South Island trip

[flyingscotsman]

Planning a 5 day South Island trip in Feb next year. Bit new to S.I. so can anyone recommend any bike friendly places to stay / roads to be ridden / things to see & do ??

[T.I.E]

i'veen down there few times, and the best bit for me is the homer tunnel and all the passes. hast past lewis and aurthur's pass.
they were hugely scenic. but five days wow now thats a trip. i'll be heading down in the end of march as the weather is more settled. and just starting to turn. and as always the west coast rock. and in feb just watch out for those bugs they get pretty big down there.

[Sniper]

If you end up in CHCH, I have a spare bed and a large garge for ya.

[DMNTD]

We're looking to do the same but not until march too.
Prefer the weather at that stage.
Will be interested to see what others say re routes etc down that way.
Definately something to look forward to :niceone:

[T.W.R]

Nelson to Murchison (Hope Saddle)
Hokitika to Haast
Haast to Hawea (Haast pass)
Cromwell to Omarama (Lindis Pass)
Frankton to Lumsden
Edendale to Clinton (Clinton Gorge)
Raes Junction to Alexandra
Omarama to Geraldine (Burkes Pass)
Geraldine to Woodend (Inland highway)
Chch to Greymouth (Arthur's Pass)
Waipara to Springs Junction (Lewis Pass)
Parnassus to Waiau (Leader Pass)
Most of Marlborough
Westport to Karamea (1 way in & out)

pretty much the whole lot but these listed would be the more scenic rides

[Mongoose]

Be of great help if we knew how many K's a day you happily travel, that would dictate the where you can go

[skelstar]

I would imagine that Queen Charlote Drive (Picton-Nelson 1st half) would be pretty awesome.

[Toast]

Nelson to Murchison (Hope Saddle)
Hokitika to Haast
Haast to Hawea (Haast pass)
Cromwell to Omarama (Lindis Pass)
Frankton to Lumsden
Edendale to Clinton (Clinton Gorge)
Raes Junction to Alexandra
Omarama to Geraldine (Burkes Pass)
Geraldine to Woodend (Inland highway)
Chch to Greymouth (Arthur's Pass)
Waipara to Springs Junction (Lewis Pass)
Parnassus to Waiau (Leader Pass)
Most of Marlborough
Westport to Karamea (1 way in & out)

pretty much the whole lot but these listed would be the more scenic rides

Cool...definitely saving this list for when I finally make the pilgrimage down to the bigger island. Cheers T.W.R. :niceone:

Would you say these are the twistiest and nicest roads to ride as well as the most scenic? Can't bear that straight road crap

[skelstar]

Cool...definitely saving this list for when I finally make the pilgrimage down to the bigger island. Cheers T.W.R. :niceone:

Would you say these are the twistiest and nicest roads to ride as well as the most scenic? Can't bear that straight road crap
Sometimes the most scenic roads are the straightest. The McKenzie country road is bloody straight for ages, but the vistas are FANTASTIC!!!

Mainlander since 1972.

[skelstar]

Oh, and welcome F.Scotsman

[vixta]

The scenic route through the Caitlins is awesome, twisty and very nice to look at. Depends how far down the island you are going. You turn off at Balclutha and head through Owaka/Papatowai then you would normally head to Invercargill :niceone:

[T.W.R]

Cool...definitely saving this list for when I finally make the pilgrimage down to the bigger island. Cheers T.W.R. :niceone:

Would you say these are the twistiest and nicest roads to ride as well as the most scenic? Can't bear that straight road crap

No probs! have ridden them all multiple times and the longest straight would be on the waipara to springs junction ( lewis pass) run ( the Culverden straight, roughly about 18km from Hurunui river bridge to Culverden) its a dead straight road but lots of fun at speed, couple of great dips to get airborne over ( 200km+) just got to watch the culverden cop though! the rest are damn fine trips with awesome scenary (the Clinton gorge rd & Hope Saddle SH6 are my favourites, usually quiet & just continual bends) :niceone: .

The only area down here that is relatively boring is the canterbury plains SH1 ( CHCH to Timaru, between CHCH & Winchester you could count the real bends on 1 hand basically!) the Mackenzie country ( Omarama to Lake Tekapo SH8 is a bit tedious for roads but the scenary makes up for it! :niceone:

[T.W.R]

I would imagine that Queen Charlote Drive (Picton-Nelson 1st half) would be pretty awesome.

Absolutely a great ride! huge number of twisties apart from about a 2km straight at linkwater! just got to watch farkin tourists the road is a tight wee bitch

[Jonty]

The South Island has some fantastic roads. Skelstar and I are in the process of organising a ride down to Alexandra before Christmas so we will let you know what's hot and what's not.

[skelstar]

The South Island has some fantastic roads. Skelstar and I are in the process of organising a ride down to Alexandra before Christmas so we will let you know what's hot and what's not.
Hot: Going through Burkes Pass, McKenzie Country, Dansees Pass (sp), Alex etc
Not: Canterbury Plains. ;)
Am looking forward to Raes Junc though :niceone:

Ooo, we have to have a go on the Crown Range.

[Jonty]

Hot: Going through Burkes Pass, McKenzie Country, Dansees Pass (sp), Alex etc
Not: Canterbury Plains. ;)
Am looking forward to Raes Junc though :niceone:

Ooo, we have to have a go on the Crown Range.

Too right, although you run the risk of tourists, campervans, foreign drivers and a combination of all three :argh:

[Paul in NZ]

As you know....

Vicki and I have just come back from down there (again) on the Guzzi and I spent must of my early adult life building shit all over the South (and north) islands.

If you want to sit down with a map I can show you my personal faves but your's may differ...

On another thread I was going to organise a trip late summer 2006. I'm still keen but other commitments mean this will be a short tour for Vicki and I, possibly 3 or 4 days only.

After xmas I will start to seriously think about this... or not as the case may be... ;-)

[magicfairy]

Milford Sound (have to go to Te Anau first) is worth a visit if you have time. Road is full of buses and campervans but plenty of places to pass. Need a NZ eft pos card (well you did in March) to get gas there from pump. No credit cards.

[Bulldog]

My mate and I have booked 3 weeks from the 1st Feb to do an NZ trip. We're gonna head north first then back down to do the south island.

We're certainly looking for any input as to the route to take and things to see and do while we're on it so fire your routes this way.

[Sniper]

Surprised noone has mentioned this. Have you layed your hands on "The Motorcyclists Atlas" (Or something like that)

PM Vifferman, he will sort ya out.

[M1CRO]

As a starting point, I would recommend the book:
Great Escapes: A Guide to motorcycle touring in New Zealand
Author: Peter Mitchell
Website: http://www.mcycle.co.nz/

I bought it but never got to use it cos of work :crybaby: but I would definitely consider it next year if someone would like to offer an invitation? :whistle:

EDIT: Of course, feel free to PM me if you want to "borrow" the book (I have the 2000 copy - dunno if its changed?)

[sels1]

[QUOTE=flyingscotsman]Planning a 5 day South Island trip QUOTE]

There is a lot more good roads than you can do in 5 days. Are you looking to do touristy things or just ride? Are there any places (Qnstown, Milford etc) you particulaly want to see?

Probably if you head down the West Coast via either Nelson or St Arnaud, follow the coast down and come over Haast Pass to Wanaka and Queenstown then pick your way back thru either the inland or coastal route depending on how your're going for time.

When I took the family around the S.I I had to chop it into 2 trips to cover (nearly) everything.

Welcome aboard the site btw

[oldrider]

G'day, I live at Otematata, between Omarama and Kurow. There is plenty of low cost accommodation here some with shelter for motorcycles. There are eating and drinking facilities if you require them.
I am a Kiwi Biker and a Ulysses club member who likes to ride on any surface. (Seal, gravel or off road) Feel free to call in if you like I may be able to help you. Have a break have a yak whatever.
Five days down here is only a whistle stop tour, there are so many places to see and things to do and every rider has different idea of what they want.
My wife and I have just been for a ride down to Milford Sound and back, just under a thousand Km. Fantastic bike ride came back over the crown range via Wanaka. You may find the distances seem a bit longer down here I usually work on around 300km between fuel stops. The toilet also rules these days. Cheers John.

[Paul in NZ]

G'day, I live at Otematata, between Omarama and Kurow. There is plenty of low cost accommodation here some with shelter for motorcycles. There are eating and drinking facilities if you require them.
I am a Kiwi Biker and a Ulysses club member who likes to ride on any surface. (Seal, gravel or off road) Feel free to call in if you like I may be able to help you. Have a break have a yak whatever.
Five days down here is only a whistle stop tour, there are so many places to see and things to do and every rider has different idea of what they want.
My wife and I have just been for a ride down to Milford Sound and back, just under a thousand Km. Fantastic bike ride came back over the crown range via Wanaka. You may find the distances seem a bit longer down here I usually work on around 300km between fuel stops. The toilet also rules these days. Cheers John.

I should note that John and Pip (both damn nice folk btw) consider this a gentle days ride... Others might take a couple of days ;-)

We have invariably found that when riding on a number of successive days, our ability to cover ground grandually diminishes. Others on modern bikes may not find this...

from the Iron Butt association... http://www.ironbutt.com/about/default.cfm


If the longest ride you have ever taken is 300 miles in a day, don't plan a trip with a string of endless five- hundred mile days. Iron Butt Association surveys also warn of an important trend in long distance trip planning (see Chart A). Discounting weather or other problems; after an initial mileage peak on days one and two, daily average mileage will steadily drop during trip days three to seven. On day seven of a trip, the typical long distance rider will comfortably ride about 65% of the average daily mileage that they would book on a two day trip. If the pros have this type of mileage attrition rate, would you plan on any less?

Also include large easy-to-cut loops into your trip plan. If you do get behind schedule, this is the easiest way to skip part of your trip without ruining the rest of it.

Whether you are capable of riding 300 miles per day, or 1,000, the ability to make miles tends to decrease as the length of the trip increases. The most severe loss is in days 3 through 7, where Iron Butt types then level out to about 65% of their peak capacity.

[inlinefour]

Planning a 5 day South Island trip in Feb next year. Bit new to S.I. so can anyone recommend any bike friendly places to stay / roads to be ridden / things to see & do ??

Would like to go there myself, however I was thinking more like a month :niceone:

[shadow]

Absolutely a great ride! huge number of twisties apart from about a 2km straight at linkwater! just got to watch farkin tourists the road is a tight wee bitch

this rd is real tight. i would reccomend the buller gorge from murhison to westpot and then down to greymouth as is some of the best roads iv been on, has everything scenic twisty fast

[Les]

You'll love it down here. The roads are great and less traffic.
As a side note, while I was in the US a bit over a year ago, I picked up a bike mag in a shop (sorry cannot remember the mag title) and it had in there an article by a bloke who had travelled the world on a bike and his bit about the best biking roads that he'd been on during his trip. No. 1 was a road in Canada somewhere and No. 2 was somewhere in Southern Europe, and his No. 3 was the Buller Gorge run down from Nelson thru Murchison! I kid you not. I was surprised as I've ridden this road many a time as I'm originally from Karamea and used to scoot up to Nelson quite often. Anyway, yes it is a good road IMHO so well worth a look. Either way you'll love it, especially if the weather is kind to you.
Enjoy!

[T.W.R]

Don't Quote me on the year but TWO WHEELS did a expose' on New Zealand roads for touring on a motorcyle around 1992-3ish and their description of the South Island was simply "THE GOD ZONE, AN AMAZING BIKERS PARADISE!"

[Macktheknife]

Not trying to hijack your thread or anything but me and 5 friends are going down and around the mainland over new years holidays, looking forward to seeing and doing all we can in 2 weeks. suggestions welcome and warnings well received.

[Macktheknife]

Surprised noone has mentioned this. Have you layed your hands on "The Motorcyclists Atlas" (Or something like that)

PM Vifferman, he will sort ya out.
Hell yeah man, I just got it for my birthday. Man it rocks, there aer so many things in it that just look fantastic, although I have noticed that nothing counts like local knowledge of a place. :drinkup: :drinkup: :drinkup:

[Zapf]

Milford Sound (have to go to Te Anau first) is worth a visit if you have time. Road is full of buses and campervans but plenty of places to pass. Need a NZ eft pos card (well you did in March) to get gas there from pump. No credit cards.

have done exactly that earlier this year... except I left Te Anau around 4pm with spare fuel can on the back. Not one bus and campervan on the way there as they are all heading or have came back. then left Milford sound around 6 or 7pm and back to Te Anau for a late dinner at a pizza pasta place.

It is do able on 1 tank... around 250km round trip (Te Anau) from memory.

[oldrider]

have done exactly that earlier this year... except I left Te Anau around 4pm with spare fuel can on the back. Not one bus and campervan on the way there as they are all heading or have came back. then left Milford sound around 6 or 7pm and back to Te Anau for a late dinner at a pizza pasta place.

It is do able on 1 tank... around 250km round trip (Te Anau) from memory.
It's 118km each way Te Anau to Milford. There are emergency petrol signs about but I would expect it will cost an arm and a leg with big delays in getting it.
We had a perfect run both ways last time very little traffic but we counted over 50 buses at the boat terminal waiting for the boats to come back in!!!
The Homer Tunnel now has traffic lights that change every 15mins on the hour etc. If you are on your own or with a small group just ride on up to the front of the queue and tell the first driver that you are supposed to go in front because of the fumes, they wont know the difference. Be careful not to hold them up though. When you first go in, your lights just get soaked up by the black and you can't see the road but don't slow down, just fat her away and stay in the middle the road the surface is quite good there. There are a lot more reflectors and things in there now to get your bearings from but the road drops away soon after the top entry quite steeply, really weird feeling first time up but there's only one way traffic now that's an improvement. Actually I don't know if there is a speed limit in there! I just blat it and keep forgetting to check that. Its a prick getting stuck behind a slow driver, cough cough, wobble wobble cant see etc. Buses will just run over the top of you if they get a chance. Watch them on the road too, they stop in the middle of one way bridges for their passengers to take photos. Bastards! You can't move them till they are ready. It is a really great ride,"every time" . Cheers John.

[Zapf]

It's 118km each way Te Anau to Milford. There are emergency petrol signs about but I would expect it will cost an arm and a leg with big delays in getting it.
We had a perfect run both ways last time very little traffic but we counted over 50 buses at the boat terminal waiting for the boats to come back in!!!
The Homer Tunnel now has traffic lights that change every 15mins on the hour etc. If you are on your own or with a small group just ride on up to the front of the queue and tell the first driver that you are supposed to go in front because of the fumes, they wont know the difference. Be careful not to hold them up though. When you first go in, your lights just get soaked up by the black and you can't see the road but don't slow down, just fat her away and stay in the middle the road the surface is quite good there. There are a lot more reflectors and things in there now to get your bearings from but the road drops away soon after the top entry quite steeply, really weird feeling first time up but there's only one way traffic now that's an improvement. Actually I don't know if there is a speed limit in there! I just blat it and keep forgetting to check that. Its a prick getting stuck behind a slow driver, cough cough, wobble wobble cant see etc. Buses will just run over the top of you if they get a chance. Watch them on the road too, they stop in the middle of one way bridges for their passengers to take photos. Bastards! You can't move them till they are ready. It is a really great ride,"every time" . Cheers John.

Oh yes... those 1 way bridges... on the way down I remember hooning down the nice corners and seeing a 1 way bridge sign so thought there should be a stright to slow down before the bridge right...... then 1 second later... a narrow bridge is upon me just at the exit of the corner.... was luckly I wasn't going faster

[flyingscotsman]

Thanks to everyone for your replies. Plans look like we leave Wgtn on Thur before Waitangi weekend and head to Chch. Then across to Haast via Waimate & Wanaka. Then up to Wesport & bacl to Picton via Wairau Valley.
I guess it's about 1500kms - hope the weather is OK and my butt survives ! Trip is two old guys re-living their youth

[Unit]

I would imagine that Queen Charlote Drive (Picton-Nelson 1st half) would be pretty awesome.
I spent five years learning to ride in the great SI. Stick to the West coast for the best twisties and scenery BUT as the coasters say "it only bloody rained for 40 days and 40 nights for Noah Arch". It can get rather wet, thats why March is such a good idea, weather is far more settled and believe me, the summer months can melt your tyres. Came across some German tourists one day in the middle of Arthurs Pass on a bicycle tour (I just dont get that at all), withOUT water. They were delusional and dehydrated and I stopped and helped them out. Queen Charlotte Drive is a great way to start the SI. Getting to the bottom of the NI is a bit of a mission from up here. Ive done Whg to CHCH in one stint, sore arse for a week! Buller Gorge is fantastic, but the ride from Westport up to Kamara is a must do. :niceone:

[Unit]

Oh yes... those 1 way bridges... on the way down I remember hooning down the nice corners and seeing a 1 way bridge sign so thought there should be a stright to slow down before the bridge right...... then 1 second later... a narrow bridge is upon me just at the exit of the corner.... was luckly I wasn't going faster
Getting the hang of the ones with the railway track running down the centre is a bit of a trick. Oh yea, and the cattle stops in the middle of the road on a nice big lefthander sweeping corner, WITH ICE (yea, black ice so you cant see it). Ahhh, those were the days :blink:

[pritch]

Trip is two old guys re-living their youth

Well they probably wouldn't be the only two around here doing that :-)

[Pickle]

If you only have 5 days then I would stick to the top of the South Island
Picton to Nelson. watch the tourists on Queen Charlotte drive
Nelson to Takaka and return to Motueka
Motueka to Murchison via Woodstock
Buller Gorge
Westport to Karamea and return
Westport to Greymouth
Greymouth (take detour to Blackball)to Reefton, Springs Junction, Lewis Pass to Hamner
Hanmer to Kaikoura via Conway
Kaikoura to Picton
Lots of good roads plenty of scenery and good cheap accomadation along the way. Bit of advice make sure you have good tyres as the South Island roads chew your tyres out real quick.
To get down to Queenstown and do some of the rides suggested is a bloody long way, The Catlins are a bloody good ride along with the Te Anau to Invercargill via Blackmount, Tuatapere, Riverton

Have Fun

[oldrider]

Southern ride accommodation sites to look at:

(www.otematatacountryinn.co.nz) Has shelter for bikes.

(www.otematatalakeshotel.co.nz) Proprietor can be a bit cranky but is OK

Otematata Holiday Park. (03-4387826) No Webb site yet.

Petrol available at local service station.

If you want to know about rides etc PM me. Cheers John.

Moderators. Am I allowed to post this information on here?

[TonyB]

Haven't read the whole thing, but I guess all the bases have been covered. If you do a loop around the SI you can go wrong. Avoid Straight Highway One from Oamaru to Chch at all costs, lest you go insane, The rest of it is bloody awesome.

I've said this soooooo many times I'm like a stuck record, BUT you really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really should make sure you go to Milford Sound. It's probably the best ride in NZ- a simply fantastic road surrounded by jaw dropping scenery. It's not so much a ride as a spiritual journey...

EDIT: just realised you have only 5 days.... take more time off, go AWOL...

[VasalineWarrior]

Bollocks to Milford bro. Check out the Takaka hill and Golden bay/Collingwood area. Theres a great pub at Onekaka on the way (The Mussell Inn), and the Takaka hill makes the Rimmas look like a glorified go cart track

[transformerboy]

yep tak mate perfect surface 2!!!! go the musel inn i wana monkey puzzle beer right now! mmm beer.... anyone keen? fucking great beers all brewd on the prems got try it! oh and check out the glow worms down the track straight across the road at night, ofcors sweet!

[Zapf]

I spent five years learning to ride in the great SI. Stick to the West coast for the best twisties and scenery BUT as the coasters say "it only bloody rained for 40 days and 40 nights for Noah Arch". It can get rather wet, thats why March is such a good idea, weather is far more settled and believe me, the summer months can melt your tyres. Came across some German tourists one day in the middle of Arthurs Pass on a bicycle tour (I just dont get that at all), withOUT water. They were delusional and dehydrated and I stopped and helped them out. Queen Charlotte Drive is a great way to start the SI. Getting to the bottom of the NI is a bit of a mission from up here. Ive done Whg to CHCH in one stint, sore arse for a week! Buller Gorge is fantastic, but the ride from Westport up to Kamara is a must do. :niceone:

would you believe I went down west coast this last April and not 1 drop of rain! :sunny:

[Pickle]

Bollocks to Milford bro. Check out the Takaka hill and Golden bay/Collingwood area. Theres a great pub at Onekaka on the way (The Mussell Inn), and the Takaka hill makes the Rimmas look like a glorified go cart track

Totally agree with you, go all the way to Collingwood visit the pub for a good feed of scallops and try a gooey duck. Lots less traffic than the Rimutakas and more interesting. Visit hippy town of Takaka for a night or 2

[Jamiepo]

Hot: Going through Burkes Pass, McKenzie Country, Dansees Pass (sp), Alex etc
Not: Canterbury Plains. ;)
Am looking forward to Raes Junc though :niceone:

Ooo, we have to have a go on the Crown Range.

I work for an Irrigation managment company and I spend most of the day driving around mid and south canterbury. I would have to say that I disagree with that, being from the N I it is really interesting driving around and looking at all of the sites.
Turn off at Rakaia Up Thompsons Track to methven and then across to geraldine then Through Pleasant point to timaru, Nice drive and the further west you go the more interesting the roads are. SH 1 sucks but head a few KMs east or west of it and its a hell of a lot better with a lot of really nice scenery