Riding from Palmerston North to Auckland... Should I?

**banditrider** · 10th January 2008, 18:49

Originally Posted by 99TLS

is there any palmy riders on here that you know who can ride part way with you ?? would that make you more comfy?

Originally Posted by Stella

Wow, you guys really are incredible. Still undecided but feeling a lot more confident becasue of this.

The dates I would be travelling are to start on Saturday 19th Jan and to be home on Sunday 27th Jan.

Sometimes I feel doing the whole trip in one day would be feasible, but maybe I should definitely cut it in half on the way (don't want to be navigating through a different city at the end of a six hour trip) then see what I think for the way back.

Am late for work, will reply to a few more questions tonight.

If you want some company on day 1, I may be able to swing it (and maybe some more of the Palmy crew?). Say follow you up to wherever you decide to stop for the night, then head home.

Doing the Chateau to Plateau on the 27th so not available for the return leg.

I'm sure the GN will be fine.

**Cache Wraith** · 10th January 2008, 19:46

Go for it. I did Auckland Wellington Auckland on my 250 when I had my restricted. Best thing I ever did. Got my confidence right up and totally enjoyed the trip, particularly the Desert Road.

**Stella** · 10th January 2008, 19:58

I have decided I will definitely do the trip!!!

Will have a good think tomorrow about quite how I am going to do it.

Thanks everyone so much for the support!!!

**Str8 Jacket** · 10th January 2008, 20:23

Originally Posted by Stella

I have decided I will definitely do the trip!!!

Will have a good think tomorrow about quite how I am going to do it.

Thanks everyone so much for the support!!!

Awesome chcik, you will not regret it!

**Bikernereid** · 10th January 2008, 20:29

Once you have done it it will really enhance your confidence and the world will be your oyster. I have found the KB crowd the be amazing kind (for the most part) and I am sure that they will help you as much as they can. MOM is really cool by the way and is a lovely lady!!

Originally Posted by Stella

Ok, I have a dilemma. I have a week off, in 1.5 weeks time. I was supposed to be riding to Auckland with a friend to see some people. He can no longer come and I can't cancel the time off.

I have a GN250, have been riding since February last year, done 5000km. I have done most of that on the open road. So far my longest rides have been to Hastings and Wellington, and I did the Rimutakas (badly, but upright). I do NOT have a car license therefore this is the only driving/riding experience I really have.

I would do the trip in two bursts, staying the night halfway and finishing the trip the next day. I would then have five nights in Auckland and come back the same way.

The thing is I don't know the roads and if anything goes wrong I am totally stranded on my own.

Every so often I get keen to do it but then I have a biker friend say I am nuts, mostly about doing it on a 250 but I have never ridden anything bigger so I don't know the difference (you know, once you upgrade you can't go backwards). Also the being alone if something goes wrong thing concerns them. But then I get keen again.

I *DON'T* WANT LOTS OF ENCOURAGEMENT!!! I need some sound advice please

I have no idea what to do.

**chanceyy** · 10th January 2008, 20:31

Originally Posted by Stella

I have decided I will definitely do the trip!!!

Will have a good think tomorrow about quite how I am going to do it.

Thanks everyone so much for the support!!!

great decision Stella .. you will be chuffed at your accomplishment .. preparation is the key ... if you need any help just ask

and make sure you take my cellie number .. you can reach me by text 24/7

**scrubs** · 10th January 2008, 21:10

I'm virtually living off my bike travelling around NZ for 4 months
I will still be in north Island then and have tools etc so if you get stuck
just email me and I'll ride out to wherever you are and give you a hand.

Enjoy yourself. An count me as one more to add that the 250 is perfectly capable -
as are you. Have fun and drop me a line if you need anything.

**EnzoYug** · 10th January 2008, 23:34

Originally Posted by Stella

I *DON'T* WANT LOTS OF ENCOURAGEMENT!!! I need some sound advice please

I have no idea what to do.

Just do it. Even if you did break down it'd be good for you. You have to do everything once and if you break down in the middle of nowhere, have to enlist the help of strangers, hang out on someone's couch for a night and wear yourself so thin you think you'll never ride again....

Then you'll know you've seen it, done it and survived. If you chicken out now you'll never have the guts to truely go it alone.

Which is what real motorcycling is about... fearless independence.

**SlowHand** · 11th January 2008, 00:29

Just remember, going around the square 14.5times, then going on bunch of detours, heading towards feiling, then turning around to aim for wanganui and ending up sth of bulls, is not the right way.

I saw it on wises *ahem*

on a bit more cereal note, even I found my way back home, so you should be fine with directions. I've done it couple times now, and they're my fav on-bike experiences. Not sure if someones mentioned it, but you could contact someone before hand of your plans for the hour/2hrs, and tell em to come bring you some lollies if you dont text back.

Don't mean to put the fear in, but if you are worried in anyway, that should keep your mind off worrying about the near impossible.

Have fun!

**Blue Velvet** · 11th January 2008, 08:43

Originally Posted by EnzoYug

Just do it. Even if you did break down it'd be good for you. You have to do everything once and if you break down in the middle of nowhere, have to enlist the help of strangers, hang out on someone's couch for a night and wear yourself so thin you think you'll never ride again....

Then you'll know you've seen it, done it and survived. If you chicken out now you'll never have the guts to truely go it alone.

Which is what real motorcycling is about... fearless independence.

Hear hear

**Her_C4** · 11th January 2008, 09:00

Wow! There is some absolutely fantastic help, support and encouragement in this thread - along with some VERY practical advice.

KB'ers.

I just wanted to add that if you want to 'talk' to someone that has completed some pretty massive trips on a 250 then you might like to PM CSL (Celtic Sea Lily) or Jazbug and find out first hand from them on the type of problems they encountered....

Here is just one of their adventures on 1983 Honda CB250RS (CSL)....http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh....php?p=130784# and a GN 250 (Jazbug) to Auckland from Wellie.

Have an AWEsome trip

wish I could come with you....

**Stella** · 11th January 2008, 17:04

Of course now I decide that I am going for sure and my friend who I was originally going with (who then pulled out and started the whole worry about going solo) says he now will ride with me to Hamilton!

He has friends there he will catch up with then come back on the monday. Meanwhile I will ride up to Auckland on the Sunday (20th) morning. If someone wants to ride with me for that stage they are most welcome, but I feel quite confident now so it is not a huge concern

The plan for the next weekend return is still being nutted out.

Stella

**quickbuck** · 11th January 2008, 19:48

Okay, now that you have decided to do it, well, firstly, well done on the decision.

Personally I used to commute from West Auckland to here every second weekend, and never had an issue. As for carrying oil like somebody suggested... WTF?
I mean if your bike uses more than a couple of ml of oil in 7 hours of riding, then it needs to be seen to.

Honestly, you will enjoy the trip, no matter what way you go.

For me personally, I head to Waiouru, then hang a left to Ohakune. Then take the right on SH4 onto National Park. Keep going through Tauramanui, then to Te Kuiti. Hang a left at Otorohanga, and head up through Whatawhata and keep to the left of the Waikato river. Take the back road all the way past Huntly, and all the way to the end. Cross over on the one lane bridge.
Then enjoy the expressway, and Motorway to Auckland.

Hope this helps.

As I say, it doesn't really matter.
And all routes are within a couple of K of each other.

As I say, I've commuted it heaps, and tried them all.

The one I described has the least traffic.... Thus quickest.
Honestly I only stuck to 100

Oh, and as your friend is going to hamilton, say "See You" at Otorohanga.

It really isn't worth spending 1/2 an hour riding through Hamilton... unless you really want to.

**Stella** · 13th January 2008, 11:06

I am travelling with my friend to near-Hamilton, we are staying there at the same place, then I will head up to Auckland, avoiding Hamilton by going through Ngaruawahia. Oh and on the way up we will go via National Park and to the left of Lake Taupo.

On the way back I will go the most obvious can't-get-lost route through all the big towns.

I am needing a place to stay on the way back. At the moment I am imagining this will be circa Taupo general area/district etc. Either a recommendation of a cheap place to stay or a couch/spare bed in the home of a rare kiwibiker who is both relatively sane and non-creepy

Stella