Suggestions for a bike adventure with my father?

[Simon]

Hi guys,

Been a few years since I've been riding - same for my Dad. About five years back he slipped while rearranging his K1250 and broke his leg. That also had the flow on effect of exacerbating the shoddy job done on his first hip replacement. So fast forward to 2016, after a second hip and a lot of recovery time he's back fighting fit. Back when i was regularly riding we'd always talked about doing a boys trip. Now that he's only a few years off 70, I'd really like to make a trip happen before he gets to old.

Neither of us own bikes anymore, so we'd have to rent. But we have all the other gear. I've considered something like flying into Christchurch, then spending 4-5 days exploring and riding down to Queenstown.

Any suggestions for where you'd take a memorable trip?
Any tips on renting bikes?

Thanks in advance.
Simon

[pritch]

My brother is considering flying over from Oz and doing something similar.

Canterbury is boring but if you went over the Lewis Pass and headed south from Greymouth to Queenstown or Wanaka then weaved your way back up to Christchurch avoiding SH1 as far as possible a great trip should be on the cards.

I don't know if 'The NZ Motorcycle Atlas' is still available, but it 's good. It hi-lights the interesting roads. Lots people of hereabout can suggest routes too.

[Gremlin]

I'd rate one of the best rides in the country as Milford Sound to Nelson, going via Wanaka, West Coast, Buller Gorge, multi day obviously.

If you want to make a loop, include the Catlins, through Invercargill, round the southern coast through Tuatapere. Heading south from Nelson you'd take in the Lewis pass most likely, or continue to circumnavigate the island by going through Queen Charlotte Drive. The east coast, mostly from Blenheim past Christchurch through Timaru is boring and flat (particularly south of Chch).

If you want to add on some extra bits, go north from Westport up to Karamea and back, and head over Takaka Hill by Nelson (as far as you want really, you'll hit gravel past Port Puponga).

To me, adventure is a mindset. Seek to have fun, enjoy the positives, and you will have fun.

[caseye]

Ask that ratbag Scummy, he'll be able to tell you some great roads, big ups on taking care of business with dad too, doesn't happen enough, On Ya.

[OddDuck]

+1 on good on you :)

The only experience I can offer here was riding to Queenstown from Christchurch, a few years back - I went via Ashburton and then Geraldine, inland from there.

To Ashburton - biker hell, it's horrible

Geraldine onwards - sublime. There's good places to stop for a bite or a cuppa everywhere, the landscape is amazing, the roads are just magic. The gorge leading in to Queenstown (the one with all the vinyards, and the bungee jump) is something else again. There's lots to stop and take a look at as well, it doesn't have to be one cafe after another.

I took the West Coast back and that's pretty damn good too. Distance between breaks is probably a bit longer on this side, especially around the Pancake Rocks.

[PistonBlown]

There's a company called Paradise Motorcycle Tours that hire bikes. Not sure where there main base is but I know they do hires and also tours from Christchurch. Never used them myself but have bumped into foreign riders a few times who have seemed happy with the service they have had.

http://www.paradisemotorcycletours.co.nz/

Looking at their site they seem to have pre-planned tours but also straight bike hire.

I suspect some of the bike dealers in Christchurch may also offer bikes for hire.

As a couple of others have mentioned I'd try and avoid SH1 heading south from Christchurch if you possibly can. Soul destroying road on motorbike that one. Personally I'd recommend heading inland on the 73 and then the 77 and 72 down to Geraldine may be longer but it will be much more relaxing for you and give you a chance to familiarize yourself with the hire bikes. You can also go 73, Bealey Road to Hororata then Downs Road to the 77/72 route down to Geraldine but that's a little harder to navigate.

From Geraldine the 79 and then 8 to Cromwell followed by the 6 to Queenstown is a fantastic route.

As long as it's not low cloud from the 8 it's well worth taking the detour up to Mount Cook village. That's one of my "I'm just popping out on the bike, I may be some time" rides from here:-) Only thing I'd say is plan petrol stops on that route particularly if you do the Mount Cook detour as that little division adds 115km.

Just a personal preference but I always stay in Arrowtown rather than Queenstown when I'm down that way. Not quite so frantic as Queenstown but still some good places to eat etc (mind you each time I go down there it's getting busier). I hate riding a motorbike around Queenstown, heavy traffic and no-one is following any sort of road code.