Adventure Riding/Touring

[2_SL0]

Slowly my interest in this particular portion of riding is growing. It may well be what I am looking for that will join all the points of moorcycling together for me.
As I am stuck at home with a bad cold, (Yes thats Man Flu to the women folk)
I have some time to do some research etc.

I have a few questions, I imagine they are the same questions most ask.
My main interest is most likely going to be trips overseas, this may start with a few local trips to begin with, then a few short trips overseas (AUS), see where it goes from there. Bare in mind I have a family so I wont be doing a 6 month sabatical any time soon. That may occur later in life with my wife.
I am not going to kid myself and try to believe Adventure bikes make good road bikes, I have the SD for the road and dont plan on parting with it.

First question: Are there good trips locally?
I do not wish to be another plonker riding an adventure bike around the suburbs of Auckland.

Is it worth purchasing a bike here?
Use it obviously for the local trips and then ship it overseas when I do an overseas trip?

Are there clubs? Group rides?
Riding thru an area of no mans land by myself is not something Im keen on.

Is a 600 sufficient?

[BMWST?]

you should post this in the adventure bike forum,after you have had a read there!

[2_SL0]

Whoops, good point, can it be moved please. Yes give me a red rep for posting in the wrong place as well.

[3L4NS1R]

Costs to get a bike overseas are huge, not to mention the amount of paperwork. Researched getting a bike to the UK earlier this year. About 2500 dollars and 10 weeks later your bike would be in the London docks, then there's the costs and issues to get it onto the street again...

And there's a growing group of adv riders in the Auckland area who actually go off the tarmac, so more group rides will be coming up soon!

[SlowHand]

Veto!!!!!!

Hope they stop take away your ktm riding license you barstool

[Rosie]

We just shipped our bikes over to Australia for a holiday in April (linky). Shipping is a bit of a hassle, but was cheaper than hiring bikes for 5 weeks. And we could get our setup right while in NZ, rather that getting used to a new bike, luggage setup etc while in Oz.
Australia has lots of awesome roads, and there is definite potential for shorter ADV trips, not just year-long über-safaris.

NZ also has excellent gravel roads - most of the exceptionally good ones are in the South Island (IMHO), but the upper North Island has some very good gravel roads as well.
The Kiwibiker ADV crew are an excellent bunch, and there is usually 1 overnight ride a month being organised in the North Island.

[Snails pace]

It really depends what you call an adventure ride. I ride a 650 V strom and it is more than capable of handling NZ gravel roads. It has been farkled some what. I would not look at greasy boggy bush tracks as it is way too heavy. But a 650 is more than adequate for adventure rides. Have a look at Advrider.com
I prefer travelling solo and the bike an I returned, 12 months ago, from travelling Canadian border to Tierra del Fuego (Sth America). Handled all conditions no probs. 2010 plan to head to Alaska solo.
If you look in the back of some of the bike mags there are adverts for organised trips all over the world.
Have yet to experience any of the more northern roads but out Port Waikato there are some nice gravel roads. If you feel inclined am happy to wander out that way with you. No expert but manage to get to the end of the roads and back home with the bike and myself in one piece.
For me it makes more sense to buy a bike here and set it up for how you want it. Ok it takes money to ship overseas but i flew mine to LA on a Fri, flew out on the Sunday and road out the freighters doors on the Monday. No mucking around setting up the bike for how i want it. Worth some $ in my mind. You know the bike, the tools required etc.
Our boundaries are only limited by our insecurities.

[junkmanjoe]

in my mind. and adventure ride, is one where you would not normally go for a ride..ie, closed or un used public roads, to name the most common tracks used in the adventure duel purpose thread.
Fishers track.
42nd traverse.
old Whangmomona road.

passably not novice, or new to the sport roads, but quite doable.

if you in the market to buy a good bike, i have mine on the market.
purpose built for this type of riding.
can be view on the biker trader section.

but yea post up in the adv thread, thats where we play.

JMJ