North Island Trip

[wanpo]

The Trip
Day 1 – Auckland -> New Plymouth
1300 – Met at my place and after attaching the clips necessary for the Bluetooth intercoms to our helmets, I realised I had forgotten to charge them, and they were out of batteries -_-. Left for cycletreads in Takapuna where Scott bought some pants. They were nice. We then set the trip-o-meter to zero and hit SH1 heading south. It was looking like a beautiful day.
A bit later (1700ish) – Weather was still holding up and we had a bathroom break at Otorohanga Maccy D’s. Reflected on our ride thus far and were having a blast, here was where we decided to chuck on our waterproof gear after getting hit with a short sun shower in-case of any more unforeseen crappy weather. Herein began the running dialogue of how much our asses hurt. Had a One Square Meal bar and left McD’s without buying anything (suckers.) On the way to New Plymouth, the weather began packing in, and we were thankful for the foresight to wear our wet weather gear. Night fell, had to pull over to change to a clear visor and thus began one of the most terrifying experiences of my life. Navigating the twisties through the mountains approaching New Plymouth with crappy road surfaces (rocks and mud spilled out onto the road) pouring rain, pitch blackness and blinding cars headlights lighting up all the rain on my fogged up visor and glasses beneath. After proceeding at a granny pace (at some parts) with our meagre headlights we finally arrived and found our backpackers. Hung up our wet gear to dry, grabbed some Indian and hit the bed; Learning our lesson: We’d leave early in the morning and I’d ride with contact lenses.

Day 2 – New Plymouth -> Wanganui via Forgotten World Highway
We got up at 0615 and were surprised to find most of our gear pretty dry. We suited up nice and quick and hit the road. The Bluetooth headsets had charged up and along with the whisper kits we had grabbed made for very clear communication (compared to the totally inaudible throat mic / CB radio combo we had tried earlier). We took a pic of Mt Taranaki and then got on the west cape highway. We pulled off for more pics at the western-most lighthouse and terrified the local bovine population as we went past. We rode a bunch of straights through to Stratford, where we ate, filled the tanks to the brim and checked tyre pressures and such before adventuring onto the forgotten world highway. The forgotten world highway was a major highlight of the trip. The weather was great, road mostly dry and the scenery quite stunning. This was where we first started to comment on how much nicer these roads were to ride on than anything we’ve found round Auckland. Going down one side of a saddle we saw some silly cager had slid into a ditch. What a loser! We took photos. Shortly after this we hit the big unpaved patch which had lost most of its gravel by this time of the year and was basically a mud wrestling pit. We took this very slowly at first but quite quickly became a bit more comfortable on it. Realised you just have to get used to the fact that the bike won’t go exactly where you point it, just roughly where you point it. Got past this and then hit Taumarunui for more gas and Scott to ring his boss and tell him he’s quitting (he got contract for new job in the mail on Saturday). We were starting to get small showers again as we headed down through national park. Lots of long straights mostly, but did go past the corner where I wrote my friend’s brand new ZXR250 before he had even seen it. Turns out it was 45 corner, but only marked on one side :S. Sun was starting to come down as we got into Wanganui... ate, slept.

Day 3 – Wanganui -> Wellington via Huntersville
Following the advice of a fellow kiwibiker, we adjusted our ride towards wellington through the mountains up to Huntersville (Through the freezing fucking cold mist in the valleys; Which made for some stunning sights the few times we rose above it) after a few stops to heat our freezing hands on our zorsts/engine bits we passed a sign cautioning us of Elderly Persons, designating we had reached Huntersville. By the time we had headed up to Vinegar Hill, the weather had really cleared up and we had a beautiful ride through twisties, then some long boring straights down to Fielding. After nearly getting killed on a roundabout in Paraparaumu (totally don’t need to give way to cars on your right if you’re on a motorbike >.>) We headed up Paekakariki Hill for one of our favourite stretches of road on the trip. Arrived in Welly around 2ish and quickly got bored and left for a bit of a ride around wellington (Mt Victoria was an awesome, but potentially dangerous ride, considering how close it was to the city centre) After getting $0 parking tickets outside Burgerfuel, we hit the YHA bunkbeds.

[wanpo]

Day 4 – Wellington -> Gisborne via Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapiki maungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu
We were going to have a rest day in Wellington but suffice to say a little Wellington goes a long way and we were keen to get back on the road. We were up at 0600 and outta there almost straight away. Went up SH2 fairly uneventfully; between Upper Hutt and Featherston was a pretty sweet bit of road but the weather was a bit so so unfortunately. We could see heavy storm clouds behind us and sunshine ahead, so we tried to keep up a pretty good pace. We didn’t want to take long straight SH2 all the way so we pulled up at Masterton and went down Bideford Rd, which kept us closer to the coast. We managed to get a bit lost though and ended up on about 30ks of gravel road. Came across a couple of farmers and their 20 odd dogs who seemed quite surprised to see a couple of street bikes out their way (or perhaps it was just seeing a couple of people). They were pretty staunch but assured us we’d get where we wanted to go eventually if we stuck to this road. We were starting to get fairly confident on the gravel and took it at a fair pace. Stopped for a couple of photos as this was some of the nicer scenery on the trip. Had a bit of a moment on the way out – we had realised early on that cattle absolutely hate the sound of the V-twin and came across a bull on the side of the road that was eying us up quite angrily. Scott went up the bank to try and sneak past and I went straight ahead... the bull got quite upset so I gassed it past and the bull started running towards Scott who gassed it too and got by. It was probably more panicking than charging but either way we were happy to be past. Eventually went past the longest place name in the world and then through Napier/Hastings and into Wairau which was to be our stop, but still had sunlight so pushed through to Gisbourne. Scott lost his first mirror here banging it into the gas pump (was only glued on in the first place) Was starting to get dark along the way and Scott’s bike suddenly cut out, so were on the side of the road in the dark feeling like this is exactly what we really didn’t want to happen but quickly realised it was just a fuse and he had a spare.
Got into Gisbourne and had a hankerin’ for some fish and chips, so pulled over and harassed the first (attractive) local we found for the best shop. Didn’t get much help from her but then were talking to a family out waving signs for the local dominoes pizza joint and got recommended the Aberdeen fish shop. Stuffed our faces and then headed off to the Flying Nun backpackers where we found a note on the door to come back at 2130 (1 hr away). Went down to the beach to play cards. Came back, met the incredibly spaced out owner and got a key to the room. To our surprise the girl we’d asked about fish and chips earlier was in the room too – a german on working holiday (so she had an excuse for not knowing). Had a bit of a chat then to bed. It was in Gisborne I suffered my largest and only injury of the trip; delivered by 2 cute/psycho kittens.

Day 5 – Gisborne -> Tirau via East Cape
We travelled the beautiful coastal road around East cape, passed on visiting the eastern most lighthouse of NZ and were running a bit low on fuel on our way through Tatapouri, tried filling up at the “petrol station” but they were out of everything but Diesel. Stopped by at a eatery for an early lunch and the nice shopkeeper rang ahead to the next town to ask if there was any fuel left and that we’d be passing through. A reasonably uneventful, but beautiful ride around the cape to Whakatane was succeeded by a visit to dangerousbastard, a ride on a bigger bike and a biker’s yarn/toasted sandwiches and tea (Thanks for your hospitality.) They gave us advice (and a printout) of the good roads to Tirau, which we were enjoying until the weather packed in, then I started riding like a little girl (I noticed that day, that the tread on my shitkos was wearing dangerously thin.) We arrived in Tirau after nightfall and stayed the night at Scottie’s girlfriend’s house after braving her dinner. It was actually kinda tasty, surprising, as it looked like roadkill.

Day 6 – Tirau -> Auckland via Coromandel Peninsula
Headed into Tauranga a bit later for our final, shortish and by far wettest day. From Tauranga went around the coromandel peninsula, beautiful roads taken at rain appropriate speeds and alot of very beautiful coastal scenery – even more so in some ways for the rugged weather. Fairly early on Scott managed to run over my pants which had come out of my open back pack at 100 odd ks. Pants survived. Scott had gotten a little over confident after all our riding in the gravel so was trying to get some dirt bike style action going on in some gravel filled picnic stop – he lost his second mirror here. The rest of the loop went well and we vowed to come back on a sunnier day! Our backsides had been getting sore for a while so we spent alot of the later straights experimenting as to where on the fairing and frame we could best rest our feet. Coming into Auckland began realising our little trip was coming to a close... felt a bit lame to be coming back to all the usual rubbish after such a sweet laid back exciting week long cruise. Scott pulled off for home first, and as the intercom slowly crackled and lost transmission... I cried like a big baby the end. 2800 ks.

[EJK]

Awesome trip man. Reminds me of my old days. Good stuff!

[shafty]

I really enjoyed reading about your adventures Guys and take my hat off to you for doing a great trip and covering excellent distances on smaller bikes, bloody well done!

The photo's are excellent as well - and what a great route you sorted out.

Although the weather wasn't always on your side, you made it happen and made the most of it - Congrats, ~ that's what its all about.

Bling awarded!

[insomnia01]

Bloody awesome write up fella !! Hats off to you both for giving it a crack on a couple of 250's ( done them roads so know what there like ) 2800km !! beautiful... bring on the South Island I hear you say

[Mom]

Fantastic report, thanks for sharing.