Greetings Distance Riders!
This October we’ve got two rides scheduled. They’re happening on the same weekend, both starting and finishing at Turangi. These are designed to appeal to a wide range of distance riding ambitions and experiences, so circle the weekend of 8 & 9 October on your calendars now!
The North Island 1,600 is now in its third year and is the Gold Standard for New Zealand distance rides.
This year it’s joined by a “lite” version – an 800km-in-12-hours ride, known as the North Island 800. This is intended as an introduction to distance riding for curious newcomers, and something a bit less demanding for riders who still like the social interactions and challenges of longer rides but without the saddle time or the long evening stage that is a key part of the 1,600.
Having the two rides happening at the same time has benefits – and cost efficiencies – for the Organising Group, particularly involving scrutineering, event management and catering. It also provides a great chance for distance riders to meet and socialise.
Read on for more details about each of these events.
This October we’ve got two rides scheduled. They’re happening on the same weekend, both starting and finishing at Turangi. These are designed to appeal to a wide range of distance riding ambitions and experiences, so circle the weekend of 8 & 9 October on your calendars now!
The North Island 1,600 is now in its third year and is the Gold Standard for New Zealand distance rides.
This year it’s joined by a “lite” version – an 800km-in-12-hours ride, known as the North Island 800. This is intended as an introduction to distance riding for curious newcomers, and something a bit less demanding for riders who still like the social interactions and challenges of longer rides but without the saddle time or the long evening stage that is a key part of the 1,600.
Having the two rides happening at the same time has benefits – and cost efficiencies – for the Organising Group, particularly involving scrutineering, event management and catering. It also provides a great chance for distance riders to meet and socialise.
Read on for more details about each of these events.
Event Support Volunteers needed
Great events need a great team of organisers. We’re interested in hearing from people keen to help out at Turangi or at our manned checkpoints around the North Island. We need people who can help scrutinise bikes, prepare and deliver great food, manage our online databases and other IT kit, assist with general administration and other tasks.
If you’re keen to help deliver two great events, please send us an email letting us know your preferred region (for checkpoint people), or your areas of interest and expertise for roles at Turangi. While we can’t reveal the route to those interested in checkpoint duties, we’re keen to know who is able to help out wherever and will then contact (in confidence) those who best meet our needs. [email protected] is our email.
If you’re keen to help deliver two great events, please send us an email letting us know your preferred region (for checkpoint people), or your areas of interest and expertise for roles at Turangi. While we can’t reveal the route to those interested in checkpoint duties, we’re keen to know who is able to help out wherever and will then contact (in confidence) those who best meet our needs. [email protected] is our email.
2016 North Island 1,600 – call for entries
The third North Island 1,600 is scheduled for the weekend of 8-9 October 2016.
We’re sticking with the format used for the past two 1,600s. The official start will be at 1:00pm on Saturday. The route will be posted at Event HQ in Turangi at 7:00pm on Friday 7 October 2016. Bikes will be scrutinised before the start.
Further details about this year’s ride can be found on the Distance Riders’ website http://www.distanceriders.org.nz/the-north-island-1600.html.
The route for this year’s run has been set by the Organising Group and ridden by our Official Arbiter of Standards. It includes some North Island sealed roads as yet unridden by events of this type, so get your predictive hats on and start speculating! All that can be officially revealed at this time is that this event starts and finishes at Turangi…
Pricing for the event itself is $80.00. This includes the dinner for returning riders, the certificate and the metal badge. Please note that there are some other costs you make like to consider. These include an event T-shirt, and fully-cooked breakfasts at $10.00 per person per breakfast. Those details can be found on the event registration form.
Accommodation at the Turangi Kiwi Holiday Park is cheaper than in previous years. The camp’s management has changed and they are keen to help make this year’s ride work well for participants. If you’re keen to stay at the camp, please book directly with them. Contact details are on the event registration form. Please let them know you’re part of the Distance Riders group so that you get the agreed discounts.
The fully-cooked breakfasts have proved popular over the past couple of rides. At $10.00 per person per breakfast, they’re great value. If you’d like to indulge, then please tick the appropriate box on the registration form.
For those of you keen to get Iron Butt Association certification for this ride, please tick the box on the form. We’re still in discussion with the IBA about pricing, and the US:NZ dollar exchange rate can make a slight difference either way. The Organising Group will confirm the exact cost of this prior to October.
We’re expecting a few more riders at Turangi this year both for the 1,600 and for the new 800 event that’s being held at the same time. These should create some great distance rider networking opportunities.
We’re sticking with the format used for the past two 1,600s. The official start will be at 1:00pm on Saturday. The route will be posted at Event HQ in Turangi at 7:00pm on Friday 7 October 2016. Bikes will be scrutinised before the start.
Further details about this year’s ride can be found on the Distance Riders’ website http://www.distanceriders.org.nz/the-north-island-1600.html.
The route for this year’s run has been set by the Organising Group and ridden by our Official Arbiter of Standards. It includes some North Island sealed roads as yet unridden by events of this type, so get your predictive hats on and start speculating! All that can be officially revealed at this time is that this event starts and finishes at Turangi…
Pricing for the event itself is $80.00. This includes the dinner for returning riders, the certificate and the metal badge. Please note that there are some other costs you make like to consider. These include an event T-shirt, and fully-cooked breakfasts at $10.00 per person per breakfast. Those details can be found on the event registration form.
Accommodation at the Turangi Kiwi Holiday Park is cheaper than in previous years. The camp’s management has changed and they are keen to help make this year’s ride work well for participants. If you’re keen to stay at the camp, please book directly with them. Contact details are on the event registration form. Please let them know you’re part of the Distance Riders group so that you get the agreed discounts.
The fully-cooked breakfasts have proved popular over the past couple of rides. At $10.00 per person per breakfast, they’re great value. If you’d like to indulge, then please tick the appropriate box on the registration form.
For those of you keen to get Iron Butt Association certification for this ride, please tick the box on the form. We’re still in discussion with the IBA about pricing, and the US:NZ dollar exchange rate can make a slight difference either way. The Organising Group will confirm the exact cost of this prior to October.
We’re expecting a few more riders at Turangi this year both for the 1,600 and for the new 800 event that’s being held at the same time. These should create some great distance rider networking opportunities.
2016 North Island 800 – call for entries
Our survey of member a few months ago showed very strong support for the proposal for an 800km-in-12-hours event.
So much so that the first ever North Island 800 will happen the same weekend as the 1,600 – in this case, on Saturday 8 October 2016.
Details and the registration form are available on the Distance Riders’ website http://www.distanceriders.org.nz/the-north-island-800.html.
The official start for this ride will be at 10:00am. This will allow time for riders with restricted licences to complete and be off the road before the NZTA curfew kicks in.
The route (which has been set by the Organising Group and ridden by our Official Arbiter of Standards) will be posted at 7:00pm on Friday 7 October at Event HQ in Turangi. It’s an absolute stunner of a ride…
To ensure that riders’ bike are scrutineered in time for the start, it’s probably a good idea to arrive in Turangi on Friday afternoon, rather than risk limited time (and the Scrutineering Team’s patience) before the official start on Saturday. If your bike’s not good to go on time, the Organisers won’t let you start.
We’ve negotiated an accommodation deal with the Turangi Kiwi Holiday Park. Please book directly with them. Those details are included on the registration form. Please let them know you’re part of the Distance Riders group so that you get the agreed discounts.
Remember that the $30.00 entry fee (each for rider and pillion) includes an after-ride dinner. Qualifying riders will also receive an official metal badge and a certificate.
Event T-shirts are also available for purchase by riders and pillions. Please make sure you let us know your sizes when completing the registration form.
So much so that the first ever North Island 800 will happen the same weekend as the 1,600 – in this case, on Saturday 8 October 2016.
Details and the registration form are available on the Distance Riders’ website http://www.distanceriders.org.nz/the-north-island-800.html.
The official start for this ride will be at 10:00am. This will allow time for riders with restricted licences to complete and be off the road before the NZTA curfew kicks in.
The route (which has been set by the Organising Group and ridden by our Official Arbiter of Standards) will be posted at 7:00pm on Friday 7 October at Event HQ in Turangi. It’s an absolute stunner of a ride…
To ensure that riders’ bike are scrutineered in time for the start, it’s probably a good idea to arrive in Turangi on Friday afternoon, rather than risk limited time (and the Scrutineering Team’s patience) before the official start on Saturday. If your bike’s not good to go on time, the Organisers won’t let you start.
We’ve negotiated an accommodation deal with the Turangi Kiwi Holiday Park. Please book directly with them. Those details are included on the registration form. Please let them know you’re part of the Distance Riders group so that you get the agreed discounts.
Remember that the $30.00 entry fee (each for rider and pillion) includes an after-ride dinner. Qualifying riders will also receive an official metal badge and a certificate.
Event T-shirts are also available for purchase by riders and pillions. Please make sure you let us know your sizes when completing the registration form.
Distance Rider Legends
There’s a strong history of distance riding in New Zealand, and some bloody amazing people who have ridden and helped organise events over the past 30 years. Their contributions should be celebrated, and the Organising Group plans to do that.
Read about the first of our Legends – Murray Gray – on the Distance Riders website http://www.distanceriders.org.nz/murray-gray.html.
Read about the first of our Legends – Murray Gray – on the Distance Riders website http://www.distanceriders.org.nz/murray-gray.html.