Hello (Dutch)

[Dutch]

Hi,

Visiting from Canada for 6 months, bought a 04 Bandit to tour the country while I'm on a working travel visa. Currently living in Ashburton and have done a few weekend trips. Last weekend I did a trip up to Nelson, Golden Bay, Westport, Greymouth and Aurthers pass (1600kms) with mostly nice weather. Still need to do a few runs to take a look at the glaciers and Queenstown. I'm enjoying the roads and scenery here:cool:.
I'm currently planning a trip to the North Island for next month and if anyone has some suggestions it would be appreciated.

[Dan Mapp]

Hi and welcome to New Zealand

[325rocket]

I'm currently planning a trip to the North Island for next month and if anyone has some suggestions it would be appreciated.

hi welcome to the site.

when you get to wellington head right down SH2 (towards lower hutt / upper hutt / masterton) and make your way up that side of the country.

[Moki]

hi welcome to the site.

when you get to wellington head right down SH2 (towards lower hutt / upper hutt / masterton) and make your way up that side of the country.



Not a lot to see up SH1 from Wellington. Best riding from Wellington is up SH2 into the Wairarapa:2thumbsup

[speights_bud]

I'm currently planning a trip to the North Island for next month and if anyone has some suggestions it would be appreciated.

If you head over to the East Coast on your North Island (Napier/Hastings) trip flick myself or MSTRS a PM if you want to meet up with some locals or need a bed for the night :niceone:

Got some Nice Roads here in Hawke's Bay :ride:

[Brooke]

Hey Welcome! Hope you are getting good weather and seeing good sights on your trip. If you are heading up this way of the island at all check us out on Waikato, laxed out rides, as we go for a ride most weekend and the more the merrier!

[kanny]

Hi!Welcome enjoy your adventure:niceone:

[naphazoline]

nice one mate.welcome to new zealand. i'm sure you'll enjoy riding around here.

p.s.
welcome to k.b. aswell

[Charlie41]

Welcome to KB...and New Zealand...some nice roads here :)

[fire eyes]

welcome to paradise!!!!!!!!!!!

[Radar]

I'm currently planning a trip to the North Island for next month and if anyone has some suggestions it would be appreciated.

After you spend some time in Wellington, head to Upper Hutt and go across the Rimutakas - one of the best biker roads around - and get yourself into the Wairarapa. Send me a PM or email and I or my mates will show you around our area; we have a spare room for visitors if you need a place. Castlepoint is a must, and maybe the favourite biker stop: the Gladstone Pub.

Then head on up to Napier, across 'Gentle Annie' to Waiuru, the Desert Road and the volcanoes (see the album of photos on my profile page), then Taupo and Rotorua.

A few months ago another Canadian came our way: Dan (KB'er Atmonauti). Dan stayed at our house and stopped by especially to thank me for getting him to join Couchsurfing http://www.couchsurfing.com Free accommodation and you will meet fantastic people - its all legit and we have over 250,000 members worldwide.

[Mom]

Hi,
I'm currently planning a trip to the North Island for next month and if anyone has some suggestions it would be appreciated.

Hi there, if you get north of Auckland be sure to stop in and say hi to Maha and me :yes: We are about an hour north of the city and have a comfy bed for travellers to rest. There are some awesome coastal roads up here, great counterpoint to those gorgeous mountains you have down there. Travel safe, and enjoy your stay in Godzone!

[The Stranger]

hi welcome to the site.

when you get to wellington head right down SH2 (towards lower hutt / upper hutt / masterton) and make your way up that side of the country.

Why would you do that?
Best road in the North Island is of course SH43, co-incidentally it also has wicked scenery.

If you can get to there via Whanganui even better. Whanganui happens to be the most beautiful town in NZ and SH4 between Whanganui and Raetihi is pretty damn good too, however unfortunately SH3 sucks.

[fire eyes]

welcome :2thumbsup

[LittleRichard]

Hi there. :)

[Dutch]

Thanks for the welcome and suggestions. Been away from the internet for a while. I'm currently in Rotorua and the weather is not entirely co-operating today. I have done some great roads on my way to Hastings, took the backroads and visited Castlepoint yesterday.

[Brownbikerbabe]

Always good to see another Canuck here. One day I'll get my butt in NZ. I hope. I hear the roads are great! Hope you're enjoying the other side of the world, we're in the deep freeze here. Brrrrrrr!!!

P.S. you did say you were working down there? sounds like you're having a blast!...just the jealousy oozing out...sorry. :rolleyes:

[klingon]

Thanks for the welcome and suggestions. Been away from the internet for a while. I'm currently in Rotorua and the weather is not entirely co-operating today. I have done some great roads on my way to Hastings, took the backroads and visited Castlepoint yesterday.

I really reccommend taking some of those Hawkes Bay folks up on their offers of accommodation and/or guided tours. You won't regret it!

Enjoy the rest of your ride - I hope the weather gets better for you.

[klingon]

By the way, my brother is arriving from Canada (Calgary) on Monday. He says he can't wait to see the pohutukawa trees and not see any snow. It sounds freezing over there! :cold:

[pete376403]

If you head over to the East Coast on your North Island (Napier/Hastings) trip flick myself or MSTRS a PM if you want to meet up with some locals or need a bed for the night :niceone:

Got some Nice Roads here in Hawke's Bay :ride:
+10 on that - Wairoa to Gisborne is fantastic (inland route, cant remember the name of the road)

[Maha]

We have Dutch at our place today, took him down to Puhoi for lunch, met up with MadDuck and then onto SH16 and Woodcocks rd. Tomorrow hes doing a day trip to the Cape, hope the bed downstairs is long enough for him....1.98cm. Not to many people have to duck to get through the doorways at our place :confused:

[yungatart]

If you find yourself back in Hawkes Bay, we have plenty of room here for bikes and bods and we know some good folk to show you the roads.
Enjoy your travels.

I hope Mom didn't keep you up all night drinking..she can be naughty like that....

[Nasty]

Plenty of room in Welly at our place as well .. with decent size beds too!!

[Mom]

If you find yourself back in Hawkes Bay, we have plenty of room here for bikes and bods and we know some good folk to show you the roads.
Enjoy your travels.

I hope Mom didn't keep you up all night drinking..she can be naughty like that....

Thats rich! :Pokey:

No, he is a well trained house guest. Off up to the Cape today! Expecting him back at some stage, no doubt tired out. Not sure what his next stop will be south of here, will get him to post it up before he leaves.

[MadDuck]

Not to many people have to duck to get through the doorways at our place :confused:

No I dont have that problem. Did you notice when he stood up I tried not to get too close....I feel short enough as it is!

Hope you enjoy the rest of your trip Dutch and dont forget to try and get to some of the National racing while you are down in the southern regions.

[Maha]

Well, hes been gone 9 hours, whats it to the Cape and back from here? 800 plus K's??..sure hope the weather has been good for him.

[klingon]

Well, hes been gone 9 hours, whats it to the Cape and back from here? 800 plus K's??..sure hope the weather has been good for him.

My Sis lives near the Cape and she says the roads have been as greasy as anything all day. Steady drizzle. Hope he enjoys his ride! :doh:

[Maha]

My Sis lives near the Cape and she says the roads have been as greasy as anything all day. Steady drizzle. Hope he enjoys his ride! :doh:

Yeah he txt and said he should be back around 8pm....730Ks round trip (direct route)...pretty sure he wanted to go through Waipua which will add a bit more.

[klingon]

So did he get back safe & sound?
Did he make it all the way to the light house - and could he see anything through the drizzle?
Did he pay his respects to Tane Mahuta on the way home?
Did he manage to stay dry & happy despite the conditions?

[Mom]

So did he get back safe & sound?
Did he make it all the way to the light house - and could he see anything through the drizzle?
Did he pay his respects to Tane Mahuta on the way home?
Did he manage to stay dry & happy despite the conditions?



Poor dutch.

He got back here last night at about quarter to 9, he had left the house about 9:30 in the morning. It apparently rained non-stop for him all day, his gloves were wringing wet. He has the good wet weather gear though, so he was dry, but tired :yes: He got about 5kms on the gravel part of the road up to the lighthouse and then decided it was prudent to turn around it was so wet and slippery. Not the best conditions for a 1200 Bandit to be out and about in. So no, he did not get to the cape after all that.

He left here this morning to go north again, this time to do the west coast through the forest, see the Tane Mahuta, and re-do the twin bridges road in reverse. Not sure if we will see him back tonight, he wanted to see Piha and get south of the city before stopping. At least he has had a dry day today.

[klingon]

Poor dutch. (etc)



Yeah I wondered about that. Sis made it sound like it was pretty awful for riding up that way. Hoepfully the rest of his journey will be a little more pleasant. :hug:

[bluebird]

A great ride is from Waioru to Ngaruawahia via Taumarunui and Otorohanga. It's called the King Country. You can then cut across to Mt Maunganui.
If it is possible there is an organised ride starting at the Chateau in National Park on the 25th of January and going to Stratford, it will be a great tour.:niceone:

[Mom]

Yeah I wondered about that. Sis made it sound like it was pretty awful for riding up that way. Hoepfully the rest of his journey will be a little more pleasant. :hug:

He said the water was running in riverlets down the road to meet him...LOL

[Dutch]

A big thanks to Mom and Maha for letting me stay at their place for two nights while I explored the North penisula and Kauri coast. The weather was much better on Tuesday:2thumbsup. Stayed in Thames that night. Went to Tongariro national park and did the tongariro crossing today. Planning to end up in Waitomo on Friday to do some blackwater rafting on Saturday as weather is not going to be very good.

[Maha]

Wow you put the K's in Marinus, yes you are right, Tuesday was a great day and by the looks of that last picture, I can see why the lighthouse wasn't n option on Monday, so close. How far did you get on Tuesday heading North?

[Dutch]

I went through the Waipoua forest and headed back through twin bridges, then down through Piha and off to Thames. So a couple more kilometers on Tuesday.

[Mom]

You are mad, crazy biker...LOL

Was lovely to have you stay over, pity the weather was so crap for your big push to the cape. I am tired thinking aboiut you doing all those k's and a look at the Tongariro crossing.

Waitomo rocks! The most when I was growing up, parents embarrass the hell out of me moment I had was there :(

Glow worms turn their lights out apparently hearing sudden, loud noises :yes:

:o Friggen loudest sneezer in the world was my Mommy :pinch: