New Plymouth to Invercargill in a day...????

**FatMax** · 19th March 2017, 08:35

Hoping some of you lovely folk can put shed some light on this one.

Was listening to talkback radio in the other night and the discussion got onto motorbikes and road trips etc. Some geezer calls up and says he knew of a few guys that rode from New Plymouth to Invercargill for a burger then road back the same day..???

He was 150% positive that they did this and gave the talk show host a bollocking for questioning it, but seriously, is that a ride that could be done in 24 hours including burger, ferry crossings, fuel stops and time allowed for poos and wees?

And.....were YOU one of these fellas or ladies that actually did this ride?

Just wondering, eh......

**AllanB** · 19th March 2017, 08:43

Two Ferry crossings - 6 hours sailing. Add at least a hour or more waiting time after boarding/disembarking for the two.

Lets say 7 hours are used on the two crossings.

New Plymouth to Wellington is 350 kms - twice = 700

Picton to Invercargill is 1040 kms - x2 2080.

Total riding kms around 2,780 kms in 17 hours

That's a average speed of 165 kmph

Without stops for fuel, food or peeing.

**pzkpfw** · 19th March 2017, 08:54

I bet they did it on one wheel.

**pritch** · 19th March 2017, 09:02

I was going to do it one way the other direction until the headlight glass broke with the forecast for rain. I wasn't sure how the bulb would react to getting drenched so I decided to wait for the early morning sailing rather than riding up from Wellington in the dark.

According to my plan A I'd have got home about 10.00PM which would've left about 2 hours for the return trip. That's quick.

If they used that high speed ferry that used to run, or even the Bristol Freighter they'd still be pushing it.

**Honest Andy** · 19th March 2017, 09:40

...which is why talkback radio only serves 3% of the population, on a good day...

**release_the_bees** · 19th March 2017, 09:40

I rode from Arrowtown to Masterton once. I left Arrowtown at 5.45 am and arrived at Masterton around 11pm if I remember correctly. It probably didn't help that I did it on around 5 hours sleep (or that I was riding a CBR250), but I literally couldn't have ridden any further. I was absolutely stuffed to the point that riding was becoming dangerous. There is no way I could have turned around and gone back again, that's for damn sure.

Awesome trip though, especially the first half as I literally didn't see another vehicle for over an hour when I first set off. Great roads in the way to Kaikoura too. I feel lucky to have had the chance to ride through there given what has happened to the road and surrounding areas since then.

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**caspernz** · 19th March 2017, 12:20

New Plymouth to Inglewood and back more like...talk back radio is such fun.

Actually one could be cheeky and ask why the OP would even consider the validity of New Ply to Inver and back in one day

**Gremlin** · 19th March 2017, 14:46

Well AllanB has done the math. Main roads are certainly easier than back roads, but I've done 2000km in 24 hours (inc a lot of winding back roads - plan was 500km in 5.5hrs and 30min break for food and fuel, rinse and repeat) and 1850km in 25.5 hours including gravel passes like Hakataramea and Danseys.

Math wise, that specific trip doesn't stack up, plus I learnt through those big distances that you miss all the awesome photo stops because your schedule doesn't allow it...

**R650R** · 19th March 2017, 15:41

Really into the how long is a piece of string territory here, plus being hearsay from third party you dont know exact details. Eg rode back the same day doesnt mean they did it exactly or less than 24 hours.
I say plausible IF you got the right EARLY and LATE ferry crossings, and did not care about losing your licence or limbs.
You'd need a new set of tyres before you left, prefueled and stop at right fuel stations on way....
Have to be really fit, rested or on drugs lol.....
There are a lot of tricks be it bike or truck to maintaining high average speeds and good trip times.

And are you measuring from town centre or fuel stop on outskirts... And when it comes to trip times a very small increase in your average speed seems to be big gain in trip time.
I think the key to this legend would be bikes with very large fuel tanks for less stopping, outright power and high cruising speed being secondary.

Just done some maths here on some of my recent big trips. If the poor lil DR can avg 80km/h whilst never going above 110 ish then I'm sure the appropriate big bike could avg 165 plus quite easily, all risks and ttyre consumable costs aside.....

**AllanB** · 19th March 2017, 16:35

Originally Posted by R650R

Just done some maths here on some of my recent big trips. If the poor lil DR can avg 80km/h whilst never going above 110 ish then I'm sure the appropriate big bike could avg 165 plus quite easily, all risks and ttyre consumable costs aside.....

Too many hills and towns in the way (even taking the highest speed bypass) to average 165 for that distance. You'd have to be sitting on say 200 at every opportunity - which means guzzling fuel ...... thus more stops.

I'd suggest the 'day' excluded sailing time - hey you are not riding while sailing so it does not count right?

That would drop your average speed to 116 kmph based on my earlier posted distances.

Now it is looking achievable if your have the ability to stay awake. Which is not unrealistic if you count sailing time as sleeping.

Still have to have you open road speed up at 'walk home' speed to make the average.

**Gremlin** · 19th March 2017, 16:35

Originally Posted by R650R

And are you measuring from town centre or fuel stop on outskirts... And when it comes to trip times a very small increase in your average speed seems to be big gain in trip time.
I think the key to this legend would be bikes with very large fuel tanks for less stopping, outright power and high cruising speed being secondary.

The key is consistency. Riding fast burns more fuel and tires you out. You then spend more time stopped, resting or refueling. Reducing the stopped time is key, easy to lose time, very hard to gain it back.

I remember one TT2000, I was heading south from Christchurch, barely over the speed limit. Sportsbike comes past, I shrug. 50-100km down the road, he's refueling. After a while, neeeeoooo, comes past again. Tortoise and the hare

**FJRider** · 19th March 2017, 18:37

Originally Posted by Gremlin

Well AllanB has done the math. Main roads are certainly easier than back roads, but I've done 2000km in 24 hours (inc a lot of winding back roads - plan was 500km in 5.5hrs and 30min break for food and fuel, rinse and repeat) and 1850km in 25.5 hours including gravel passes like Hakataramea and Danseys.

Math wise, that specific trip doesn't stack up, plus I learnt through those big distances that you miss all the awesome photo stops because your schedule doesn't allow it...

Quite a few years back ... a book was published about state highway one. It it .. the author stated that the complete length could not be done in any 24 hour period. A fairly well known motorcyclist of the time made the effort to prove him wrong. And succeeded. A privately hired boat for the straight ... so ferry timings were not a factor.

Of this particular ride ... I have never heard anything mentioned ... but I think it could have been done (then). Different times now though ...

**Grumph** · 19th March 2017, 18:58

Originally Posted by FJRider

Quite a few years back ... a book was published about state highway one. It it .. the author stated that the complete length could not be done in any 24 hour period. A fairly well known motorcyclist of the time made the effort to prove him wrong. And succeeded. A privately hired boat for the straight ... so ferry timings were not a factor.

Of this particular ride ... I have never heard anything mentioned ... but I think it could have been done (then). Different times now though ...

Was that Bob Burns ?

**FJRider** · 19th March 2017, 19:02

Originally Posted by Grumph

Was that Bob Burns ?

No, it was not.

**jasonu** · 19th March 2017, 19:06

Originally Posted by AllanB

Two Ferry crossings - 6 hours sailing. Add at least a hour or more waiting time after boarding/disembarking for the two.

Lets say 7 hours are used on the two crossings.

New Plymouth to Wellington is 350 kms - twice = 700

Picton to Invercargill is 1040 kms - x2 2080.

Total riding kms around 2,780 kms in 17 hours

That's a average speed of 165 kmph

Without stops for fuel, food or peeing.

Me and a mate rode from Mt Eden to the Beehive and back to Bulls in a day then Bulls to Mt Eden the next day. Me on an XR500 and the mate on an A100.