We rode this with Dean (our NZ landlord/host) and Emma and James on Thursday 3rd October 2013. We got to the drop off point about 11:30 after leaving Rotorua a bit before 8am.
There are a few minor variations to this great ride.
We started on the Motu Road at approximately the high point maybe 10 km out of Motu and 8km before the start of the Pakihi Track. This gave us a pleasant, predominantly downhill dirt road to warm up on. This took about half an hour.

Once the track started it decended fairly continuously with the ridge always on the right and at times some long timbered drop offs to the left. The track was wide and we were in forest so this was not concerning or difficult though as usual extra speed could have increased the difficulty. One or two rock slides had been repaired but the photo shows how wide the track is.

After about 12 km we came to a signed turn to the DOC (Department of Conservation ) Hut where we stopped for lunch at about 1pm

Shortly after lunch we crossed a long swing bridge and started riding on the left side of the Pakihi River.

This section of the ride was especially scenic as the track followed along the river. The exposure was maybe a little more concerning at times as there were often no trees between the track and a steep drop to the river. Along the whole track there were occasional patched of rock which had fallen across the track and at times these made for interesting obstacles.
We finished the track itself about 3pm and then rode a few kilometres downstream until we crossed a large bridge and turned upstream on the other side of it for a 4 km climb to Bushaven where we had left our car as we had used their