TT2000 Long Distance Motorcycle Rally: Next event 14-16 Feb 2025
Rally information will be released 14 October 2024
Welcome to the TT2000 Rally
In 2022 rookie TT2000 rider Stu Hunt published his account in the papers - check it out here
You're probably here because the sound of a long weekend's ride covering 2,000 kms of the New Zealand's iconic motorcycling roads is worth some investigation.
Simply put, the TT2000 is an annual challenge thrown out to any motorcyclist who is interested in long-distance riding and would like to join others in a road ride covering 2,000 kms in a weekend. It is not exactly an Iron Butt Rally nor is it the Long Way Down Under. However you could use the word 'endurance' when comparing it to a normal weekend's outing.
Each year the route changes. In 2009 the route took in the South Island's Four Passes - Lewis, Arthurs, Haast and Lindis. In 2010 the route was in the northern half of the South Island. In 2011 the route took in the best of the bottom half. In 2012 the 'basic' route took in Mt Cook and was predominantly in the top half. In 2013, riders stayed mostly on the eastern seaboard and plotted their own route around 70 checkpoints from Central Otago to Tasman. In 2014 North Islanders were saved the long commute to the start by the organisers introducing dual starts in both islands with half the checkpoints north of the Strait. 2015 and 2016 continued the dual start concept and expanded the area covered by the riders in the South Island. The 2017 rally was the 9th TT2000 event and offered checkpoints in four distinct groups - north, south, east and west. The 2018 rally, the 10th TT2000 event, had 50 checkpoints, each representing a chapter in Mike Hyde's book "Twisting Throttle New Zealand" - a Kiwi's guide to the top 50 motorcycle rides in the Land of the Long White Cloud. The 2019 rally took riders on two big loops within the South Island, one north of Christchurch and the other to the south. In a first for the TT2000 rally, the 2020 event was held entirely within the North Island, using the same format as the 2019 event in the South Island. The 2021 rally began and ended in Oamaru and the checkpoint theme was Scottish place names - recognising the Scottish heritage in this part of the world. The 2022 event visited the small rural schools dotted around the South Island.
The TT2000 would be described as a fairly challenging road trip spanning a long weekend (Fri-Sun) in some of the country's best scenery and more than likely on roads you have never been on before.
You're probably here because the sound of a long weekend's ride covering 2,000 kms of the New Zealand's iconic motorcycling roads is worth some investigation.
Simply put, the TT2000 is an annual challenge thrown out to any motorcyclist who is interested in long-distance riding and would like to join others in a road ride covering 2,000 kms in a weekend. It is not exactly an Iron Butt Rally nor is it the Long Way Down Under. However you could use the word 'endurance' when comparing it to a normal weekend's outing.
Each year the route changes. In 2009 the route took in the South Island's Four Passes - Lewis, Arthurs, Haast and Lindis. In 2010 the route was in the northern half of the South Island. In 2011 the route took in the best of the bottom half. In 2012 the 'basic' route took in Mt Cook and was predominantly in the top half. In 2013, riders stayed mostly on the eastern seaboard and plotted their own route around 70 checkpoints from Central Otago to Tasman. In 2014 North Islanders were saved the long commute to the start by the organisers introducing dual starts in both islands with half the checkpoints north of the Strait. 2015 and 2016 continued the dual start concept and expanded the area covered by the riders in the South Island. The 2017 rally was the 9th TT2000 event and offered checkpoints in four distinct groups - north, south, east and west. The 2018 rally, the 10th TT2000 event, had 50 checkpoints, each representing a chapter in Mike Hyde's book "Twisting Throttle New Zealand" - a Kiwi's guide to the top 50 motorcycle rides in the Land of the Long White Cloud. The 2019 rally took riders on two big loops within the South Island, one north of Christchurch and the other to the south. In a first for the TT2000 rally, the 2020 event was held entirely within the North Island, using the same format as the 2019 event in the South Island. The 2021 rally began and ended in Oamaru and the checkpoint theme was Scottish place names - recognising the Scottish heritage in this part of the world. The 2022 event visited the small rural schools dotted around the South Island.
The TT2000 would be described as a fairly challenging road trip spanning a long weekend (Fri-Sun) in some of the country's best scenery and more than likely on roads you have never been on before.
Photo: C. Carey
