SMC Tour of NZ - Interested?

**Gremlin** · 28th September 2010, 22:05

Originally Posted by Slyer

We want to explore NZ. Not just the roads.

Where do you think you are!

The roads are the entire reason

Let's see, lighthouses, trees, rivers, mountain things, that should do the trick

**Squiggles** · 28th September 2010, 22:18

Napier Prison (Tis a backpackers)

**motorbyclist** · 29th September 2010, 10:18

Originally Posted by Slyer

Well fucking good for you.

This thread is me asking for advice. I've never organised a trip this big.
If you check the first post I've got many details of the first part of the trip nailed down, I've never been up the east coast before so have no idea where to go up that way.

yes, and from what is up there in post #1 it would seem you're ignoring the advice given.....

**Slyer** · 29th September 2010, 10:22

Originally Posted by motorbyclist

yes, and from what is up there in post #1 it would seem you're ignoring the advice given.....

Elaborate. I'm not spending time drawing up more maps till I know where we're going. The trip is not for another 2 months so there's no hurry...
We could just wing it and it would still be awesome.
I'll start making a bullet list of things later.

**motorbyclist** · 30th September 2010, 00:14

Originally Posted by Slyer

Elaborate.

the advice/ strong recommendation made is that the first two (maybe three) days are spent doing the northland loop, as a form of shakedown for bikes and riders.

I say this, as by your own admission you're not experienced in organising rides, and by my own observation and experience, some of the riders will inevitably have machines or persons that are not up to the task. You yourself fall into the category of "unproven bike and possibly rider" - sure you ride a bit, but you were also unaware your rear brake caliper was hanging off until I pointed it out to you

By doing northland first, it provides a relative safety net to get back home if things aren't working out for individuals.

Northland first will also allow myself to come along, perhaps give some pointers to the weaker of the group or some advice for organisation. I've also got first aid and mechanic skills/experience.

Northland first is also a known quantity, from where you can judge the group's travel abilities. I reckon if you plan on stopping for breaks (and you will have to stop often for large group to keep it together), that the plan on page1 is a bit ambitious.

The first post does not allude to any of this being taken on board. This is a concern as I've witnessed several poorly organised rides in the past, and while injury may not have been an issue, the disorganisation has in several cases lead to the group being split and lost on two different routes. Another concern is lone riders getting lost which poses a major issue if no-one knows where they are, be it safely on the road home or wounded in a ditch.

"Northland First".... sounds like a political party. vote!

Further note:
I reckon if you guys just set out to put k's under your belt as gremlin suggests, you may as well be doing a 4 day coro-binge. Give plenty of time and remain flexible - it's a tour, so stop at pubs/monuments/beaches and muck around a bit. The best part about most of my roadtrips is not knowing the route until we get there - sure, have a destination, but it's the backroad journey that counts, even if on occasion it means a 50km stretch of gravel and an extra day added to the trip. My secret is to plan the backroads you want to take and major destinations, even update it at the end/start of each day, but the only map to be consulted on the road is the one at the gas station. Oh, and if a local tells you not to take a road, then you have no choice but to take it

Jafa and myself are a classic case of a 5 day trip bloating out to 10 simply because we were on a tour; we added to the route, rather than cutting it short for time reasons.

Of course, this no-map flexible-tour approach is at odds with what I would normally recommend for a one day trip of the sort normally organised on here, or that for a sufficiently large group (ie more than a dozen riders). If you're in a large group you will have to make considerations for the bikes and riders when you head off the main highways, and be pretty firm about people pointing at intersections and regular stops to keep everyone on track. Speeding at the front only serves to spread the bunch out further.

**Gremlin** · 30th September 2010, 01:13

I don't think slyer was intending on riding simply for the km tho, I was just asking what his intentions were

The rest of that long post I do agree with. Its amazing how little distance gets covered as the size of the ride grows. Keeping it "open" means there is little way of figuring out who can do what, and at what pace you'll cover terrain.

Equally, doing a beach stop could result in most of a day going by, not a single km covered. As long as you know what you're doing, go for it...

But then, I'm a planner... 5 days going to 10...

**Slyer** · 30th September 2010, 10:22

Everyone bitches about how nobody ever organises any rides for the club AND AT THE SAME TIME you are critisizing me for taking the initiative to even TRY to organise something.

Nobody else was planning anything so I decided FUCK IT. I'll do something positive for the club, try to get some brain storming going and get help from everyone I can.
And now, simultaneously I'm being lambasted for not organising enough and also for organising TOO MUCH.

Andrew, as I have said a northland trip should be something organised completely separately over one weekend. Why should I have to organise YOUR idea? Aren't you equally or more capable of doing that yourself? Show some of your own initiative.
Help out or fuck off.

All I need now, from anyone, is ideas for places to see, places to stay and the most exciting ways to get there. If you're NOT helping any of these things, e.g. gloating about how many km's you can do, how awesome you are at planning trips, how shit I am at riding/planning trips; you can GTFO.

**Squiggles** · 30th September 2010, 11:42

Originally Posted by Slyer

All I need now, from anyone, is ideas for places to see, places to stay and the most exciting ways to get there.

Orsm toilets http://www.aatravel.co.nz/101/MustDo...r-Toilets.html

Waipoua Forest Walk
http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-rec...st/activities/

Cape Brett Lighthouse
http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-rec...ds/cape-brett/

With a night in the middle at Awanui?

**Magua** · 30th September 2010, 12:24

The Rawene ferry crossing could be fun. Adding a water crossing to the journey. From memory it is only a few dollars for a motorcycle too.

Edit: I see Steve's route includes the ferry at Opua.

**Gremlin** · 30th September 2010, 13:33

Its not gloating... its making you aware of the full range of riders you can get, making sure you either restrict who will ride, or make everyone aware of requirements. Some want the lovely scenery (no problem with that), others have seen the scenery and want to experience roads they normally wouldn't find (I've followed others and found roads that way).

Scenery, up north, Kai Iwi Lakes for a swim, capes brett and reinga for views, waipoua forest for a big tree. Opononi has a couple of places for food, kaikohe has the pie place. Bay of Islands is a huge tourist destination, so plenty to see there. Russell also has some nice roads.

Going south, SH22 with the extra bit to Te Uku, even gravel to Kawhia, plus roads around Aria and Pio Pio. Camelia Court Motel in Taupo is good for accomodation, used for trackdays etc. Don't know much more accomodation in North Island... usually getting the hell out of it asap

West Cape, roads south of Te Kuiti, either to New Plymouth (forget the name) or 8 Mile Junction (plus usuals like Western Access and what, 41? westward of Turangi). If you haven't done the forgotten highway, probably a must, there is 15-20km of hard packed gravel. Rest of the roads on coast are straight and cop magnets.

East Cape, right round the outside, or the inland cut, both brilliant, including Tiniroto Rd. All I can say is, don't stay at some ladies place in Mahia, that wasn't that fun. South of Mahia, the peninsula is gravel, but there are beaches and some fun roads to explore.

If you're keen, there is also the other inland route, Waikaremoana Rd, 100km of gravel, haven't done it, but really want to. South of that is Gentle Annie, Napier Taupo Rd, then further south, back roads through Wimbledon, Pongaroa etc. Just west of that, you have the Pahiatua track, and back roads around that...

That should give you something to start with...

That should

**motorbyclist** · 30th September 2010, 14:25

Originally Posted by Slyer

Everyone bitches about how nobody ever organises any rides for the club AND AT THE SAME TIME you are critisizing me for taking the initiative to even TRY to organise something.

Nobody else was planning anything so I decided FUCK IT. I'll do something positive for the club, try to get some brain storming going and get help from everyone I can.
And now, simultaneously I'm being lambasted for not organising enough and also for organising TOO MUCH.

Andrew, as I have said a northland trip should be something organised completely separately over one weekend. Why should I have to organise YOUR idea? Aren't you equally or more capable of doing that yourself? Show some of your own initiative.
Help out or fuck off.

All I need now, from anyone, is ideas for places to see, places to stay and the most exciting ways to get there. If you're NOT helping any of these things, e.g. gloating about how many km's you can do, how awesome you are at planning trips, how shit I am at riding/planning trips; you can GTFO.

I'm not bitching, and I'm not criticizing you initiative. I am criticising that you're asking for advice but failing to address any of it.

A rigid dayplan will still be fun, but either rule with an iron fist or be flexible - SMC time is a curious beast, and my best advice is to reduce the distance planned in post 1.

I must have missed/forgotten your comment about northland. On the assumption that northland is infact part of the north island, why isn't it part of this north island tour? I'm not organising what should be the first weekend of the tour for two reasons: firstly, I don't have the time to do that (note how smc rides declined as my uni workload ramped up the last few years) and secondly, because I think it would be a good way for you to come to terms with running an organised ride and a good way for you to gage the nature of the group (all part of the shakedown, if you like)

We don't know how good/shit you are, as you're an unknown quantity. You don't know what the group is like for the same reasons. IF the tour was being run by myself, I would do northland first so we could help riders and machines either prove themselves or get up to spec. Your machine is one of those, as is real_wolf's and whoever else turns up be it on a shitter or a brand new ducati. Don't take it personally; sometimes it can be a nice looking machine but the rider has neglected or done something they shouldn't have to it and if you don't pick it up quickly it will bite you in the arse at the worst time. Classic case was a SMCTNR where a zxr250 rider was riding with 20psi in the rear and thought that was normal - apparently corners were much easier with the correct pressure! If I didn't spot that we could've spent the whole night waiting for him or been picking zxr bits up off the road. Squiggles and myself have seen it all from cables about to let go, chains about to come off, chains that are faaar too tight, bent forks, fucked brakes - I even had one guy turn up with an electrical problem who didn't realise his rear brake caliper was hanging off - he's lucky the rear wheel spokes didn't catch it, but a worrying part was that the pads weren't locked together..... isn't using both brakes part of the BHS?

I also like northland because I will be able to join in, can give some pointers that might avoid a future accident, and havn't done those roads north of kawakawa yet. I've also got a two places we could stay.

SO, if there's a good case against northland, perhaps you should clearly state it.