South Island Trip on GS Adventure

[magicfairy]

My partner - BusaJim recently got himself a BMW GS1150 Adventure (kept the busa for now)
So on New Years Eve we headed to the South Island 2 up to have a camping / adventure riding holiday.

In 6 days we:
Went across to Picton on a very rough crossing - lost my breakfast, bars and cafeteria closed, staff handing out ice chips and cold flannels.

Went down through the Molesworth Station (got pretty cold - snowing higher up) to Christchurch to catch up with family.
Back up through the Rainbow Rd, camped in Quinneys bush.
On through to Collingwood, Pakawau (stayed there the night) and through to Anatori, across the Ford and down to where the road ends. Ford a bit scary - I got off and walked.
Next day onto Nelson and over the Mangatapu track - Track being the operative word.
That where we had our first and only little lie down - see pics, through to Pelorus.
Jims comment - "I think it has detoriated since I went over it 15 years ago"

Then onto the Marlborough sounds, past Portage till the very end - camped at Titarangi then home the next day to Wellington.

Great fun getting off the beaten track, the GS is an absolutely brilliant bike, didn't miss a beat and surprising comfortable. And great on the sealed roads as well.

[chris]

Looks like fun. Nice to see decent tyres fitted to the GS!

[merv]

Nice one, welcome to the world of adventure riding.

[SDU]

Sounds like you had a great trip. It is fun getting off the beaten track. But of a change from the Busa.

[Transalper]

... and over the Mangatapu track - Track being the operative word.
That where we had our first and only little lie down - see pics...

Nice, the more we practice riding these 'tracks' the easier they get then they seem almost sealed to us.

[clint640]

Nice! Good to see the big GS being used for its intended purpose, those are some great tracks.

Cheers
Clint

PS your pics are a little bit big!

[magicfairy]

I think he would have been fine if not 2 up, and all the gear. All part of the learning curve.
Jim used to have trail bikes when he was MUCH younger. But after touring most of NZ on the Busa on sealed roads, he (we) are having lots of fun getting off the main track. And not having to look closely at maps trying to work if a road is sealed or not before heading down it.

Also as I now have my own bike and don't get on the back of the Busa much these days, he is loving the fact that we have to go 2 up when leaving the sealed roads. He knows I am tucked up safe behind him, and being such a big bike he likes knowing he has someone to help him pick it up and open gates.

[cooneyr]

Glad you had fun. Bike looks cool with proper tyres and loaded up. With gear on I bet Jim is glad to have help righting the beast!

Cheers
R

[oldrider]

Nice that you guys are enjoying the alternative routes on the GS Adventure.
Passed one of those and a TransAlp going (the other way) over the Hakataramea Pass today.
I slowed down to stop so that I could have a look at the bikes but they just wobbled on, bye. Damn it!
It was a beaut day, hope they had a good trip.
Mount Cook was resplendent from every peak (pun?) today! Cheers John.

[warewolf]

His memory is correct about the Maungatapu from what I hear. It used to be maintained in 2wd condition, but that stopped in the mid-late 80's to discourage use.

All the better for us! It's pretty chopped out at the moment. After last year's improvements it lasted quite well until the storms late Spring, when I reckon the 4wd boys hit it hard and it whooped up - a bit like the sand at Woodhill after a bit of use.

Welcome to the dirty side!