New Member, Plenty of Questions for you all.

[NZ-JESTER]

Hello and Gidday, Kia Ora.

I'm a new member here, but familiar to the forum life.

Bit of background, I currently live in Western Australia, although born and bred here in NZ. At the moment I am based in Auckland.
I currently own, in Australia, a 2014 Yamaha FJR1300 Police Model, also a 2015 KTM 500exc out fitted as a Supermoto. I have just sold my 2000 ZX6R Track Bike :(
I have been riding for the good part of 12 years, in fact I ride everyday and consider myself a bit of a purist and don't hold a car license for that reason.
Typical rides for me are usually commuting weekdays with 1 or 2 week night city rides chucked in, and on the weekend I would usually rack up 800-1000km days on rural roads.


I'm here for an indefinite period of time, and have just purchased a 2008 FJR sight unseen from Blackwood Yamaha in Cambridge. Ill be picking it up sometime next week.
Q:Has anyone had any dealings with BW Yammie? Any horror stories or things I should be aware of?
The bike presents well, comes freshly serviced and with a new battery and at a great price so I jumped on the chance.

I have a few routes planned for the North Island, and working on the SI now. Basically I'm getting most of my routes from BestBikingRoads.com and kind of piecing together the gaps as I go on Google Maps etc.
Q: What resources can you recommend for route planning/good road hunting? Anyone here have that much spare time that I can pester about the routes I have chosen?

In Aus, I was a long time member of a popular street bike forum, but with the advent of Facebook, that forum has died in the arse and now most groups are organised via FB pages and messages. There is literally hundreds of riding groups in WA, so you kind of just find where you fit and head out.
Q: What Facebook groups/forums are there here in NZ for finding other rides and riders to head out with?

In Aus, the police are very well on top of the traffic in and around the city region. Huge amount of speed cameras (Think about 100+ a day in Perth), and also have a fairly large amount of Bike Traffic Enforcement and a couple of helicopters, usually always up in the air monitoring the Freeway and the can ping you from above. Once you get out side of city limits, (About 150km) the chances of running into a speed trap is very slim. This is really because of the remoteness of the country.
Q: What is the general enforcement culture here? From what I have gathered, the NZPOL is very much on top of speeding etc, does it sound out of the ordinary to be able to open the bike up much? Are they cantered on just the highways, or do you have a high chance of finding them on back roads?

In Aus, we have to actively ride like every car is trying to knock you off, because well, they are all shocking drivers, and very much unaware of the surroundings. Lane Splitting isn't legal in WA although we lane split where ever possible and as a general rule, if your not being a dickhead about it the cops will leave you alone. But I'm always more than happy to pay the 'Safety Tax' (see: FINES) than put myself in a dangerous position.
Q:How aware and courteous is NZ traffic around motorcycles?

At the moment I am mapping out a route from Auckland-Cape Reinga-Bluff. It's taking alot of research. I'm planning on creating a thread here to keep track of the journey and I'll post up other threads for day rides. I would very much love to find some company for sections of the trip, and maybe even jump on other rides and make it up as I go.
For accommodation I have gathered multiple options, from AirBnb to Pubs to Camping. The beauty of the FJR is it has 2 panniers and a top box, plus a backpack and tank bag means I have more than enough room for camping equipment, gopro, drone, clothes food etc.

Only two more questions, I swear!!

Q:What weather services/apps/websites can you recommend for accurate on the road weather updates?

Lastly, I am planning on stopping by Cycletreads in Takapuna to pick up last gear that I didn't have room to bring over. Tank bag, new waterproof gloves, puncture repair kit, neck sock/balaclava.
Q: Does anyone have any experience with Cycletreads AKA Honda Central? Are there any other recommendations for gear shops in Auckland?


And on that note, if you have made it to what is possibly the longest introduction ever, THANK YOU!!
Any questions answered would be amazing and definitely worth a beer if we ever head out!

Keep Safe, Have Fun and stay shiny side up folks.

NZJ.

[Laava]

Kiaora. When you know exactly what dates you are going to be where in northland, start a thread in the rides section. There are no end of people here in northland looking for any excuse to go for a ride.

[jellywrestler]

Q:What weather services/apps/websites can you recommend for accurate on the road weather updates?

. I use Visor. If it's wet it's raining, if it's dry it's not.

[Bonez]

I use Visor. If it's wet it's raining, if it's dry it's not.Me too mate.:msn-wink:

Up ahead you will see fluffy things called clouds in the sky. These indicate the weather you are riding in to. White ok. White and Grey may be some drizzle. Dark grey possibly rain. Black pissing down.

[HenryDorsetCase]

you might look at Motomail in Orklind. Its not far from the CBD. They do mail order but have a retail shop also

https://www.motomail.co.nz/

metservice.co.nz

the best weather forecasting - its the gubblemunt!

[rastuscat]

For weather, use www.metservice.com

If you don't like the weather you get there, try www.yr.no

Oddly, I've found that the Norwegian site has better weather on sale that Metservice does.

[release_the_bees]

I've used Cycletreads plenty of times over the years. They're usually pretty good to deal with. But they don't seem to have quite as many options available as they used to in terms of gear selection, especially in the more common sizes.

If I had to list some awesome riding roads to tick off:


Mangamuka Gorge (although I think the road is currently closed)
Whakapara to Russell
Dargaville to Rawene
Coromandel Loop (plus the roads down to Whangamata and Waihi) *
Pokeno to Raglan via Naike
The East Cape *
Gisborne to Napier
Otorohanga to Awakino via SH31 and Marokopa
Te Awamutu to Turangi via Mangakino
Taumarunui to Stratford *
Napier to Taihape *
The Wanganui River Road *
Waipukarau to Masterton via Weber and Alfredton
Waikanae to Featherston via Brown Owl
Picton to Havelock *
Motueka to Takaka *
Pretty much all of SH6 *

* = roads that shouldn't be missed.

That is far from a comprehensive list. It's also heavily North Island centric. I'll let those in the know expand on the more southern roads. (It's also a reminder that I really need to get back over there for some more riding as soon as time allows.)

[FJRider]

Enforcement may vary on either island ... but popular opinion (and my experiences) suggest there is a little more tolerance given by plod in the southern isle ... than the north.

Speed gets their attention ... and stupidity will have you stopped.

YOUR attitude when stopped will often define the latitude given.

Look through the forums already posted ... most of your questions have already been asked ... and in most cases ... answered well.

Enjoy your riding here ...

[FJRider]

For weather, use www.metservice.com

If you don't like the weather you get there, try www.yr.no

Oddly, I've found that the Norwegian site has better weather on sale that Metservice does.

More like ... if you don't like the weather ... give it an hour ... it'll change.

Same thing with the scenery ... keep going and it too will change.

[Murray]

I've used Cycletreads plenty of times over the years. They're usually pretty good to deal with. But they don't seem to have quite as many options available as they used to in terms of gear selection, especially in the more common sizes.

If I had to list some awesome riding roads to tick off:


Mangamuka Gorge (although I think the road is currently closed)
Whakapara to Russell
Dargaville to Rawene
Coromandel Loop (plus the roads down to Whangamata and Waihi) *
Pokeno to Raglan via Naike
The East Cape *
Gisborne to Napier
Otorohanga to Awakino via SH31 and Marokopa
Te Awamutu to Turangi via Mangakino
Taumarunui to Stratford *
Napier to Taihape *
The Wanganui River Road *
Waipukarau to Masterton via Weber and Alfredton
Waikanae to Featherston via Brown Owl
Picton to Havelock *
Motueka to Takaka *
Pretty much all of SH6 *

* = roads that shouldn't be missed.

That is far from a comprehensive list. It's also heavily North Island centric. I'll let those in the know expand on the more southern roads. (It's also a reminder that I really need to get back over there for some more riding as soon as time allows.)

Couple up North you missed Whangarei - Russel via Helena bay, Waipu - Kaiwaka via Mangawhai, whangarei - Kaikohe via SH 15 (two bridges) and the list goes on!

[HEsch]

BW Yamaha all good for servicing my MT09 and for helping out the OH when he didn't turn off traction control, before starting bike and putting in gear to clean chain -> fault code (they have built in traction somethingorratheridontreallycare). They sorted him out on the spot to clear the fault code, no hesitation.

[RDJ]

I second the Wanganui River Road.

Also SH4 (especially the Paraparas) = awesome twisties whether done full-on or leisurely.

Watch for the occasional patch of sheep- and cow-shit.

The Desert Road (while not a Desert) is goodly also, because, you can crank to on the straights but there are interesting bends too.

[NZ-JESTER]

Couple up North you missed Whangarei - Russel via Helena bay, Waipu - Kaiwaka via Mangawhai, whangarei - Kaikohe via SH 15 (two bridges) and the list goes on!

So far I have an extensive route planned for the North.

Anyone feel free to comment on these roads

Cambridge to Kawakawa Bay
Via Te Awamutu-Pironga-Whatawhata-Pukekawa (HWY22)-Mangatangi-Kawakawa
Auckland-Rawene
Via Kaukapa-wellsford (SH16)-Dargaville-Rawene (SH12)
Hokianga-Cape Reinga
Via Broadwood-Ahipara-Kaitaia
Kaitaia-Auckland
Via Matauri Bay-Waitangi (SH10)-Whangarei (Russell Rd)-Mangawhai-Leigh-Auckland
Auckland-Whakatane
Via Kawakawa Bay-Coromandel Loop-Tauranga-Lake Rotorua (Oropi Rd and SH6)-Whakatane
Whakatane-Napier
Via Hicks Bay-Gisborne-Napier (SH35+SH2)
Napier-Wellington
Via Elsthorpe-Weber-Masterton-Wellington

These are some routes I have planned out, the aim is to stay off gravel as much as possible, to stay off main highways and to try use more scenic and backroads when possible.

What do you all think? Am I looking at running into any trouble on these roads? Are there better ones for getting between each location?
Basically Im planning on doing a loop from Auckland up to Cape Reinga then down to Wellington, with the overall goal of ending up in Bluff later on. It's my Cape Reinga-Bluff Journey.

For this North Island leg I have set a time of 6 Days.

[Bonez]

Looking good. I've got secure parking space, tools and currently unused spare room in case yuo need any thing down this part of the country.

Have a safe journey.

[release_the_bees]

It looks good. The only suggestions that I would immediately give is that I would highly recommend finding time to do the Napier to Taihape, and Stratford to Taumarunui roads somehow. (In my opinion, they are two of the best roads in the whole North Island in terms of the roads themselves, the ever changing topography, and the comparative lack of traffic). Although, it is worth pointing out that there is a small gravel section on the Forgotten Highway (Stratford to Taumarunui), so I can see why you might have left it off of your list.

[F5 Dave]

It looks good. The only suggestions that I would immediately give is that I would highly recommend finding time to do the Napier to Taihape, and Stratford to Taumarunui roads somehow. (In my opinion, they are two of the best roads in the whole North Island in terms of the roads themselves, the ever changing topography, and the comparative lack of traffic). Although, it is worth pointing out that there is a small gravel section on the Forgotten Highway (Stratford to Taumarunui), so I can see why you might have left it off of your list.
I did those roads Friday and Saturday plus others. Gravel road section is about 12km and was easy gravel, lots of non gravelly areas but maybe that's better in dry than if it were particularly wet.

[Blackbird]

Some mates and I did a tour in February covering part of the southern north island and up the eastern side using lots of back roads. Lots of photos here: http://geoffjames.blogspot.com//2020/03/the-green-badge-tour-part-1.html and 2 subsequent posts. Happy to send you the actual routes for each area in more detail on Google Maps. Although the South Island is what most people think of as the riding "gold standard", the north island offers some fantastic rides with not much traffic.

I see that you have the Coro Loop on your list. The only advice I can give as a Coromandel resident is to avoid main holiday periods and weekends if possible - too much traffic with people leaving their brains at home. Weekdays are far more rewarding.