So who'd be keen on riding to Taupo? From Auckland

[Cayman911]

This saturday maybe. Nothing really planned, just ride there... probably then ride back? lol

why ? you may ask. well i dont know. nothing else to do.

[G4L4XY]

I just finished doing from wellington to auckland, body is still paying for it

I'm going to whangamata, thats going to be fun! :P

[Cayman911]

Haha and you did that on a 600RR!

i'd be doing it on a 250r.

rode to waiuku once at like 11 at night. in winter. never again lol

[G4L4XY]

Pfft i've done auckland/whangamata to palmy twice on the hyosung

[ProTuned]

Haha and you did that on a 600RR!

i'd be doing it on a 250r.

rode to waiuku once at like 11 at night. in winter. never again lol

Try a GN250 all the way from out west to somewhere around waiuku while being blasted by rain and winds on a winter night. Would do it again

Anyways I might be keen, just haven't done a ride that far. And is that a honda 250r single or IL4?

[Cayman911]

Try a GN250 all the way from out west to somewhere around waiuku while being blasted by rain and winds on a winter night. Would do it again

Anyways I might be keen, just haven't done a ride that far. And is that a honda 250r single or IL4?

It's a single 250R.

but your waiuku trip sounds like mine. no street lights. no civilisation....id say goodtimes but it just wasnt lol

[Mom]

Have you guys seen this ride?

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...(25-26-August)

[haydes55]

Alternate route

^Take Old Taupo Rd. Drove that road today for work. Looks fairly newly resealed, looks like a fun road to ride. Quiet as well.

[insomnia01]

Alternate route

^Take Old Taupo Rd. Drove that road today for work. Looks fairly newly resealed, looks like a fun road to ride. Quiet as well.

instead of turning off & heading into Tokorua carry on to Whakamaru & turn off at Poihipi Rd & follow to Taupo, much better

[1billyboy]

instead of turning off & heading into Tokorua carry on to Whakamaru & turn off at Poihipi Rd & follow to Taupo, much better

That is the way I went when going down to the KB gathering in Taupo in June.

[JustNick]

Agreed, Whakamaru and through Poihipi Road is heaps better than taking the highway from Tokoroa.

[insomnia01]

Agreed, Whakamaru and through Poihipi Road is heaps better than taking the highway from Tokoroa.

even better if you miss out old taupo rd altogether & do waipapa rd to whakamaru instead

[baffa]

Another reason to hate being temporarily bike-less.

If it was me I'd start really early, sh2 through paeroa, the kaimais, Tauranga, then loop back down to Taupo. Or take SH1 but detour to Raglan for lunch maybe.

[jrandom]

Agreed, Whakamaru and through Poihipi Road is heaps better than taking the highway from Tokoroa.

If you haven't gone this way before, go down via Te Awamutu and take Waipapa Rd from Kihikihi to Whakamaru. One of the best back roads in the North Island for getting along at an exhilarating clip, without having to do anything other than keep your eyes peeled for cows. There's even a dead straight (although slightly undulating) stretch that's suitable for holding WOT on a big bike for quite some time. (Am I still allowed to say things like that, or is it now un-PC?)

Takes you past the Maraetai dam, which is worth a stop-and-look.

Edit: Oh, and for a final treat, instead of turning right through the middle of town, continue east through Whakamaru and take Kaahu Rd heading south to Poihipi Rd. You'll have to look it up on a map, but it's worth working out the route. That'll give you a look at the Whakamaru dam as well.

I guess I'm kinda assuming people like dams here.

[PrincessBandit]

Try a GN250 all the way from out west to somewhere around waiuku while being blasted by rain and winds on a winter night. Would do it again

Anyways I might be keen, just haven't done a ride that far. And is that a honda 250r single or IL4?

Haha, I remember the first ride I did to Taupo on my trusty ginny - trip down was great; coming home I was riding into a headwide leaving me hanging onto the grips for dear life, then on the down side of the Bombays my exhaust farted the baffle out the back and it went clattering down the motorway behind me. Also rode home from Ngatea on said trusty ginny in the pouring rain being blown all over the show. Those things I don't miss when on the bandit...