Bluff and back

[The Reibz]

Not always... there some cursed imps in a few places in NZ... they steal your gas, so you can't quite travel as far as you usually would on a tank

I know what you mean. I once burnt 3/4 of a tank between matamata and cambridge. To many nice straights...

[FJRider]

Not always... there some cursed imps in a few places in NZ... they steal your gas, so you can't quite travel as far as you usually would on a tank

True ... and the side trip into Jacksons Bay won't help either ...

But fuel stations abound on the West Coast. If you NEED it ... price is irrelevant ...

Pukekura which is just north of Lake Ianthe .. which is just north of Harihari ... is worth a stop for the Bushmans center and pub opposite. (Its in a small clearing amid native bush)

[merv]

Catlins route has a lot of gravel and she has said no gravel.

My favourites in no particular order on the road bike are:

Yes go by the West Coast - Upper Buller Gorge road is good coming down from Nelson - if you have time go over the Takaka Hill to Collingwood and back. Then you choose whether to go to Westport through the Buller Gorge and then down to Grey Hokitika etc or whether to go South at Inangahua and go through Reefton. Either way is nice. Road South of Hokitika is magic and so is the Haast pass on to Wanaka and Queenstown.

Then go to Cromwell, Alexandra and through central Otago to Dunedin via Ranfurly, Middlemarch or go East at Ranfurly to Palmerston, Oamaru and then to Dunedin. Work your way South to Invercargill and Bluff and then come back up to Queenstown then to Cromwell and North via Lindis Pass, Omarama, Twizel, Tekapo, Fairlie, Geraldine and then take the inland route through Canterbury via Rakaia Gorge Bridge and onto Christchurch.

Make sure you do the trip to Akaroa and back from Christchurch, then head North and go to Hanmer if you have time and then inland route to Kaikoura and on to Picton.

[FJRider]

I know what you mean. I once burnt 3/4 of a tank between matamata and cambridge. To many nice straights...

Not many long straights on the South Island west coast ... but the need for constant gear changing (hills and tight corners) plays havoc on fuel economy.

[FJRider]

Catlins route has a lot of gravel and she has said no gravel.

The Catlins route IS sealed ... the only gravel on that road is due to trucks cutting corners ... nothing an ST1300 can't handle.

[MIXONE]

Hang a right off the ferry at Queen Charlotte Drive and follow your front wheel from there.
You will have a ball.

[Gremlin]

My favourite ride in NZ (and there is a lot of good ones) starts in Milford Sound. From there head via Te Anau, Queenstown, Wanaka (Crown Range but all options are nice), Haast, Westport (via coast) and finishing in Nelson.

Fine, it's not a 100km awesome stretch of riding, but that's my best ride. Do it in as many days as you want, but if there's one ride that showcases NZ, that's it.

edit: actually, tack on Queen Charlotte Drive to Picton, there's a bit more

[merv]

The Catlins route IS sealed ... the only gravel on that road is due to trucks cutting corners ... nothing an ST1300 can't handle.

Okay, if you race through the place, but if you want to see the interesting things like Nugget Point or Slope Point they are all down gravel roads.

[Gremlin]

Okay, if you race through the place, but if you want to see the interesting things like Nugget Point or Slope Point they are all down gravel roads.

Which is probably why FJRider didn't mention them...

[FJRider]

Okay, if you race through the place, but if you want to see the interesting things like Nugget Point or Slope Point they are all down gravel roads.

You can see most of all there is to see at Kaka point ... and the road back out to the Catlins highway south of Kaka point is now sealed.

Slope point is a good place to avoid if a southerly is blowing ... or raining ... or if tar-seal is preferred.

[unstuck]

You can see most of all there is to see at Kaka point ... and the road back out to the Catlins highway south of Kaka point is now sealed.

Slope point is a good place to avoid if a southerly is blowing ... or raining ... or if tar-seal is preferred.

Slope point is a good place to avoid in any weather, at anytime of the year. Unless of course you want the real southernmost point of the mainland, and not the tourist one at bluff.

[FJRider]

Slope point is a good place to avoid in any weather, at anytime of the year. Unless of course you want the real southernmost point of the mainland, and not the tourist one at bluff.

My opinion also ... but I was being polite ..

[Berries]

I'll have to try this: http://i.stuff.co.nz/business/indust...s-to-the-water

I was offered a freebie on it last week, $150 otherwise. You sit in the back behind the driver and because there are no clues whatsoever, like you would get on a track, you can't ready yourself for a left turn/right turn etc. In the end I figured you might as well stick yourself in a spin dryer because you will just be banging your head off the side. Driving it would be excellent fun, not so sure about being in the back though.

If you aren't in a rush and are passing through Dunedin you should head out to the Peninsula. Otherwise give the Crown Range a go if you are over that way.

[BadSarah]

Seafood sampling in bluff is a must. After that get as far away as you can from the place, it looks like it might have been a nice place 20 years ago but its a total shithole now

Mmmm, seafood sampling. I'm betting the famous Bluff oysters will be out of season when I'm there
Actually any food will do...

[BadSarah]

I was offered a freebie on it last week, $150 otherwise. You sit in the back behind the driver and because there are no clues whatsoever, like you would get on a track, you can't ready yourself for a left turn/right turn etc. In the end I figured you might as well stick yourself in a spin dryer because you will just be banging your head off the side. Driving it would be excellent fun, not so sure about being in the back though.

If you aren't in a rush and are passing through Dunedin you should head out to the Peninsula. Otherwise give the Crown Range a go if you are over that way.

Poose, not spending $150 to go in a tumble drier- I thought I'd get to drive.

In no hurry, I have two weeks to complete the trip and I have an uncle somewhere in Dunedin- must find out where...