gravel from Waikaremoana to Murupara.

Am I mad to do this on a VN800 or what - I did SH43 and loved it - this however would be more of a challenge.

Anyone else on a cruiser done this road?

My only concern is if I drop my bike .... I guess someone would eventually come along to help me pick the bike up!? So if you spot a skele next to a cruiser on this road, give us a wave

I have done h/way 38 on a trike about a dozen times Great road . Anyway someone (nameless) said that every time he/she was going to do the trip they would get talked out of it.. So I lead a ride one lovely Nov (I work on hydro so I know when its dry) 3 bikes BMWk75, honda ST1100 & honda 750 cruiser set sail. The road was hard packed untill the GRADER turned up. The driver can't have known that it was Saturday 90% of the road was FRESHLY GRADED or FRESHLY DUMPED gravel. OH the way they gravel that road is with a hopper truck and the gravel is spread at 50km and thats it DONE!!!! By the time we got to Watkaremoana our Gravel skills had improved out of sight. It is still a great road I coulg be easly tempted to do it again. Regards Richard PS the nameless person had an off a week before the ride and has since done the trip in the pissing rain (they don't put hydro in deserts you know)

[Shewolf]

when you looking at going through, and which direction please..

JMJ

Going at Easter - from Waikaremoana - North, probably on Easter Sunday (doing East Cape Loop). May have different bike by then, but kinda keen to do it on big ole cruiser now...just for the hell of it. Give me an excuse for a return blast for some sliding fun....

[junkmanjoe]

im doing the east cape and the coro loop at easter.. im rideing as far as i can thursday night after work, up through napier,
then doing the east cape on friday. and so on north towards coro loop..
ride till its dark and put my tent up..

JMJ