Best Route from Akl to Napier?

[Madguitarist!]

I'm heading to wine country for the xmas weekend with wifey and some mates. Wondering what's a suggested route to take and any KBer I can meet up with while I'm there?

I'm riding alone as the rest of them are caging and the other biker's wife is not letting him ride with me! haha!

[crashe]

Head to Taupo.....
Then go across the Taupo/Napier Road...
Thats a nice long straight bit of road.. until you get nearer to Napier.. then you get the twisties.

Or head across to Gisborne and take the coastal road to Napier.
Im not sure what that stretch of road is like... AJTurbo knows it well.

There are a few KBers down that way in Napier/Hastings.
Gixxer 4 eva, Msters, Yungtart and others.

Oh and please leave Pania of the Reef alone.... she has just been put back after her wee disappearing act.



PS: I rode SH1 all the way to Taupo then across the Taupo/Napier Rd, back in the end of April. It took me 4 hours 30 minutes from home in West Ak on my bike just cruising along..... and not speeding. So on your bike it will take you less time.
I refuelled up at AutoBahn, then Cambridge BP and then at the Taupo Mobil right before the turn off to Napier. Its 135 kms from Taupo to Napier on that road.
9.5litre tank approx 200km before switching to reserve.

[Colapop]

My ol' man lives in Wairoa so I'm familiar with the roads around that neck of the woods. The safest/easiest route is to go to Taupo then Napier-Taupo road as Crashe suggests. The Waioweka (sp) gorge between Gisborne and Opotiki/BOP is a little curvy but not too bad. Gisborne/Wairoa is a fairly good stretch of road not too bad. Wairoa/Napier there's a couple of tricky bits - Waikere gorge and Devils elbow/Whitepine bush towards the Napier end. The biggest problem you'll find through there is that the QueeRS (Quality Roading Services) guys tend to rachet up their roadworks activities all the way along those stretches of road. (I haven't been through there during any summer where there hasn't been roadworks).
Another route is the road from Rotorua through to Waikeremoana and Wairoa then down to Napier. It's a long, hot trip in the summer but very scenic.

[skelstar]

Did the Napier-Taupo rd three days ago and will report that the road is pretty straight for about half of it (first half going west->east). Would be good for a straight line blat and then some twisty stuff. Pretty much 65km/h posted corners going uphill and downhill heaps. Hard work on my 250 (going east->west).

[hXc]

As most people say Akl>Taupo then Taupo>Napier. Gixxer 4 eva, Speights bud, MSTRS, yungatart and myself are all here and would love to catch up for a ride if we have time. Just PM us with more details if you're interested.

[WRT]

The napier-taupo is a great ride. Leaving Taupo, the first half is relatively straight and boring. After 30-40mins, there is a senic lookout on the left hand side, with a nice veiw across to a waterfall. I tend to stop there for a breather and a drink, then when you leave there the twisties start. And they are goooood twisties . . . the rest of the ride is ho-hum, but that last half of the napier-taupo is just fantastic. Its around 130k's, plan on up to an hour and a half at a cruising pace between taupo and napier, anything under a hour is reasonable, have heard of people doing it in less that 50 mins but I wouldn't want to be a passenger with them for that.

Bear in mind that this is the same stretch of road that lady wound up spending like 3 or 4 days undiscovered upside down in her car with two dead bodies. If you come off the road there, you might not get found for a while. As with any isolated road that you arent familiar with, take it easy and just enjoy yourself. Its an amazing ride and you will love it.

[Zapf]

Rotorua through to Waikeremoana and Wairoa then down to Napier

Waikeremoana to Wairoa is GRAVEL stay well away...

[mattt]

I'm cruising to hastings to see the olds on the 29th morning on the bike if anyone's up for a blat on the Taupo-Napier... Keen to check out the old training grounds - Taihape roads - Whakapirau circuit etc - twisty rides are endless down there!!!

Will post something closer to the time.

[Lou Girardin]

Auck down the west side of the Waikato river through Huntly to te Awamutu, then left at Kihikihi through the back road to Mangakino then across to Taupo.

[beyond]

Done this ride a few times now and really enjoy it. The straights from the first part of Taupo to the twisties are great for winding out, BUT make sure you have a radar or are following a ticket collector. Plainies are using SS Commodores and even 4 wheel drive look a likes.

From Auckland, shoot straight down to the Ohinewai turnoff and head left to where you will join up with highway 27 to Matamata. This is a nice flowing country road with nice curves and is generally quicker plus less porkers on the road.

From their it's pretty much straight through, Tirau, tank up at Wairakei and then I go left at the first roundabout into taupo and take the back road to hook up with the main road to Napier avoiding all the lights and crap.

If you want fastest time, that's the best route all up to take. 3 hours and ten minutes in mostly rain at a fair clip.

[mv.senna]

I'm heading to wine country for the xmas weekend with wifey and some mates. Wondering what's a suggested route to take and any KBer I can meet up with while I'm there?

I'm riding alone as the rest of them are caging and the other biker's wife is not letting him ride with me! haha!

I'm heading from AKL to Taupo-ish on xmas day EDITam)....when are you heading down?

[WRT]

Can vouch for the Ohinewai / Tahuna road shortcut, the traffic is nice and light and the roads quite good.

[WRT]

I'm heading from AKL to Taupo-ish on xmas day (sat am)....when are you heading down?

I'm leaving Aucks to go to Taupo on Xmas day too, leaving around 2pm-ish. Boxing day I'm heading to Napier and back for a day trip (with pillion), then dinner in Taupo before heading back to auckland later on that evening.

I'm planning on legal speeds (do not want a ticket, especially on xmas day), but holding a steady pace for some fun in the corners. If anyone is doing those routes/times, sing out, would be nice to have a riding partner.

[mv.senna]

bummer WRT, the olds'd kill me if I didn't turn up in time for lunch.... otherwise would've been keen as to cruise with you. Am interested in the Ohinewai/tahuna rd - haven't heard of that one, and not sure where it is....

[WRT]

Just head straight down SH1, over the bombays and keep going. On one of the new express ways just before Huntly there is a turn off for Tahuna Road, come off there and hang a left. Follow that long, it will end up in a little township, at the end of that road you want to go right, then take the next big left (massive sign posts that you cant miss). That will pop you out on SH27, so just hang a right there and you will be pointing towards Matamata.

Map here