Well I spose I should say hello...

[PeteThePom]

Well Hello.

My names Pete and I'm just in from(well my handle sort of gives that one away doesn't it. Wife is a kiwi girlie who went over for her OE and came back with more than she bargained for(It's amazing what you can get in London these days) Been riding/breaking and fixing bikes since I was 15 which is more than half a life time ago and I still get the same buzz riding my bike as I did the very 1st time!

First time in NZ and here for the duration now(gotta love them roads)

Brought my bike over with me it's a '98 ZRX1100, thought it was the only one over here until saw one in Silverdale the other day.....so there goes my Mr Exclusivity badge.....

WHats the suss over here with plod/speeding/fines/demerit points? They seem to be everywhere with them lil pointy gun things! Have to say your speed limit here is sooooooo s l o w but then probably my time as a bike courier in London has affected my perception of what slow is..............

Anyway on to the point of this post, where are the bike meets in around Auckland/Hib Coast and where's a GOOD place for spares? (do my own spannering) What do most people do with their WOF sticker? Seems a bit hard to display it without making it nickable!

And is it me or do the drivers over here have their heads even further up their collective arses than the f@#kwits in the UK?

And one more thing, I speak my mind so if something I say can be taken two ways and one of those ways makes you feel happy......then I probably meant the other one!

Cheers
Pete

[What?]

And one more thing, I speak my mind so if something I say can be taken two ways and one of those ways makes you feel happy......then I probably meant the other one!

Pete, you are going to fit right in here!
Welcome aboard.

[Antallica]

Hehe welcome man.

You'll fit right in

[wari]

Howdee Pete ...


Did you ever meet Bob the Builder ?

[Zed]

Oh no, not another Pom!





...just kidding.

Looking forward to hearing you speak your mind.


Zed

[KATWYN]

Well Hello.
WHats the suss over here with plod/speeding/fines/demerit points? They seem to be everywhere with them lil pointy gun things!

Hi & welcome Pete, you have settled in a beautiful country, especially the HBC.

Along with that comes NZ's cheeky government-no doubt you will already know that you have settled in one of the highest taxed countries in the world, those lil pointy gun things you are talking about are just another little revenue collector for the LTSA (be careful, they target
motorcyclists and will get you 10kmph over the speed limit, usually it is a $120.00 fine)

It will be the air we breath in NZ next you wait and see , although they didn't quite get away with taxing farmers and their "farty" sheep with the methane pollution debate last year. - anyway, I was just being facetious

...sigh....aside from all that I wouldn't live anywhere else! if you havent seen
the South Island yet...do it!! and do it on your bike, strongly recommended. The centre of the South Island is just breath taking. You have to see places like Arthurs Pass, Lake Tekapo and Mt Cook

[PeteThePom]

Cheers for the friendly welcome. Is good to be among people who get what bikes are all about again.

(Only got my bike over here after a 3 month absence and when I say I was grumpy..................)

BUT......could one of you point me in the right direction of a GOOD parts/accessories place? By good I mean good on price/range and with people behind the counter who know what they are talking about. Kawasaki knowledge is definitely a plus!



I've come across Red Baron M/C's web site, they any good?

Recommendations please people!

Oh and I'm probably tempting fate but well done Zed, you managed to post a reply without mentioning th G word or anything related to it/her/him.

[PeteThePom]

...sigh....aside from all that I wouldn't live anywhere else! if you havent seen
the South Island yet...do it!! and do it on your bike, strongly recommended. The centre of the South Island is just breath taking. You have to see places like Arthurs Pass, Lake Tekapo and Mt Cook

Yeah I plan to get down to the south island as soon as I can but reckon wont be for a while as setting up my company and dealing with all the things that moving to a new country entails seems to be taking up just about all my time and any spare is dedicated to my wife and daughter, still the joys of being self-employed and on that note gonna give myself the arvo off and go for a ride........weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[Zed]

Cheers for the friendly welcome. Is good to be among people who get what bikes are all about again.

Oh and I'm probably tempting fate but well done Zed, you managed to post a reply without mentioning th G word or anything related to it/her/him.

Hehe, didn't you see my signature?


Zed

[curious george]

Hiya Pete, happy biking in NZ, some fantastic stuff to see.
Mailorder may be your best bet, but most shops can get whatever you want, I thought......

Where about is Red Beach? N/island? Orewa way?

What's the G word? Gravel? Gonads? Good Luck?

Teehee

[duckman]

Heya Pete,

As nobody else has mentioned any bike shops yet, let me throw "Mt Eden motorcycles" into the mix. They are really helpfull guys and can normally source parts pretty quickly.

Oh and welcome to motorbike land...

[KATWYN]

Hi Pete
Haldanes motorcycles are good too. Hubby has used them ...once or twice
for parts and they knew what he wanted, got the right parts etc no hassles.

Also, is your ZRX1100 red? I saw a red (What looked like a Kawa) ride through Silverdale industrial today? Mind you, I didnt have my glasses on (tch tch naughty) but it was gleaming and glistening in the sun looking well loved (and ridden on a work day avo)...scuse my ignorance if the ZRX1100 does not come out in full red colour. maybe someone else had the same idea as you to go riding on this fine day

[Big Dog]

I've come across Red Baron M/C's web site, they any good?

Recommendations please people!

[/color]

I deal with Red Baron a lot. A little pricey on some things (official licensed stuff etc) but generally very knowledgable. And I would rather pay a bit more to get the right bit first time. note: they give better pricing the more you have spent with them in the past and can be quite loose with the freebies. The thing I like about Red Baron is the hole one stop shop thing, and they will tell you straight up if something is a waste of money or not if you ask outright.

Unfortunately the best bike shop I have ever come accross is way down in New Plymouth.

I don't like Haldanes in the space of a 10 minute wait on P/A on a speedo cable price went up thirty dollars (original quote $49, I'll just see about availibility, oh that'll $59 is that ok?" I say sure he says "oops that'll be $79) . Hence I am now looking elsewhere.

[KATWYN]

I deal with Red Baron a lot. A little pricey on some things (official licensed stuff etc) but generally very knowledgable. And I would rather pay a bit more to get the right bit first time. note: they give better pricing the more you have spent with them in the past and can be quite loose with the freebies. The thing I like about Red Baron is the hole one stop shop thing, and they will tell you straight up if something is a waste of money or not if you ask outright.

Unfortunately the best bike shop I have ever come accross is way down in New Plymouth.

I don't like Haldanes in the space of a 10 minute wait on P/A on a speedo cable price went up thirty dollars (original quote $49, I'll just see about availibility, oh that'll $59 is that ok?" I say sure he says "oops that'll be $79) . Hence I am now looking elsewhere.

eeek not good. talk to the manager I reakon if that sort of thing happens.
that sort of thing should not be accepted. if manager decides that is how it is then...time to move on if they honour 1st price then

[PeteThePom]

Signatures dont count Zed as it doesn't require any proactive action on your part!

Yup, Red Beach is the less manic neighbour to Orewa and we have a lovely beach as well..............with only the odd dead bird/condom floating ashore!

Thanks for the news on bike shops, all appreciated. But $79 for a speedo cable??!!! Was it hand rolled on the thighs of dusky maidens???

Katwyn,
Nooo wasn't me as mines a very deep purple which looks black/purple or other colours depending on what angle the light is at......plus I only went through Silverdale on the main drag. Yup they did do it in red and in a metallic maroon as well but I reckon they should have just stopped at purple!!

And typically on my 1st decent ride in 3mths......it bleedin pissed down, land of the long white cloud indeed!!....yeah they forgot to tell ya it's full of water!!

Still it was gr8 to be out on my baby again