I'm on my way...

[aprilian bandit]

Hey guys, I'll be on my way across to your beautiful islands in a little over 12 months, and whilst I've been swotting up on a lot of different topics, there still remain some questions unanswered, so thought I'd come ask in the hope that you may have some answers.

1. Electrical appliances - ok, so voltages and frequencies are the same between the UK and NZ, and I could happily run a 4-way extension from an adaptor plug, but for the items that don't have a detachable power cord, how would it work swapping plugs? As from memory the NZ plugs have only two terminals? So what happens to the earth?

2. Bike insurance - are there any recommended companies (with quoting websites) out there where I can start to get a feel for insurance cover?

3. I've heard that the off-road community is "really big"... how big? Is it the kind of size where most people have a dirt bike to compliment their road bike?

4. I've heard the traffic police are pretty strict, and hide (rather than advertising themselves prominently as they do over here) - is that likely to end my days of 140/150kph through the twisties? Should I just get my moped on order now?

5. One for the Auckland dwellers... how long would you expect it to take (on the bike) to get from Waitakere City to Manukau City (28 miles between the addresses in mind)?

That's it for now, cheers folks

[James Deuce]

1. NZ plugs have two or 3 terminals. Most decent stuff will have an earth terminal. You can swap plugs quite easily. What happens to the Earth? The Asians who make most of our stuff don't believe in it, so it doesn't matter!

2. Start with www.kiwibike.co.nz - note the missing "r".

3. Probably 10% of road riders have a dirt bike as well. There are far more dirt bikes owned in NZ than road bikes. From Farmers to enduro racers. Can't tell you how many exactly, but the ratio is about 10:1, dirt:road.

4. Hook up with some friendly types who can show you the lesser policed roads. Common sense should tell you that speeding on a major highway (we number our goat tracks here - State Highways 1, 2, 5, and 16 have a fairly heavy Police presence on them) is more risky than using the back roads (which are often in much better nick than your B roads and lanes). Bear in mind that you lose your license instantly if caught over 140km/hr for 28 days. Instantly means leaving your bike on the side of the road too. Most Police persons I've met are only "strict" if you behave like a cock.

5. Do you really HAVE to move to Auckland?

[aprilian bandit]

Hey, cheers for that!

Instant ban over 140kph? Ouch... then again, I suppose it is 40% over the limit! On the plus side, I should be able to avoid "strict" then, as whatever I may normally be like, I am smart enough to behave like a saint when dealing with the police

Hehe, yeah I have to move to Auckland... or at least just outside. I'm coming over to the RNZAF and it was either there or Palmerston North, but they've given me Auckland.

I'd prefer Palmerston North as there's more choice of housing that will be in my price range, but then on the plus side I have family in the Auckland suburbs, so at least I'll be close to people I know rather than wildly alone with noone I know anywhere near me.

[rachprice]

Well thats exciting!
I agree on it being a shame you have to go to Auckland but as much as I hate the place, better there than Palmerston North it is a shit hole!
Any idea what bike your gonna get over here? Or bringing your one over?

[James Deuce]

Don't listen to her, she hates EVERYWHERE that isn't a tropical paradise.

Palmy is the centre point for some of the best roads in the North Island. South is the Wairarapa, East the Hawkes Bay, and West the Taranaki region. A four hour round trip in any of those directions from Palmy is a damn fine morning out and you won't have to ride the same roads twice.

Auckland has plus points that come with population density, but I don't enjoy big cities any more, except to visit.

[Kiwifire72]

If your going to live in Auckland Why would you want to live in west auckland ??????????????????

[Kiwifire72]

Oh Have we still got an Air Force?????

[boomer]

Can you smell the red necks..?!?!! ahhahahahah gotta love small town( ahahah @ city) mentalities.

the cops are too dumb to catch ya if you bolt mate;

NZ is so backward that the plugs, in most cases aren't removable. you have to cut the whole lead and safety doesn't constitute being 'seen' as green.

fook nose about dirt bikes.

on the bike, most trips across town wont take more than 30 minutes..in the car.. well that's a different matter !

This place is so backwards it's quaint to start with.. that soon wears thin! ( i can hear the .."don't like it go home calls..!!" )

[James Deuce]

Geez Boomer, you've slowly turned into one of the least likeable people I've ever come across.

You've always got a negative attitude to share about something.

[vifferman]

5. One for the Auckland dwellers... how long would you expect it to take (on the bike) to get from Waitakere City to Manukau City (28 miles between the addresses in mind)?

As no-one has realy answered this one, the answer is "it depends". The day, the time of day, whether there are breakdowns etc. will all affect the time taken. If you're talking about making the trip on a bike, then allow maybe an hour or so at "rush" hour. During the evening or on weekends, then maybe a half hour.
I live and work on the North Shore, so this is just an educated guess. Hopefully someone who's actually made the trip will chime in here.

[aprilian bandit]

Ha! So as long as I'm in the air force I wont be living anywhere nice? Meh, I'll make do.

I don't particularly like cities myself, nevermind large ones (I absolutely loathe London), Palmerston could potentially be somewhere I could be living a couple of years down the line, so I will bear that in mind about the roads!

I'm not entirely sure what I'll get, but likely candidates include SV650, SV1000, TL1000s, 1200 Bandit (pre 2000), DL1000 v-strom, Thundercat. After seeing the prices of aprilias I was toying with the idea of shipping my mille over, but there's the cost of shipping, and the fact it can be hard enough getting parts when you're on the same continent as the factory, never mind the other side of the world... and the fact that I REALLY struggle to ride it at anything like legal speeds when I meet some twisties! The fact that I haven't lost my license in the UK (on the mille) is testament to the fact all the police have been replaced by fixed cameras that are painted fluorescent yellow!

[Kiwifire72]

Shift working??????
or monday to friday?????
I got it now you going to live out south right good lad lol

[boomer]

Geez Boomer, you've slowly turned into one of the least likeable people I've ever come across.

You've always got a negative attitude to share about something.

i'm shit stirring, but never mind.

[spookytooth]

you can buy plug adapters so no biggy there.You loose licence for 40ks over the posted limet lost mine drifting into a 70k zone in a rural area doing 114.There's organised off road events almost every weekend in winter

[firefighter]

Don't listen to her, she hates EVERYWHERE that isn't a tropical paradise.

Palmy is the centre point for some of the best roads in the North Island. South is the Wairarapa, East the Hawkes Bay, and West the Taranaki region. A four hour round trip in any of those directions from Palmy is a damn fine morning out and you won't have to ride the same roads twice.

Auckland has plus points that come with population density, but I don't enjoy big cities any more, except to visit.

Yes but if your going to be posted there, the base is actually in Ohakea, and the married quarters are there, and it's a shit-hole, I'd rather go down to Woodbourne (Blenhiem), but i'd say Whenuapai is the best posting......(only from personal experience)