North & South Island ride. Any suggestions?

[Mountlocal1]

Howdy...

Planning a 5 week (2 in the Nth, 3 in the Sth) ride :whistle:....Looking for any info on routes, places to see, places not to see...

Anyone got any good bits of info? Will be going Jan-Feb.

Cheers!

[Nasty]

east coast from opotiki to gisborne ... its amazing ... I did a seven day tour around the north island recently and it was just awesome ... just remember to take some gas around there as the stuff on that road was really extra costly.

[98tls]

End of January is the Woodstock bike rally over on the westcoast,an awsome weekend and worth including in your plans.

[sinfull]

Burt monroe rally in november !
Have ya got any dates planned ? How about bike ? lots of adventure bike type of roads in nz that are well worth thinkin about !

[Mountlocal1]

Burt monroe rally in november !
Have ya got any dates planned ? How about bike ? lots of adventure bike type of roads in nz that are well worth thinkin about !

Thatd be sweet but has to be Jan-Feb because of one of the guys work commitments.. Il be riding a VFR800 (at this stage)

[sinfull]

Thatd be sweet but has to be Jan-Feb because of one of the guys work commitments.. Il be riding a VFR800 (at this stage)

Only thing springs to mind (be heaps going on all over the country that time o yr though) is wangamomona republic day on the 26 27th jan down the forgotten world highway and there is talk the rural riders might be holding a bit of a shin dig to coinside with those dates at Tahora about 20 north of wanga ! Can vouch for them guys putting on a good weekend !

[cowboyz]

look up these roads

forgotten highway
east cape
opotiki to gisborne
castlepoint
rimutakas
eight mile
awakino/mt messenger
anything based around that will be a awesome week (unless your like bandit rider and then it will be an awesome 24hrs)

[Blackbird]

South Island ride report: http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=52569

[Ryan432]

I did a three week trip at the begining of the year round the south island here:
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=73330&highlight=gn250+south
places in the north island that are good are the roads down to cape paliser at the bottom of the north island, some really clean grippy tarmac most of the way down with a tiny bit of gravel at the end, you'll be alright tho guy we wer with did it on a big boulevard type thing and another dude was on a yamaha race bike, alot of the roads we did in the south island were gravel but if your up for a bit of adventure it is well worth it and pretty rideable stuff. (except for the one 4X4 track). the west coast of the south island riding north from haast is mean too.

one thing you should not leave without is a book called "the motorcycle atlas of new zealand" it has great write ups for all the best roads and the conditions, rideabilty etc keep in mind tho that he is pretty cautious in the book so somethings can seem harder than they actually are.
:rock on:

[Mountlocal1]

South Island ride report: http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=52569

LEGEND. Thanks for the link.

[Jantar]

For Jan - Feb, Make the South Island section via Nelson to Westport, back over Lweis Pass to Canterbury, then Aurthurs Pass to the West Coast in time for the Woodstock Rally. Then continue down past the glaciers, over Hasst on the best motorcycling road in NZ to Wanaka. Crown Range to Queenstown, then Te Anua and the 2nd best motorcyling road to Milford Sound. Down to Invergumboot then the Catlins route to Balclutha. Up through Central Otago to arrive in Alexandra for the Vincent Rally on the first weekend in Feb. Over the Lindis Pass and up through McKenzie Country (maybe a detour into Mt Cook), then the inland scenic route to Christchurch. Back up to Picton, and 3 weeks has fit the time perfectly.

[DUCATI*HARD]

hey bro,glad to hear your still riding:msn-wink:the vfr aye:niceone:on ya bro,looks like the hondas gonna get the webs cleared out,pitty we couldnt join you:crybaby:or could we:scratch:i doubt it!:weep:

[Hitcher]

WINJA's roof is a shrine.

[Mountlocal1]

hey bro,glad to hear your still riding:msn-wink:the vfr aye:niceone:on ya bro,looks like the hondas gonna get the webs cleared out,pitty we couldnt join you:crybaby:or could we:scratch:i doubt it!:weep:Hey Bro... How are ya? Not riding yet. Sold the bike so I could get debt free and save up to buy a new bike with cash cash cash :clap:... Should be a mean ride! Im sure you could join us for a central/north north island section... Hmmmmm? :devil2:

[Warr]

Heres the itinerary we followed in the SI
Places not to be missed.
Akaroa inc the EdwinFoxII boat trip out to the heads
Queenstown - Crown Range
Riverton - TeAnau - Milford
Westcoast especially Fox - FransJoseph
Takaka Hill road.

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=40755

[tbone]

Hey,

I just did both Islands in late May - safe to say you picked a better time!
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=75439

In the South Island, I had the best scenery (to me) around the Kaikoura area, but there were some wicked as corners near the Glaciers. I had a alot of fun going from Picton to Nelson via the Queen Charlotte Drive - narrow at times though.

In the North Island, from what I did travel I liked the road from Wanganui to Taumaranui the best, when you go past the National Park (not through Waiouru). Through there are some challenging corners (well at least for me they were!) and some really gorgeous scenery.

If you don't mind your bike getting a little dirty - I recommend going up to Cape Reinga - going up there was a last minute decision, alot of gravel to get there (bout 25-30 odd km return) but well worth it. To and from Kaitaia it's about a 230km trip. The fish and chip shop in Mangonui is probably the best I've come across!

[ajturbo]

anywhere in the south island is good.. apart from the straight roads south of chch.... yawn...

get over to collingwood, one way trip unfortunatly .. but well worth it!

if i could i would live down south again...
the main trouble i have is where!

[Qkchk]

Usually I organise a group ride up to the Cape at the end of Jan for Auckland Anniversary Weekend. See here (http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=59856&highlight=northern+exposure+tour) for this years details.

[Warr]

......I recommend going up to Cape Reinga - going up there was a last minute decision, alot of gravel to get there (bout 25-30 odd km return) but well worth it. To and from Kaitaia it's about a 230km trip. The fish and chip shop in Mangonui is probably the best I've come across!
Heading up or down ninety mile beach is the go too. Your road bike is quite capable of getting through the Te Paki. I did it 2 up. Pillion got her boots wet !