Trip to Auckland and back for the weekend.

[Howie]

I had to make an unplanned trip to Auckland for last Friday. So the first decision was what way to travel, fly, Drive, or ride, and the slim possibility of train. That wasn’t a hard choice. So ride it was, had reasonably new tires on the bike, so it was change the brake pads wed night and up and away Thursday morning with the aim of being in Auckland by Thursday night. I wasn’t going to do that many detours for the scenic route, but did turn off SH1 for Marton with a stop for a coffee then across to the Turakina valley rd via Galpins, and Taurimu Roads. Then up Turakina valley rd and across to Whangaehu valley road via Mangatipona, and Mangamahu roads. Through to SH43, and Ohakune. Then up as far as Owango, with a minor hold up for road resealing just before National Park. At Owango I spotted a tidy looking Café called Enjoy and made a stop for a feed and a coffee, before taking a short diversion down Hikumutu rd and back out at Taumarunui. It was then on to Te Kuiti, and it is good that KLR’s get 400km to a tank, as I only made it into Te Kuiti with about a litre left in the tank by the amount it took to full. I sat out a couple of heavy showers of rain with another Coffee, and then off to Otrohanga and onto Ngaruawahia, and up SH1 to Auckland, to be greeted by more Rain, wind and stationary Traffic on the Southern Motorway, but finally got to my Motel about 7.00pm.

Pic1 Turakina valley road
Pic2 and 3 Whangaehu road
Pic4 and 5 Hikumutu Road

[Howie]

Spent Friday in Auckland, and Saturday Morning headed off to Pukekohe, with a quick stop to buy some chain lube, and out to Port Waikato. I then headed down the coast to Te Akau, and through Ruakiwi. Then out to Raglan for a coffee break, While there it started raining, so sat out what I hoped would be a quick shower, but looked like it was setting in so on with the wet weather gear and off to see the Bridal veil falls. On down the coast to Kawhia another place I’d never been. Before heading south Through Te anga, and Marokopa , Had a quick stop at Moetoa where Pomarangi road meets Mangatoa road, to decide which way to go, but time was getting on and I also wanted to see the Tunnel and beach at Waikawau Beach,so headed straight down the coast. Got into Awakino just as it was getting dark, and decided to head for New Plymouth. Was cruising down SH 3 towards New Plymouth when I realised I couldn’t see my headlight on the ground, stick hand over around the screen, and oh bugger no headlight. As it was now getting fairly dark, I decided to follow the car in front until I found some reasonable street lighting to stop and have a look. Finally found a safe place with one street light beside a church in the middle of know where, so it was off with the luggage, and out with the toolkit, side covers off, seat off, check fuses, and yep the Head, and tail light fuse had blown. Fitted the spare one and started putting everything back together, and finally after I had been stopped for about 20 min a couple of older people stopped and provided me a bit more light to work in. Which was great as it was being a pain lining up the side cover screws in the dark (must remember a small torch in the tool kit), After getting everything back together started back on the road for New Plymouth, but found some Accommodation at Urenui Hotel, so stopped there for the night.

Pic1 Port Waikato
Pic2,3 and 4 port waikato to Waikaretu road
Pic 5, and 6 Ruakiwi Rd

[Howie]

More Pics

Pic1 Ruakiwi Rd
Pic2 Bridal Veil falls.
Pic3,4,5, and 6 Raglan to Kawhia road after the rain cleared off.

[Howie]

Still more Pictures

pic1 Harbour road
Pic2 Marokopa
Pic3 Mangatoa road
Pic4 Moeatoa, where Pomerangi road turns off.
Pic5 Waikawau beach tunnel
Pic6 Waikawau Beach

[Howie]

On Sunday I wanted to meet up with my Brother and his family who were staying in Stratford, and travelling home by bike as well, So I headed across to Stratford Via the Taramoukua Tunnel and a few back roads. From Stratford we headed down to Wanganui, then to Marton, across to Feilding, Ashhurst, the Wairarapa and down a few back roads towards Wellington, and home. Just over 1700kms over four days, with only three of them on the bike.

Pic one Taramoukua Tunnel.

[DingoZ]

Awesome...

[junkmanjoe]

MATE what a tour. top marks to you.
great pics as well, you be all set for the king country ride, after all that. wicked water fall.....

[marks]

some really great photos

you got to ride some choice roads.

I wish I could get your gas mileage - I hit reserve at 260km on Saturday

hopefully we'll catch up soon on the next ride....

[Paladin]

Nice ride report and pics Paul - what a great way to get up to AKL!!! Some of those roads looked like great fun with awesome scenery!

[pampa]

Hi mate, very nice roads didn't have any idea you could go through all thos places

Cheers,
Pampa
Hey Mark, How many liters on you main tank?

some really great photos

you got to ride some choice roads.

I wish I could get your gas mileage - I hit reserve at 260km on Saturday

hopefully we'll catch up soon on the next ride....

[Howie]

Thanks for the replys Guys, I could have enjoyed another few days coming back, as there are plenty of little loops, and side roads to explore along the way that I just didn't have the time to do. Still It was better than sitting on the main roads for sure.

Hey Mark, check that your choke cable isn't a bit tight. I was getting that sort of mileage from mine after it had been worked on at a nameless bike shop, and I eventually found the choke cable was just a little bit tight, but it must have been holding choke on a little bit. Has yours been rejetted for all your aftermarket bits?

Cheers

Paul

[marks]

Hey Mark, check that your choke cable isn't a bit tight. I was getting that sort of mileage from mine after it had been worked on at a nameless bike shop, and I eventually found the choke cable was just a little bit tight, but it must have been holding choke on a little bit. Has yours been rejetted for all your aftermarket bits?

Cheers

Paul

the mileage went down the toilet after I put a stage 2 DJ jet kit in and chopped up the top of the air box. Made a big difference to the performance in the 5-7k rpm range though

I just want to have my cake and eat it

[shafty]

I wasn’t going to do that many detours for the scenic route but finally got to my Motel about 7.00pm.

YEAH RIGHT!

Well done Mate, good write up, great pix too.

Where is that tunnel?

Cheers for posting!

[Paladin]

I just want to have my cake and eat it

The word "cake" being interchangeable with "brunette Toppys waitress" of course ............!

[Howie]

YEAH RIGHT!

Well done Mate, good write up, great pix too.

Where is that tunnel?

Cheers for posting!

The Taramoukua Tunnel is on Otaraoa road upper in Taranaki, Starts about 20km north of New Plymouth on SH3, and from that road you can work your way across and come out near Stratford via Tarata Rd, Tariki road north, Tariki road south, sailsbury Rd, and Beaconsfield rd to come out at Midhurst about 5km north of Stratford. There are also some other slight variations that you could take, all the roads I took were reasonably well sealed, but had few rough places, they were narrow and had heaps of corners most of the way.

Cheers

Paul