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Thread: Canadian touring South Island in Nov. - buying and reselling a bike in Christchurch?

  1. #1
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    Canadian touring South Island in Nov. - buying and reselling a bike in Christchurch?

    Hi guys,

    I'm planning on spending approximately 3 weeks touring the south island of NZ this coming November, and I'd like to do it on a bike! I have 3 years riding experience, with approximately 30,000kms under my belt so far, including a 3 week 15,000km trip down the Pacific coast and back over here in NA. The only thing that concerns me is finding a bike to use for my trip. I've done some research and it sounds like the best (cheapest) option is to purchase a bike while I'm there and sell back upon leaving.

    I'll be arriving in Christchurch late Tuesday evening on November 21st (NZ time), and would like to purchase the bike the following day, and then sell it back Sunday December 10th (the day before I return home). I was hoping some of you folk may be able to provide some recommendations on some places that might be willing to facilitate such a request. Something like Crasherfromwayback was offering here. I'd likely be wanting to pick up either an adventure bike or sport touring bike. Will it even be necessary getting something capable of dirt riding? I don't have a route/itinerary laid out yet, but I'll have 18-19 days to see as much as I can.

    I had just gotten my vacation request approved yesterday at work and booked my flights, so I'm still in the beginning steps here. I'm mostly concerned about ensuring I have a bike available at a reasonable price, but I'm all ears for info on places to go/avoid, things to do, etc. I'm generally an outdoorsy/adventure person. I like hiking, trying good local food, etc. I have camping supplies and such, but I'm planning on camping or staying at cheap motels/hostels yet, since I would need to haul all of that stuff over from here and ensure my bike is able to carry all of it. Any info would be greatly appreciated!

  2. #2
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    13th November 2011 - 15:32
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    Look on www.trademe.co.nz NZs most popular buy sell (eBay clone) website. You can buy a bike on their and sell it when you're leaving. When buying, get a prepurchase inspection done by VTNZ for peace of mind. When selling list it at $1 reserve auction to close the day or 2 before you leave to guarantee it sells.

    Otherwise some locals might know some dealers who do buy backs in chch.

    Enjoy the trip, you'll love it.

    Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by haydes55 View Post
    Look on www.trademe.co.nz NZs most popular buy sell (eBay clone) website. You can buy a bike on their and sell it when you're leaving. When buying, get a prepurchase inspection done by VTNZ for peace of mind. When selling list it at $1 reserve auction to close the day or 2 before you leave to guarantee it sells.

    Otherwise some locals might know some dealers who do buy backs in chch.

    Enjoy the trip, you'll love it.

    Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
    I've definitely come across a few people linking that site before and it's something I'll be keeping in mind for sure. What worries me is if I buy something and find out halfway through the trip that something is terribly wrong with the bike, or that people will not put in bids on my bike without being able to see it or get it inspected, which I likely won't have the time for as I probably won't be back in Christchurch again until a day or two before I leave (I mean maybe that will be enough time anyway?).

    I'd be willing to deal with a slightly higher loss money-wise by buying and selling back a bike to a dealer for additional peace of mind so I don't have to deal with a bunch of "what if's", although if I can't find a good setup/offer I'll be looking into using that site for sure.

    Thanks.

  4. #4
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    For the short length of time you're here I'd suggest you consider renting a bike.

    Think about what you would like to buy, check what you might pay by what's on trademe and factor in other expenses with buying - you may have to licence [rego] the bike for three months. Think about what you might lose when it sells - no guarantee it will sell quickly. Plus, if anything happens to it you have to deal with it.

    Have a look:

    http://www.motorcycle-hire.co.nz/

    http://www.wildfreedommotorcyclerentals.co.nz/

    http://www.nzbike.com/bikes/

    http://motorcyclerentals.gotournz.com/

    I'm sure there are more you could check out.

    Cheers

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Moi View Post
    For the short length of time you're here I'd suggest you consider renting a bike.

    Think about what you would like to buy, check what you might pay by what's on trademe and factor in other expenses with buying - you may have to licence [rego] the bike for three months. Think about what you might lose when it sells - no guarantee it will sell quickly. Plus, if anything happens to it you have to deal with it.

    Have a look:

    http://www.motorcycle-hire.co.nz/

    http://www.wildfreedommotorcyclerentals.co.nz/

    http://www.nzbike.com/bikes/

    http://motorcyclerentals.gotournz.com/

    I'm sure there are more you could check out.

    Cheers
    Wot he said......
    Could sell you my bmw r1150
    And buy it back. But am in North island....
    Opinions are like arseholes: Everybody has got one, but that doesn't mean you got to air it in public all the time....

  6. #6
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    16th September 2017 - 06:29
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    Hmmm.....

    I definitely have looked at rental prices, but even for a mid-range bike (V-strom 650, Honda NC700x, Versys 650, etc), which I would be happy with, every place seems to be $100+/day, some with additional rates per KM. If I'm going to have the bike for 18-19 days that's going to add up real quick and run me >$2000 + tax which is quite a bit more than I was hoping to spend to be honest. I was hoping to get away with <$1250 or so after cutting my loss on re-selling a bike and and registration/insurance costs.

    It doesn't hurt to reach out to some dealers in Christchurch I suppose, and see what they have to offer in terms of buyback options. I think I'll spend some time tonight sending some emails to see what offers, if any, they can provide me.

    Thanks for the responses.

  7. #7
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    19th January 2013 - 16:56
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    A couple of things to consider...

    * you arrive in Chch on 21st Nov, I'm guessing Vancouver to Auckland to Chch, after travelling for 16+ hours plus stop-overs, you'd be wise to have a day's rest before heading off on a bike that is new to you, whether it's a rental or one you have purchased, and you'll be riding on the left side of the road - ever done that before? You need to be "wide-awake" to what you are doing. [Having driven in BC, the roads on Vancouver Island are more like New Zealand's than on the mainland.]

    * when you're due to fly out if you have bought a bike you'll need a day before you leave to handover the bike and deal with any legalities - even if it's a buy back deal.

    * you buy a bike you'll need at least to have third-party insurance [vehicle insurance is voluntary in NZ], provided you can get it for your bike. If you have an off and damage the bike then you'll just have to write it off. If you damage yourself then ACC [google it, if you need to] will fix you up. If you damage someone's property then you need to be covered for that, your travel insurance may cover excess on a rental's insurance but does it cover you if you damage someone's $40000 SUV or some other tourist's vehicle?

    * if your bought-bike dies somewhere what are you going to do? Whereas a rental will be sorted as quickly as they can.

    * go to each of the rental companies I suggested - they are randomly selected from a google search for "motorbike rentals" and put in your dates etc and see how much you'll be up for.

    If a rental costs you approx $2000/2500 [GST is included in prices in NZ] then that's cheap for reliable transport while you're here...

    The above is just my tuppence worth

  8. #8
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    16th September 2017 - 06:29
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    Quote Originally Posted by Moi View Post
    A couple of things to consider...

    * you arrive in Chch on 21st Nov, I'm guessing Vancouver to Auckland to Chch, after travelling for 16+ hours plus stop-overs, you'd be wise to have a day's rest before heading off on a bike that is new to you, whether it's a rental or one you have purchased, and you'll be riding on the left side of the road - ever done that before? You need to be "wide-awake" to what you are doing. [Having driven in BC, the roads on Vancouver Island are more like New Zealand's than on the mainland.]

    * when you're due to fly out if you have bought a bike you'll need a day before you leave to handover the bike and deal with any legalities - even if it's a buy back deal.

    * you buy a bike you'll need at least to have third-party insurance [vehicle insurance is voluntary in NZ], provided you can get it for your bike. If you have an off and damage the bike then you'll just have to write it off. If you damage yourself then ACC [google it, if you need to] will fix you up. If you damage someone's property then you need to be covered for that, your travel insurance may cover excess on a rental's insurance but does it cover you if you damage someone's $40000 SUV or some other tourist's vehicle?

    * if your bought-bike dies somewhere what are you going to do? Whereas a rental will be sorted as quickly as they can.

    * go to each of the rental companies I suggested - they are randomly selected from a google search for "motorbike rentals" and put in your dates etc and see how much you'll be up for.

    If a rental costs you approx $2000/2500 [GST is included in prices in NZ] then that's cheap for reliable transport while you're here...

    The above is just my tuppence worth
    Those are some good points for sure. I haven't set an itinerary yet, so I will probably stay in Christchurch at least one full day prior to departing, probably even two. I'm sure there's bound to be a few interesting things to do around the city anyway. I haven't ever driven/ridden on the left side of the road before though, no.

    I actually booked my flights and travel insurance through my brother as he works at a travel agency (got an amazing price on the flights!). I did pay an additional cost for premium coverage/insurance, though I will definitely consult him and see what all is covered so I know what I need to get covered by insurance in NZ.

    The peace of mind from going through a rental company is definitely attractive, though I would feel quite content if I could get a bike from a dealer as they'll have the maintenance up to date and the bike running well and do a buyback through them. If that can be arranged and there are notable savings as compared to a rental, I may continue with that. I'm relatively resourceful and have a decent amount of experience working on bikes. Though that may not matter much if I have no tools and am stranded in the middle of nowhere! Again, I would have to weigh the costs vs the risk to see how I want to proceed from there.

    Thanks for the feedback.

  9. #9
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    16th September 2017 - 06:29
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    Went with a bike rental!

    Hey guys,

    Just wanted to post a quick update; I did end up going with a bike rental for several of the reasons mentioned above. I'm renting a Yamaha Tracer 700 from Kiwi Motorcycle Rentals in Christchurch. Had a really quick series of response and great customer service with them when inquiring online via email. Total rental cost for 19 days is just over $2000 NZD, includes full comprehensive insurance, courtesy pickup and dropoff on the days I pick up and return the bike, and side panniers. I went with the Tracer 700 because it seemed to be a good budget option for something still capable of sport touring with enough power to keep me happy. Anyways, super happy with my experience with them so far so I just wanted to give them a shout out and re-iterate that I'm super excited for this trip .

    Flight, bike, travel documents and insurance are all in order now. Now I just need to arrange my accommodation and planned route!

  10. #10
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    East coast of South Island is pretty boring unless you like long, straight, flat, over-policed roads * . West coast is absolute opposite . The passes between the two coasts are pretty good, too, Haast Pass between Wanaka and Haast is (imho) the best with Arthurs a close second. It does rain a fair bit on the West coast so be prepared.

    *Until you get down to Dunedin, the Caitlins route to Invercargill is great, Then head up to Queenstown and Wanaka, and up the West coast from there
    it's not a bad thing till you throw a KLR into the mix.
    those cheap ass bitches can do anything with ductape.
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  11. #11
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    Do check out Akaroa, can make a nice short ride and day trip, go the long way over the summit road, be careful they do like excessive use of grit up there.

  12. #12
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    Got everything all planned!

    Another update for you guys:

    Finished making an itinerary and booking all of my lodging for the trip. I'll be staying in hostels. I considered going moto camping, but I'd rather just fork out a few more (hundred) dollars to stay in places with hot showers, laundry facilities, cooking utensils, etc. I do have everything I would need for moto camping, but I really don't want to have to fly it halfway across the world and find a way to rig everything up on the bike when I get there, and then deal with having to find a location to camp and possibly pay for campground fees. If I was taking my own bike from my residence here in NA, I think I would be more inclined to do camping.

    I took a bunch of your guys' feedback as well as used a large amount of things from a 15 day trip plan that the moto rental company had put together. I'll be staying in Christchurch for 2 nights before departing, and then spending another 3 nights after getting back, during which time I'll be using for trips to Hanmer Springs, Kaikoura, and Akaroa. A couple rest days (day trips) in between at Te Anau, Wanaka, and Takaka. I'll be avoiding the boring highways as much as I can and taking the scenic routes.

    Day 0 - Arrival
    Day 1 - Christchurch rest day + bike pickup
    Day 2 - Christchurch -> Lake Tekapo
    Day 3 - Lake Tekapo -> Queenstown (detour through Cardrona and Arrowtown)
    Day 4 - Queenstown -> Te Anau (detour up to Glenorchy first)
    Day 5 - Te Anau -> Milford Sound (return trip)
    Day 6 - Te Anau -> Invercargill (via Tuatapere)
    Day 7 - Invercargill -> Dunedin (via Catlins Coast)
    Day 8 - Dunedin -> Wanaka (via SH87/85/Ida Valley)
    Day 9 - Wanaka Rest Day (I have nothing planned in particular for this day, open to suggestions)
    Day 10 - Wanaka -> Franz Josef
    Day 11 - Franz Josef -> Punakaiki
    Day 12 - Punakaiki -> Takaka
    Day 13 - Takaka Rest day (day trip to Farewell Spit and Abel Tasman Ntl Park)
    Day 14 - Takaka -> Picton
    Day 15 - Picton -> Westport
    Day 16 - Westport -> Arthur's Pass
    Day 17 - Arthur's Pass -> Christchurch
    Day 18 - Day trip to Kaikoura and Hanmer Springs
    Day 19 - Day trip to Akaroa and return bike
    Day 20 - Return day

    Everything's all booked, got my flight and insurance all figured out, etc. Just working on a packing list and waiting at this point! If anyone would like to tag along for part of the ride or meet up for a drink or something, please feel free!

  13. #13
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    it's not a bad thing till you throw a KLR into the mix.
    those cheap ass bitches can do anything with ductape.
    (PostalDave on ADVrider)

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by TeabagInsurance View Post
    Another update for you guys:
    Don't be too restricted with your accommodation bookings ... On wet day it may be better to delay travel. On the good days ... it might seem to be better for just pushing on. Some roads you want to either keep going ... or go back and do it again ...
    When life throws you a curve ... Lean into it ...

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