East Cape Tour-tips appreciated

[denill]

Couple of years ago we stayed at the TePuia Springs hotel. great hospitality. Email: tpshotel@ihug.co.nz but the owners could be different now??
The Wairoa - Tinoroto ride is IMO far more interesting (twisty) than SH2.

Also the back road via Pongoroa - Wimbledon - Waipukurau - Patangata - Havelock Nth is in the same category. Lotsa fun and no cop problems. You would hardly reach 110ks anyhow.........

Have fun.

[pritch]

The first time I went around the cape I did it south to north. I was told that this is not the best option and that it's better to go around the cape heading south. Having now done it both ways I agree. You could use the Waioeka Gorge to go north.

When I went through there a few weeks ago there were quite a lot of roadworks in the gorge. The road surface around the Cape will probably never be *that* great as there is quite a lot of road, not many people, and even less work in the area. All of which leads to a shortage of funding.

Still a superlative ride though.

[denill]

The road surface around the Cape will probably never be *that* great as there is quite a lot of road, not many people, and even less work in the area. All of which leads to a shortage of funding.
Still a superlative ride though.

Yeah, to me the surface of the road is NOT that important. If we only had choices of Motorways what a TOTALLY boring place to ride that would be, eh. I guess I am not the only one. If I am touring and time is not important - I will take the back road everytime. And I guess I am not the only one there either??

[Lou Girardin]

Gisborne is one of those places I can see no reason to stop in, other than it beats the fuck out of Wairoa.
.

Apart from good restaurants, bars, wineries, beaches.

[rogson]

Rode the Waioeka Gorge and back a couple of weeks ago. Worth doing both ways since going up is quite a bit different from going down (especially near the top). Has to be one of the best sections of extended/sealed/twisty road in NZ.

East Cape also has some great gravel roads which I'm planning on exploring next summer

[Gixxer 4 ever]

All the above is true. But remember if the sign is posting a 15 km speed it pays to slow down to that. I wouldn't double it and 10 if I was you .

[idb]

Cheers all.
I need to sit down with a map and work it through.
It sounds like we won't need to assign as much time to the ride as I thought which is good cos we really want to come home down the West Coast of the SI - always the best part of our trip.

I've had some advice by PM suggesting that we stay away altogether cos bikers are possible targets by local gangs - as I replied it's hard to comprehend from down here.

If we go I'll be sure and catch up with whomever possible on the way.

I think I'll work out a possible route home and come back for more advice.

[MSTRS:Me]

Possible route.....
Welly - Napier - Wairoa - Frasertown - Tiniroto - Makaraka - Opotiki - Hicks Bay - Gisborne - Opotiki - Rotorua - Tauranga (Pyes Pa Rd) - Kaimais - Tokoroa - Whakamaru - TeKuiti - Taumaranui - Raetahi - Wanganui - Welly
Welly to Napier is boring but if you can get 'guides' then the Weber route is highly recommended (easy to get lost without local knowledge).
Wangers to Welly is also boring but I know of no alternative.
The rest of my suggestion takes in some of the best motorcycling roads & scenery that this part of the country has to offer.
FWIW I agree with doing the Cape clockwise

[Pixie]

So, as a suggestion what about Napier-Gisborne day one, Gisborne-Hicks Bay day two, Hicks Bay-Whakatane day three, Whakatane-Tauranga day four and run home? Or maybe straight from Hicks Bay to Tauranga - it doesn't look too far.

Would they be reasonable days - too long, too short?

We could do that in eight days all up at a stretch I reckon.
Make pain your friend!

Hicks to tauranga is easy
I did Hicks to Kaipara, and only got a DVT in one leg

[MSTRS:Me]

....Hicks to Kaipara, and only got a DVT in one leg

BwaaHaaHaa

[denill]

Welly to Napier is boring but if you can get 'guides' then the Weber route is highly recommended (easy to get lost without local knowledge).

Yeah, you're right that is why I suggested - if not in a hurry, the Martinborough - Pongoroa - Wimbledon - Waipukurau - Patangata - Havelock Nth route. All sealed roads. NOT boring. It adds quite a lot to the distance travelled though. From memory - around 100 ks.

[MSTRS:Me]

Yeah, you're right that is why I suggested - if not in a hurry, the Martinborough - Pongoroa - Wimbledon - Waipukurau - Patangata - Havelock Nth route. All sealed roads. NOT boring. It adds quite a lot to the distance travelled though. From memory - around 100 ks.

Sounds about right.
Your mission if you choose to accept it is to choose whether to....
300ks boring x infinity
400ks OH MY GOD - PASS ME THE TISSUES !!!!

[Gixxer 4 ever]

Cheers all.
II've had some advice by PM suggesting that we stay away altogether cos bikers are possible targets by local gangs - as I replied it's hard to comprehend from down here.

.

Ummm a bit over stated I think. This country is not as wild west as some might like to portray it.... ....

[Lou Girardin]

I've had some advice by PM suggesting that we stay away altogether cos bikers are possible targets by local gangs - as I replied it's hard to comprehend from down here.

We survived. But then a bandit with a house lot on the back will still outrun a Harley.

[idb]

Yeah, you're right that is why I suggested - if not in a hurry, the Martinborough - Pongoroa - Wimbledon - Waipukurau - Patangata - Havelock Nth route. All sealed roads. NOT boring. It adds quite a lot to the distance travelled though. From memory - around 100 ks.

Trying to figure that out on a map.
I'm in Martinborough - then do I head east to Tablelands then north to Gladstone or do I head north and meet the Gladstone road just north of Longbush then north through Gladstone, Longbush and into Masterton?

These are probably just names on a map with nobody there but they're all I've got at this stage.