Touring NZ on a '74 Suzuki AC50 Maverick (Longish)

**toycollector10** · 16th September 2007, 16:30

I was 20 kms north of Kiakoura bound for Nelson in my car. On the side of the road was a figure crouched beside a small motorcycle loaded up with bags and panniers and the like. I hung a u-turn and went to see if I could help out. Her bike had just died. She had gas and a spark so we fiddled with the in line fuel filter. I don't know what we did but the bike started and seemed to run ok after a bit of mucking around. Maybe the points plate had got hot and warped or maybe the engine had seized? Who knows, it ran after it cooled off a bit.

I asked her how far she had come on her bike and she told me that she had gone down to Bluff, I think she said, then north to Cape Reinga and back down the other coast and was heading for Christchurch when I met her.

I hope I didn't offend her but I was just laughing my head off in amazement. Her bike looked like it would have been lucky to get down to the corner shop let alone all those thousands of kilometers.

So the preparation of the bike and her gutsy attitude is a credit. And a credit to Suzuki motorcycles as well I suppose.

So good luck Josephine, I hope that you had a great trip.

Regards, Toycollector

**Dances With Poultry** · 11th November 2009, 21:30

Was mooching about on the web and saw this old post of mine. So I thought I would write the sequel.
Josephine made it back to Rangiora on the humble AC50/A100 hybrid after 5 months and 5000km on the road and had the time of her life. What a trooper! She went back to Germany and met a guy with a MZ 250ETZ (how appropriate!!) and rode it to Sweden and back. I got aN email just this week about how much she misses NZ and NZ'ers and wants to come back. In the whole trip around New Zealand she only fell off once, on a gravel road in Northland when someone cut a corner and forced her off the road. Thanks to all those who met and helped her and offered help. She is 5ft 1/2 inch of pure courage and guts, and is legally blind in Germany! She will never get a license there and will carry her memories on NZ forever. Thanks again to those who helped make it possible; not the least the optician in Rangiora who was brave enough to sign the med certificate that let her get a learners car license in Rangiora!

Cheers al,

Nigel in Chch

**JohnC** · 12th November 2009, 15:17

Jez,I rode an A50 from Auckland to Thames an back in one day a few years ago,it only seized once an had one flat tyre,,,that was when tyre pando was still a new thing,,,great stuff that.
I thought that was an epic sort of trip at the time,,,but 5000kms on an A100,man that's really doing it.

Cheers for the up date.