This year 3 of us rode up to Pukekohe for the annual NZCMCRR festival.
The machines
Yamaha SRX600
BMW F650 Dakar
Honda CB750 (Well it's red and a four so it "must" be a MV Agusta!)
Unusually this year one of the featured machines was a 1968 Yamaha V4 250 demonstrated by local classic identity Hugh Anderson
The organisers have long regarded their event as the last bastion of the empire in the war against the Oriental invasion!
Hopefully we can now expect more "Jappas" what chance a Honda 6!
We went up via SH 43 (The forgotten Highway) and spent a pleasant night at the Whangamomoana Hotel (rebuilt around the kitchen coal range in 1911, after a fire in 1905. The coal range being the only thing left standing amongst the ashen remains)
On our return journey we stayed at the Magnificent Waitomo Hotel
(Originally built in 1908 with the "concrete wing" added in 1928)
with a side trip to Horopito motors (Used in the Movie Smash Palace)
After nearly 1500km the 750 performed faultlessly and returned an average of 43mpg, shamed by the Dakar with 71mpg (but it is a soulless generator set!)