THE RIDE
D
eparting home base slightly ahead
of the main pack with a pair of
riders, the ease of the route sheet
navigation was immediately clear. All you
need is a pair of eyes (okay, one eye will
actually do), a working odometer and
the ability to follow basic instructions to
sufficiently get from point A to point Z. had scouted saw us return to a mixture of
winding roads and gravel tracks before our
eventual return to Mangawhai. By this point
the 80 or so riders were spread out and
trickled back to base camp at the Mangawhai
Hall, with only a couple needing to utilise the
services of the BMW MOTORRAD supplied
support vehicle to complete the journey.
Navigating our way North to Waipu saw the
weather turn for the worse with a downpour
seeing many riders pause to don their
waterproofs. However, the rain couldn’t put
a dampener on the roads we were about to
ride, wiith the picturesque Waipu gorge road
providing the first taste of the hidden gems the
area has for those willing to step off the seal. Overall the GS Rallye was a brilliant
introduction for me to route sheet riding.
While I won’t quite be dropping off my
Honda at my nearest BMW dealer at this
stage, I found the camaraderie experienced
among riders on the GS Rallye was unlike
any other – something I truly enjoyed.
The day only got better from here, and
by the time we emerged back into a
main highway again the rain had long
since stopped and we had ridden some
fantastic roads on our way to Dargaville.
After topping up fuel for both rider and
machine, the winding route Vege and KR
34 KIWI RIDER
That aspect alone will have me gearing up
again for the next GS Rallye and hopefully
other adventure rides using the same system
if navigation. Who says you need modern GPS
equipment to have a ton of fun anyhow? When
the next GS Rallye is back, I’ll certainly be back.
You should come along too – it’s a heap of fun.