South Island in the winter?

[phoenixgtr]

Ice has no favourites and doesn't care how good a rider you are and will show you if you don't treat it with respect!

I know what you're saying. Black ice is nasty

[TonyB]

So did you do a circumnavigation? Was the ice to the North or South of Murch? There's a longish section of to the North road between Kawateri Junction and Murch that freezes up pretty bad and stays that way till the weather warms up or it rains, I'm picking it was there that you had your off.

[mattimeo]

Yep thats the one - just north of Murch. It was a pretty bum end to my riding, see the road wiped out the cover and innards of the ignition timing coil - not to mention my righthand mirror and indicator.

[oldrider]

Hey there mattimeo, ever since you asked and we replied, I have been noticing the weather down here and it's been dishing up some real shit!!!

I keep thinking, I hope those poor buggers from up North haven't come on down here thinking it will all be OK and are now continuously having to fight their way through this shit!

There have been some real pockets of bad Southern weather dished up lately, especially from about Oamaru - South - down around Otago - Catlins and other parts of Southland and up to Queenstown and Wanaka.

Not the most encouraging for a motorcycle tour but certainly challenging.

Hope you have had a good time while you were down here. Cheers John.

[Jantar]

I normally ride all year round, but I've only had the bike out 3 times in the past 7 days. The conditions here are downright dangerous, even in 4WD.
-9 here yesterday morning and -18 just up the road at Oturehua. Then it snowed last night in places and hasn't thawed much all day today. We are looking at -6 or so again tonight.

At the moment, unless you are very experienced in winter riding, then don't bring a bike to Central otago.

[scumdog]

Very motorbike unfriendly roads down here this morning.

From Palmerston to Bluff it was wet roads - black-ice - wet roads - black-ice.

Trucks left at the side of SH1 south of Riviera of the South as the roads were too treacherous, only one car off the road in my area though but a lot getting down the road in a manner that would make any drifter envious..

[Kickaha]

-9 here yesterday morning and -18 just up the road at Oturehua. Then it snowed last night in places and hasn't thawed much all day today. We are looking at -6 or so again tonight..

Just cuddle up to K14

[puddytat]

I have returned. Certainly gained some respect for black ice, I managed to drop my bike coming into Murcherson :< Apart from that it was a cool trip, a few days of fine weather helped.

Bugger!! she's wicked cold round here lately,came home on tippy toes the other day, at -8 air temp what'd the wind chill be @ 120?