Laxed out rides

[Murray]

Accuweather has a "pleasant with some sun" forecast and Metservice "Showers developing. Southwesterlies, easing later."

So no real excuses for not having a ride before most of you return to work. Those lucky ones.

May have a new rider coming along with his re-retroed retro Triumph, sounds keen but lets see.

Leaving Kingsgate Hotel car park 10.30 am

head along new express way past Cambridge and turn left at the petrol station and straight through (not the Hobbiton turn off) and on to Okoroire to catch up with the other bike minded people that usually congregate there on a Sunday afternoon.

all the best for 2016 - all of you

[Supertwin Don]

Thanks Murray - nice little run around. Okoriorie Burger still great. Not many out there at lunchtime today.

[insomnia01]

Not many out there at lunchtime today.

Most likely out riding

[Slicksta]

Lovely day for a ride to Nikau Cafe today

Taking the XR150 on a 4000km 12day camping road trip next month around the south island.

[Murray]

http://www.framautolitedragway.co.nz...RBIKE-DAY.html

Might go up for a look

[awa355]

Rode out to Marakopa this morning. Threatened to rain but came to nothing. Stuff all traffic, clean road but badly need resealing in places between Waitomo and Te Anga.

[eldog]

Rode out to Marakopa this morning. Threatened to rain but came to nothing. Stuff all traffic, clean road but badly need resealing in places between Waitomo and Te Anga.

Is it worth riding? Its part of a greater loop I was planning to do in the next month or so, there is a few longer weekends coming.
Like the NZ bikers ride day on the 6th Feb - 'Get out and Ride' is the slogan

[awa355]

Is it worth riding? Its part of a greater loop I was planning to do in the next month or so, there is a few longer weekends coming.
Like the NZ bikers ride day on the 6th Feb - 'Get out and Ride' is the slogan

The loop taking on the Kawhia/harbour/Waitomo roads have great scenery, a million corners, with a couple of diversions to Taharoa and Maracopa. These two involve returning along the same road to get back onto the main loop. About a 150k loop from Te A back to Te A. Many will ride right into Kawhia then back out to Harbour road.

From Marakopa you can take a 80k? run down to Awakino then either return via SH3 or as I would do, pick back roads either side of the highway, running back to Te Awamutu. Just mile after mile of corners, views, little traffic.

[eldog]

The loop taking on the Kawhia/harbour/Waitomo roads have great scenery, a million corners, with a couple of diversions to Taharoa and Maracopa. These two involve returning along the same road to get back onto the main loop. About a 150k loop from Te A back to Te A. Many will ride right into Kawhia then back out to Harbour road.

From Marakopa you can take a 80k? run down to Awakino then either return via SH3 or as I would do, pick back roads either side of the highway, running back to Te Awamutu. Just mile after mile of corners, views, little traffic.

Righto This I will do, want to see the waterfalls (are there 4x?) and the natural bridge in one trip.
Will revise loop with your comments in mind, then some cunning planning.....

thanks AWA

[awa355]

Righto This I will do, want to see the waterfalls (are there 4x?) and the natural bridge in one trip.
Will revise loop with your comments in mind, then some cunning planning.....

thanks AWA

The Marokopa falls are a 10min walk downhill and a 15min walk uphill coming back. Worth seeing but be wary of leaving your gear with the bike. Same thing applys with the natural bridge.

Te Anga


Te Anga locals.


Marokopa river.

[eldog]

Worth seeing but be wary of leaving your gear with the bike.

Point taken. That's a bugger, NZ becoming a place you can no longer leave stuff/bike and expect it to be there when you come back. So I will be lugging it along the trail
it isn't much stuff but when it's gone it's the inconvenience.

[slofox]

...since I have ridden about 1500km since Christmas, all of it at or around the speed limit (well, mostly anyway). All that unused power...sigh.

Mind you, it came in handy this morning. I'd been out for a bit of a ride which included a couple of km on SH1 between Horahora Rd and Karapiro village. As I approached the turnoff to the Karapiro dam, I spotted a copper on the side of the road. He must have just finished up with his last "customer" coz he moved off before I passed him. He turned off to head over the dam as well. When I got to the dam itself he was in a line just moving onto the dam. I assumed I'd drop in behind him but no, he moved off so he could slot in behind me. Suspicious bastard. Followed me all the way back to Leamington with his bloody radar on the whole way. I started out at around the 100 - 102km/hr mark but slowly dropped it back to low 90's. He just stayed behind. Eventually disappeared. Guess he realised I was just some boring old fart to whom he could not issue a ticket today. Like I said, suspicious bastard.

[eldog]

...since I have ridden about 1500km since Christmas, all of it at or around the speed limit (well, mostly anyway). All that unused power...sigh.

Mind you, it came in handy this morning. I'd been out for a bit of a ride which included a couple of km on SH1 between Horahora Rd and Karapiro village. As I approached the turnoff to the Karapiro dam, I spotted a copper . He just stayed behind. Eventually disappeared. Guess he realised I was just some boring old fart to whom he could not issue a ticket today. Like I said, suspicious bastard.

Awa and I had this on the 1KC last year, he was on the other side of the road, saw us and did a ewee and then promptly stayed behind me for about 5 ks. No worry really we were behind a line of cars all doing the limit
I guessed he might have seen all the others on the ride earlier, whizzing past. (Awa was otherwise occupied clearing a path through the bugs)

Also had this down south, similar to you, I expect he thought I would overtake the cars in front, but they were doing 100 at a good pace. Then proceeded to speed up and tailgate me to see if I would move - as well as take photo (hope he got my good side) then after a few ks grew bored and speed off. Don't mind tagging behind others when the views nice.

[awa355]

Eldog, the weekend of the 6th Feb may not be the best time for a quiet cruise over the Kawhia road. There is the Kawhia sea food festival on that Saturday. Great if you want to share a narrow windy road with hundreds of cages, but for a laid back cruise I would go further south. Maybe the Waitomo-Marokopa- Awaikino circuit or maybe the lost highway route.

[deeknow]

Rode out to Marakopa this morning. Threatened to rain but came to nothing. Stuff all traffic, clean road but badly need resealing in places between Waitomo and Te Anga.

Hey lads, long time no post, been awhile, must get back on a KB ride some time.

I was out on this loop the very next morning after you Awa, on Sat three of us headed round it anti-clockwise (have never done it clockwise, spose I should some time). As you mention there's a few rough spots but having been round there a few times now I'd have to say the condition was better than average. There was a lot of patchy seal that seemed to have been swept so although it looked dodgy (and of course was always right on the corners) it was actually OK. It's one of those routes where you really have to keep your cool and dial back the right hand a little, expect the unexpected etc..

Was bloody hot work so treated ourselves to a beer at The Redoubt in TA on the way home