Welcome to the forum! Cheers!
Hi,
The dates might not work for you, are you aware of this event at the other end of country.
https://www.burtmunrochallenge.co.nz/
Cheers
Only because he arrives in Auckland in January and the burt is in the first week of feb at the other end of the country. So it may not fit with current route they have planned. Of course plans can change if an event of this type appeals.
The rest of the reply makes no sense to me
I am well aware of the dates of the Bert ... and the dates he will be in NZ. but you have not explained why you think the dates would not work for him. A motorcycle rally at the other end of the country shouldn't affect his plans in any way. Unless of course ... he might like to attend.
When life throws you a curve ... Lean into it ...
thats good thinking, do some riding where there is a lot of traffic to remind you what side you need to be on. i think when there is very little traffic it would be very easy to forget what side of the road you need to be on. we have some awesome riding in New Zealand so enjoy it.
and as has been said already, the Burt Munro rally is on in feb and well worth attending, if you haven't heard of it google it, it is a big rally by our standards, lots of other rallies on round that time of year as well
Speaking as a foreigner who has spent a fair number of years travelling both Islands I would recommend spending about 25% of the trip in the North Island and 75% in the South Island. I have lost count of the people I have spoken to that regret splitting their trip 50/50 and wish they had allowed more, much more time in the South Island.
It would therefore be easy to nail the North Island in a couple of weeks and head off to the mainland!
Jus' sayin' :P
In space, no one can smell your fart.
...Burt Munro...
Apologies for not getting back on this thread for a while.
We are counting down the last few weeks before our trip - lots to do before we leave. And we are definitely ready to be out of here. The last few days have seen the temperatures down around -10C.
Thanks for the info on the Burt Monro rally. That would be great to go to, but I don't think the dates will work out for us. Since my last post, we have firmed up a few more details of our trip. We are now planning to spend the first few weeks on the N. Island and head down to the S. Island the first week in February, staying with friends in Upper Hutt for a couple of days before we cross over. In mid February we will be meeting up in Christchurch with some other friends from the States who will traveling with us for two weeks. That will put us in Invercargill near the end of the month.
What we do after that is more or less open. The general plan is that we will start heading back towards the north of the S. Island and try to take in the places we didn't get to on the way down. We would then cross back over to the N. Island sometime in mid March. On the way down we are planning primarily to tour down the west side of the N. Island and on the way back go up through the central region and east coast. I am thinking we will spend the last week or so in Northland.
BTW I have driven a car on the left side of the road in the UK and Australia, but have never ridden a bike on the left. Any thoughts on whether it is more or less challenging to ride on the opposite side on a bike or in a car?
Liking your plans, at least you've got the rough outline sorted
Riding on the other side of the road you're used to? Oh it's not that hard, the main thing that I tend to notice is the camber of the roads. For example you'd be used to the bike needing relatively little input to turn right when you drive/ride on right. Do this same turn from the left hand side of the road, and it feels like you need a bit more counter steer. And vice versa of course. All minor stuff though, soon get used to it.
Enjoy your travels
Casper, good point. I hadn't really thought about the road camber difference.
Thanks for the warning, Akzle.
Pete, I hadn't picked out a route yet. I will be coming in from the west and plan to leave on my way back towards Auckland on the east via SH2, with a side trip to Castlepoint, up to Hastings & Napier.
Maybe something like this. Comments and suggestions for other possibilities would be most welcome.
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