Transalp (or similar) wanted

[Keith the Pom]

Hi everyone - Newbie Keith calling ya! This is my very first post - so I would take much comfort from any responses ... [nervous]

My story is this: I shall be landing at AKL International on Saturday mid-morning, Dec 2nd. This will be my second visit to NZ this year, having spent most of January ('06) touring around both NI and SI on a mix of transportation, inc: internal flights, hire cars, and a rented BMW R1150RT.

My base will be Ruakaka (near Whangarei), Northland, North Island for four+ months. This is where my son, Mark, hangs out as a schoolteacher. Although my intention is to spend most of my time, especially after the Christmas & NY celebs are out of the way, touring around both islands exclusively on two wheels until early April '07.

I am, therefore, very much 'in the market' and now looking to buy a dual-purpose adventure-type bike, ideally something like a XL650V Transalp (always owned Hondas BTW). I shall keep this second ride in Ruakaka for future trips, both in NZ and Australia.

Can anyone here help me find a good second-hand Transalp? I ask because I notice that the m/c dealerships in NZ seem to be a bit lightweight with their stocks of Honda TAs. Having said that, I am exchanging e-mails with Grant Taylor at 'Cyclespot Honda' about this Honda TA. Do any of you FINE FINE chaps know anything about this dealership? Yunno, the usual stuff, are they good peeps to do business with, etceteras?

Incidentally, in a couple of months' time I'll be "billy-no-mates" (apart from Marky) in a still quite unfamiliar country, with nothing more than: (1) a new-but-strange bike; and (2) brand new road maps of both NI & SI. So, it would be good to hook-up with some fellow riders here and there, now and again.

Kia Ora

Keith the Pom
(Current ride = '04 Honda ST1300)

[oldrider]

G'day and welcome to KB and to NZ.

I ride a TransAlp 650 and live in the deep South, an hour and a bit from Mt Cook, so look us up when you do your South Island bit.

TransAlps are under appreciated in Australia and New Zealand but it's not a bad thing because it means there are some good buys to be had.

The people that own them are nearly all very satisfied with them as an ideal bike for NZ conditions.

I like your current ride,(ST 1300) they are nice bikes, one of my favourites.

Enjoy NZ, hope to see you some time. Cheers John.

[Keith the Pom]

Thanks John. The farthest south we got last time was the Township of Wanaka. Did the Glaciers beforehand and then back to the southern slopes of Mts Cook & Sefton. I'm sure that you're familiar with the route we took.

But Mark's favourite region of SI is the Catlins area ... so I gotta go there.

Could be a cool thing to do the Cape Reinga ~~> to Bluff run (or vice versa) too.

Hope we can meet-up.

Cheers

Keith
(guess I better start practicing saying "No worries" )

[warewolf]

G'day, you lucky, lucky bastard! Plenty of outstanding roads (sealed and unsealed) in that part of the country. The Pizza Barn at Waipu was a regular haunt of mine, along with the club at Ruakaka. I'm a caver as well, recently ex-Auckland, had many caving trips to Waipu.

Bought a used Honda NX650 Dominator from Cyclespot a few years ago. They are good keen chaps but drive a hard bargain. Chase them up promptly if required!

You will find that NZ is a bit 'light' on many, many things. Fortunately including people & traffic. Adventure bikes are a niche within a niche so numbers are quite low.

I'm in Nelson, if you are going to be in this area give me a shout.

Re: Cape Reinga to Bluff, exactly when in April are you leaving? See 9TH Southern Cross Road Rally run by the Rusty Nuts.

PS Geez mate you sound familiar! Maybe we talked while you were in the SI sometime in January???

[Transalper]

Hang around in these forums a while and you'll have more friends here than you know what to do with. If you hit the Christchurch region sometime be sure to post and we'll go adventuring

[clint640]

Welcome Aboard!

I haven't seen any T/A's or similar in any of the local dealers, but I'll keep an eye out. If you do find anything you like in the Rotorua-Taupo area I could go have a look at it for you.

Definitely let us know when you're in town so we can catch up for a ride or a beer.

Cheers
Clint

[Keith the Pom]

G'day to you too Colin ... although it's 9:45 pm in here the UK - on Thursday [yesterday] late evening.

The Rusty Nuts 'Cape Reinga to Bluff' run
DANG! I'm leaving AKL Int for San Francisco on Sun-Apr-08. That group run would have been great; I've heard a lot of good things about the Rusty Nuts Club too.

Closest we got to Nelson was the Township of Picton; just one night's stopover, to catch the ferry the next morning that steams out of the Queen Charlotte Sound to Wellington.

[Qoute: PS Geez mate you sound familiar! Maybe we talked while you were in the SI sometime in January???] ...

... I sound common mate; and I got a common face too! see my ugly mug below. If we really did bump into each other back in January, then I would more than likely have been in a group of three. Does the threesome in the pic below on the south shoreline of Lake Tekapo (SI) look familiar? ... L>R - that's me, Mark (my son), and 'er indoors [double click on the 2nd pic].

BTW, 'er Indoors will not be travelling with me (result! .. ), although she is threatening to pop down for maybe 3 weeks, perhaps sometime in Jan or Feb ...

... Still, musn't grumble, the socks and undies might need a good laundry wash by that time!!

Thanks guys

Keith

DOUBLE DANG!! gotta make more time now - I think I'm gonna like this forum

[XP@]

Can anyone here help me find a good second-hand Transalp? I ask because I notice that the m/c dealerships in NZ seem to be a bit lightweight with their stocks of Honda TAs. Having said that, I am exchanging e-mails with Grant Taylor at 'Cyclespot Honda' about this Honda TA. Do any of you FINE FINE chaps know anything about this dealership? Yunno, the usual stuff, are they good peeps to do business with, etceteras?

Ah, the call for transalp owners >;-)

Darn fine bike for this neck o the woods Even though I says so miself.

I purchased my TA from the very same man and he is a good one. even delivered (to wellytown) it for free!
The price on that TA seems a good one and blue is a good colour!
You can also look on trademe.co.nz for private sales.

[Ruralman]

Hi there, I'm another T/A owner in South Otago and the closest to the catlins of anybody here. keep in touch as you get nearer arriving.
They are a great bike for NZ (as are some of the other big adventure tourers).
Cheers
Bruce

[warewolf]

Does the threesome in the pic below on the south shoreline of Lake Tekapo (SI) look familiar?

Vaguely, but that doesn't mean much; presume you weren't on the R1150GS at the time, then? I'd be more likely to chat to you if you were on a bike. We did a Molesworth/Hanmer/Rainbow trip in Jan, if we met it'd be somewhere thereabouts.

[Keith the Pom]

Colin - Couldn't have been me then mate. See, I told you I woz common!

As my bimmer ride was from Auckland ~~> Coromandel Peninsular (Whitianga in particular) ~~> Tauranga ~~> Rotorua ~~> clockwise around L. Taupo to Te Kuitu/Waitomo ~~> Raglan ~~> then back to Auckland. Just four days on a bike was not enough, which is why it's gonna be 4 months this time around.

You got some of THE best riding in the world down there chaps, take it from me. Europe doesn't really compare (too much traffic; too many people; and too expensive). Although I guess it does have a lot of history and diverse culture going for it.

The nearest location that comes even close to your part of the world is the NW coast of Scotland - now that IS special. It's the only place I know where you get to ride great curves, from 100 mph sweepers -to- single track twisties, with great scenery; AND your speed is only limited by your ability. In other words, not a cop car - or a speed camera in sight, and very little traffic ... absolute bliss, so it is ... Och Aye!

Thanks for all your kind responses BTW.

Keith

[Ruralman]

There's a couple of bikes in the latest Motorcycle trader
1 ex rental 2002 for $8495 from Thunderbike powersports www.thunderbike.co.nz
Doesn't say the mileage but these are very well serviced and if you're not going to be using it allthe time a higher mileage one is probably OK

Hastings Honda have a 2001 with 15,000km for $9995
www.hastingshonda.co.nz

Both of them are silver in colour
good luck

[Zukin]

There's a couple of bikes in the latest Motorcycle trader
1 ex rental 2002 for $8495 from Thunderbike powersports www.thunderbike.co.nz
Doesn't say the mileage but these are very well serviced and if you're not going to be using it allthe time a higher mileage one is probably OK

Hastings Honda have a 2001 with 15,000km for $9995
www.hastingshonda.co.nz

Both of them are silver in colour
good luck

And Hastings Honda are very good.
Ask for Roger, he is an adventure rider himself and will only be too happy to help a fellow rider out

Let me know if you would like another set of eyes (or better photos) and I will be happy to accommodate you!
I live in Hawkes Bay

Cheers and welcome

[Keith the Pom]

Thanks again - cor blimey, this is GREAT info.

I really like the look of that silver TA in Hastings; could be just the ticket. And whoo-whoo! it'll match my current ride - see attachment. Although the blue is cool lookin' too. I'll think I might send Roger an tentative enquiring e-mail.

The mileage (er, umm? - do you guys say 'kilometerage', or summin' else?) is very low for the year. A bit pricey for an '01 though.

Zukin - [how can I put this diplomatically, without sounding like a tight'arse?] - But, eh-hem ... how negotiable are prices in and around NZ; the Hastings Honda dealership in particular? Could I cut a price discount? or alternatively some extras (luggage add-ons, for instance?). Do you know how long Roger has had this particular Trannie in stock?

Coincidentally, the Hawkes Bay area is the one region of NZ that Mark (my son) has yet to visit. This could be his perfect reason - not that I would influence him in any way, of course!

Cheers

Keith

[Zukin]

If you deal with Roger he will normally do a good price.

As I am often in there I dont recall seeing it there recently so it could a new edition to the used bikes there

HOWEVER

Often the prices are not the same online as they are on the bikes, so I will get in and have a look and see what price is on the ticket for ya!!

And if you do manage to get here let me know I would only be to happy to show you some of the off the beaten tracks around here.

Cheers Scott