New on the Scene - Makara attack this weekend?

[jamesoid]

Hi all...

After reading about keen adventurers pushing their DR600s through mudholes in the Congo in the '90s, and watching the latest Dakar race DVD...I've finally gotten a dual purpose machine...

(OK, not counting the TS185 that I accidently acquired off TradeMe a couple of weeks ago for $906 road legal...no disrespect to the TS185 posse)

...I'll be flying down to Welly later this week, and picking up a substantially rebuilt and road legal 1987 TT350.

Yes, no more punting my podgy ZXR down gravel roads for me...which means less changes of underwear required.

So I'm keen to hear from anyone who will be interested in a ride over the weekend somewhere round Wellington, before I head back to Auckland on Monday.

I've been eyeing up the roads out west of Makara for a bit of a shakedown...see attached satellite spy photo...it's the area NW and SW of the marker.

And in general interested to hear from anyone (especially round the Ak region) who would be into adventure riding after that...

I'm thinking of a weekend of 42nd Traverse (done it on mountain bike), and Taihape/Napier road over the Ruahines (done it on an RG250), though might wait until it gets a bit less nippeeeee.


Peace out =)

P.S. Don't u just love those plate tectonics

[Nigel Marx]

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...es/welcome.gif

Welcome aboard, mate... whew, you took it back about the TS185, just as I was about to loose it and smash up my monitor! It was a close thing!http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...es/mchappy.gif

DR350? You HAVE to get the DVD/Book of Mondo Enduro. Then you will see what can be done with a DR350.

Kind regards

Nigel in Rangiora

[Kiwirider]

Welcome on board

You will enjoy the bike and the adventures is will take you on, I love any adventure by bike, even though I am only new at this game

We (my wife and I) recently rode Suzuki 250's around NZ, and we loved it, you are not restricted by the size of your bike, only the size of your imagination

Take a look at Kiwi Biker - New Zealand motorcycle community there is a dedicated adventure section there with like minded riders.

Cheers Scott

[parkie]

I'm always keen on a dirty time...

Am based in Grey Lynn and am happy to go searching for some good gravel occassionally - give me a call to jack up a ride 376 3746

[jamesoid]

Thanks for the welcome, guys!

(Unfortunately couldn't post again until now because I'd sabotaged my user settings...luddite :-o)

Have met up with Rich who has shown me some excellent roads through the east Waikato...cheers Rich

Also checked out the kiwibiker adventure forum, thanks Scott. Useful route info there, and all the rest.

Next post is the story of riding the TT back from Wellington...

Nice one

[jamesoid]

As planned skived off work early on Thursday and flew down to Welly. Within half an hour I was at the seller’s place, and after a cup of tea, rode off to stay with my friend Liz for the night.

The next day I spent hooning around the sealed roads in Makara and a bit of a toottle along coast. While Google Earth shows a number of promising roads on the map, these seem to be largely private. Same with the coastal road south of Wainuomata, now closed to motorcyclists. Same with the coastal track south of Muritai, on the eastern edge of Wellington Harbour. Not much dual sport joy, but it's good to fun to be caning around on the TT...

[jamesoid]

Having had a day to get used to the bike, and with a rain warning out for the northern North Island that night, I decided to head north off out of Wellington at 9:30am.

The bike is running well. Good to be on the road, but wish I had put the bigger front sprocket on. Keeping it down to 80-90 mostly on the highway, as the top end is still being run in.

12:30 Fielding, good coffee. More gas and up to Cheltenham before turning off in the direction of Sugar Hill, south of Mangaweka. Then Taihape, Waiouru by 3:30. Getting 150+ km out of the tank before hitting reserve, not too bad.

Not that far north of Waiouru I pass a curious sign - Tukino skifield 14km. Hmmm dirt road...worth a look....

Fine silt, sand, a touch of mud, and a couple of shallow water crossings. Then, from where the access turns to 4wd only, the road steepens up a bit and gets rocky. Standing up, the TT floats comfortably over the worst of the bumps. This is good.

The final approach to the ski field is ice. This will be interesting coming back down.

Anyway, after further diversions at tree trunk gorge south of Turangi, and having to follow logging trucks north after dark because my headlight is so poor, I arrive home in Auckland at 1:45 am. That's 730km and 16 hours later.

[Nigel Marx]

Nice write-up, James. Make sure you look us up if you come down our way.

Kind regards

Nigel in Rangiora