Can't wait!

[Mossyman]

Hi! Hoping to move out to Dunedin in October 09. Bringing the bikes with us (My 'Blade, Wife's CBR6 and Sons motocrosser). Can't wait! Are the police as picky as thy are in UK? i.e treating you like a rapist for having loud exhausts and small no.plates? Wife's been offered a job (Nurse) and I'll be looking (not too hard!) for a job to keep me in tyres and petrol! Laterz!!

[BirdXX]

Get your wrists into shape. You won't be getting much wind on your chest to support you on the 'blade. It's a bit slower going down here...

...that said, the people, scenery and empty roads (most places) sort of makes up for it!

[triple-bee]

we will be getting there about the same time as you (christchurch) have u been for a look yet, we only got back a few weeks ago and i loved the place

[CookMySock]

Are the police as picky as thy are in UK? i.e treating you like a rapist for having loud exhausts and small no.plates?

Nah they generally leave bikers alone, unless you are repeatedly doing dangerous/noisy/irritating stuff in the same place - someone will complain and then out comes the fine tooth comb and they will get you for something. Just keep your bike paperwork legal and don't blap your loud exhaust right under their nose, and if they do stop you just be respectful and they frown and let you go.

Do be careful on our roads - they look like fun but they are deadly in all sorts of ways. Obstacles just appear out of nowhere here, and like most bikers I think you will probably be out-riding your stopping distance - that kinda comes with the territory unless you just want to slow down and cruise.. Probably not..

Welcome.

Steve

[Ms Piggy]

Hi! Hoping to move out to Dunedin in October 09. Bringing the bikes with us (My 'Blade, Wife's CBR6 and Sons motocrosser). Can't wait! Wife's been offered a job (Nurse) and I'll be looking (not too hard!) for a job to keep me in tyres and petrol! Laterz!!

Hey Mossyman (you may not want to post info here) my sister is a nurse down in Dunners at the public hospital - is that where your wife will be? My sis rides too and I know there are loads of other Dunedin & Southland riders here.

[98tls]

I would say that the cops are pretty mild here compared to the UK,ive been a member on the TL forum for years,plenty of English guys on there and from there comments i would say you will find it pretty easy going here,you will love it down there,heaps of good riding,i am just up the road so sing out when you get here and pop up the road for a brew.

[thepom]

Nah the cops here are ok mostly,I,ve been let off once and nabbed on the other but as long as you treat them with respect you ll be ok,they do the job they re told,if its to raise revenue by catching speeders then thats what they do,especially on bank holidays but riding around this place is just out of this world,you need an off road bike too cos its just a hoot too...

[426crasher]

Hi! Hoping to move out to Dunedin in October 09. Bringing the bikes with us (My 'Blade, Wife's CBR6 and Sons motocrosser). Can't wait! Are the police as picky as thy are in UK? i.e treating you like a rapist for having loud exhausts and small no.plates? Wife's been offered a job (Nurse) and I'll be looking (not too hard!) for a job to keep me in tyres and petrol! Laterz!!

Great place and your going to be on the right island for the scenery. The cops here are not too bad but they are eager to give out tickets for speeding. It ook me a year or so to adjust to the lower average speeds but now i don't have any issues with it. Loud cans are legal here but they are cracking down on stupidly loud ones. Use your common sense on speed and pipes and you should be ok. Number plates are all uniform size and you can't buy aftermarket small ones. Having said that bike rego's are only 2 numbers and 3 letters so they aint massive to start with. It's a bit more of a cruiser place than a race rep place really. Move and enjoy.

[colsan1]

Having come over with my bike last year i would say you dont know
how good you've got it in the UK until you get here.
Give me a gatso camera anyday. Police here in the waikato are everywhere.
Marked and unmarked cars, i see camera vans every day.
The traffic flows so slowly it drives me mad.
In the uk on any sunday you would find plenty of guys playing, average speeds of around 85 to 100 (mph)
and plenty of times you could go out and really give it some with speeds often well in excess of 140mph.
Lets not forget how easy it is in the uk to get around fast on the motorways, numerous times i've done 200+ mile runs and
just sat at a steady 120(mph) all the way.
I'm sure others on here will tell you otherwise but the roads here are not upto prolonged high speed riding.
their are way to many cops about, car drivers are dangerous and often unpreditcable and the roads themselves are in very poor condition.
you have got to slow down and end up almost cruising along which is BORING (you see one volcanic cone you've seen em all)
on a good day on what they call a motorway you might find traffic travelling at all of 120kmh.
Guys at work think they have done well if they get to 160kmh, shit i thought i was being sencible in the uk if i kept it under that for the whole ride.
Seriously consider selling your bike and buying here, the cost of shipping and customs payments and getting a compliance test on the bike
and another on the brakes and then registering it just aint worth it.
i brought mine and wouldnt do so again its not cost effective and bikes here are in much better condition than back in the uk.

[smoky]

I driven on every continent in the world, lived in the Uk for 6 years, so heres my view;

Nah they generally leave bikers alone, unless you are repeatedly doing dangerous/noisy/irritating stuff in the same place - ..... and if they do stop you just be respectful and they frown and let you go.

WTF... let you go! In who's world do you live in, just goes to show how we all see things differently. Cops here absolutely suck here compared to the Police in the UK - the police in the UK actually use common sense, cops here just look for any chance to pull you, lecture you, fine you, even bending the truth when it suits them, very arrogant and would never admit to making a mistake...... bla bla bla

Do be careful on our roads - they look like fun but they are deadly in all sorts of ways. Obstacles just appear out of nowhere here, and like most bikers I think you will probably be out-riding your stopping distance - that kinda comes with the territory unless you just want to slow down and cruise..

Well it's not as bad as riding around stone walled, hedge-rowed lanes in the UK, but we don't have the big open motor-ways you'd be use to.

Having come over with my bike last year i would say you dont know how good you've got it in the UK until you get here.
Give me a gatso camera anyday. Police here in the waikato are everywhere.
Marked and unmarked cars, i see camera vans every day.
The traffic flows so slowly it drives me mad....Lets not forget how easy it is in the uk to get around fast on the motorways ........ the roads here are not upto prolonged high speed riding. their are way to many cops about, car drivers are dangerous and often unpreditcable and the roads themselves are in very poor condition.....
on a good day on what they call a motorway you might find traffic travelling at all of 120kmh.

The other side of the story; Colsan sounds a bit homesick and finding it a bit difficult adjusting to here, if you ask me.
Right about the over Policing of traffic, we are one of the most policed country in the world, rather than provide good roads the Government seems bent on reducing everyone to a crawl to avoid accidents.

Guys at work think they have done well if they get to 160kmh, shit i thought i was being sencible in the uk if i kept it under that for the whole ride..

I don't know who he's been riding with - Sounds like he's been a highway motorway rider - doesn't like the challange of roads with corners on them.
I would think going 120 - 160 on some of our coast roads, thru the forgotten highway, or country roads would be far more enjoyable than 160 - 200 on a dead flat motor-way with no corners??? But he's an English man - who knows what he's on about?
And I assure you cruising at 160 + is well within reach, if that's what you're into.

It's different thats all

[colsan1]

But he's an English man - who knows what he's on about?
l

Rumbled
but not homesick, the roads might be poor but life in NZ still beats the uk.
shame its full of kiwis

[FJRider]

Rumbled
but not homesick, the roads might be poor but life in NZ still beats the uk.
shame its full of kiwis

Then you obviously haven't seen ALL the roads.... would be better here if there wasn't as many poms...

And Mossyman... you will love it in Dunedin...

[smoky]

And Mossyman... you will love it in Dunedin...

What is it with these POMS - so many of them head to the South Island, it's bleak, cold and isolated. Once he's ridden around the Otago peninsular a couple of times - then it's hours of boring straight roads before you find another road with corners to ride around.

All the actions up this end of the country man

[Jantar]

..... Once he's ridden around the Otago peninsular a couple of times - then it's hours of boring straight roads before you find another road with corners to ride around.

Huh? Man, you've obviously never ridden otago's roads. Its only SH1 that's got any straights on it at all. In fact most roads have so many twists that there are only 6 (non highway) roads in the whole province that have sufficient straight length for sprints.

Mossyman. Once you arrive here there are plenty of us who are prepared to show you around, and it won't be on straight roads. But be warned, tyres only last half to 2/3 the distance down here that they do in the north Island, and less than half of what you would expect in most places in the world.

[FJRider]

Huh? Man, you've obviously never ridden otago's roads. Its only SH1 that's got any straights on it at all. In fact most roads have so many twists that there are only 6 (non highway) roads in the whole province that have sufficient straight length for sprints.

Mossyman. Once you arrive here there are plenty of us who are prepared to show you around, and it won't be on straight roads. But be warned, tyres only last half to 2/3 the distance down here that they do in the north Island, and less than half of what you would expect in most places in the world.

And being the modern country that we are... some parts down here have broadband...

ONLY those who live here know some of the secrets...