Hi from the UK. Kia ora tatou (Dakarnoway‎)

**TheRealWolf** · 19th September 2011, 00:44

hi there,
we did the forgotten highway by car and it was great, should be much greater by bike, even it is gravel road and i havenever ever bevore driven on gravel road by bike.
greetings, wolf

**chanceyy** · 19th September 2011, 06:17

Welcome to KB and your going to have a fantastic time travelling the country, the bikers on here are a blardy great bunch so when you have a plan post it up, more often than not you will find the locals have "must ride" roads that will be the biking nirvana you're going to love and nothing like company of the locals to lead you astray

Take the offer of beds if they come available, nothing like kiwi hospitality.

(As Dogsnbikes has done the country he will have a ton of "must ride roads"

he leads us astray every opportunity he gets and we always have a blast

and then there are ton of others who will offer the same )

You have posted in the correct forum, so all good and if you want to post up pics (mandatory) and ramblings of your adventures under forum, meeting & events there is a sub title The Ride / Tour Report for this

**Dakarnoway** · 23rd September 2011, 07:44

Thank you for all your welcoming messages folks.

I have many maps and websites to search for where and what to go and visit. Lots of my interests and hobbies are either grown or made in/on both islands. Mainly the food industry has been a big influance to those hobbies.
I work as a cook/chef at the moment. Though 14 years ago I used to be in the wine trade and when I left school I joined the family business at the fruit and vegetable market.
I suppose the problem I will have is which, how and when to get to those places I want to see

Long time ago my family had a speed boat and so i`ve a hankering to do a Jet Boat ride up a river. Those caves that I can float down in a rubber inner-tube. Swim with the dolphins and go and see the whales snort their stuff

Wondering if we`ll have time to do everything ... probably not. But going to have a jolly good time trying.

There is mate coming over to my house tomorrow who has been over to NZ a few times. He gave me the use of the Hema Motorcycle Atlas 2nd Edition and a book called Land of The Long Wild Road. I have an idea of some of the roads I want to try, it`s linking those up to get to somewhere to stay that evening or maybe a couple of days rest within the area of many roads.

Well, back to my research and catch you all later.

Cheers Chris (Dakarnoway)

**Grant`** · 24th September 2011, 07:50

If you going to head North of Auckland, more than happy to host you guys for a night or two so you have a nosey around, plus take you on a few back roads heading up to Cape Reinga.

Cheers

G

**Dakarnoway** · 26th September 2011, 09:34

Hi Grant,
Yes we will be coming up your way hoping to see the views of The Bay of Island. Plus I know someone from your town/city who came to where I work for part of his Gap year. It looks like there are lots of tracks across that area, we will certainly need a guide up front. Could Cape Reinga be done within one day from where you live Grant? And can we ride down this 90 mile beach? (Though it`s not 90 miles is it?) I`ve got so many places I want to see and do.
I`ve been told to go visit a forest sanctury as the guy in my last post has been a couple of times and will go again as it is always changing. I`m thinking it`s not so far away from Whangarei.

Catch you later, Dakarnoway

**Gremlin** · 26th September 2011, 09:57

If you're wanting to backpack/hostel, might pay to check out this site: http://bbh.co.nz/

If you buy a card, it's valid (per person - no extra people) for 1 year. $45 gets you the card, $20 of phone credit, and minimum savings per night of $3. One month should represent a saving (especially if you use the calling minutes) but also it's a great way of looking up accommodation.

Just ask if you want route advice... we can send you down all manner of roads

**Grant`** · 29th September 2011, 19:17

Originally Posted by Dakarnoway

Hi Grant,
Yes we will be coming up your way hoping to see the views of The Bay of Island. Plus I know someone from your town/city who came to where I work for part of his Gap year. It looks like there are lots of tracks across that area, we will certainly need a guide up front. Could Cape Reinga be done within one day from where you live Grant? And can we ride down this 90 mile beach? (Though it`s not 90 miles is it?) I`ve got so many places I want to see and do.
I`ve been told to go visit a forest sanctury as the guy in my last post has been a couple of times and will go again as it is always changing. I`m thinking it`s not so far away from Whangarei.

Catch you later, Dakarnoway

Cape and back in one day is possible from Whangarei, but its probably close to 600k's round trip from here, travelling main highways.

Would suggest doing it in 2 days.

90 mile beach can be ridden on, but never done it and don't know the rules or regulations with doing so at all, believe standard speed limit etc still applies.
Flick me a PM closer to the time and I will offer what ever assistance I can to you.

G

**Dakarnoway** · 17th January 2012, 12:37

44 days to go and we will land on your islands of paradise. Well, that is what folk are telling me ...

We, Colin and I arrive on the 1st of March

but now leave a day earlier on the 29th of March

. Flight times have changed since we booked `em

.

I`ve asked BANZ if we can have the bikes a day earlier and he says NO Problem,

so we get our full 28 days hire. We have our first day and evening sorted and the very last evening (28th March).

I have got in-touch with Grant with an idea of heading north for our first weekend and to get used to distances and your road system. On the Monday I hope to dive the Poor Knight Islands, i`ve been taking a diving course just to do a couple of dives in NZ. The temprature of our open water is 6*C, yours will be somewhat tropical i`m hoping.

Gremlin, I have got an up-to-date copy of bbh.co.nz

so will be using that for some of our accommodation needs, cheers.

So from Tuesday 6th, we are heading south for a night in Auckland, 7th and 8th around the Coromandel and Te Puke, Bay of Plenty. 9th and 10th around the East cape. A quick dash down to Wellington for the 11th maybe 12th. South Island, 13th in Marlborough ... and that is all i`ve looked at so far. Though we will be back on the north island by 26th heading up the west coast certainly to find the Forgotten Highway, if something we should not miss before Egmont National Park

Waitomo Caves is a must do for me. 27th time to chill on Lake Taupo. 28th return the bikes

, 29th I really don`t want to think about it

Thats all folks, ttfn Chris

**Gremlin** · 17th January 2012, 12:52

Originally Posted by Dakarnoway

We, Colin and I arrive on the 1st of March

but now leave a day earlier on the 29th of March

. Flight times have changed since we booked `em

.

I think you mean the 29th of Feb?

**Dakarnoway** · 17th January 2012, 13:33

Howdo Gremlin ...

I can see now how i`ve written that but we fly out of Manchester on the 28th of Feb. We loose a day somehow the 29th of Feb. Arrive on the 1st of March with about 30 hours of travel.

It is the 28th of March being our last full day and the 29th of March is the day we fly out of Auckland to South Korea. This is where I gain the day we lost on the way out but still have 19 hours in South Korea on a stop over.

I`m confused too ...

**Gremlin** · 17th January 2012, 14:09

It's ok, we steal it as an entrance fee, then refund when you go home (coz if you didn't go home, we'd keep it).

It's all very logical.

**Mrs Shrek** · 17th January 2012, 19:36

If you're coming through central (south island) then there's a bed here for you.... shrek won't squeeze the jelly from you're eyes

**Dakarnoway** · 28th February 2012, 20:34

My Journey to the other side of The World starts today.

Just a quick Thank You to all that i`ve been in contact with over the past year.

As I look out of my window to a very dreary wet Lancashire morning I hope that i`ve not packed too much into my Panniers ... Ooh No ... suitcase

My Moto is "Go The Extra Mile ... It Is Never Crowded" I hope to meet some of you there.

ttfn Chris

**Dakarnoway** · 12th March 2012, 23:31

We have made it to Wellington from Havelock North today. The Mega trip was yesterday from up in the forests above Opokiti to North Havelock around the East Cape. Tomorrow we take the 8.25 ferry from Wellington to Picton. No set route as yet but hope to get as far as Dunedin at least.

Time for bed, Chris.