I'm coming to ride NZ on a SR500 from 29 Jan. Help please!

[Johny Brando]

Hi ...it's getting close for me now ....29th Jan i arrive for my trip to camp & ride an SR-500 round N.Z. 1 week in North Island & then about 3 weeks in the South Island. Going to Hampton Downs first for the big Classic Race meet ...then heading South. Would like if possible to make a sort of route map & schedule based on your possible input ! I'd also like to maybe meet up with fellow like minded Kiwi riders along the way for a social Beer or 2 ,talk bikes & possibly a ride . I'm particularly keen to attend Classic race meets, Street Racing events,Swap meets, Rallies, maybe a War Bird fly day if I was lucky enough. I'll try n paint a bit of a picture , I'm a bit of an ...Old School-Old Git @ 57 going on 21 .I'm English from London and been in OZ for the last 20 years but wanna bail now ! I was of course weaned on Brit Iron ( A-10 R & T-110 ) used to race NSU 1300 Outfit in the 70,s..well swinger ! Currently have mixed bag of bikes inc...SR & XT Singles , Trumpy Speed Triples, Z.1. & few others , guess I've never grown up aye ( don't really want to either ! ) haha
Not Pissing in your Pockets here .....this is FACTUAL I always got on well with Kiwi's.. better than I did with Aussies ( I used to work Off-shore with many Kiwi's ) n like the straight shootin & sense of humour of you lot....Cheers, Johny Brando. Please P.M. me or email direct- leeshelford@bigpond.com

[leathel]

warbirds and wheels whitianga has been and gone by then, SH 22 from Tuakau out to ragin is worth a ride, Coromandel loop from Wahi out to wangamata then up the east side down the west side of the peninsula, Wakatane to Gisborn then down the west coast .... or around tip of the BOP if you want winding slow cornerd coast roads. Plenty of roads up north to do too but north island at a week isn't enough to do them all.
:)

[fridayflash]

if you head down and around the east coast whakatane to gisborne (highly recomend it!) you can head down through wairoa to napier and there'd be a bed or spot for your tent (whichever you prefer) at our place bro...if it was a saturday id take you to the hawkes bay classic club for a beer, lotsa old brit iron and classic jap stuff...plenty of sr/xt/tt enthusiasts in this neck of the woods...deano still owns an xt he bought new in '77 !
otherwise good luck with your trip mate

eddie.

[Jantar]

Hi ...it's getting close for me now ....29th Jan i arrive for my trip to camp & ride an SR-500 round N.Z. 1 week in North Island & then about 3 weeks in the South Island. Going to Hampton Downs first for the big Classic Race meet ...then heading South. ......
You don't say where you arrive or leave from, so I'm assuming Auckland.

I would suggest that after Hampton downs you head over to Thames, around the Corromandel, down through the Bay of Plenty, around East Cape and down to Napier. Cross inland to Taupo then Raetahi (either side of the mountain is good), down to wanganui, then Wellington (last 2 hours are boring).

South Island, so many options. Try Queen Charlotte Drive and on to Nelson, check out thye Takaka hill while there, through Murchison to Westport, maybe an in and out to Karamea, down the coast to Greymouth then inland over the Lewis Pass, turn right at Amberly and back over Aurthurs Pass. Down the west coast via the Glaciers and over Haast Pass to Wanaka. Crown range or Lake Dunstan and Kawareau gorge to Queenstown. Then Te Anau and Milford sound. Southern scenic route to Invercargill then Catlins Rd back up to Balclutha. Visit Dunedin if you must, or inland to Alexandra and over the Lindis Pass to Mt Cook and Tekapo. Inland Scenic Route to Christchurch then SH1 through Kaikoura back to Picton.

[Tazz]

Give us a yell when you're fanging through Picton man. Might be able to sneak in time to head down the sounds or over the Nelson with ya (or both? =D)

[Kickaha]

I'm particularly keen to attend Classic race meets, Street Racing events
Paeroa street race is on Feb 16th

[Bald Eagle]

Bed and bike patking in wellington while you wait for the ferry, home made alcohol included, give. Us a shout

Sent from my LG-P768 using Tapatalk

[Johny Brando]

warbirds and wheels whitianga has been and gone by then, SH 22 from Tuakau out to ragin is worth a ride, Coromandel loop from Wahi out to wangamata then up the east side down the west side of the peninsula, Wakatane to Gisborn then down the west coast .... or around tip of the BOP if you want winding slow cornerd coast roads. Plenty of roads up north to do too but north island at a week isn't enough to do them all.
:)

Thanks Leathel, Shame I miss the Warbirds. I'll get my Kiwi maps out & check out your route buddy. THANKYOU
Yeh, i agree a week's not enough to see the north island but ........EVERY ONE say's the best riding is down South & thats the main reason for me being there . Thanks again for your input .
B safe. Johny Brando

[Johny Brando]

if you head down and around the east coast whakatane to gisborne (highly recomend it!) you can head down through wairoa to napier and there'd be a bed or spot for your tent (whichever you prefer) at our place bro...if it was a saturday id take you to the hawkes bay classic club for a beer, lotsa old brit iron and classic jap stuff...plenty of sr/xt/tt enthusiasts in this neck of the woods...deano still owns an xt he bought new in '77 !
otherwise good luck with your trip mate

eddie.

See what I mean about Kiwi's ...... Cheers John.B good .

[Johny Brando]

You don't say where you arrive or leave from, so I'm assuming Auckland.

I would suggest that after Hampton downs you head over to Thames, around the Corromandel, down through the Bay of Plenty, around East Cape and down to Napier. Cross inland to Taupo then Raetahi (either side of the mountain is good), down to wanganui, then Wellington (last 2 hours are boring).

South Island, so many options. Try Queen Charlotte Drive and on to Nelson, check out thye Takaka hill while there, through Murchison to Westport, maybe an in and out to Karamea, down the coast to Greymouth then inland over the Lewis Pass, turn right at Amberly and back over Aurthurs Pass. Down the west coast via the Glaciers and over Haast Pass to Wanaka. Crown range or Lake Dunstan and Kawareau gorge to Queenstown. Then Te Anau and Milford sound. Southern scenic route to Invercargill then Catlins Rd back up to Balclutha. Visit Dunedin if you must, or inland to Alexandra and over the Lindis Pass to Mt Cook and Tekapo. Inland Scenic Route to Christchurch then SH1 through Kaikoura back to Picton.

Hi Jantar , thanks for the detailed reply . Gunna check your recommended route out out on my Kiwi road Atlas & will be using as many of your routes as possible. Just need to try & tie em into events on route if I can.
Luv your little Dancin Chick ( whata Honey ! ) Appreciate your help. Cheers Johny Brando.

[Johny Brando]

Give us a yell when you're fanging through Picton man. Might be able to sneak in time to head down the sounds or over the Nelson with ya (or both? =D)

Hey Tazz,
Thanks for the reply .Just checked out your web -site ......intresting ! I think the Ferry comes in at Picton or near there ? n luv to catch up and maybe ride with you. Do i contact you via the Web site ? better still can you PM me a Mobile or home phone number so I can stop and ring on route from pay phone, as I will not be takin my (old mobile as Global roaming..nah can't afford that shit ..... & don't have a Smart phone either ...yeh Caveman !)
Cheers take care , Johny Brando :msn-wink:

[Johny Brando]

Paeroa street race is on Feb 16th

Hi Kickaha,
Thanks for the reply ...........thats exactly what I'm after ! I'll have to get my Kiwi road Atlas out to find where Paeroa is........ yeh , go on say it - just west of Bumf@#k haha .
Seriously if ya think of any other events ,meets or dodads I'd really appreciate another Heads-Up.
See you have A-10 on your Bike list ....I've had a couple of Road Rockets in fact my first road bike was a A-10 R.R. with Chair & with 2 bags of sand in it ! Ah to be 17 again .......no thanks !!!
Cheers & thanks again, Johny Brando

[Johny Brando]

Bed and bike patking in wellington while you wait for the ferry, home made alcohol included, give. Us a shout

Sent from my LG-P768 using Tapatalk


Thanks for that very kind offer...really appreciate that !!!! & I will definately give you nudge on my way back down to Wellington to catch the ferry....gotta a Phone number I can ring ? please PM me with it. Dunno about the Moonshine ......but a Beer or Coffee n a chat would be really good.
Thanks again, Johny Brando :msn-wink: .... leeshelford@bigpond.com

[Tazz]

Hey Tazz,
Thanks for the reply .Just checked out your web -site ......intresting ! I think the Ferry comes in at Picton or near there ? n luv to catch up and maybe ride with you. Do i contact you via the Web site ? better still can you PM me a Mobile or home phone number so I can stop and ring on route from pay phone, as I will not be takin my (old mobile as Global roaming..nah can't afford that shit ..... & don't have a Smart phone either ...yeh Caveman !)
Cheers take care , Johny Brando :msn-wink:

Oh yeah, contacts might help haha. I pretty much live at work, and work on a computer so the work number or PMing on here are the best bets. Will fire the work number and cell through ;)

I hear ya on the roaming charges! If your phone takes a sim you can pick up a local network card pretty cheaply ($10ish) and just pay as you go with it, otherwise those telecom 'yabba' phone cards and such like make phone box and hotel calls real cheap locally and internationally.

And the ferry comes right into Picton. It's a pretty cool wee town that most people just blast through as they think it is just going to be a scummy port, but it's actually a wicked wee spot in the summer.

I have secure parking here as well if you need it but no spare beds sorry.

[leathel]

https://maps.google.co.nz/maps?saddr=Auckland&daddr=Unknown+road+to:Tuakau,+Auckland+to:Raglan,+ Waikato+to:Whatawhata,+Waikato+to:Waihi,+Waikato+t o:Whangamata,+Waikato+to:Whitianga,+Waikato+to:Cor omandel,+Waikato+to:-37.6948924,176.1555491+to:-38.1394517,176.289059+to:Whakatane,+Bay+Of+Plenty+ to:-38.5368111,177.9111218+to:-37.5917475,178.2516132+to:-37.8485009,177.5887532+to:Gisborne+to:Mahia,+Hawke %27s+Bay+to:-39.4747143,176.8770452+to:-38.6267489,175.722241+to:-38.6778623,174.6189947+to:-39.17654,174.0448642+to:-39.9357832,175.0544411+to:Wanganui+to:wellington&hl=en&ll=-37.282795,175.880127&spn=4.964422,7.064209&sll=-37.88786,176.165771&sspn=2.462366,3.532104&geocode=FbS8zf0dRK1qCin75pxa-0cNbTEXmaJDYe8ABQ%3BFTgQxv0dcXpvCg%3BFU9Nx_0dbm5tC ilz_cvtulRtbTGAEKNDYe8ABQ%3BFUIyv_0d8lRsCiltiPYZoS oTbTFQ_KJDYe8ABQ%3BFYRAv_0dpqJwCin5a0Mf3CVtbTHAG6N DYe8ABQ%3BFWV0xf0dXx17CilpKt7nAo5tbTGQEqNDYe8ABQ%3 BFRBDyP0dsJR7Cim9cEOtRnZybTGwGqNDYe8ABQ%3BFbskzv0d 2Pl4CimZNVaykF5ybTEwHKNDYe8ABQ%3BFTkRz_0dkON1CikJt WI8pvFybTHQvaJDYe8ABQ%3BFVTSwP0dnet_CinZmp8kttttbT GhKREHYe8AEw%3BFcUJuv0dI_WBCilvUjjprp1ubTEhW5oGYe8 AEw%3BFXzgvP0dUqqMCil3CeAjTgBvbTFgGqNDYe8ABQ%3BFZX 5s_0dUbWaCil1-lxeONxlbTEhppwGYe8AEw%3BFT1lwv0dXeefCilbfh7u0N1kbT FA5JMGYe8AEw%3BFUx6vv0dEcqVCinRSpMbcnxlbTHyOeoc5RK AAw%3BFUIPsv0dcVWcCimXrLBBnMBlbTEHmaJDYe8ABQ%3BFe2 Vq_0dvc2aCiltWEwxD2pmbTEQ3KJDYe8ABQ%3BFeappf0d9e2K Cimt_YVM77JpbTGxkBkHYe8AEw%3BFUSasv0dAU95Cil5-CpyrodrbTGhDJ0GYe8AEw%3BFZrSsf0dcnloCimDEybTl6IUbT Eh0QoHYe8AEw%3BFaQ2qv0dwLZfCimPPFsDLbMVbTHs7EVJQoB-rQ%3BFdmgnv0daR5vCinb4WUyvQNAbTFsYYV9n2eLNQ%3BFRe3 nv0d0gRvCinFFfNqtwNAbTEAGKNDYe8ABQ%3BFcQEiv0drN9qC inLdOlJ_LE4bTFwtBOiY-8ACg&t=h&mra=dpe&mrsp=9&sz=8&via=9,10,12,13,14,17,18,19,20,21&z=7

some of the roads are doubled up..... just to give you an idea of options... so many more too try too. There are some great hidden roads in the NI with awesome coast travels, South and the alps almost makes it easier to do the island as there is less roads cross the island than the north :)

[Johny Brando]

https://maps.google.co.nz/maps?saddr=Auckland&daddr=Unknown+road+to:Tuakau,+Auckland+to:Raglan,+ Waikato+to:Whatawhata,+Waikato+to:Waihi,+Waikato+t o:Whangamata,+Waikato+to:Whitianga,+Waikato+to:Cor omandel,+Waikato+to:-37.6948924,176.1555491+to:-38.1394517,176.289059+to:Whakatane,+Bay+Of+Plenty+ to:-38.5368111,177.9111218+to:-37.5917475,178.2516132+to:-37.8485009,177.5887532+to:Gisborne+to:Mahia,+Hawke %27s+Bay+to:-39.4747143,176.8770452+to:-38.6267489,175.722241+to:-38.6778623,174.6189947+to:-39.17654,174.0448642+to:-39.9357832,175.0544411+to:Wanganui+to:wellington&hl=en&ll=-37.282795,175.880127&spn=4.964422,7.064209&sll=-37.88786,176.165771&sspn=2.462366,3.532104&geocode=FbS8zf0dRK1qCin75pxa-0cNbTEXmaJDYe8ABQ%3BFTgQxv0dcXpvCg%3BFU9Nx_0dbm5tC ilz_cvtulRtbTGAEKNDYe8ABQ%3BFUIyv_0d8lRsCiltiPYZoS oTbTFQ_KJDYe8ABQ%3BFYRAv_0dpqJwCin5a0Mf3CVtbTHAG6N DYe8ABQ%3BFWV0xf0dXx17CilpKt7nAo5tbTGQEqNDYe8ABQ%3 BFRBDyP0dsJR7Cim9cEOtRnZybTGwGqNDYe8ABQ%3BFbskzv0d 2Pl4CimZNVaykF5ybTEwHKNDYe8ABQ%3BFTkRz_0dkON1CikJt WI8pvFybTHQvaJDYe8ABQ%3BFVTSwP0dnet_CinZmp8kttttbT GhKREHYe8AEw%3BFcUJuv0dI_WBCilvUjjprp1ubTEhW5oGYe8 AEw%3BFXzgvP0dUqqMCil3CeAjTgBvbTFgGqNDYe8ABQ%3BFZX 5s_0dUbWaCil1-lxeONxlbTEhppwGYe8AEw%3BFT1lwv0dXeefCilbfh7u0N1kbT FA5JMGYe8AEw%3BFUx6vv0dEcqVCinRSpMbcnxlbTHyOeoc5RK AAw%3BFUIPsv0dcVWcCimXrLBBnMBlbTEHmaJDYe8ABQ%3BFe2 Vq_0dvc2aCiltWEwxD2pmbTEQ3KJDYe8ABQ%3BFeappf0d9e2K Cimt_YVM77JpbTGxkBkHYe8AEw%3BFUSasv0dAU95Cil5-CpyrodrbTGhDJ0GYe8AEw%3BFZrSsf0dcnloCimDEybTl6IUbT Eh0QoHYe8AEw%3BFaQ2qv0dwLZfCimPPFsDLbMVbTHs7EVJQoB-rQ%3BFdmgnv0daR5vCinb4WUyvQNAbTFsYYV9n2eLNQ%3BFRe3 nv0d0gRvCinFFfNqtwNAbTEAGKNDYe8ABQ%3BFcQEiv0drN9qC inLdOlJ_LE4bTFwtBOiY-8ACg&t=h&mra=dpe&mrsp=9&sz=8&via=9,10,12,13,14,17,18,19,20,21&z=7

some of the roads are doubled up..... just to give you an idea of options... so many more too try too. There are some great hidden roads in the NI with awesome coast travels, South and the alps almost makes it easier to do the island as there is less roads cross the island than the north :)

Thanks buddy....I'm hearing you ! but I think I have under-estimated the North Island some what as my Kiwi Motorcycle Atlas is showing some excellent riding there ...way more than I imagined
& think i may spend an extra few days there now before heading South. Cheers Johny B.