South Island in summer?

[oldrider]

Paul in NZ, all I seem to be doing lately is saying bloody "sorry".

Bad blue that one, getting the bike wrong. Sheesh.

All Kiwi Bikers welcome here. Send me a PM if I can help, I will. Cheers John.

[zadok]

Normally yes, at varying different rates. I used Te Waipounamu rentals in ChCh recently, sevice was good and prices resonable. There are a couple of other companies there as well - google search will bring them up, they have good websites.

O.K Thanx. I will be looking at getting something in Picton I guess, or Wellington, before crossing the ditch.

[Paul in NZ]

Paul in NZ, all I seem to be doing lately is saying bloody "sorry".

Bad blue that one, getting the bike wrong. Sheesh.

All Kiwi Bikers welcome here. Send me a PM if I can help, I will. Cheers John.

Why be sorry? I thought it was funny!.... Besides, we couldn't keep up with the Ducati boys for long.... Probably just jeaslous..

Cheers

[scumdog]

Probably just jeaslous..
Cheers

Is jeaslous a new KB word, sort of up there with sprotboke, gargre, prak etc??

[Lou Girardin]

Hi Lou, if you are looking for a place to stay with good accommodation low cost but with the ability to reach out to all the tourist spots on day rides, this is the place. Paul in NZ is coming here on Labour weekend with the Ducati club. Check it out Paul and report back. I read in a mag that the Ducatis were going to be here this year so I made inquiries. I believe you are booked into the local Pub. There are other places besides that. I will look you up. I would like to meet KBers that come South and happy to be of any assistance if I can. Cheers John.

Thanks John, we're not sure if we're heading that far south next year. I'll let you know.

[Lou Girardin]

I was only mentioning this to a work mate yesterday. I'm not sure when it will happen at this stage, but it will happen. When hiring a bike, do the lenders hire riding gear as well?

AMPS do, usually no cost.

[Paul in NZ]

What's wrong with that? Yea you don't get to see alot of the towns and stuff but I don't see why peaple care about that anyway. Countryside is where the real beauty is.

Sorry, should have explained a little better...

To 'do' the whole south island you would need between 10 and 14 days. Sure, you can ride 500 to 700kms on the first day BUT after that it gets harder and harder. (at least it does on my old boneshaker) and eventually it just becomes a chore and very non enjoyable.

Thrashing along shw1 is not what it's all about.

Earlier we went with stoney and co for 3 days. The first day we got to the hotel in time for us to dump the luggage and still go for a fang in the twisties before dinner. Thats fun.

If you want to ride and ride go do one of the endurance rides. I'm not built for that, I like to do around 350 to 450km a day MAX with time to explore a few backroads etc.

And you could not be more wrong about the towns. Some of the little places in the south island are amazingly interesting once you stop and find out about the history. Examples.

Blackball - birthplace of the Labour Party
Denniston - the incline was one of the wonders of the engineering world
St Bathans - The Vulcan Pub
Arrowtown - Beautiful
Reefton - erm well ok but you can get a good coffee there now!
Takaka - New years Eve

I really like to take my time and learn a little about the what / why.

Cheers

[Lou Girardin]

I'd be a bit ticked off if I had jeaslouses.

[Paul in NZ]

Is jeaslous a new KB word, sort of up there with sprotboke, gargre, prak etc??

No - It's what happens when KB spelling vultures swoop on poor dumb Guzzi riders before they can edit their posts...

[scumdog]

I'd be a bit ticked off if I had jeaslouses.

Maybe it was actually a bastardised contraction of 'jeeze-louise' and nothing to do with lice??

[Jonty]

I will be doing my inaugural tour on the Cibber in dec/january. I am heading home to West Otago on the 23 of Dec then will probabaly tour a bit of central in early Jan. Anyone is most welcome to join me, will post a little closer to the time.

[Waylander]

Sorry, should have explained a little better...

To 'do' the whole south island you would need between 10 and 14 days. Sure, you can ride 500 to 700kms on the first day BUT after that it gets harder and harder. (at least it does on my old boneshaker) and eventually it just becomes a chore and very non enjoyable.

Thrashing along shw1 is not what it's all about.

Earlier we went with stoney and co for 3 days. The first day we got to the hotel in time for us to dump the luggage and still go for a fang in the twisties before dinner. Thats fun.

If you want to ride and ride go do one of the endurance rides. I'm not built for that, I like to do around 350 to 450km a day MAX with time to explore a few backroads etc.

And you could not be more wrong about the towns. Some of the little places in the south island are amazingly interesting once you stop and find out about the history. Examples.

Blackball - birthplace of the Labour Party
Denniston - the incline was one of the wonders of the engineering world
St Bathans - The Vulcan Pub
Arrowtown - Beautiful
Reefton - erm well ok but you can get a good coffee there now!
Takaka - New years Eve

I really like to take my time and learn a little about the what / why.

Cheers

History is not my thing mate, give me adrenaline pumping excitement in the now or near future.

You can enjoy the history. Too much like school for me.

[Paul in NZ]

History is not my thing mate, give me adrenaline pumping excitement in the now or near future.

You can enjoy the history. Too much like school for me.

Well I guess you have the right bike for it then.....

History you see and feel is very different from history you learn. If you even want to really get a feel for what makes this place special I'd suggest parking the bike and going for a bit of a stroll into the West Coast bush. You can 'feel' the land breathing there. It connects you.

Paul N

[Waylander]

Well I guess you have the right bike for it then.....

History you see and feel is very different from history you learn. If you even want to really get a feel for what makes this place special I'd suggest parking the bike and going for a bit of a stroll into the West Coast bush. You can 'feel' the land breathing there. It connects you.

Paul N

Ok you got me there. I love camping, exspecially in places where there are no trails and you either hunt your food or carry it all with you. Certainly does connect you. Like hiking in the Rockies back in Utah. (No I've never been to Salt lake city)

[scumdog]

Me too - but then I live here!!

Rallies at Glenorchy (I hope) Woodstock (near Hokitika) in January and one at Vincent (near Alexandra) in February.
All worth attending.
P.M. me if you want a place to stay in the lower south east Otago.

In two hours or less ride from my place you could be in Alexandra, Middlemarch, Dunedin, Invercargill, the Catlins Coast Route, Gore, Lumsden, Cromwell etc, all places well worth a stop.

An extra hour would have you in Queenstown, Wanaka, Oamaru etc.