JOHN NICK'S ADVENTURES NZ
Become friends and get updates on facebook
  • WHAT'S NEW ON THE SITE?
  • BMW GS RALLYE
  • TESTS AND FEATURES
    • YAMAHA WR 250F 2016
    • YAMAHA WR250F BUYER'S GUIDE 2001-2013
    • TRIUMPH TRAIL RIDE
    • BACKS OF IRON BALLS OF STEEL - TRIUMPH TR5 >
      • OFF ROAD VIDEO ACTION - TRIUMPH TR5
    • ISDT TRIUMPH ADVENTURE >
      • ISDT TRIUMPH - 2
      • ISDT TRIUMPH - 3
      • ISDT TRIUMPH - 4
      • ISDT TRIUMPH - 5
      • ISDT TRIUMPH - 6
    • RUAPEHU ADVENTURE TRAIL RIDE
    • FAST TRACK SUCCESS
    • 2013 HUSQVARNA TE 310
    • 2012 OSSA EXPLORER
    • SOUTHERN LAKES 2013
    • 2013 SHERCO SE 300iR
    • WR450F NZ VIDEO
    • 2011 YAMAHA XT 660R
    • 2011 GAS GAS EC 300
  • ADVENTURE RIDING
    • VISITORS' GUIDE TO NZ
    • ADVENTURE CONTACTS >
      • BRITTON ADVENTURES >
        • MANGAWEKA ADVENTURE
      • NORTHERN GRAVEL ADVENTURE RIDERS >
        • MYSTERY FOREST ADVENTURE RIDE
    • ADVENTURE EXPLAINED >
      • TAKING THE ROAD LESS TRAVELLED
      • ORGANISED ADVENTURES
      • THEY MADE IT HAPPEN
    • ADVENTURE SKILLS >
      • SKILLS 1 - STANDING
      • SKILLS 2 - THE RIGHT BARS
      • SKILLS 3 - CONTROLS
      • SKILLS 4 - GRAVEL 101
      • SKILLS 5 - GRAVEL CORNERING
      • SKILLS 6 - HILLCLIMBS
      • SKILLS 7 - TRACTION
      • TECH - ADVENTURE TYRES
    • DIY ADVENTURES >
      • KAIPARA HILLS
      • LEES VALLEY
      • MURIWAI BEACH
      • BENMORE HYDRO TRACK
      • HAWKSBURN ROAD
      • PORIKA TRACK
      • DUNSTAN TRACK
      • DUNSTAN TRACK - 2
      • ROUTE SHEET HOLDER
    • KIWI RIDER 500
    • NZ SAFARI ARCHIVE >
      • 10 YEARS BMW SAFARI VIDEO
      • YAMAHA SAFARI 2013 >
        • SAFARI 2013 VIDEO
      • YAMAHA SAFARI 2012
      • YAMAHA SAFARI 2011
      • YAMAHA SAFARI 2010
      • YAMAHA SAFARI 2009
      • YAMAHA SAFARI 2008
      • YAMAHA SAFARI 2007
      • BMW SAFARI 2005
      • BMW SAFARI 2004
      • BMW SAFARI 2003
      • BMW SAFARI 1998
      • BMW ULTIMATE 2004
  • ADVENTURE TRAIL RIDING
    • ADVENTURE TRAIL RIDE ORGANISERS
    • SOUTHERN HIGH
    • SOUTHERN LAKES TRAIL RIDE VIDEO 2007
    • MOHAKA ADVENTURE TRAIL RIDE
    • YAMAHA S. LAKES 2011
    • ADVENTURE TRAIL ARCHIVE >
      • KTM BUSHMAN'S ADVENTURE 2001 - VIDEO
      • OTAGO GOLD TRIALS 2001
      • KTM ALPINE EXPERIENCE 2003
      • YAMAHA OTAGO GOLDFIELDS 2005
      • YAMAHA S. LAKES 2006
      • YAMAHA KAIKOURA RANGES 2009
      • YAMAHA FAR NORTH 2010
      • YAMAHA EAST CAPE 2010
      • YAMAHA WEST COAST 2011
  • TRAIL RIDING
    • ONE DAY TRAIL RIDE ORGANISERS
    • RIDING PARKS
    • TRAIL RIDING SKILLS >
      • TRAIL SKILLS 1 - STANDING
      • TRAIL SKILLS 2 - SITTING
      • TRAIL SKILLS 3 - UPHILLS 101
      • TRAIL SKILLS 4 - UPHILLS 102
      • TRAIL SKILLS 5 - BRAKING
      • TRAIL SKILLS 5 - ANGLED ROOTS
      • TRAIL SKILLS 6 - ROCKY RIVERS
      • TRAIL SKILLS 7 - SOFT CROSSINGS
      • TRAIL SKILLS 8 - GET A GRIP
      • TRAIL SKILLS 9 - TIGHT TURNS
      • TRAIL SKILLS 10 - CLUTCH WHEELIE
    • TRAIL TECH >
      • TRAIL TECH 1- BAR UP RIGHT
      • TRAIL TECH 2 - WATERPROOF
      • TRAIL TECH 3 - BULLETPROOF
    • ONE DAY TRAIL RIDES >
      • KURATAU TRAIL RIDE
      • SUZUKI TRAIL BLAZER
  • CLASSIC TRAIL BIKES
    • 1972 HONDA XL250
    • TRIUMPH TR5 - 1954
    • HONDA SL125 1972
    • HONDA CT 110
    • YAMAHA DT1 1967
    • SUZUKI TS250 1972
    • YAMAHA DT3 1972
    • SUZUKI TS 400 1972
  • CLASSIC DIRT PHOTOS
    • RAGLAN DAZE
    • LESTER YATES AND THE TVMCC
    • MANAWATU DAZE
    • CLASSIC ENDURO
    • NORTH SHORE DAYS >
      • NORTH SHORE DAZE -2
    • CLASSIC TRAIL - 1
    • CLASSIC TRAIL - 2
    • CLASSIC MOTOCROSS >
      • ROTORUA MCC DAYS
      • CLASSIC SCRAMBLES CLUB
  • NZ ENDURO HISTORY
  • EXTREME TRAILRIDING
    • ULIMATE RIDE
    • BUSH START
    • THE LOST MINE
    • RAIN FOREST EXTREME
    • EXTREME TRAILRIDE VIDEOS
  • MY ADVENTURE
  • CLASSIC BIKE BOOK

HONDA KIWI RIDER 500 CLASSIC ADVENTURE

Picture
Start of the inaugural KR500 in Hamilton.
The Kiwi Rider 500 was  nominally New Zealand's first adventure ride. I say nominally because though I used the term to promote my dream of running a long distance on/off road event, the KR500 was not the first event of its type. 
In some respects the KR 500 was modeled on the Shell 500 and other similar road trials that had been popular for decades throughout NZ. 
Consider that most regular road trips in the early day of motorcycling in NZ were often in fact quite stern adventures. Even well into the 1960s travel outside any city would often include gravel roads, often with slippery wooden bridges or un-bridged fords. 
The  decision to use the word adventure came later when it seemed the ideal way to label a ride that would include the elements of riding that I loved; back country, trail riding, navigation, scenery and friendship.


Picture
The KR 500 differed from the earlier road trials with the inclusion of extensive off road sections. This scene from the 1992 KR 500 in the Tarawera Forest.

The route included long stretches of windy gravel road, a few clay tracks and plenty of gravel forest roads. 

Picture
The first KR 500 was run in 1989 on a full one-day 500km route from Hamilton to Taupo . 
This was an ambitious course because the route included long stretches of windy gravel road, a few clay tracks and plenty of rough forest roads. As anyone who has done a ride like this knows, averaging even 60kph in these conditions takes some skill and dedication to forward momentum.  With even minimal breaks for fuel and food riders were looking at at least 10 hours in the saddle. 
What may have been different about the KR 500 was the deliberate inclusion of optional road and adventure routes. Though both routes shared the general direction of travel and some gravel was included even on the road route, several off road sections were mapped into the adventure route, including farmland, native bush and pine forest tracks.


Picture

In some respects the KR 500 was modeled on the Shell 500 and other similar road trials. 

Picture
The Blue Wing Honda sposored Domintor mark-out bike was much appreciated. Unfortunately these leathers have since shrunk alarmingly, though sound in all other respects.
Blue Wing Honda agreed to sponsor the inaugural KR 500. The package included use one of the then new Honda Dominators to plan and mark out the dual road and adventure routes. I spent a couple of weeks plotting and route sheeting the course and found the Dominator to be a great machine for the job - interestingly, much as it still is and evidenced by some of the Dominators that that still give good use adventuring today. KR partner Pete McPhee and I then spent a less thrilling two days cross checking both routes from the relative comfort of a Ford Sierra, discovering at the same time that a car travels almost 10% further than a bike on the same windy gravel road.

The birth of the classic kiwi adventure navigation system.

Picture
1989 KR 500 route sheet.
The KR 500 route instructions were  a modified version of the road trial tulip style instructions laid out to a three column A4 format to fit sufficient instructions on a sheet. For the actual ride someone (I believe it may have been John Forsyth?) came up with the idea of cutting the three columns into one continuous strip and mounting this in a rolling route sheet holder. Thus the classic kiwi adventure ride system complete with home-made click-clack lunchbox route sheet holder was born and survives to this day. One of the features of John's roller that I vividly remember were the roller extensions made from Waikato beer bottle tops - perfect grip and a constant reminder what could be looked forward to at the end of the ride. 
The inaugural route started outside Scobie Honda and riders soon made their way westwards to the Raglan area and the windy gravel roads that the riders would be hard at all day. After a fuel stop at Raglan the route led around Mts Karioi and Pirongia to Kahwia and on through the limestone country to the south. After lunch the route swung east towards Te Awamutu to skirt the Rangitoto Range before plunging into Pureora forest via private farm properties. Continuing  through the southern blocks of Pureora Forest the riders headed east again chasing the last of the daylight to the finish near Taupo. 
Riders were expected to maintain set average speeds for various sections of the route depending on how tight the road conditions were. Checkpoints were set up at various points unknown to the riders and points were lost for early and late arrival. 
There were over 100 entrants who comprised a mixed bunch of ex road trialits, future adventure riders and even a good sprinkling of enduro specialists who were then familiar with the concept of riding to and average speed, albeit over somewhat sterner terrain. Unfortunately I have mislaid the official results of the event. However I don't think this was all-important as the competitive aspect of the ride paled into insignificance when gauged against the overall effect achieved. The thrill and challenge of navigating and riding back-country roads and tracks in company with fellow enthusiasts and completing the full course  were the essential ingredients.  It was this ethos plus the social aspects of the ride: a shared lunch, prize-giving dinner and breakfast, that were carried forward.
Though the KR 500 title was added to some of my later rides into the late 90s, I count the early events, 1989 Hamilton/ Taupo, 1990 Taupo and 1991 Rerewhakaitu, as the heyday of this ride. The instant success of the KR500 did however point to the potential of adventure riding  and paved the way forward for many more adventures. 

Proudly powered by Weebly