The TT2000 is organised by father and son team Mike & Rob Hyde from Christchurch. Long-distance motorcycling enthusiasts themselves, the pair have extensively ridden virtually every road in their backyard, the beautiful South Island of New Zealand. Supported by a team of willing helpers on the rally weekend, drawn from family, friends and members of the Christchurch motorcycling community, Mike & Robert craft the TT2000 rally to showcase the stunning riding to be had in this part of the country together with providing fellow long-distance riders a weekend's outing focusing on personal achievement and meeting the challenge of navigation and distance riding. Many of the checkpoint run sheets feature the V-Strom & GS, as Mike & Rob force themselves to stop mowing their lawns & ride out to document the TT routes. They aren't happy about it but it's all for motorcycling.
Behind the scenes is a tireless motorcyclist & TT2000 Diamond rider, Paul Krans. He has the job from hell.. being sent out to "review" theoretical checkpoints that Mike comes up with by sitting at his computer on Google Street View as well as sourcing new ones. Paul's Ducati MTS 1200 Sport is the bike you'll see a lot of in the checkpoint run sheets as he reports back to TT HQ that a certain checkpoint is good to go, meaning it is safe for a bike to pull over & is likely to be still there come the rally. Paul's wife Cheryl is a frequent pillion on his reviewing trips. Our grateful thanks to Paul for all the kms he does for the cause, especially as he commutes from Kyrgyzstan to do it. Pity he doesn't ride a V-Strom to make him the complete motorcyclist.
