When touring NZ by motorcycle, we are utterly spoiled for choice when it comes to great roads across both the North and South Islands.
There are some beautiful, scenic and challenging roads to ride, and with a few notes of caution and respect of the road, one of the best ways to see this amazing country.
For this issue of RIDDEN, we’ve gathered our choice of three rides, covering both the North and South Islands, as our pick for riders both starting out, and experienced. So gear up and get ready.
Russell via Helena Bay
We start our list off in the North with a short gem that features some stunning scenery. Plus, it’s in “the winterless north”, so the riding conditions are very bike-friendly for more days than most.
Russell Road from Whakapara is just 22km north of Whangarei off State Highway 1. This twisting ribbon of road is 73km long and snakes its way northeast to the coast before winding north to Russell.
Road conditions are generally good, but watch out for tar bleed in the hotter months and don’t let the scenery distract you too much from the road – particularly around Taupiri and Elliot Bays. Slow down and take it all in!
The Helena Bay Cafe offers a great pitstop to refuel the soul with incredible vistas to sit and absorb over a refueling coffee or drink, or ride on into Russell and sit down for a meal at the famous Duke of Marlborough Hotel by the waterfront.
This stunner of a route off the main highway can be enjoyed on any bike, but to get there you’ve got a lot of kilometres from the major centres, so our advice is a touring bike. Just sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride.
The Coromandel Loop
It’s probably one of the most obvious choices we could have added to this list, with the Coromandel Loop being a rite of passage to many riders hailing from the Golden Triangle of North Island cities.
The ride gets its name because the highway loops around the coastline of the Coromandel Peninsula and is a popular day trip for riders thanks to its 257km of windy hilly roads with, according to the local council, 983 curves… give or take.
The Coromandel Loop predominantly makes use of State Highway 25 but also uses sections of State Highway 2 and State Highway 26. It is easily accessed from Auckland, Hamilton and Tauranga at multiple points along the route, and with multiple short-cuts running over the Coromandel Ranges including State Highway 25A can be ridden in a variety of directions.
The route has seen numerous safety improvements over recent years including road surface and road marking improvements, hazard removal, and installing emergency helicopter landing sites, though there sometimes can be random stones or gravel migration to be aware of.
However, this ride isn’t without its own hazards to be wary of. Slips are common during the winter months while the road surface can vary including tar bleed and corrugations mid apex - particularly on the SH25a section. And of course its own popularity is something to respect, in regards to traffic density, tourists or other enthusiasts.
One of the best styles of bike to make the most of this route is a middleweight sports bike. With hundreds of corners, you can work on apexes and smoothness until your heart’s content.
Don’t Forget The South!
When it comes to the South Island, it really is hard to go wrong when picking a great ride route. Whatever your preferred style of riding, the mainland caters to it in spades.
With Queenstown the Mecca of the south, it’s unsurprising that this part of Otago features plenty of great roads to explore and enjoy.
One of our favourite rides takes you from the shores of Lake Wanaka, over the Crown Range to Arrowtown before riding to Queenstown via Malaghans Road and around Lake Wakatipu to Glenorchy.
Offering plenty of twisting tarmac and brilliant views, this route has plenty to offer, and with the road ending at Glenorchy, one of the best parts is the ability to do most of it all over again to get back to Queenstown.
This route is rideable throughout the year, however, if you’re riding after recent snowfall (yep, it’s doable!) be wary of grit on the roads. Other considerations are slow-moving/sightseeing traffic hiding behind the next bend and sunstrike riding the switchback corners of the Crown Range near Arrow Junction. But the Cardrona Hotel is almost a mandatory stop for a rest stop, pics or a meal.
What would we pick to ride this great part of the country? Having sampled the road on many different bikes, anything above 250cc is good, with some climbs requiring a bit more torque. But with the South Island being an adventure rider’s playground and the usefulness of electronic aids on this route, our pick to make the most of being in the area is a European middleweight adventure bike with all the modern technology – just for a little reassurance.
Bonus trip
While the East Coast has the cafes and restaurants, the West Coast has plenty to offer as well, particularly for a return journey south.
Just 104km west of Russell is Omapere with its own stunning scenery (some of the biggest visible sand dunes in NZ), with State Highway 12 running North-South along the coast. While arguably not as picturesque as the East Coast, the stretch of road between Omapere and Kaihu is a must-do. Not only does it feature incredible scenery, this stretch of road is also home to Tane Mahuta and it’s well worth dropping by for a visit.
Bonus trip
If arriving on the South Island by ferry, head west from Picton along Queen Charlotte Drive, towards Havelock. It may have a speed limit of 50km/h, but that’s more time to take in one of the great roads, especially if you’re on two wheels and love a twisty ride with jaw-dropping scenery.