Waipoli Road open to street legal motorcycles

Small victory for off-road riding group

On Sunday, Pat McGuinness went for a "victory ride" on Waipoli Road, a newly permitted road for street legal motorcycles in the Kula Forest Reserve, where four-wheel drive vehicles also are permitted.

"As always, it was beautiful," said McGuinness, who's also affiliated with Maui Off Road Riders and is an advocate for more riding locations. "I would also like to express mahalo to those in the DLNR (Department of Land and Natural Resources) for taking the time to listen to us, and reverse the no ride policy.

"There are so few places where we can ride dirt roads, it's greatly appreciated."

Torrie Nohara, Maui specialist with the Na Ala Hele Trails and Access Program, said that the sign located at the crossover between the paved and dirt section of Waipoli Road was edited on Nov. 22 to allow street legal motorcycles.

Na Ala Hele is administered by the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife.

"The decision to change the sign was discussed in numerous DOFAW staff meetings" as well as with constituents and enforcement officials over the summer, Nohara said Wednesday morning.

"It is a small victory for us because we have always felt that the old sign out there has no real reason," said Tom Hawk, spokesman for Maui Off Road Riders. "Cars with four-wheel drive damage the road much more than a motorcycle. There was no logical explanation to have only four-by-four cars and exclude motorcycles."

Motorcycles are prohibited from operation on all connecting trails, such as Boundary Trail, Redwood Trail, Plum Trail, Tie Trail Pedestrian, Haleakala Ridge Trail, Waiakoa Loop Trail, Upper Waiohuli Trail, Upper Waiakoa Trail, Lower Waiohuli Trail, Mamane Trail and Polipoli Trail.

Nohara added that motorcyclists must follow Maui County and state vehicle laws and heed administrative rules by the wildlife division and Na Ala Hele programs.

Maui Off Road Riders is encouraging motorcyclists to do the same.

"We would like to ask every rider to stay on the roads. Please do not trespass and don't go on to the trails for mountain bikes or hikers," according to an announcement published on its website last week. "Be respectful to others, share the road, share aloha."

"Since we fought for this permission, we don't want to lose it because of some irresponsible riders," Hawk added Tuesday.

While Waipoli Road is not ideal, it is a small step toward the goal for an off-highway vehicle park.

The Maui Off Road Riders webpage (chng.it/8qyJmkXffD) was developed at the beginning of the year to encourage the dirt-bike-riding community to get involved in advocating for an off-road vehicle park. The petition on the website now has over 1,200 signatures with the goal of 1,500.

Hawk said they continue to send results to Maui County Mayor Michael Victorino, Council Member Yuki Lei Sugimura and state Rep. Angus McKelvey. 

"But, it is nice to see a road in the nature, which brings you to places where you can overlook the island," Hawk said.

While applauding the opening of the road, off-road dirt bike and quad rider Lenie Lawrence noted that Maui is the only major island without off-road riding areas.

"Kauai, you can ride for days and not see the same thing," he said.

Lawrence said that Na Ala Hele manages federal funding from the gas tax generated by dirt bikes and all-terrain vehicles. Those funds are earmarked for the creation and maintenance of motorized and nonmotorized recreational trails, according to the website americantrails.org.

Lawrence said he attended Na Ala Hele meetings 20 years ago that included discussions on the use of those funds. Money has been used to create bicycle and horse trails, but for off-road riding areas, "it never did happen."

Money has been allotted to the motocross track in Puunene but that is not the same type of riding as off-roading, he said.

* Managing Editor Lee Imada contributed to this story. Dakota Grossman can be reached at dgrossman@mauinews.com.