Motorcycle Trip Through New Zealand – Burt Munro Challenge PART 1

 

This was the most amazing trip I have ever had AND it was my first visit to New Zealand. To be riding and seeing the sights with my mates was just brilliant.

I don’t want this post to be too long but I could seriously write forever about it so I will be as brief as possible (when possible).

Ok, it started when a couple of guys went over last year to the Burt Munro Challenge in Invercargill, New Zealand and they asked a few of us if we would like to go this year. Oh yes indeedy! 

What they did was buy bikes and have them stored in New Plymouth at a mates house. Very handy.!  We had two BMW F650’s,  one x BMW R1150RT, one x BMW R1100RT, one x GSXR 750, one x Suzuki Bandit, one x Suzuki RF900….and this is my story!

26.1.19

Australia Day – Up at 3.30am to finish packing and to get to Bryan’s. Mario and his son picked us up and took us to the Airport. There we met Ash, Michael, Sue and Jason. Seven of us intrepid travellers ready to take on New Zealand. Then we were off to Auckland with Air China! The adventure begins!

Ash, Bryan, Mario, Michael, Sue & Jason

We arrive in Auckland and hire a maxi van to take us down to New Plymouth where the bikes are stored.  New Plymouth is on the West Coast of the North Island and is the major city of the Taranaki Region. I found it quite funky. Then I saw Mount Taranaki/Egmont!  Impressive.. My pic, unfortunately doesn’t do it justice.

 

Mt Taranaki/ Mt Egmont

27.1.19

We haven’t picked up the bikes yet so we see some of the sights of Taranaki.  The Festival of Lights at – Pukekura Park was on and I totally recommend it to anyone who is able to catch it.  This festival runs free, yes FREE every year from mid-December to early February and the park is transformed into an amazing wonderland of colour every evening. There are day time programs too. Here is the link to see more.  https://www.festivaloflights.nz/

 

Festival of Lights – Pukekura

28.1.19      

We pick up the bikes and take them over to get the road worthy’s. Everyone passes except one but that was Mario needing a new tyre. Easily fixed. The bike they had for me didn’t need a roadworthy, but it wasn’t till later I learnt that there were no brake lights. Also it was a bit high for my 5’3” ass, but I was determined to do this!

My bike was a BMW F650 and the most comfortable bike to do those roads. I normally ride a Harley Custom 1200 Sportster, so it was completely different and once I was up on it, the ride was awesome. We were riding 10 hour days and not once did my back or butt ache. I actually did love that bike and I still want to buy it off them (and lower it of course). Will never get rid of the Harley though.

 

Picking up the bikes.

29.1.19      

We head off towards Lake Taupo via Inglewood where we take a photo opportunity at “Nelson’s Bakery” in Inglewood. This is our good mate Grant Nelson’s family bakery. 

Nelson’s Bakery – Inglewood  

 

Then we head to Stratford to ride the infamous “Forgotten World Highway, also known as New Zealand State Highway 43.

The “Forgotten World Highway is 150km long and was actually built on old colonial bridle paths from the 19th Century. Even though it is one of the most scenic drives in the world, it is also ranked as one of the 10 worst roads in New Zealand by the Police. It is definitely challenging but very, very exciting.

This road travels between Stratford and Taumaranui. The Highway has beautiful landscape, gorges, tunnels and forest. There are sheer drops and hairpins and twists and tight turns making you a bit dizzy, but oh so much fun. There is also a lot of slippery gravel so you seriously have to be on the ball.   But wow what an experience!  

 

Forgotten Highway

About half way, you come across Whangamomona. It is one of the North Islands remotest towns and the townspeople declared it a republic in 1988. Of course we had to stop off at the Hotel and buy a “I’ve done the Forgotten World Highway” t-shirt. You just have to do it!

 

Whangamomona Hotel

 

About 14kms past Whangamomona you get to Moki Tunnel, also known as Hobbit’s Hole. Hand-carved b y pickaxes, the tunnel is a 200 metre-long and gets very, very dark very, very quickly. You can hardly see anything until your eyes adjust.

Hobbit’s Hole

 

When you come out of Hobbit’s Hole you then enter Tangarakau Gorge and then the surface becomes gravel road for about 15 kilometres. I don’t like gravel roads, my Harley  back home doesn’t like gravel roads but this BMW was brilliant on gravel roads and I was very grateful.

From Whangamomona we went to Ohura to Taumaranui and to Ohakune for the night.  This is the wonderful site that awaited us… Mount Ruapehu.

Mt Ruapehu

 

Mount Ruapehu is an active volcano sitting above the desert and when you are at the top, you can see all the way to the coast.  Magnificient!   Click here for more info about Mt Ruapehu. 

This was also birthday #1 for the trip.  There were three birthdays between the seven of us!  What are the odds!  Happy birthday Bryan.

Ohakune

30.1.19  

Onwards bound to do a big loop of Lake Taupo….Ahhhh Lake Taupo. The heart of Aotearoa New Zealand’s beautiful North Island.

 

Lake Taupo

 

 I didn’t know, but the beautiful Lake Taupo is about the size of Singapore. No kidding! It is magnificent.  Around Lake Taupo you will find ski fields, trout filled rivers, geothermal valleys with hot springs and  the Tongariro National Park.  There are also three volcanoes in the National Park…I kid you not….A place I definitely want to come back to and spend more time.  Mind you, I feel the same about all of NZ.

 

Lake Taupo

 

Tonight we are staying at Patea at a mate’s Holiday Home. Thank you Lewis for allowing us to stay, putting on a BBQ and helping us out with everything AND storing the bikes.  You have great neighbours!  This was our accommodation for the night.  Not too shabby.  

 

Patea

 

  We have been incredibly lucky to have the accommodation that we had.  It is no easy feat to find accommodation for seven people.  

31.1.19

Off we ride to Wanganui for breakfast before we head to Wellington to catch the Bluebridge Ferry to Picton in the South Island.  Took about 3 hrs 30 mins.  Met some interesting people and it was a great ferry trip! 

 

Blueridge Ferry

 

Cook Straight

1.2.19

Onwards bound to Greymouth.  We had a quick stop at Grassmere Salt Lake. 

 

Salt Lake

 

Then we had to stop at Nins Bin which is about 20kms north of  Kaikoura on the State Highway 1 so Mario could buy a Crayfish.  Luckily he talked it down from $80 something to $60 something. All we could say was.. WTF?  Nins Bin is very unassuming in the middle of what it seems is nowhere, in a little blue and white caravan.  Apparently the crayfish was brilliant and it has a great reputation.

 

Nins Bin

 

We carried on the State Highway 1 which is the longest road in New Zealand running the length of both islands.

State Highway 1 map  (By p.s –  

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand_State_Highway_1)

 

There were heaps of road works going on this stretch of road and I was told it was closed from 4 November 2016 to 15 December 2017, due to damage from the 2016 Kaikoura earthquake.  We didn’t mind waiting too much (not too much, though it did take a while) on this stretch as it is one of the most scenic routes, with the Pacific Ocean on one side and 2,500 m  peaks on the other.

 

Waiting on State Highway 1

 

Well I am going to leave it right here for now.  There were so many pictures to choose from and it took me ages to decide which ones.  I hope you enjoyed reading about our adventure, but wait….there is more.   Look out for Part 2 AND more about the Burt Munro Challenge…(we do finally get there!).

Also, if anyone is interested in finding out about going to New Zealand for a bike road trip and is interested in finding out about the bikes we had there, just contact me  here or on our Life and Motorbikes facebook  page and I will hook you up with someone who will be able to answer your questions.  I know they are available to use, but I don\’t know the ins and outs of it.

This is a map of the North Island and the directions we went.

 

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/maps/pacific/new-zealand/north-island/

 

Click on this link to go straight to Motorcycle Through New Zealand on the Way to the Burt Munro Challenge PART 2 – February 2019

Stay Upright.

LJ