Auckland to Rotorua and Back on a GN250?

[Choco]

Now this post isn't really about the trip, but more about what I learned from it (it being my first semi-long distance trip) so first, I let me set the scene:
My Aunt and Uncle were coming over from Ireland for a bit of a holiday, and we decided to take them down to Rotorua on the 19th and then come back to Auckland for Christmas. I was asked by the parents if I wanted to tag along... On my bike. So, armed with my shiny Suzuki GN250, a sexy High-Vis vest and a manly L-plate strapped on the back, I followed the parents in the car.

Now, what did I learn from my trip/Advice to other Newbies?
-The best way to start doing longer distance trips is following someone in a car who knows the way and is aware of the fact you might be slow and/or over cautious and will pull over if you get separated. Parents work well.

-Hi-Vis Vests = people see you more.

-I traveled about 500km on open roads with an L-plate on the back, traveling at a reasonable speed/ or with traffic: Didn't get pulled over and cagers treated me like a car with an L-plate on. Did I pass a nice convention?

-Clean bikes don't stay that way after a tank of gas on open roads.

-In the wet just slow down until your comfortable, screw anyone else around you and/or just pull over.

-Without wind GN's can get to, and go (slightly) over 100kmph and even pass cars!!!!:gob: Don't ignore them when looking your first bike, they are a great learner bike IMHO.

-sitting on a GN thats doing 6.5 thousand rpm for more than an hour /hour and a half solid means ass ache.

-Parents just kick ass. Honestly. Especially ones that pay for your fuel so they can get the flybuys points.:rockon:

Thats about all for now; might be doing this again in a week or two going up to Pihia so there might be a few more tips from that trip too.

Ride safe and Learners wear your L-plates with pride!
Mike

[merv]

Mate, great trip and a good learning experience. Keep it up and Merry Christmas.

[Choco]

Thanks, Merry Christmas to you too!

[99TLS]

sounds like you learnt lots, keep up the good work :Punk:

[Choco]

Thanks for the comment and trust me, I'm not going to be stop riding anytime soon!

[Matt_TG]

Well done, and good on your parents for letting you have some distance touring experience with their backup.

:niceone:

[Choco]

Well done, and good on your parents for letting you have some distance touring experience with their backup.

:niceone:

From their point of view its a good deal too; they can see how/what I'm doing and can help if it go south.

[MaxCannon]

I'm reluctant to take the GN out of town due to it's lack of top end speed.

I might cruise at 100 on the flat but hills give mine the shits
With a headwind it stuggles to hold 80 on any significant gradient.

As you say - they are great to learn on, very user friendly.

[Colapop]

Hahaha farken legend! Everyone should do a trip like that on whatever they can get their hands on. They might actually learn something. Ride everything you possibly can - all bikes have something to offer even the most experienced rider. Awesome - you too can become the next Gijoe1313 (look him up)

I'm reluctant to take the GN out of town due to it's lack of top end speed.

I might cruise at 100 on the flat but hills give mine the shits
With a headwind it stuggles to hold 80 on any significant gradient.

As you say - they are great to learn on, very user friendly.Do whatever you're comfortable with - and extend yourself from time to time. You get comfortable with what you know then add to it. If you are doing the same thing again and again you're not learning.

[blue eyed savage]

good one, also

STAY OFF THE PAINT. especially when it wet
dont run wide just crank the bike over and go for it. (thats got to be beter than a head on or god know what)
and wear warm gear.

Keep up the good work:niceone:

[HTFU]

From their point of view its a good deal too; they can see how/what I'm doing and can help if it go south.

Mate they could just check out kiwibiker and the camera shots of that corner you Aucklanders all have on your profiles.

But seriously good on you getting out on your own and doing some distance riding. You will learn a shit load more doing that than playing silly buggers with a bike/camera/corner.

Get some straighter bars on the GN and it will solve the sore ass problem. I did plenty of 500km rides on mine and the bars made a big difference. The GN also goes well on the gravel roads out South West of Auckland / Waikato so give them a go when you been riding a bit longer (just don't grab to much front brake). Gravel riding on the GN gives you some good skills on a motorbike. :2thumbsup

[Ixion]

I'm reluctant to take the GN out of town due to it's lack of top end speed.

I might cruise at 100 on the flat but hills give mine the shits
With a headwind it stuggles to hold 80 on any significant gradient.

As you say - they are great to learn on, very user friendly.

Y'know there's a whole world out there that you don't need to (and shouldn't) do 100kph.

Stay off Sh1 Sh2 Sh5 and motorways. The back roads are more interesting, have better scenery, the pople are nicer (yes, you actually meet them!), and you don't need to (or want to) go more than 80kph. Just get a map, and work out a route using the little roads. Odds are you'll go all day and hardly see another vehicle.

You will see wildlife, birds, friendly (usually) famers (slow down and say hi), interesting little towns, breathtaking scenary.

It's relaxed, it's fun, and you CAN do it on a GN. Hell, I've done it on a 4bhp Bantam.

[Choco]

Stay off Sh1 Sh2 Sh5 and motorways. The back roads are more interesting, have better scenery, the pople are nicer (yes, you actually meet them!), and you don't need to (or want to) go more than 80kph. Just get a map, and work out a route using the little roads. Odds are you'll go all day and hardly see another vehicle.

You will see wildlife, birds, friendly (usually) famers (slow down and say hi), interesting little towns, breathtaking scenary.


We mostly did back roads going there and back and they are much more interesting than the motorway! Also for most of the trip there was barely anything else on the road.

On that note; I will probably end up going to Pihia in about three days; anyone know any good roads/ have any advice for that area?

Thanks for all the comments
Mike

[Wiki Drifter]

Good stuff, two of my fairly experienced riding mates with good bikes has never ridden further than from Auckland to Hamilton. :oi-grr:

[fireball]

Mate they could just check out kiwibiker and the camera shots of that corner you Aucklanders all have on your profiles.



if you see my profile pic it it the legend GN250 Chinese wheels going around that corner!

but good onya mike bloody good effort! im free 2mrw if you keen for a ride! :niceone::niceone:

[gijoe1313]

The spirit of the ride lives on in you! :niceone: Glad to hear you got out and about and did some long kays under your wheels! :scooter: The open back roads are a wonder and a joy to pootle along and really has the bike humming along! :yes:

The more you ride, the more you want to ride! :msn-wink: And oh yes, the mighty ginny has even done a half coro loop when I was out and about so they can and will go anywhere they please! :first:

[Choco]

And oh yes, the mighty ginny has even done a half coro loop when I was out and about so they can and will go anywhere they please! :first:

Hmm... Half Coro loop eh? Sounds like a challenge to do a full! :D


but good onya mike bloody good effort! im free 2mrw if you keen for a ride! :niceone::niceone:

I have to show the Aunt/Uncle round Auck's so I'm busy sorry :crybaby: Have you ditched the loaner bike yet?


Good stuff, two of my fairly experienced riding mates with good bikes has never ridden further than from Auckland to Hamilton. :oi-grr:

Its not That hard; just get on the motorway and keep going!

[fireball]

so choco not to sound bad or nothing did you exceed your 80k top speed? as i did notice the night i escorted you home you didnt like to push the bike much faster than that.......
and how is your gear shifting and confidence on the road now?
i am very proud of you young man! well done!

[PrincessBandit]

Stay off Sh1 Sh2 Sh5 and motorways. The back roads are more interesting, have better scenery, the pople are nicer (yes, you actually meet them!), and you don't need to (or want to) go more than 80kph. Just get a map, and work out a route using the little roads. Odds are you'll go all day and hardly see another vehicle.

It's relaxed, it's fun, and you CAN do it on a GN.

Sure can and well done on the big ride! And a big :2thumbsup to your folks for supporting you; they sound awesome.
The back roads are great and my wee Rosie (GN) ate up the miles to Taupo via Rotorua (missed my turn off after Matamata:whistle:) But the tiki tour was well worth it and the solitude was actually quite exhilarating.
I didn't notice a sore bum after that trip (but my GSF gives me such a numbum that i'm seriously looking into those gel seats :baby:).
Keep up the good work man and many many more miles of great riding!:clap:

[Choco]

so choco not to sound bad or nothing did you exceed your 80k top speed? as i did notice the night i escorted you home you didnt like to push the bike much faster than that.......
and how is your gear shifting and confidence on the road now?
i am very proud of you young man! well done!

I think my shifting has improved quite dramatically; I'm pushing the revs higher and going faster before I shift up now and just generally keeping the revs high(er) so I don't loose speed on hills. Might have to go for another ride with you lot before I get tied up with work in January.

[Lucy]

if you see my profile pic it it the legend GN250 Chinese wheels going around that corner!

but good onya mike bloody good effort! im free 2mrw if you keen for a ride! :niceone::niceone:

Where exactly is that corner?

[EJK]

Argh damn you ChocWheels! I was gonna go to Rotorua on my bike too :laugh:

I envy your journy :argh: lol

[Choco]

I'l tell you when I'm going next time, just don't leave me for dust when you get your flash new bike! :yes:

[sprag]

-sitting on a GN thats doing 6.5 thousand rpm for more than an hour /hour and a half solid means ass ache.




I think you get that with most bikes, i know a few times i have gotten off mine and my butt has been sore.

[Taz]

Yes I had a slightly sore butt during and after the 1600km's of the 07 rusty nut's Grand challenge. 19 hours on a bike and your butt aint just numb it's dead! And BMW's are supposed to be comfortable, bullshit! :) I read that they hire BMW employees like this, they line them up and walk along whacking them on the arse with a 4x2 the one that doesn't scream gets to be in charge of the seat department ;)
Congrats on your first big ride. My first big ride many many moons ago was to Dargaville on a Honda C50 step thru. top speed 70kmh! Had a ball.
Glad to see you chose one of the best bikes to learn on. More of the valentino's on here should do the same IMO.
Andy

[jrandom]

GNs are awesome.

Last weekend, I parked Betty up for a night at the Kaitaia Hotel beside a GN250 owned by a Murkn chap who'd bought it new and put 6500km on it touring around both islands. Maximum respect.

It's nice to have a big bike and be able to waft up long hills doing a hundred miles an hour at 5000rpm, but all that really means is less time spent riding and more chance of losing one's licence. Not to mention fuel efficiency that's worse than most compact cars.

I don't think small air-cooled single-cylinder motorcycles will ever go out of fashion.

[judecatmad]

LOL, we did Wellington to Rotorua and back last Labour weekend (not this one, the one before) - the whole story is regailed under 'Rotorua road trip on the ginnys'!

You did well! Seems as tho you enjoyed the experience a whole lot more than I did - having said that, I quite enjoyed the part of our journey as far as Napier (well, by Hastings I was getting a bit tired). So manybe it was just the whole distance that truly did me in?!

[Xaria]

Great report. Sounds like you learnt lots

[Choco]

Yes I had a slightly sore butt during and after the 1600km's of the 07 rusty nut's Grand challenge.
Nice! I've heard about that, might have to give it a go one day :P


Congrats on your first big ride. My first big ride many many moons ago was to Dargaville on a Honda C50 step thru. top speed 70kmh! Had a ball.
Glad to see you chose one of the best bikes to learn on. More of the valentino's on here should do the same IMO.
Andy

:yes: I love the GN as my first bike, its very forgiving and you don't break much if you do bin it....


GNs are awesome.
:yes:


I don't think small air-cooled single-cylinder motorcycles will ever go out of fashion.
They are just so basic and cheap to run!


LOL, we did Wellington to Rotorua and back last Labour weekend (not this one, the one before) - the whole story is regailed under 'Rotorua road trip on the ginnys'!

Is this Auck's to Rotorua thing turning into a GN rite of passage or something?!


You did well! Seems as tho you enjoyed the experience a whole lot more than I did

Loved it; except when it started tipping it down and you couldn't tell where the center line was! :P


Great report. Sounds like you learnt lots

Sure did!

Thanks for all your comments guys!
Mike

[Maha]

Thats about all for now; might be doing this again in a week or two going up to Pihia so there might be a few more tips from that trip too.

Ride safe and Learners wear your L-plates with pride!
Mike

Just got back from Rotorua, went down there via Thames on boxing day. Sign said 'SH2 TO KOPU 40 MINS'...fuck off im on a bike, car ques not really a prob. Left Thames about 3.30, got to Te Aroha and took the Old Te Aroha rd for something different (comes out at the bottom of the Ki meyes somewhere) nice rd....saw maybe 4 cars. Bloody cold over the Mamakus (arsehole place that) then warmed up over the other side. Came back today and saw some 'interesting car driver descisions' thats where finger gestures from Number two work over time....:lol:...more ques at Orewa but once agian, round the outside, see ya later when i stop for a smoke, got some abuse from the odd stressed car driver as we rode by but hey...nuff about me, nice write up there Mike and the trip to Pahia is a goody mate, enjoy the GN....:cool:

[Choco]

I ended up turning down the Pihia trip due to other commitments :( but I may be doing a slightly longer trip in the near future... More L-plate touring in the future folks! :niceone:

[Chill]

Good stuff on your GN tour. I've gone Wellington - Northland and back a couple of times on mine. Stayed off the main roads as much as possible - went around the back of Tongariro National Park, and up through the King Country. Great biking country! Also less police, and I was on my learners, but never used the L plate because I think the 70kph rule is dangerous on the open road. (granted that the intention may be to keep you off the open road)

Never had any problem holding speed on main roads, I keep the chain tight and lubricated and the bike holds 100-120 no problem (without a head wind mind you). Been over the Rimutaka hill 20 times now too, and the GN still owns 99% of cars on that.
Only other bikes will be flying past you!

Hoping to do the East Cape and Coromandel this summer. 17,000 km and counting. Go the GN.

[Lucy]

Good stuff on your GN tour. I've gone Wellington - Northland and back a couple of times on mine. Stayed off the main roads as much as possible - went around the back of Tongariro National Park, and up through the King Country. Great biking country! Also less police, and I was on my learners, but never used the L plate because I think the 70kph rule is dangerous on the open road. (granted that the intention may be to keep you off the open road)

Never had any problem holding speed on main roads, I keep the chain tight and lubricated and the bike holds 100-120 no problem (without a head wind mind you). Been over the Rimutaka hill 20 times now too, and the GN still owns 99% of cars on that.
Only other bikes will be flying past you!

Hoping to do the East Cape and Coromandel this summer. 17,000 km and counting. Go the GN.

Good stuff fellow GN owners! Nice to hear them getting out and about. I have a firm belief that most learning is done on long rides, and that beginners who spend ages going around the block in their neighbourhood would be far better off in terms of confidence and skills, by getting off the main drags and going for a two or more hour jaunt. I was riding to and from work for a bit, but it wasnt until one day I said "stuff it, I'm going to Whangarei" (from Aucks) that I really started to feel at one with the bike, and that I belonged, and had every right, to be on the road with everyone else.