RAGLAN GRAVEL MOPED RIDE : 29 October

Shakotom · October 9, 2017

After the MopedNZ Auckland ride was a success and in preparation for the adventure that is going to be East Cape Ride, MopedNZ/FOAMERS bring you yet another shitty scooter ride!

https://www.facebook.com/events/480388522348480/?ti=icl

What: Full day cruise from Raglan to Kawhia and back.

When: Sunday 29th of October @ 9am.

Bikes: A slow bike of some sort. As always, this isn’t for big bikes. Generally 250 and under. Ride whatever you’re comfortable using baring in mind a majority of this road is gravel. There will be old step throughs, new scoots, modified beasts, possibly a pit bike or old small dirt bikes. Probably at speeds of way under 50kmh

This route is thanks to local Andrew Swinton, whom can usually be found roaming on his family of small bikes throughout the region.

Gravel roads for a majority of the way! Beer exists at Kawhia, along with good beach riding.

This ride will be an all day affair, with a likely start time of earlier rather than later. Say, 9am.

Ride speeds won't be fast! Bring anything you like, the pack will be probably not far above 50kph for a lot of the trip.

Note the distance, reliability is key. We probably won't have a support vehicle. Though, there may be a vehicle parked half way and loaded with a a bit of fuel/keys in case your bike suffers terminal failure and you need to drive it back.

You wanna think about additional fuel and maybe a tube/patch kit for your tyre.

Ride exclusive stickers will possibly be available on the day for a small amount of $$$$.

Any questions? Not sure if your bike is suitable? -turn up anyway / Just ask. This will be fun as.

Notes from Andrew:

“Hey guys, this ride is a pretty slow speed ride to a degree, I do it on my 50cc scooter with fat tyres, hit about 50kph max on the gravel due to the windy road. Can be off the main road about 3 minutes from where we start, and there's nothing for miles, especially the po po Don't have to ride on the beach at the Kawhia end, but you can ride to a walk-in entrance down the road where we end up. Thinking of parking my van somewhere en route as a breakdown vehicle with the keys hidden underneath so anybody can use it if there are fatal breakdowns. The route on the way back can be made shorter easily if you're feeling it, but its probably the best bit!”

Any Questions ask here or feel free to message myself ( @Shakotom ), Andrew (@GuyWithAviators)or Callum (@MopedNZ)

UPDATE @15 OCT

Raglan Ride Route, Parking and Meeting place.

Parking at Raglan Airfield, the grassy area at the slip way is good if you have a trailer to turn. Pretty safe, wide open space. Put Raglan Holiday Park into your satnav.
5 minutes and one right turn (not crossing the bridge ) onto the main road from Rockit Cafe located 2/3 minutes away.

Meeting place - Rockit Cafe 9am. This is on the edge of town, there is parking in a field nearby just past it on the right next to the Lets Grow Kindergarden. If your late try here.

Route - Rockit depart 9ish- quick briefing

- Head towards Raglan, turn first right onto Te Hutewai Road. This road turns to sweeping gravel at the top of the hill, and we follow it for a few km's, bearing left and not turning off the main route sharply at any point. Meet at the end of here where we hit tarmac again.

- Turn Right onto Te Mata Road which turns into into Te Papatapu Rd and continue straight on, fast tarmac hills till we hit gravel again and meet at the bottom of the hill for a pit stop. No turn offs, just go straight on for a few km's.

- From here we simply follow this road for about an hour till you hit tarmac, turn right onto Kawhia Rd, follow till you hit town, turn left to meet outside cafe/pub. Hangouts, food, shop, petrol station here.

-Ride through Kawhia very discreetly onto the beach where we very slowly and quietly ride around till we are well out of town, we'll see what the weather is like before riding miles up the beach. No being a hoon in sight of town, its feral down there...

-Return to Kawhia retracing our route, turning left onto Te Papatapu/Raglan Road, long gravel section - meet at the next right turn into Kawhia Rd. Chance to shorten route here if needed, fuel stop.

- Head up the valley for a few km's, great gravel road with amazing views, valleys, lakes till we meet at the end in a carpark by the wind turbine track.

- Head back to Te Mata, turning right at the end of the Bridal Veils fall Road before turning left onto Waimoari Rd and the gravel, following this for a short period turning right twice before we meet at the end, on Ruapuke Rd junction.

- Turn Left towards Ruapuke and stay on this road for a long section of sweeping gravel road till a turning on your left to drop down a the hill to Ruapuke Beach. Meet here for final break, possibly adventures dependant on weather.

- Leave, turn left onto Whaanga Rd, follow on towards Raglan, time dependant turn offs and off roading opportunities. Stop at Te Toto gorge carpark look out for a look out session.

- Hit tarmac after about 30 minutes and follow till Whale Bay round about, turn right and follow back to Raglan/Rockit with no turn off's.

I'll do a map too, but it might be worth screen shotting this and I made it just so I know where I'm going too.

Mop Head · October 9, 2017

Keen. Pine. What’s better than road rash?

Gravel rash.

Truenotch · October 10, 2017

Tempted to come get some beach rash.

Mop Head · October 10, 2017

Sand crack is the best crack.

Got a new engine for the Chaly for this ride. Also a shit load of random parts too. Can’t wait to put them all on, then crash on gravel and ruin them immediately.

Archetype · October 10, 2017

Registering interest. Gah, I thought I had until November the 24th to find a bike for Eastcapescapade, and now this event pops up!

Mop Head · October 11, 2017

@kdotlowe do you even have a XL250 if you don’t ride it on gravel roads in Raglan?

kdotlowe · October 11, 2017

@MopedNZ let's be honest, I'm the stereotypical poser riding his dirtbike through Ponsonby haha. But for real, I'd be hella keen but I'm working an event that Sunday. Keep me posted for the next one though cause I'm keen to get this XL off road!

Shakotom · October 14, 2017

Update on details