Calling NZ and NSW enduro riders...

Terrain NI, NZ: hills, mud, sand, roots, trees, paddocks ;)
Auckland the main riding area is Woodhill Forest (sand based), but we get access to Riverhead Forest sometimes too (mud/clay based). Further down the island is Rotorua/Taupo, where it's pumice or cla based forests. Woodhill's pretty flat and usually pretty easy to ride. Enduros: there's the North Island champs, the Northern Enduro series, the Central series which run from around February to September, then nothing.

The trail ride scene is pretty hectic around here, so there's heaps of riding to be had - there's also a couple of bike parks which are accessible every day. If you want to chase an enduro series, you're looking at 3+ hours driving each way, as they're based in Auckland, Rotorua, Taupo for the Northern series, New Plymouth, Wanganui, Wellington and other places for the central. The nationals are all over the North Island.

There is also harescrambles to be had around the place, but again I think most of them are out of the Auckland area. For details of events and pictures, check out www.silver-bullet.co.nz There are results as well as pics to give you some idea of what terrain is like. Cost per ride is somewhere between $15-$30NZ. To compete in enduros you need a Motorcycling New Zealand licence which is $40 but think it's going up next year (year runs from June-May following year), and you also need to belong to a club to get a licence, our club's about $30 a year I think).

Does your wife ride? If you come to Auckland and she's keen to learn (if she doesn't already), our club runs family days which are easy tracks great for the youngsters and learners. They're on every second month during winter. There's also a company which runs rides of all descriptions.

Send me your snail mail addy and I'll send you a Kiwi magazine so you can see what's what. Any other questions, fire away and someone will be sure to reply (there's quite a few of us around these days). What bike are you bringing? Oh, clothing's expensive (as are helmets and body armour).
Michelle

I like Sydney, though it's a fairly expensive place to live, by australian standards :eek:. I wasn't riding the last time I went there, but I know there is lots of good trail riding areas. As for racing, check out the NSW enduro link onEatmydirt.com.

Rob, the forests are about 1/2 hour apart, but way different. Riverhead's the forest everyone hates or loves, except me, I'm indifferent & fascinated but don't get to ride there often. Have you a map of Auckland? Woodhill's on the coast by Muriwai, Riverhead's by ummm, Riverhead, close to Kumeu. Huskys I have no idea about, there's 3 shops in NZ for them, one supposedly in Auckland, but no idea whereabouts that shop is - never heard of it (which is strange, I thought I knew all the shops, but there are new ones opening & others changing). There may be more info on the website: www.husky.com.au (the Australian guy's bringing them into NZ - great guy by all accounts). (there's an article in the mag I'll send over, so I'll bookmark it).

A bike park is based in Woodhill forest, takes about an hour to get there from our place, so you can ride all the time. If you do come to Auckland, how well do you think we'll convince your wife to ride?
Michelle

Rob, forgot to mention the bike park is $15 per day, ride all you want - nothing is free here. Weekdays I don't think there's anyone there, so it would be free then. I'll send a map over & highlight the two forests to give you some idea where they are. It depends on how far you want to travel, there's some other places during summer (closed winter due to mud - on farmland).

Oh, I found out where the shop for Husky's is. He also does TMs but apparently hasn't sold many Huskys yet. Next time I see some Husky riders, I'll ask about parts availability, but I know TMs haven't been a problem (different importers though).