A Quick Lap of the South Island

[jezzaNZ]

What I got up to the week before last. Report over on ADVRider.com.
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?p=9345009#post9345009

Cheers Jez

[junkmanjoe]

exellant write up, great pics.
shame about the weather, cold wet, snow....
im interested in a copy of the route you took, also km record from start to finish.
did your bike run sweet, no probs.

must say you have some very tidy KTM riding gear.
thanks,

[jezzaNZ]

exellant right up, great pics.
shame about the weather, cold wet, snow....
im interested in a copy of the route you took, also km record from start to finish.
did your bike run sweet, no probs.

must say you have some very tidy KTM riding gear.
thanks,

Cheers Joe, all up it was 2694 KM's in basically 6 days. I had to miss out quite a few offroad sections due to the weather but still very enjoyable. I can give you a copy of the route perhaps the King Country Ride if you like but I recommend taking more than 6 days to complete if doing all the tracks. Jez

[junkmanjoe]

yip thanks that be great.

Paladin and my self, and who ever else would like to tag along are starting to plan our trip down there.

thanks for your time.

hay KCR only 5 weeks out.......

[Waihou Thumper]

Cheers Joe, all up it was 2694 KM's in basically 6 days. I had to miss out quite a few offroad sections due to the weather but still very enjoyable. I can give you a copy of the route perhaps the King Country Ride if you like but I recommend taking more than 6 days to complete if doing all the tracks. Jez

I did have plans on doing a lap, I have it all worked out on the GPS...
You went the places I was going to do and I even had plans to touch base with Ward!
Funny, small world we live in...
I have to wait until the next summer/autimn now to do the Molesworth, rainbow etc....
Still, the photos were cool and it has given me that hunger to park the KTM out the back of nowhere and just listen the wind and watch nature...
I see all those small tracks on Mapsource and just get crazy, zig zagging around the South Island....
Before I know it, I have 130 waypoints and the route for the day is over 800Km...:doh: I will have to trim the routes down a bit.....he he
Will see you on the King Country ride then.....
Definitely doing it on the 640A, the route is condusive to the big bikes....including the Fishers....You are going to have a ball.

[jezzaNZ]

[QUOTE=NZKTM;1992685]I did have plans on doing a lap, I have it all worked out on the GPS...

Hi mark, it is just one of those things you crave to do but is always hard to find time to do. I find that over planning can mean you miss out on a lot of good stuff so just get done what you can in the day and don't stress if you don't make your overnight destination.

Certainly 800km is a big day and my 590km day was an 8:30 start end 7pm finish.....Jez

[Tony W]

A fantastic trip and report Jez. Congratulations.
Would you by any chance be considering heated grips, for any future escapades ?

[jezzaNZ]

A fantastic trip and report Jez. Congratulations.
Would you by any chance be considering heated grips, for any future escapades ?


Hi Tony thanks for the comments, by coincidence I do have a pair but removed them as it is summer.............doh!!!!!

[Tony W]

Hi Tony thanks for the comments, by coincidence I do have a pair but removed them as it is summer.............doh!!!!!

Well I suppose it IS summer !

As I have a thing for warmth and comfort, I feel a bit sorry for you in MX helmet and goggles, as from experience I have found them to be cold and uncomfortable above 90kmh. Have you considered a fullface type adv helmet ?
500km per day must be tough on the constitution in those cicumstances.
'on ya.

[jezzaNZ]

Well I suppose it IS summer !

As I have a thing for warmth and comfort, I feel a bit sorry for you in MX helmet and goggles, as from experience I have found them to be cold and uncomfortable above 90kmh. Have you considered a fullface type adv helmet ?
500km per day must be tough on the constitution in those cicumstances.
'on ya.

Cheers Tony. Adv helmet would be nice, just a metter of $$$$$$ I supose as I do trail riding also and have toooooo may helmets already.

[Tony W]

Cheers Tony. Adv helmet would be nice, just a metter of $$$$$$ I supose as I do trail riding also and have toooooo may helmets already.


The difference is staggering. You will not believe how you put up with it.
BTW I hadn't seen that flash KTM gear before (very smart) is that where the bucks went !!! :laugh:

[Underground]

Bloody good report Jezza ,You did well putting all that together and having a nice ride too .Just hope that snow is off the Nevis next month when we make our second attempt at it

[JATZ]

2 words my friend "HELL YEAH" :Punk:

great ride,write up and pictures

[jezzaNZ]

The difference is staggering. You will not believe how you put up with it.
BTW I hadn't seen that flash KTM gear before (very smart) is that where the bucks went !!! :laugh:

Correct Tony, my Dri Rider gear was looking a little worse for wear so I ordered the new KTM gear through Richmond KTM in Melbourne. Worked out to be very reasonably priced once I got the tax back. Really good quality and fit but not really suited for wet winter riding as they do not have waterproof liners in then but are quite waterproof for wet summer conditions.
Jez

[freshair]

awesome !! now thats livin

[Waihou Thumper]

Correct Tony, my Dri Rider gear was looking a little worse for wear so I ordered the new KTM gear through Richmond KTM in Melbourne. Worked out to be very reasonably priced once I got the tax back. Really good quality and fit but not really suited for wet winter riding as they do not have waterproof liners in then but are quite waterproof for wet summer conditions.
Jez

Compared to USA or other places?
Mind telling me approx because I would be keen, they look good with the KTM...

[jezzaNZ]

Compared to USA or other places?
Mind telling me approx because I would be keen, they look good with the KTM...

All up for Jacket and pants about $750-$800 NZD after tax back. Obviously would have been cheaper if the Kiwi dollar was worth more than a pinch of poo. I think they are very good value for money compaired to the Dri Rider stuff and you look pretty shart wearing it also.......:Punk:

[Padmei]

Well done Jezza. I didn't get to see a lot of the pics tho... Something wrong with adv rider or pics take too long?

[Waihou Thumper]

All up for Jacket and pants about $750-$800 NZD after tax back. Obviously would have been cheaper if the Kiwi dollar was worth more than a pinch of poo. I think they are very good value for money compaired to the Dri Rider stuff and you look pretty shart wearing it also.......:Punk:

Compared to the BMW rallye suit at $2200....Sheesh!
Hope we can get a 3XL for my small girth...:2thumbsup

[jezzaNZ]

Compared to the BMW rallye suit at $2200....Sheesh!
Hope we can get a 3XL for my small girth...:2thumbsup

You can always add a couple of zero's if it has BMW written on it.....I got the XL so I can wear body armour under it so I am sure they do a 3XL for thoes large Barvarian types.....haha

[Paladin]

Hey Jezza, great report and pics, thoroughly enjoyed reading thru it! Got the bug even more for a tour round the SI now! :niceone:

CYA on the KCR!!!

[Winston001]

Magnificent report Jezza, that was a hard-core journey and you made it sound so relaxed. For those who don't know, Franz Joseph to Queenstown is a decent ride by itself. But you then went on across the lake to the vast and remote Von Valley, then Manapouri, then backtracked to Garston. All in one day, a fair bit offroad. 590k doesn't do it justice, more like a 1000k ride in time and energy required.

Respect.

As for the Nevis, you were close to the top, if you'd kept going it flattens out then gently descends into the valley so I think you would have been ok. Or not. :wacko: Another day.

[Waihou Thumper]

Hey Jezza, great report and pics, thoroughly enjoyed reading thru it! Got the bug even more for a tour round the SI now! :niceone:

CYA on the KCR!!!

Me too! :woohoo:
When I see photos like that and here I am sitting at home planning the route at home and looking at all the roads he was on, it makes me hungry!
Going to saddle up now and head on out for a ride, it looks like a nice day beckons....
How much did the ride across on the Earnslaw cost then? :scooter:
Did you navigate with a GPS around the south or just winged it and kept turning using maps etc?

Mark

[Waihou Thumper]

You can always add a couple of zero's if it has BMW written on it.....I got the XL so I can wear body armour under it so I am sure they do a 3XL for thoes large Barvarian types.....haha


Yeah, I knew there was a lot of that Bavarian, Celtic and English in me! :beer:
I have been well brought up like.....:2thumbsup
I have also found that KTM clothing is a little mis-matched size wise. I bought a shirt, XXL and it was tight! Bought another XXL and it was swimming on me, different country purchases, so it pays to try stuff on.
I know the US gear is big, XXL is huge....
I don't think these guys take into account our super large girth across the lumberjack shoulders we have down under....lol, and the mammouth beer girth around the middle...:Oops:

[clint640]

How much did the ride across on the Earnslaw cost then? :scooter:

Mark

Cost us $50 for rider+bike when we were down a few weeks ago.

Cheers
Clint

[blackballs]

a-maze-zine or however that fella on the dancing show says it :2thumbsup

[pampa]

Hi, great report!

I did a very similar route before the dusty butt last year beginning of this one.

Didn't know at the time the way across the lake to go to Mavora lakes (nex time).

Ended up on Te Anau and went 100K south of that to try to explore a road from Monowai to lake Manapouri although I got late there and it seemed like difficult and I was also by my own so decided to head back to T Anau. From T Anau did my way up through all the passes. Although I wouldn't like to do the 'Lake Onslow Rd and the Old Dunstan Rd' on wet conditions is all 80K of clay not particularly nice apart for it being not sealed. Based on the marks on the dry clay it can be very very slippery :ride:

Good on ya'
Cheers,
Pampa

[jezzaNZ]

How much did the ride across on the Earnslaw cost then? :scooter:
Did you navigate with a GPS around the south or just winged it and kept turning using maps etc?

Mark[/QUOTE]

Mark, the Earnslaw is from memory $20 for the bike and $28 per adult, as I coulden't convince them I was under 12 years old.....nah no GPS that's for wimps.....but seriously I wish I had one as reading soggy maps in the rain is no fun and would have saved me half an hours pissing around in Blenheim too. Jez

[jezzaNZ]

Although I wouldn't like to do the 'Lake Onslow Rd and the Old Dunstan Rd' on wet conditions is all 80K of clay not particularly nice apart for it being not sealed. Based on the marks on the dry clay it can be very very slippery :ride:

Good on ya'
Cheers,
Pampa[/QUOTE]

Hi Pablo, if wet (as it was when I passed through it) the clay on the Styx Creek Stn road portion of the track is very slippery and puggy. Judging by the 4X4 wheel markes on the road they were having big issues with traction which is no fun on a big adv bike. Jez

[Waihou Thumper]

.....nah no GPS that's for wimps.....but seriously I wish I had one


I thought that too at first, BUT, it sure as hell makes life easier and it has opened up a lot more of NZ to me now....:shit:

Oh, and if we ever ride together, we might soon me thinks, don't follow me, I might get lost with the GPS as it wants to take me the longest, steepest and gnarliest tracks.... Use your map, stop, take gloves off, look around, put gloves back on and get going again and try and catch up.....:done:

Naa, in all seriousness, they are a great tool to have as an accessory!

[jezzaNZ]

Think I will put one on my Christmas wish list this year.......

[junkmanjoe]

so wheres your next adventure going to take you...

[jezzaNZ]

so wheres your next adventure going to take you...


Obvious choice would be the North Island but I have always wanted to travel abroad with my bike. In particular Central Asia, and would love to do a ride in Northern India from New Delhi up to the Leh Valley and back or into Tibet as I love the mountains........any takers out there? Jez