SMC Tour of the North Island 27 Nov-5 Dec

[Slyer]

What: A weekish long cruisey trip featuring the best parts of the North Island, south of Auckland. It's designed for seeing the sights, exploring places we find interesting and visiting all the famous pubs etc.

Who: Mainly for SMC members but anyone can tag along. Any bikes are welcome, personally I will be riding a 250. Aiming for 3-10 Max

When: The trip will be from the 27/11/10 to 5/12/10. Will be leaving on the 27th or 28th and coming back to Auckland any day leading up to the 5th, it's designed to be flexible. Just make sure you've got that Mon-Fri week off work etc. I will be doing the full trip but feel free to come late or leave early if that is all you can make, we are never further than 1 day from Auckland.

Where: Still in planning stage. The basic route is we will be heading south west to Taranaki, then across to Ruapehu etc, down to palmy/wellington and then up the east coast, going up the Coromandel and then back to Auckland.
I've started a map that anyone can help with to collaborate.
See the map here: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF&msa=0&msid=110750738367254474631.000492723d055d5f5859e


If you want to help with the planning stage, follow the link and add points of interest. Places to stay for the night, places to see and ways to get there etc. I want to keep the trip nice and flexible so the days etc aren't set in stone. If you know anyone who would be willing to let us stay at their place for the night for free, add that in too.

We may or may not take tents depending on what everyone reckons. Need to make sure you've got plenty of money saved for accommodation, food, fuel and also money in case of emergency or breakdown and need to get your bike back to Auckland.

This isn't just my trip, it's everyone's trip so go hard and put as many suggestions on the map as you can!

[Slyer]

Bump!
Ideas?

[Thani-B]

I don't know if I can come yet. At this stage I can't afford it. And if I get a job I probably wont be able to get the time off. So I suppose that means I wont be able to come :(

[Squiggles]

I don't know if I can come yet. At this stage I can't afford it. And if I get a job I probably wont be able to get the time off. So I suppose that means I wont be able to come :(

Weak excuse! You've got a month to come up with a better one :woohoo:

This guy left with only $200 for his 10 year trip iirc (http://books.google.co.nz/books?id=qcI5eUXcxpkC&dq=the+longest+ride&source=bl&ots=chjM-SI-Gh&sig=BW5mYxwg-J2bY2Is2vgVI3VlZ0w&hl=en&ei=t7G6TOy-GIj0cZ7T3NUK&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CCIQ6AEwAQ)

[Dare]

Bump!
Ideas?

No but I'll think of some! Seems like a good time to do it :yes:

[EJK]

Whakapapa village, Chateau Tongariro. Wise choice my man.

If the snows are gone, ride up to the ski field. It's a blistful road, trust me.
When I rode from Auck to Welly, out of 100's of kilometers, that is the single piece of road I would never forget.

[GSXR Trace]

Hey will probably join ya on first few days (down to naki and forgotten highway, and when you lot head further south ill head back to naki) but then will have to jet back to auckland... but ill also probably stay at home with family etc since down that way

when are you wanting final numbers for each leg?

[Slyer]

Sounds good!
Not fussed on when people commit, it's going to be a pay as you go sort of deal.

[Laurence]

Hey, ive never really done anything with the SMC but I am a member and ive been wanting to do a ride over this summer. Im keen to go although i can only go till the 2nd as i have work. Im on a ninja 250 also so not huge bike and im not really worried about the route aslong as the majority is sealed road.
Drop us a txt for more info
0211656485.
Thanks, Laurence.

[Slyer]

Sounds good dude. I'm riding a GPX250 myself so no worries there.
Come for as many days as you like.

[Dare]

Hey, ive never really done anything with the SMC but I am a member and ive been wanting to do a ride over this summer. Im keen to go although i can only go till the 2nd as i have work. Im on a ninja 250 also so not huge bike and im not really worried about the route aslong as the majority is sealed road.
Drop us a txt for more info
0211656485.
Thanks, Laurence.

Welcome to the 250 club, we don't burn up the straights but we do okay in the corners! =D

[Slyer]

We get a heck of a lot further on a tank of gas!
Lets see a Harley run at 8000rpm for 8 hours. :bleh:

Yeah that's pretty much all I got. :(

[Dare]

We get a heck of a lot further on a tank of gas!
Lets see a Harley run at 8000rpm for 8 hours. :bleh:

Yeah that's pretty much all I got. :(

Rear tyres last longer!

[Laurence]

Yeah this is my 3rd 250 as Ive been too lazy to get my full license. Its great having such a light bike and as long as I have the acceleration Im happy.

[Danae]

And I'll be on a 150 :bleh:

[pocketcracker]

finally a ryd .. i may have to pop my head up for this one .. could b fun ..thats if i can keep up i only have 1030cc :)

have you looked for all the CHEAP accomidations ect , back packers ect ?

[Slyer]

Cheapest.
Free wherever possible.

[Dare]

Soo is there a facebook event for this?

[Slyer]

If you need a facebook event to remember a week long trip I think you have issues. :bleh:

[Dare]

If you need a facebook event to remember a week long trip I think you have issues. :bleh:

Welcome to my life :innocent:
But seriously, I meant more for organisational purposes, I check fb more than kb..

[Slyer]

:facepalm:

[Dare]

Aw diddums

[Slyer]

Bumpage!
Any other ideas for places to see?
Ride needs more fleshing out.

[Slyer]

Crikey. 18 days to go!
Hope everyone has leave etc.

[Slyer]

Bumpity bump!
12 days.

[EJK]

Anyone got a spare 250? :P

[PirateJafa]

Bumpity bump!
12 days.

Countin' down the days! :woohoo:

[Slyer]

For anyone that is coming for the trip, be at Jafa's in East Auckland at 7am Saturday morning.
Text me 0210324953 if you need any more info.
Currently 3 of us confirmed (kiwifruit's just a cock)

[Squiggles]

Enjoy the ride guys :scooter:

[motorbyclist]

For anyone that is coming for the trip, be at Jafa's in East Auckland at 7am Saturday morning.

HA!

well that's me out for the casual ride! :bleh:

[Danae]

I wanna go, but I don't wanna be up at 6....:( Be keener to join if it was meet at 9 (I'd be a lot less sleepy and less likely to crash).

[Slyer]

Wow guys. It doesn't exactly surprise me that you'd skip on something out of pure laziness. :rolleyes:

[PirateJafa]

I wanna go, but I don't wanna be up at 6....:( Be keener to join if it was meet at 9 (I'd be a lot less sleepy and less likely to crash).

...


Want. Ride. On weekend.

We go to all the effort of making a weekend ride for ye, but now you don't want to come anyway? :P

[Slyer]

Andrew and Danae, if you like you two can make your own way down later in the day. You'll have a place to stay for the night and can head up forgotten highway with us on Sunday.

Up to you guys eh.

[Danae]

Real keen....but then I have to think about this assignment due next week and the money I should be saving for my south island trip over Christmas. We'll see, after I get paid.

[Slyer]

New plan. Meeting at Papakura Autobahn at 7:45ish, leaving at 8am.

[motorbyclist]

Wow guys. It doesn't exactly surprise me that you'd skip on something out of pure laziness. :rolleyes:

meeting at jafa's at 7 means getting up at or before six - I'd be riding on 5 hours sleep max, mostly down open highway for 6 hours or more plus all teh other stiff on the way.

and jafa's is really a silly palce to be meeting isn't it?


New plan. Meeting at Papakura Autobahn at 7:45ish, leaving at 8am.

makes MUCH more sense :yes:

[Slyer]

Still didn't see you there. :P

[Hanne]

Still didn't see you there. :P

They might be there tomorrow? :P

[Squiggles]

224912

How far around are you now?

[PirateJafa]

<img src="http://img109.imageshack.us/img109/5783/crashaaa.jpg">

[Slyer]

Not even close to getting a fist pump for that one.

[Squiggles]

http://img109.imageshack.us/img109/5783/crashaaa.jpg

Awesome. Hamburgers for dinner? :lol:

[Dare]

Awesome. Hamburgers for dinner? :lol:


Where's the DVD release, I want to see raw cow in HD.

[NotHisRealName]

I'm very keen to get feedback on this trip. I'm planning something very similar in December next year. I'd initially planned going clockwise and visiting Taupo, and Rotorua.

I'm also curious about the road conditions along certain stretches. I'm tossing up between renting a Dualsport, or a Sport-tourer.

[Slyer]

Sport tourer I reckon for the most part but either will do. Just depends on how much gravel you plan on doing.
Why the North Island, not the South Island?

[NotHisRealName]

I was born in Wellington and spent 10 years in Paraparaumu. All I ever saw of the place was there, and the occasional visit to Hastings. I'm keen to spend a good day in my old hometown, and see the rest of the island. I'd like to do the South Island in the future, though.

So, the roads around the West aren't too bad then? Google Maps Street View show some fairly long gravel tracks/roads. Over here tracks like that can sometimes feel like cattle stops (cattle grid) and I'm not sure a sports tourer would enjoy that too much.

[Slyer]

Depends what roads you want to do. Stick to the state highways and you won't have to do gravel at all!

[Magua]

We had a sports(ish) bike, a dual purpose with road tyres and a tourer. None of them had any real problems with the varied road conditions we came across.

It's more rider than bike.

[NotHisRealName]

So was it only really parts of Ohura Road that were unsealed? It's hard to find the dirt roads using Google Maps. Someone posted a link to some books in my introduction thread which I'll look at in more detail, but it's the local knowledge that I'm here for.

[Slyer]

Here's an updated map of roads we took or were going to take just for you.
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=203341412041479073458.000492723d055d5f5859e&ll=-39.393755,175.88562&spn=3.222015,7.13562&z=8

The road south of palmy was really nice the one that looped around to Dannevirke, small amount of gravel there too. You can continue it all the way around to Waipukurau if you wanted but we were pooped by that time.

Also most of the road going south Marokopa-ish were gravel. The falls out that way were well worth seeing and the road heading west was just fantastic, very windy and awesome.

Magua had a book that we used to find great places to go. What was it called again?

[Squiggles]

Magua had a book that we used to find great places to go. What was it called again?

NZ Motorcycle Atlas?

[Magua]

Magua had a book that we used to find great places to go. What was it called again?

New Zealand Motorcycle Atlas.

Oi, Sam. Add this to your map. The SH43 swimming spot.

http://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=28A+Fairlands+Ave,+Waterview+1026,+Auckland, +New+Zealand&ll=-38.942454,175.145357&spn=0.003279,0.004823&t=h&z=18

[NotHisRealName]

NZ Motorcycle Atlas?

Yeah, I'm definitely on the look out for a 2nd hand copy. Off to ebay now.

Thanks for all the help so far. 'Tis a very friendly community here.