Six day ride in the North Island

[Frodo]

A relatively quiet time before Christmas and the promise of good weather encouraged me to take a quick ride (six days, 2000km) around the North Island south of Auckland. I had just completed a 50,000km service of the bike, so we were ready to go.
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I left home on the Kapiti Coast, up through the Wairarapa, to Hawkes Bay, then around East Cape, Bay of Plenty, across to Raglan, around Cape Egmont and back home.

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In spite of a positive forecast a couple of days previously, I woke up to light rain and a dismal day. Paekakariki with Kapiti Island.

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Over the Remutaka Hill - as I rode northwest in the Wairarapa the clouds cleared and the temperature rose from 15'C to 24'C.

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An example of the superb motorcycling roads in the north Wairarapa.

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I planned to camp at Waikare River mouth but the forecast rain encouraged me to rent a cabin at Waipatiki Beach just north of Napier.

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A good call! I had the beach just about to myself (only two others swimming) and the clouds darkened before the rain arrived.

[Frodo]

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The sun rose on a deserted Waipatiki beach the next morning.

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The sun cast her golden light over the campground.

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The view from my cabin over breakfast.

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The Mohaka railway viaduct in the northern Hawkes Bay. I worked to get this river protected from hydro development in the 1980s.

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The back road between Wairoa and Gisborne (Tiniroto Road) is much revered by motorcyclists for its tight corners and lovely landscape (see thread in Sportsbike section of this forum).

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However, with the harvesting of pine forests, we must share the road with logging trucks that wreck the road and create hazards for bikes. I had ridden, and would ride, better roads along the East Coast.

[Frodo]

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Gorgeous weather just north of Gisborne

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Tokomaru Bay

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A cabin for the night at Tokomaru Bay. I highly recommend "Stranded in Paradise".

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Tokomaru Bay has a long history of the Ngati Porou. It was visited by Captain Cook in 1769 and Europeans established a whaling station here. Freezing works to process local cattle and sheep were built in 1909 and over the years additional buildings were added. The wharf provided the opportunity of ship transport before the road was built in the difficult terrain. Falling stock numbers, soil erosion, WWII and improving road transport led to the closure of the works in 1953.

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[Frodo]

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I got up before sunrise to take advantage of the best light for the old freezing works.

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An old photo of the Tokomaru Freezing Company in its heyday.

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The Tokomaru Bay wharf was built in the early 1900s and extended in 1911 to provide berthage for coastal ships servicing the freezing works and the wider Tokomaru Bay district.

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The old freezing works buildings are in disrepair.

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[Frodo]

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The roads north of Tokomaru Bay are superb for motorcycling and the scenery dramatic (when you lift your eyes off the road!).

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I filled up in Ruatoria. Generally only 91 available around the East Coast. My bike prefers 95, but is okay on 91.

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I rode on to Te Araroa, the easternmost town in New Zealand.

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... and then on the road to East Cape. I now have three photos of different Aprilia motorbikes under this tree!

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April 2010: Aprilia Pegaso Trail

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July 2014: Aprilia Shiver GT.

[Frodo]

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The road is generally very good gravel but one mile long stretch felt like I was riding on marbles. The last section before the lighthouse is badly affected by erosion.

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Some friendly road "hazards" near the lighthouse.

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I didn't walk up the 800m steps to the lighthouse, preferring to enjoy the spectacular ride back to Te Araroa.

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Leaving Te Araroa.

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More great roads west of the Cape.

[reasonable]

Nice , lucky b@#stard

[SaferRides]

Thanks for the trip report and photos.

You did well riding up to East Cape. The other side of the road has been badly damaged by loaded logging trucks in places, especially further north.

[Frodo]

I thought Tiniroto Road was about the worst in terms of damage. The roads are being fixed in places with tar and chip sections. It wasn't very warm when I was there, but already the fresh repairs had soft tar and loose chips. In other places heavy traffic had brought tar to the surface that was going soft. Could become a nightmare in some places in summer. Overall, I had a great ride (and will post more photos shortly).

[RDJ]

Thank you Frodo - a great vicarious tour to follow along with! Appreciate the quality pictures too.

[Frodo]

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More road hazards!

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The country opens up as I rode west into the Bay of Plenty.

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Beautiful carved entrance to Raukokore School.

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Posed photo in front of Raukokore Church

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Inside the church

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I then rode onto an informal, but beautiful campsite at Marehako and enjoyed a glass of wine as the sun set.

[Frodo]

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I woke to a glorious morning in Maraehako, but overnight rain meant a wet tent to pack up.

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Wide sweeping roads and great scenery around Te Kaha (facing the wrong for better photo composition!).

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Looking back towards Cape Runaway.

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Motu River - another great gravel ride up the Motu Road I'll have to repeat!

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Motu River mouth

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Opotiki

[Frodo]

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Pohutukawas were just starting to flower along the Bay of Plenty

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A refreshing swim is Lake Rotoma, near Rotorua. Then up through the congested roads around Tauranga to Katikati, where I stayed with my brother-in-law. Was quite a shock to be in so much traffic!

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Horticultural landscape near Katikati. SH 2 was a real pain with traffic.

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Karangahake Gorge would be a great ride if wasn't for all the trucks...

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The main street of Morrinsville (where I grew up) complete with fibreglass cows!

[Frodo]

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Lunch in Raglan on the coast west of Hamilton. Nice to get on decent winding roads out of Hamilton.

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Italian sports tourer meets Japanese adventure bike.

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Italian sports tourer meets Japanese cruiser on the road west of Raglan.

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The back road between Raglan and Kawhia is gravel and quite corrugated in places. Here I met three trail bikes.

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Well worth riding the challenging road conditions. The main issues were corrugations coming out of corners, especially uphill. There were also some great smooth sections of gravel.

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Back onto a wonderful sealed road north of Kawhia.

[Frodo]

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This ocean-going waka (Himemoana) was just departing as I arrived at Kawhia. Similar craft brought Maori to New Zealand and back to the Pacific Islands.

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Young motorcyclist!

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I stayed at the Awakino Pub ("where the real hardcore people go").

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Clearly "hardcore"!

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I wasn't the only biker staying at the pub!

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The sunset was well worth the clamber up the hill behind the pub. Mt Taranaki to the left.

[Frodo]

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Leaving the pub next morning with a bunch of adventure bikes.

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More great roads south of Awakino.

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Italian sports tourer meet American cruiser west of New Plymouth

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Highway 45 to the west of Mt Taranaki is called the "Surf Highway", but is mostly a couple of kilometres back from the coast. Very pleasant, rather than exciting, riding.

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Rural Taranaki scene - sadly the mountain was shrouded in cloud.

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Then back to Highway 1 and a boring ride (well, the very strong side winds added some excitement) via Bulls to home.