Auckland is built on a volcanic field. More than fifty cones and craters, some now covered in grass and sheep, others in houses, stand across the narrow isthmus between two harbours, the Waitematā to the north and the Manukau to the south. The Māori name for the city, Tāmaki Makaurau, is often translated as Tāmaki desired by many, a nod to the fertile soil and the sea on either side that made it a prized place to live long before Europeans arrived. The largest cones, such as Maungawhau, Mount Eden, and Maungakiekie, One Tree Hill, still carry the terraces of old fortified villages.
Today the city is the largest in New Zealand, home to roughly a third of the country's people, and the pace is quick by local standards. The Sky Tower, rising over three hundred metres, dominates the skyline, and the harbour is full of yachts, which is how the city got its nickname of the City of Sails. The Harbour Bridge, with its clip-on lanes added in the 1960s, links the central city to the North Shore.
Riding in Auckland itself means motorways and congestion, with peak traffic that can be slow, so aim for the middle of the day or the weekend. The reward comes when you leave. West of the city, the Waitākere Ranges rise in thick native bush, with twisty roads through tree ferns to wild black-sand beaches like Piha and Karekare, where surf pounds against the cliffs. To the east and south, the road to the Coromandel Peninsula runs along the Firth of Thames, the start of a classic New Zealand loop.
Fuel is easy, with stations throughout the city and on every major road. Weather is changeable, with the saying that Auckland can have four seasons in a day, so carry waterproofs. The best months for riding are November to April, though winter is mild and often clear. Remember to ride on the left, and watch for gravel on corners, since New Zealand roads are often chip-sealed, which gives less grip than smooth asphalt in wet conditions.