Going North

[Darkman]

I thinking of doing a trip up north. Wellington..napier..gisborne..Whakatane and the back again. Can anyone suggest some good roads,restaurants and places to see around there? And how long(time wise) is the trip from wellington to Napier....and napier to gisborne..and gisborne to whakatane.
Also need names of good motels in Napier and Whakatane with safe place to park the bike. Any help is appreciated.

[Hitcher]

Define "motel". Spa and Sky, or something a little more lower cost?

[Colapop]

Wairoa is a good 1st day trip or Gisborne. Mahia has a pub with accomodation (I think) there's a couple of motels in Wairoa and a ton in Napier. Gisborne was where those May-ori's tried to extort (oops) I mean collect rent from moteliers...

[skelstar]

When you going bud?
300kms to Hastings, I managed Gissie to home in a day with an hour break in Hastings (8am - 6pmish).

[Darkman]

Define "motel". Spa and Sky, or something a little more lower cost?

average I guess...$100-140/ night..just somewhere you can have a good nights sleep.

[Darkman]

When you going bud?
300kms to Hastings, I managed Gissie to home in a day with an hour break in Hastings (8am - 6pmish).


Sometime in september when nadine goes to Saffer land. Thought maybe doing it just before the track day at Taupo. So I can work my way there on the way back.

[limbimtimwim]

Go clockwise!!!

[Darkman]

Go clockwise!!!

Why? Explain.

[Skunk]

Cruising speeds: Wgtn to Napier - 3.5hrs, Napier to Gisborne - 2.5hrs but depends if you go inland (winding hills) or coastal (straights).

[Darkman]

Cruising speeds: Wgtn to Napier - 3.5hrs, Napier to Gisborne - 2.5hrs but depends if you go inland (winding hills) or coastal (straights).

The road least boring. With some good scenery.

[skelstar]

I went from Gissy to Wairoa via the inland route, but to be honest I didnt see much of it as it was tight and twisty and a bit too engaging to be able to appreciate the scenery. I think the coastal route would be a good option.

[Skunk]

Yeah, done both. The inland was fun on CT110's. Took us 5 hrs I think, including pub stops.

[pritch]

May I recommend the above-noted book of maps published by Hema Maps?

I find it most helpful in picking the roads to use on a trip such as that you're planning.

Information given to me by Gisborne locals was that it's better to drive north from Gisborne on the Waioeka Gorge and travel south around East Cape on the coast road. Having now done it both ways I think that's probably right.

[Colapop]

You may/will find that some of the inland route is still suffering from relatively recent weather events up that way. Remember that is the land of Cyclone Bola - shit gets left everywhere for months afterwards.

[Kendog]

You may/will find that some of the inland route is still suffering from relatively recent weather events up that way. Remember that is the land of Cyclone Bola - shit gets left everywhere for months afterwards.

Ha, try years!! Bloody Gissy city council!! The coast road from Wairoa to Gissy through Morere is nicer really anyway. Stop at Morere for a nice hot swim if you're wanting to relax some muscles by then.
Mrs KD.

[Colapop]

Used to be a pub there before it burned down. New years eve strolling along the beach at Mahia getting smack faced. A short hop to stock up at Morere. But there's a pub at Mahia now.

[Kendog]

Yeah, I remember, I was camping at Mahia and we went through to Morere to get "suplies", and discovered it had burnt down, pissed us off no end having to go to Wairoa.

[Colapop]

Pissed me off having to live there (for as long as I did)

[Bonez]

I thinking of doing a trip up north. Wellington..napier..gisborne..Whakatane and the back again. Can anyone suggest some good roads,restaurants and places to see around there? And how long(time wise) is the trip from wellington to Napier....and napier to gisborne..and gisborne to whakatane.
Also need names of good motels in Napier and Whakatane with safe place to park the bike. Any help is appreciated.Rodger and I did the East Cape Queens Birthday weekend. Found the Wairoa camping ground cabins nice and at around $45 good value. Should get there from Wellywood easily in a day.

Thread here- http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=30428

[Colapop]

... blah blah blah (me reposting) Dad has a hire business and laundromat there if you need to get gear washed (depending on the length of your journey)



Kea Hire
need it, hire it

[Kendog]

(Seeing as we're doing free advertising for Wairoa businesses, :laugh: ) My mum has the cattery in Wairoa if you need your pussy looked after.
Hey Cola, did you go to school in Wairoa?
Mrs KD.

[Colapop]

Just college @ "The Rock" (L K Traz - Wiaroa College ow!!) Hated it. Who's your Mum? (PM if you want)

[skelstar]

You wanted to say 'whos your daddy' but thought better of it eh? :)

[Highlander]

Um, spent my teen age years in Gisborne, worked in Tuai for a little over 4 years.

I generally travel 100 - 110 Km/hr

Wairoa - Gisborne 1 1/4 hr. Best route via Nuhaka / Morere, Tinoroto is too bendy to enjoy the scenery.

Napier - Gizzy 2 1/2 hrs depending on traffic / rd conditions.

Gizzy - Whakatane via Opotiki 2 1/2 ish (used to do Kawerau in that with the kids in the car on a regular basis).
Hope that helps.

[DougB]

:sunny: Call that going North. North is past Whangarei!!!!!