North of Auckland ride potential?

[rhino_343]

Hi fellas me and some mates are coming for a ride over on your northern shores mid october and I am trying to put together a few ideas. Last time we rode Aukland to Queenstown over two weeks but this time we are thinking we will stay in North Island for two weeks and maybe just concentrate on a couple of areas. So thinking about exploring the Coromandel area more and also maybe North West of Aukland where we havent been yet and then blitz down to Wellington to hit some trails down that way because we have seen some awesome vids... of course all this will be interspersed with beer (and hopefully meeting some locals!). So any advice for some Aussie blokes on DR650s looking to hit some dirt and see some sights? Any organised rides happening around this time we could join in with? Wooohoooo this is going to be good.... can't wait to get back to NZ again!

[.chris]

There are a few places to ride around Auckland, up north-westish the beaches are open for riding, and there are a few great paper-roads (barely roads, more like tracks/mud bogs), and plenty of gravel.

I could be keen to meet up and take you aussies for a guided tour around my locals.

[paturoa]

If your on DR650s then totally recommend Dargaville to Pouto Point and head up the beach to exit at the bluff at the norhtern end.

Dargaville to Pouto is 70km and 75% seal

something sux here - I can't embed a google map - arrrggghhh puss!

Time the ride to get to Pouto about 2 hours before low tide and there is an entrance onto the beach there. Its a hard pack white-ish sand ride up the beach for the next 130 or so km to Omamari or the exit at the Bluff at the northern end. There is a bare camp ground at the local Kai Iwi lakes there or just a little further north a full camp ground with cabins at Trounsins.

Read this thread instead.... http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...28749-Survived

[Waihou Thumper]

Dargaville to Pouto is 70km and 75% seal

Or, ride the road parallel from Dargaville to Pouto Point and it is 25% sealed.. Loads more gravel...

[rhino_343]

Cheers guys, thanks for the info! Chris would be good to meet up if you are available and do a ride with you mate!!

[.chris]

Cheers guys, thanks for the info! Chris would be good to meet up if you are available and do a ride with you mate!!

Cool, let me know when you are around the Auckland area and we can sort a date for a tour from there.

[paturoa]

Depending on the dates I'd be keen to tag along for a ride too. When are you this side of the ditch?

[rhino_343]

At this stage it is looking like we will be booking for October 17 till Oct 31. Really looking forward to meeting some of you blokes and going for a ride. I have had quite a few international aventure riders come and stay with me for a few days or come on a ride with me and my mates and it is always good meeting up with new people with a similar passion for motorcycles, dirt tracks and cant forget beer...

[rhino_343]

We are thinking of hiring from either Ardmore motorcycle Rentals (which we used last time but now has a new owner) or Enduro Touring New Zealand (http://www.biketoursnz.com/rentals.html) Any of you guys know which company is best to hire from? Or know any other hire companies? We are looking at DR650s which are the cheapest thing to hire, what we really wanted was DRZ400s or WR250Rs or even just KLX250s... you just cant seem to hire these bikes anywhere though??

[rhino_343]

Bump!

Righto we (just me and Sean now) are flying in on the 24th of October and staying until the 7th November... hoping to catch up for a ride and beer with a few of you blokes! We are riding stock DR650's but will have a crack at most things other than enduro conditions! Actually quite happy to just cover some k's on your amazing shingle roads! Anyone got any rides planned in this time frame? We are just doing the North island this trip and we will start off north of Auckland and then move down to do some trail riding around Wellington and then back to Auckland to drop the bikes off when finished. Like I said before we are keen to meet up with the locals and ride or have a beer or three!

[clint640]

Good stuff! If you come through Rotorua let me know, come & stay if ya like. We're camping out at Minginui 4-5 Nov if you can work that into your return trip to Auckland, some good riding around there. Will PM with ph # etc.

Cheers
Clint

[rhino_343]

Thanks Clint! Will keep the dates in mind and keep in contact. Will try and at least hook up around Rot.