Adventure Riding in NZ, Upper Hutt, Wellington (2026)

25/08/2025

Orange in Makairo

A days round trip.

Leaving Remutaka Z Upper Hutt at 8:00am and straight into a road trip to Pahiatua, to refuel.
Riding North a few more km to Mangatainoka to turning right here heading East to Makiaro West .
A few sealed back roads to end up on Makairo Track.

From this West end you immediately launch into 1500m or 2000m of mud bog rutted track.
Is reasonably straight forward by picking your line, having good tyres and pressure down. I had a half-worn Perelli Mid Hard set at 18PSI. (didn’t drop pressures). Was a tractor going through, I had no issues for traction or staying rubber side up. No so with stock on the track though. Got head on butted by a cow. She did not like the horn blaring, stayed rubber side up.
The ruts run out into a more dryer defined 4 wheel drive track, but still rutted in places. Pick your lines.
Any over hanging bush is being beaten back by 4 wheel drives and cleared by the local quads club.
The East end of Makairo runs out on a groomed gravel road to drop into Waitahora and Conoor Roads.

Conoor is always a fast and groomed non sealed surface, the grader had just been through…..this was a race track today. So much grip.
From Conoor we bypassed Makuri to run down the Pahiatua Pongaroa Road and the gorge to Pori Road.
We thought about diverting up Puertoi Road but that next time.
Stayed on Pori, which for the majority was groomed and only a few ruts. Quick travel here.
Obligatory photos at the top.

From Pori/Saunders onto Highway 52 past Alfredton and down to Barton Line.
Bartons, so well groomed, was flattened and smooth.
Turning down 52 again to Daggs Road to Bidiford.

Took Te Ore Ore through to Castlepoint Road and onto Lees Pakaraka Road down to Carterton via Gladstone Roads and the friendly Buckhorne Pub (again). Arrived at about 2:00pm.

After refreshments headed home back over the Remutakas.
Have to ride over Puketoi off Pori Road next time. An easy half day trip.

21/08/2025

Ride Out to Flat Point

Any excuse for a ride out.

Have a job at a batch out at Flat Point. Required 4 motorcyclists to check it out.

Road bash over Remutakas and out to Te Wharau junction.
Road out from Te Wharau is a fast, smooth, wide access road, till you get to the top of the hill and start downhill to Flat Point. Here the gravel was thick and difficult.

Rode to the job, sighted what I needed to and then we shot south to Craigie Lee Road. An easy climb up and out back out to Te Wharau. Turning right here to travel over Kaiwhata and Homewood out to Riversdale. Great piece of road this, easy and fast gravel, quite well groomed at the moment.

Lunch at Riversdale and back onto tar seal to Waihora Forestry Road.
Here the fun begins, took a side road (loose term, track really) up Everest. Creek crossings, mud, mud and mud. Not quite single track, took an hour or so exploring here. Nothing on the KTM 1290 SAR is designed for this, just saying.

Back on the main track, more mud and channels in the usual places. Apart from these bog holes in the track, still in pretty good shape considering logging is currently happening.

Out to Puketiritiri Road (gravel) to Masterton Stonvar (sealed), to Wainuiora School and Westmere Road. Then a very clipped pace out to Te Wharau Road (smoke stacks).

Refreshments at The Buckhorne Pub, Carterton. Open fire going.

Thereafter, a quick romp back over the Remutakas and back home.

Not a lot of spectacular views this trip, so much forestry happening. Difficult to recognise landmarks of the past.

22/07/2025

Admirals from Hinakura quick jaunt.

Out on a Sunday morning for a quick circuit around Admirals and up first right hand branch to the pylon track.

Road ride out from Remutaka Z over Remutakas (very cold but dryish) to Martinborough and out to Hinakura. Turning right at Hinakura to ride the length of Admirals Road. Some early loose gravel to become smooth flat highway surface. Very quick. Then riding over to Featherston via Gladstone and Tiffin Road to nip up The Pylon Track right hand fork. Haven’t been up there in a while, was quite slippery and wet but manageable. Back home over Remutaka Hill Road to awaiting rain. About 4 hours all up including rests and café stop at Martinborough to warm up.

14/07/2025

Wairarapa Coast Rideout

A great ride out to White Rock and Tora via Tuturmiri. Starting out from Remutaka Z in the rain, over the Remutakas, by Featherston not a rain cloud in the sky. A great warm day. Returned journey back into the rain on the Remutakas though.
First stop at the Café in the field opposite Range Road/White Rock Road. I'll get its name next time. A nice spot.
The White Rock and Tora Roads were in exceptionally smooth flat track condition. If it weren’t for the potential traffic!. Tora Road was very busy.
We also decided to traverse two short in and out tracks off White Rock Road. Not done them in a while. Kaiwaka Road & Cape River Road were also in good condition after recent flooding.
277km Remutaka Z to Remutaka Z.

05/07/2025

Kings Day Taihape Rideout 2025

This is a 3 day adventure up to Taihape on Saturday, Rideout loop to Blue Duck Café on Sunday and back to Wellington on Monday.

Day 3

Leaving Taihape, straight down State Highway 1 to Manui Road and looped around to Te Kapua and back to Mangaweka. Parts of this road were in really good condition. Worth doing this loop. From here shot straight down to Ohingaiti and zig zagged over Otara, Block, Sandon, Waipuru, Mangapapa and Upper Pakihikura Roads. As always these roads were in pretty good shape to travel quite quickly. From here carried on South via Waituna-Tapuae and onto Beaconsfield, zigzagging West to Ridge road and ZigZag Road Midland roads back to Ashurst. Refueling here three riders took the Saddle Road and Hopelands to get to Maikairo track West. Makairo is at least consistent. Muddy and deep at the East opening onto a grass track through to the West. All very doable. Linking onto Conoor Road to Pori Road. Then over Dreyers Rock Road down to Dorsets Road and over Northcroft (paper farm road) which was in quite dry condition. Easy ride.
Emerging out to Opaki and a straight ride down Highway2 to Upper Hutt.

05/07/2025

Kings Day Taihape Rideout 2025

This is a 3 day adventure up to Taihape on Saturday, Rideout loop to Blue Duck Café on Sunday and back to Wellington on Monday.

Day 2

Aiming for Blue Duck Café at the end of Oio Road. Approx 150km away. An awesome ride up via Mataroa township, over Ruanui to Colliers Junction onto Owhakura Road and Whangaehu Valley Roadthrough to Oruakukuru Road which was in really fast condition. Regrouping at highway 4, we shot up to Raetihi for a warm up at The Angle Café. Onto Raurimu via a small diversion around Middle Road (fantastic condition, fast) and then West from raurimu on Kaitieke Road to Oio. About 25km to the end of Oio Road is the Blue Duck Station and Café. Great spot, excellent home grown food. Found out about a lot of history of the area from the station owner. Essentially all linked to the Bridge to Nowhere and the surrounding abandoned farms from after WW1. Worth the visit.
Going back, couldn’t just retrace our steps, so back down Oio Road to Upper Retaruke Road and on through the Fishers Track. Was surprisingly dry and easy to traverse. In very good condition with a smattering of gravel been placed in the strategic parts of the track. Presumably for the push bike brigade. Refuelled at national Park to carry on down state highway 4 back to Raetihi turning East on Ohakura to then turn down the paper road of Pahiki Road, Lakes Road via Ratamaire (this track was wet but easily traversed. Long grass covering multiple ruts though), to emerge back onto Ohakura Road and onto State Highway 49. A quick road ride over to Tangiwai to turn down Turakina Valley Road (was in reasonable cut up bad condition from truck damage, usually is fast and smooth). Down to Papanui Junction and onto Kaka Road to Koeka Junction. Along Koeke Road to Ridge Road North and down Pukenaua Road to the State Highway 1 and Taihape. That is a big day, approx 400km.

05/07/2025

Kings Day Taihape Rideout 2025

This is a 3 day adventure up to Taihape on Saturday, Rideout loop to Blue Duck Café on Sunday and back to Wellington on Monday.

Day 1

We grouped at Ashurst after a dash up State Highway 1. From here we set out for Taihape covering a lot of gravel roads such as Midland, Zigzag, Ridge Road in its entirety, Pohongina through to Umutoi. From Limestone we zigzagged our way up Auputa, Kawhatau Valley, Potaka Road, Omatane South Road, Gorge Road, Torere and through another very wet and slippery paper road Kotukuraeroa to Pungatawa and around on that race track Waikakhi Road, then a few refreshments at our local guides home and through to Taihape.

02/04/2025

2 Beavers Rideout

Top of South 4 day adventure ride. Friday morning ferry to Picton, Monday afternoon ferry back to Wellington. 4 bikes, 3x KTM 690R’s & a KTM 890R

DAY 1: To Culverden. Bluebridge ferry over to Picton. Down to Blenheim and State Highway 1 to Redwood Pass Road. Taylor Pass Road is closed at this point. See photo for dates closed. Back onto State Highway 1 to Seddon. Then back up the road to Awatere Valley, Molseworth Road. Down Jollies Pass Road onto pavement, through Hamner Springs and onto Culverden. Stayed at Culverden Hotel, great place, fantastic menu, free breakfast.

DAY 2: To Reefton. Leaving Culverden travelled back through Hamner Springs up Clarence Valley Road to Tophouse Road and onto Rainbow Road. Stopped at Lake Tennyson and then north up to the Ranger Station. Got a tour of the Ranger’s House. Cobb walls are 19” (483mm) thick. Original cottage is still part of the house. From here we carried onto State Highway 63 and refuelled at Saint Arnaud. Compulsory stop off at the wharf and visit the eels here. Then rode just West up the road to Porika Valley Road (recently graded, if you call it that) and over the top to Braburn Track and onto Tutuki Road North, onto Mangles Valley Road to Murchison.

Here we partook in a helicopter ride with Murchison Heli Tours. Flew over the second biggest Park in NZ. Kahurangi National Park at 5193 km2.

DAY 3: To Nelson. Leaving Murch, we travelled South down to Six Mile and onto Maruia Saddle to Burnbrae. Back up State Highway 65 and through the gorge back to Murchison. Refuelled, travelled back over Mangles Valley Road & Tutaki Road/Braeburn Track and North up Gowan Valley Road to Gowanbridge and State Highway 6 and up to Tadmor-Glenhope Road, emerging out at Tadmor. A quick road ride up to Tadmore Valley Road and onto Tapawera Baton Road to the river crossing at the road end and pedestrian swing bridge. After crossing Baton River at this point, we joined onto Baton Valley Road to wind up to the West side of the Motueka River up to Woodstock and over to Dovetale Road/Pigeon Valley Road onto Wakefield for refreshments. From Wakefield we rode Church Valley/Pig Valley Roads and up the Old Mill/Ben Nevis Roads up to the Mountain Bike Park entrance. Backtracking down to met Wairoa Gorge Road to ride to Lee Valley Road and onto Brightwater and onto Tahunanui for the night.

DAY 4: Home . Leaving Nelson after an early start to find nothing open (except a bakery) for breakfast. We rode up Maitai Valley Road to Maungatapu Track. Over Maungatapu Saddle to Maungatapu Road to Pelorus Bridge. A short road ride to Canvastown and turned up an in and out road called Wakamarina Road out to Butchers Flat Campsite. Also called into the Pear Tree Flat on the way out. From Canvastown we road to Havelock and Queen Charlotte Drive to Picton and the return Ferry.

What a great 4 days, just over 1000km.

Could make a 2 day trip of down to Culverden via the Molesworth and back up Rainbow Road the next day.

26/03/2025

Rock Buster Rallye 2025

Piggy backed onto this South Island ride with a group of friends basically after it was organised.

Was extremely well organised by Reid. Significant time beforehand and during the tour had been invested by Reid.

9 days of riding, 2600km in total.

The roads listed are not all the roads we travelled. Some of the group did their own ride for the day.

DAY 1 : To Reefton. From Picton to Blenheim, Porika track, Braeburn Track, Mangles Valley to Murchison, Marua Saddle, West bank Road to Springs Junction to Reefton for the night.

DAY 2 : To Moana. Reefton to Blackwater then in and out on the Big River track. Out to Ahaura & over Napoleon Hill & out to Highway 7. South to Nelson Creek Road & onto Moana ( Lake Brunner) for the night.

DAY 3: To Fairlie. Circling Lake Brunner via Maori Gully Road to Dunganville, forestry roads south to Mitchells to Ichhbonnie. A road ride down through Arthurs Pass to Lyndon Road, Homestead Road, Coleridge Road (close to Lake Coleridge) onto Windwhistle. Onto Rakaia Gorge & a road ride to Lower Downes Road & an attempted river crossing. Very fast and flowing. Abandoned that. Onto Montalto down Coskers Road to almost Geraldine & onto Fairlie via the northerly loop route of Tripp Settlement Road, Orari Gorge Road, through Orari Station & Blue Mountain Station onto Lochaber Road & Meikleburn Saddle, Clayton Road & past Lake Opuha to Fairlie.

DAY 4: To Alexandra. Heading South from Fairlie, to Cricklewood Road, Limestone Valley , Waratah Road (Constant drizzle at this stage but cleared up after MacKenzie Memorial), onto Haldon Road to the Black Forest Farm track to Otematata. After lunch we headed south to Backyards Road following the Otematata Stream, up Chimney Creek & onto the Mt Buster tops via a very steep broken rock track, Walking Spur. We investigated several in & out tracks whilst on the tops. Crossed over Johnsons creek to Mount Buster Track & down to Naseby. From a road ride around to Blackstone Hill Runs Road, Thurlow, Auripo, Poolburn Creek, & onto Crawford Hills Road to Alexandra.

Based ourselves in Alexandra for 3 days.

DAY 5: Serpentine. A shorter day after bike maintenance. Road ride to Roxburgh East Road & up Write & Saunders race tracks through to Lake Onslow Road to a unnamed track to cut through to Sepentine Church. Long Valley Ridge to Old Dunstan Road & back to Alexandra via Crawford Hills again.

DAY 6: The Nevis. To Fruitlands, up Symes Road, across Old Man Range to Waikawa Bush Road, to Piano Flat/Whitecoomb/Canton Roads to Waikawa & onto Lumsden. Refreshments then onto Garston & up and over to the Nevis Valley Road to The Old Womans Range. Small off here, bike OK. But turned around here to ride down to the Bannockburn Road, turn right and head over Hawksburn Road to Clyde & Alexandra.

DAY 7: Back to Fairlie. Hawksburn Road up Carricktown track to Bannockburn to Cromwell. Over Thomson Gorge Road to Saint Bathans up & over Hawdun Runs Road to Omarama Saddle to Broken Hut Road to Omarama. After refreshments we road ride via Twizel to Haymen Road (running parallel to Lake Pukaki) to Braemar Road. Onto Lake Tekapo, Burkes Pass and Fairlie.

DAY 8:To Hamner Springs. To Mayfield to Mount Somers, Ashburton Gorge Road, Heron Road to Lake Heron to Double Hill Station Double Hill Run Road & onto Rakaia Gorge to Colgate. Malvern Hills Road & onto Oxford via Auchenflower Road. From Oxford up Lees Valley Road to turn off through MacDonald Downes Station, through Pyramid Valley & Limeworks Roads to Waikari & Medbury. Then a road ride up to Hamner Springs.

DAY 9: Home. From Hamner Springs up & over Clarence Valley Road to Tophouse and Rainbow Road. Sorry to say, we did not travel the Severn to Molesworth but carried on straight up to Highway 63. A quick road ride up Wairau Valley Road to Blenheim and Picton. Wait for the ferry and home.

14/01/2025

Welcome Back Chevy Ride Out

Not all adventure rides are all gravel.

This ride out was only sealed roads to provide a ride out for an injured friend (first ride in over a year), as well as for our Taihape and Taumaranui local guides. These guys ride gravel all day and wanted a tar sealed ride out for a change. This trip included a rider on his 400cc BMW Scooter, with 15’ rims. Went well and kept up in all situations.

The ride: Day one: Leaving Upper Hutt at 7:30am, a pick up in Carterton and then up country to Dannevirke to meet three more riders. Fuelled up here.
From this stop we rode up to Bay View Napier via Highway 50. Expecting to meet our Taihape, Owhango crew here at 12:00 noon. Wasn’t till 1:30ish they came in (3 more riders and now our full complement of 8). There were huge construction delays on the later half of the Gentle Annie for them.
After a regroup and refuel, we shot through to Gisborne for the night. Arrived at approx 5:00pm. Not bad going with the delay at Bay View.

Day 2: Left Gisborne at 8:00am breakfast on the way in Gisborne. Aim to cruise the iconic and scenic Highway 35. First compulsory stop, Tolaga Bay and its famous wharf.
Leaving here next stop was Anaura Bay. Is off the beaten track but a very cool place to be. Nice beach. See photo of memorial. A ride member reckons he’s going to camp here when he can.
A quick rest stop at Tokomaru 4 Square, for our Highway 35 T Shirts. Then just down the road to the Te Puka Pub for lunch
The original pub was wiped out by a landslide and the current pub rebuilt in 1988.
From here we back tracked to Highway 35 and onto Ruatoria for fuel for the scooter. This place has not changed in the last few years. Very poor area. Carrying on we bypassed Hicks Bay and Lottin Point (been there before). Lottin is the only place in NZ you can fish for Marlin off the rocks apparently.
We refreshed and some riders refuelled here at Waihau Bay. Some big money homes here, we watched the boats launching and retrieving off the boat ramp. Always amusing, also a big team of Fisheries Officers present. Good to see.
Moving on, we shot through to our overnight accommodation in Whakatane via Opotiki.

Day 3: The aim was to get to Ohakune for the night. Traveling through to near Murapara on some fast back roads via Kopuriki Road. (and not the 80 and 60 km/h main highway to Rotorua.) turning onto Highway 38 and finding Highway 5. Awesome flowing roads to this point. Pretty devoid of traffic. Turning right we followed Waikite Valley Road and other back roads to refuel at Whakamaru. Rode Highway 32 via Tihoi, Kuratau, to Tokaanu and onwards via Highway 47 to National Park. Then onto Ohakune. Our 2 riders from Taihape, Owhango found their own way home from Murapara.
Once ensconced at “The Kings Motel”, some of us shot up to the Turoa car Park. Worth the trip up here. Awesome tar sealed access road. This would be an awesome hill climb race track. Oh! also awesome views from the car park.

Day 4: Up and out of Ohakuni, for a short dash to Raetihi for breakfast at the Angel Louise Café. Huge, huge meals here. Always worth the stop. Moving on, we rode the twisties out to Pipiriki and down the Whanganui River Road. Called into Jerusalem on the way through. Out at Highway 4, through South riverside of Whanganui City, up the hill to Fordell and back out to Highway 3.
Here we started splitting up to go our separate ways to Pohangina, Ashurst, Carterton and Upper Hutt.
A great ride, all on tar sealed roads, Upper Hutt riders did just over 1900km.
I would do it again.

24/12/2024

4 KTM 690's To Sutherlands Hut

Not often we get 4x late model 690's together for a ride.
A quick blast over the Remutakas and out to Martinborough and over Blue Rock Road to the Haurangi Road end and down into Sutherlands Hut via the track. Streams were a bit higher than normal.
Returning the same way but all the way out to the end of Ruakokoputuna to stop at the new cafe on White Rock Road. They were closing at 3:00pm, so onto Martinborough Hotel for refreshments.

29/10/2024

Kingsman River Valley Rideout 2024 DAY THREE

Monday, we packed and departed about 9:15am. At this point the locals departed for home and North. The rest of us who were going South were lead by an almost local. We travelled some fantastic well groomed fast gravel and sealed roads back to Maungaweka to refuel. Pukeokahu Road is always worth a look. Through Taoroa Junction and onto the flowing Torere Road and Omatane South Road. Great weather, great rural roads, we encountered no traffic. Leaving Maungaweka we dashed it South to Ohingaiti. Turning left into Otara, Block, Sandon, Waipuru and Mangapapa Roads. All fast flowing, well groomed gravel this time. It is here, we left the Ashurst and Pohangina locals for rest of us to travel on Lower Pakihikura and onto join the Vinegar Hill Road. Followed the sealed roads via Cheltenham and bypassing Fielding to zig zag onto Rongotea. We were in torrential rain at this point. Stopping at Rongatea to regroup. Leaving here, we then rode through to Tangimoana and onto the beach (low tide). Slipping, sliding, drifting and wheeling our way south to Foxton Beach. Out to the main road at Foxton and into the weekend traffic. Stopped in at Levin for some refreshments, to the depart for our homes further south.
Would use River Valley lodge again as a base. Highly recommended.

Adventure Riding in NZ

25/08/2025

21/08/2025

22/07/2025

14/07/2025

05/07/2025

05/07/2025

05/07/2025

02/04/2025

26/03/2025

14/01/2025

24/12/2024

29/10/2024

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