Ahipara...Kaitaia riding

[Gravel911]

Anyone been riding up in the far north?

Was thinking about taking the bike up north Anzac weekend. Has anyone done any riding in the Ahipara sand dunes? whats it like?
Any other places you could recommend up that way?


Cheers

[jimmy 2006]

if you surf, having a bike to go around the points is very very worthwhile. (take a lock)
played in the dunes a bit and the odd blast up the beach but thats it.

[CRM]

If you go to Ahipara (South End of 90 Mile Beach) and follow the road south past Shipwreck Bay up Gumfields Rd. You can ride through the gumfields tracks down to the sand dunes then back down along the beach. I did it 25 years ago on an XL350. I hit some qucksand in the dunes and went over the bars. Fortunately had some mates to pull the bike out (it looks like a hard flat piece of sand in a hollow but it's actually soft and wet so avoid at all costs).

I did the track again just over a year ago by myself on my XL250 and it was much rougher than I remember (or maybe it's just that I'm 25 years older?) and struggled in the sand with my semi-knobblies so didn't do the dunes - but the track itself is a lot of fun. You can see it on Google maps. Then of course there's 90 mile beach itself - look out for the creeks!?! Had a mate who broke his back on one. Nearly lost it on one myself.

Not sure what else is open up there now, but I'm hoping to go up there with my son one day soon and do some riding.

[Warr]

The residence around the south end at Ahipara get a bit tetchy over vehicles down their end of the beach. There is plenty of sand and dunes further north so just be conscious of their desires and dont be a public nuance.
Around the southern dunes, May be fine in a group but I'd be careful about riding in the dunes there, I wouldnt want to disturb anyone protecting their cash crop ... if you know what I mean...

[mxracer_nz]

its pretty sweet there massive area of dunes to play in but there are alot of soft spots way worse than the bombing range its no slow down just straight endos make sure u ride ova the landing good b4 jumping anything. we stayed in a motel on the hill is a cool lil town just rode bikes straight from there down the road, bikes were everywhere no one seemed to care, if you ride on the beach around the point you get to sum what of a maori village its pretty funny i wouldnt want to be by myself there if you broke down they`d probly eat you

[raglanash]

Ahipara is awesome, go around the reef and rip those dunes up!! As stated in a previous post make sure you scope out landings etc first before you hit anything, some pretty mean drop off's up there. The locals are sweet, you'll have to be a pretty special kind of dickhead to piss them off, they are all riding and pissing around as well. Just find someone to follow. Dirt bike and clapped out old 4wd are standard equipment up there, if you 4wd around the reef just watch the tide when you come back, heaps of people get caught out. Check out the locals wheelie skills!! Definitly take a surfboard.

[Danger]

if you 4wd around the reef just watch the tide when you come back, heaps of people get caught out. Check out the locals wheelie skills!! Definitly take a surfboard.

Do not leave anything of value in your vehicle. Your wallet in the glovebox will be found. Better to leave someone with the vehicle if possible.

[telliman]

Do not leave anything of value in your vehicle. Your wallet in the glovebox will be found. Better to leave someone with the vehicle if possible.

camp ground in rawirira, good base.

[Gravel911]

Thanks for all the feed back guys.

If I get to take the bike up I will give a report when I get back.

Cheers

[Rback]

All I can tell you is do not ride there alone.When you are on the beaches think of the other people on them. Stick to the tracks and enjoy. The Dune straight up from the beach is a blast and a challenge in it self. It is about 4ks from Shipwreak Bay. Awesome!!!

[Oper8r]

I was up there at Christmas, went south around thye point (watch out for the tide), and there are some big sand hills, no problem if you are a reasonable rider. Just don't go hard out over anything untill you have checked the other side, as even though it may be sand, the height of some of these drops is impressive. Look out for other riders as well, and don't run out of gas! I would hate to think about pushing my bike out, even if it does only weigh 98kg's!. ha.

[Danger]

and don't run out of gas! I would hate to think about pushing my bike out, even if it does only weigh 98kg's!. ha.

Done that! Actually got half way back along the coast and mate managed to get his YZ490 back to his ute, ran over his surfboard that he had hid under it, drove as far back around the coast that he could, parked up and rode his bike back to me with a container of gas, during which time his ute was broken into and his wallet was stolen!

[CRM]

Just found some pictures from the ride I did up there a while back on trusty Degree - cool place but should have had knobblies on lol.

[BMW Grandad]

Hi Gravel911, I was wondering if you managed to get up north at Anzac weekend? Attached are a couple of photos taken on 90 mile beach recently. It's a great part of the country, that's for sure.
If anyone needs any info about places to ride in the Far North, you could contact Team Wicked Racing, which is part of Team TopEnz - a group of Enduro/Trail/Cross Country riders who all live in the Far North (Hokianga, Kaeo, Kerikeri). Email is info@teamwickedracing.co.nz Website is www.teamwickedracing.co.nz

[Gravel911]

No never went in the end.
Had a breakdown at work and ended up working the weekend. Still really keen to get up there sometime and check it out.
Be a good place to ride in the winter.......