Long Road Trip....

[EJK]

There are lots of good tie down points on the floor & take your own tie downs with you.. secure the bike well & it won't be a problem!!! The ride on & off the ferry is not an issue.. tis easy as & all good! I did it a few days ago.. (on a GN250.. with a pillion.. .. funny as hell after riding a bloody great BMW R1100R for the previous 8 days!! ) you'll be fine!

How many tie downs for a bike?

[MyGSXF:Me]

MyGSXF - might take you up on that offer, as I'll probably be staying there on the way down and on the way back up!

Sweet as! pm sent

How many tie downs for a bike?

from memory I think it was 2. One round each side of the handlebar & cranked down well. Take 2 more.. just in case You'll get a feel for it when you are on the ferry & doin it, as to how stable it will be.. the ferry guys loading the cars etc on are there & will be able to help you if you need a hand also!

Jen

[ManDownUnder]

The bike will handle it fine - and you'll learn lots along the way.

A couple of things to get/learn for you
1) Newspaper is cheap and WARM! If you find you're getting cold, stop, buy a paper, open it out and wrap it around your body UNDER your leather jacket. If it gets wet, rip and replace with another one.

Warning - newsprint rubs off and is a bastard to get out of clothes so put an old t-shirt on. The cheap as chipss windbreakers do a good job too as a layer to keeep your warm (single layer windbreaker, the ones that fold right down into a bumbag are great!)
2) Take a cell phone with you and have the number of a couple of KBers in it. If you need help... use it! (text is best because it'll transmit if ity gets the chance in areas of poor recepption)
3) Put and ICE (In Case of Emergency) number in or on the phone

There's more no doubt but... hey - enjoy!

[Dino]

Sounds like you are going to have a great time.
Looks like you have allowed plenty of time so if there is some really shitty weather it may be better to have a day off riding and watch the rain out the window.
Have fun.

[shafty]

Looks like a good trip TBone. I'm in Tauranga and have some Tie downs and stuff if you'd like to borrow them, PM me if you do

[P38]

Hey,

Decided to go on a long road trip around New Zealand, legs of the trip are probably going to be:

Tauranga to Napier
Napier to Wellington
Wellington to Nelson
Nelson to Greymouth
Greymouth to Ashburton (and bottom of South Island)
Ashburton to Picton
Picton to Wanganui
Wanganui to Hamilton
Hamilton to Kaitaia (and top of North Island)
Kaitaia to Tauranga

Probably be a 10-12 day trip - should be good!

I haven't been on a bike for that long (bout a month), and the wisest thing todo would be to have a smaller road trip, but then sometimes I'm not that wise (depending on the thing I'm doing really!).

This would be probably starting mid-May and I was just wondering has anyone else done a trip like this and what would be things to look out for and if anyone has any advice or something of the like?

I've never been to the South Island before - does anyone know what the weather is like in May down there?

Farken cold and wet mate, especially in Southland and on the West Coast. Watch the snow over the passes too.

And enjoy the trip

[tri boy]

Stay warm, hydrate, and take each day as it comes.
You'll piss it in. (the Nullabor is a breeze compared to NZ).

[Daffyd]

Hey,

Decided to go on a long road trip around New Zealand, legs of the trip are probably going to be:

Tauranga to Napier
Napier to Wellington
Wellington to Nelson
Nelson to Greymouth
Greymouth to Ashburton (and bottom of South Island)
Ashburton to Picton
Picton to Wanganui
Wanganui to Hamilton
Hamilton to Kaitaia (and top of North Island)
Kaitaia to Tauranga



I've never been to the South Island before - does anyone know what the weather is like in May down there?

Greymouth to Ashburton via the south of the South Island is a bloody long way. At least 3 days if you want to take time to see anything. I'm picking from your reference to the bottom of the SI you intend visiting the Catlins.

[Taz]

Don't take too much crap. 3 shirts socks n undies etc would be heaps. Camp grounds have washing machines and dryers. Buy some cheap thermals if you haven't already as even when we were down south in feb it was very winter like at times.

[TimeOut]

I to was worried about the ferries, they're fine did Blue Bridge last month.
Steel ramps but have bolt heads sticking up, ride up with both feet down just in case. They usually let you on first so you have plenty of time to tie down, chocks (for the wheels) on the boat.

A place to crash here PM if wanted. Could be keen to join you for a ride as well.

[tbone]

Thermals will be worn for sure! I didn't actually think of them before I posted the thread! Been in NZ for nearly 5 years now and still haven't got used to the fact the Winters are in May!

Greymouth to Ashburton is a long trip - I had only plotted the points on the wises website and it told me the trip was about 6 hours long. I then took a closer look at the roads, and man, there are heaps twisties in there! For a novice like me that leg is going to take a lot longer than 6 hours! Think I will be splitting that leg into two rides.

Plus it lets you take the sights and sounds in!

Shafty - will give you a PM closer to the date and if you're not using them, I'd be keen as to borrow those tie downs - one more expense I don't have to worry about!

Timeout - will give you a PM - a place to crash for the night would be real appreciated! I was planning on crashing somewhere around there on the South Island so that works out sweet as! By that time (or anytime really!) I'd more than appreciate the company, so if you want to come for a ride, all good!

[Forest]

You can book online at www.interislander.co.nz. Prices seem to be $105 each way at the moment for one person and a bike.

The boats have motorcycle parking spots in the hold with hooks for tie-downs, so just bring along the same tie-downs you'd use to secure your bike to a trailer.

Metal surface ramps? Are you worried about slipping and sliding? I wouldn't be; if I recall correctly, the ramps that you ride or drive up into the boat on are coated with some sort of grippy substance that provides good traction in the wet.

Then again, my memory could be failing me.

Watch out for the train tracks. They're wet and greasy - a treacherous combination!

[Clivoris]

Best of luck to you Tbone. I did many a grand tour on an Honda XR250 when I was a young fullah. It was huge fun. Going with a mate on a similar bike added to the fun. You're picking a cold time of year but WTF give it heaps mate. My 2c of advice is take the credit card for those times when the need outweighs the expense.

[Mrs Busa Pete]

There is a spare bed here if you need it. Good luck with your trip.

[Delphinus]

I went over on the bluebridge. Staff were friendly and helpful. First on and first off. Park facing outwards so its easy to get off. Tietown points were good. I used a pair I brought myself round the front, and their ropes for the back. Nice and stable.

Advice - Take a set of tie downs with you wherever you go. So if your bike breaks town (twice) its far easier to put it on a trailer/ute.

Let me know if you're down Otago way, or if you get in any trouble.