Invercargill to Kerikeri in three weeks on a cheap bike

**CRM** · 14th February 2009, 12:38

I've just had this (maybe) crazy idea for combining business with pleasure... I've got presentations to do in 15 centres through NZ over three weeks from 1 march and I could either a) drive the whole thing in my Civic

b) fly to Invercargill and hire a car and drive up to the top

c) fly to Invercargill, hire a bike and ride it (

but expensive

) or d) fly to Invers/Dunedin/Chch, buy a cheap (under $5k) but reliable

bike, ride it then sell said bike once home (unless of course I fell in love with it along the way) and it should cost less than hiring and be an Adventure as I've always wanted to ride NZ. Most days would be only around 3 hours ride I wouldn't be doing any major detours as I have presentations each afternoon.

Looking at some bikes on TM that look like they might be the ticket; 97 CB750, or a 92 Yami TDM850, or an 85 VF500F or a 91 ZZR400 (the last two are under $3k). I quite fancy the TDM being normally an offroad/adventure bike rider

but just thought I would tap into the collective wisdom of KB especially as I'm a n00b to touring...

Any thoughts?

**nallac** · 14th February 2009, 13:09

Buy a bike and do it,it would be a trip to remember.

**Highlander** · 14th February 2009, 16:18

TAKE THE CB.
I have done several lengths of the country on my '92 CB 750.
I bought it just before it flicked to 10,000 Km - it has just flicked over to 59,000km and I have done nothing to it mechanically. Tyres, regular servcing, a clutch cable and headlight bulb. - 49,000km all of those are just consumables.

**CRM** · 15th February 2009, 20:41

Well I've bought the bike - a 1990 Honda Magna 700. Saw the pics and she looks gorgeous... So I'm picking her up in a fortnight and I'll be off...

Now just got to figure how to carry all I need, including laptop and projector - minor details

**MaxB** · 15th February 2009, 22:48

Good on ya. Paid bike touring, it doesn't get any better than that!

Back in the day a company I worked for just gave out an allowance for airfares and hotels etc. As long as you got there on time they didn't care how. Got some great rides out of that.

As for laptops etc. I just put mine in the pack with some foam rubber. I also use chart pockets from a marine store, they are totally waterproof and big enough for a laptop.

These days I have moved away from full featured laptops for presentations on the road. I have a portable hard drive, USB stick and Palm Pilot that runs MS Office apps. Using the 'house' presentation equipment I am covered for 99% of SNAFU possibilities.

**SARGE** · 15th February 2009, 23:10

Originally Posted by CRM

I've just had this (maybe) crazy idea for combining business with pleasure..

go the TDM... brilliant bike

**Supertwin Don** · 16th February 2009, 04:52

Hiya, CRM
Having recently completed a 6800km tour around NZ on a Suzuki VZ800, unless you need a lot of clothing/personal kit, or are travelling 2 up, an ordinary pack on that pack rack will do, if you need any more space, use BOTH sides of the pack rack - stuff can be stacked on the pillion pad. This also evens out the weight distribution.

**CRM** · 16th February 2009, 10:55

Originally Posted by Supertwin Don

Hiya, CRM
Having recently completed a 6800km tour around NZ on a Suzuki VZ800, unless you need a lot of clothing/personal kit, or are travelling 2 up, an ordinary pack on that pack rack will do, if you need any more space, use BOTH sides of the pack rack - stuff can be stacked on the pillion pad. This also evens out the weight distribution.

Yeah good point... I've got a large San Remo bag which holds heaps plus a small tank bag but I guess I could take another bag say a suit bag for my clothes (I need good clothes for my presentations) that I could attach to the other side of the rack (so long as it's waterproof

).

**CRM** · 28th February 2009, 21:28

Well after about 2 hours sleep last night because I was getting ready for my road trip I got up at 5:15 this morning to get dropped off in Auckland with all my gear

. I had 25kg rackbag plus tankbag (2 kg overweight) checked in plus all I carried onto the plane (laptop in bag plus suit-bag stuffed with all sorts of stuff pretending it wasn't heavy)

. Wet stormy weather driving to Auckland somehow took the edge off my excitement of riding 3000km (I'd forgotten what rain looked like).

Went off from Auckland airport about 9:30, Christchurch, Dunedin -shuttle to pick up the VF700 - and there she was, just as described, pretty as a picture; paid my money and she was all mine... now to load her up. Well it worked with a combination of bungies and rain-covers. I know it doesn't look great but the load sat there sweet all day.

Started off at the Dunedin wharf for some artistic shots and just tootling around getting a feel for it (having basically never ridden a cruiser before and never had a road bike since I was 18!!

) It felt really weird - this big heavy front end and arms stretched out and pegs forward (and what were those other pegs way up by the front wheel for???) Steering so slow but the engine oh so smooth...

. The weather was looking dodgy so I looked at my new NZ Motorcycle Atlas for some inspiration - they reckoned the Ranfurly/Middlemarch road was a goody so hey - what the heck lets do it! head for Alexandra for the night.

Once she was out on the open road - sweeeeet. I learned to 'assume the position' with my legs sticking out forwards onto those other pegs and just lean her through the corners and we were cruisin! (Found myself singing 'get your motor running... head out on the highway...' with mental image of Steve McQueen and Marlon Brando - had to stick my iPod on after a while to get that out of my head.)

Anyway long story short - weather was great - Alex was full plus every other town - then it started raining but after a great days ride here I am in QTown; way further than I intended but really enjoying the Magna. It's amazing the attention it gets from people too - they must be fairly rare now people don't seem to know what it is but they love the look of it.

Anyway some pics below of some cool places along the way. I tried holding the camera in my hand while I was riding and taking some pics but for some reason they didn't come out. I need a helmet -cam.

**Supertwin Don** · 1st March 2009, 09:21

Glad to see you are getting around - central Otago is awesome on a nice day.
one comment , though - full face hat on a cruiser! you're missing half the experience - bugs in the teeth etc.

**fridayflash** · 1st March 2009, 09:40

i just stumbled accross this thread...you lucky bastard! lol and good onya
for making the very most of the situation, ive never ridden a magna but
my early vf750 had the same motor and theyre an absolute gem.
happy trails mate

**CRM** · 1st March 2009, 16:21

It started well - check out the awesome view below from my motel in Queenstown. Hit the road about 9:30 after repacking everything and figuring out how to make it all ride better. The misty mountains were looking good so I thought I'd do the road to Te Anau then south coast through Riverton to Invers.

As it went on the weather turned Less Than Ideal

. Stopped at Te Anau for a hot pie then again at Manapouri (Pearl Harbour) to get out my thermal t-shirt. While I was getting stuff out decided to reverse the pack and that made everything sit even better. Cruised through lots of RAIN and here I am in Invercargill. Got some nice pic along the way and looking forward to better weather Tuesday (I'm working here in Invers tomorrow).

Yeah fridayflash the VF motor is a gem - just lopes along at 4000 rpm or quite happy to rev and do the business but still really smooth.

Hey Supertwin Don I'm glad I had the full-face helmet in the rain today. Still manage to get bugs in it though. Yesterday got a bee inside with the visor down - never done that before. I'm thinking of getting a better helmet though. The V-Can get a lot of wind noise at any speed and not great for wearing iPod plugs either. I think i need some better plugs though taking the helmet off with the standard ear iPod plugs feels like passing kidney stones!!

Any ideas for a good quiet helmet with room for ear phones not too expensive?

**McDuck** · 1st March 2009, 16:51

Originally Posted by CRM

I think i need some better plugs though taking the helmet off with the standard ear iPod plugs feels like passing kidney stones!!

Any ideas for a good quiet helmet with room for ear phones not too expensive?

Iwouldnt ride with music, to distracing (but thats just me)

**Highlander** · 1st March 2009, 18:46

I ride with music most of the time. Check out Plugz4lugz on here. Their "wired plugz" are a fantastic bit of kit (check my post listing I rave about them often enough). Not cheap, but having spent more than that on headphone sets that weren't up to the task my only regret is not spending the money on Plugz for Lugz earlier.
Doesn't help you much for most of this trip but I'm sure if you PM or text them they could make you some on your way past....

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...ad.php?t=88841