The Tauranga to Rotorua route via State Highway 29, SH36 and SH3 has been voted Bay of Plenty's most popular motorcycle ride.

Close to 2000 Kiwi motorcyclists responded to a Motorcycle Safety Advisory Council, ACC and New Zealand Transport Agency survey which aimed to find the country's most popular motorcycle rides.

Coming in at second is the Whakatane to Matata route, and rounding out the top three for the Bay is the Tauranga to Hamilton via SH1, SH26 and SH27.

MSAC chair Mark Gilbert says the survey will now support work to improve motorcycle routes across the country as part of the Government's 2016-2020 Safer Journeys Action Plan.

'Now that we know where people go to ride we can combine this information with previous work which identified the riskiest sections of road for motorcyclists. This will ensure efforts to improve safety have the highest benefit.

'As part of this work, ACC and the Transport Agency will be looking at how and where to effectively use things like safety barrier under-runs, post protectors, and better signage for motorcyclists”

Mark says the response-rate to the survey also shows the strength of New Zealand's motorcycling community and the thanks everyone who participated in the survey, adding the NZTA and ACC now have a wealth information to inform future road safety interventions.

'New Zealand roads can be dangerous for motorcyclists – already 47 motorcyclists and their passengers have been killed on the roads this year. With the 2016/2017 summer riding season just beginning, we're very close to last year's total of 54 deaths.

'Bay of Plenty saw close to 300 new motorcycle injury claims in 2015. We need to do better.”

To view the results of the national survey results and which sections of New Zealand roads are the highest risk to motorcyclists visit www.roadsafetyrisk.co.nz

MOTORCYCLISTS' FAVOURITE BAY OF PLENTY ROUTES:

1. Tauranga to Rotorua (SH29, SH36 & SH5)
2. Whakatane to Matata
3. Tauranga to Hamilton loop (SH1, SH26 & SH27)
4. Taupo to Rotorua Loop (SH30, SH1 & SH5)
5. Tauranga to Thames using Coromandel Loop