Hi from Tasmania (santoy)

[santoy]

I've been a lurker on this site a couple of times, but as I'm coming over in Sept/Oct for 3 weeks m/cycle touring and some RWC rugby, thought I'd join up and ask for some advice. First, a bit about me. Born in the UK, I came to Austrlia in 1974. Wife is a Kiwi, we are commercial vegetable growers. Riding since I was 15, except for a few years when the business and kids took preference (ie all the money)
Toured the NZ North Island on my Suzuki TS185 in 1975 - I'd been living in Blenheim and moved to Houhora and took a couple of weeks to get there. Now have a 2002 R1150RT.

Two questions - I'd like to avoid the main road from ChCh to Dunedin - what's the inland route like? Secondly, the Awatere road, via Molesworth - I've spoken to DoC in Blenheim, they say permit is possible, but it will depend on the weather at that time of the year. How difficult a trip is it, how much gravel, how long does it take? I'm hiring a F650 GS.

I'd appreciate any input

Thanks Tim

[unstuck]

Bit biased but the whole of the southisland is awesome bike country.Inland chch to dunners,depends what you want,you could do mostly gravel or mostly seal. Welcome and enjoy.

[Big Dave]

Less traffic via Geraldine and the Rakaia Gorge is mildly interesting, being closer to the Alps is also a plus, but it's still pretty much straight lines like the main drag. Further down, making your way back to the coast can be pretty good though. SH8 or 'The Pig Route' are top notch.

A stop and scratch around at Omaru is an argument for the main rd, but there's 'always' roadworks on SH1 too.

[Jantar]

....

Two questions - I'd like to avoid the main road from ChCh to Dunedin - what's the inland route like? Secondly, the Awatere road, via Molesworth - I've spoken to DoC in Blenheim, they say permit is possible, but it will depend on the weather at that time of the year. How difficult a trip is it, how much gravel, how long does it take? I'm hiring a F650 GS.

I'd appreciate any input

Thanks Tim

The Molesworth is a great ride with around 120 km of gravel. The F650 is a perfect bike to do it, but check with the rental company that are permitted to do that trip. When we organised the South Island Passes ride a few years back, one rider from California hired a BMW 1200GS only to find that he wasn't permitted to ride it on gravel.

If gravel riding is permitted then may I suggest that from Christchurch south you follow the inland route (a few straight boring bits, but overall much better than SH1), and at Burkes Pass turn left and go via McKenzie Pass, Hakataramea Pass to Kurow, then Danseys Pass and via Middlemarch to Dunedin.

[Edbear]

Welcome aboard! What part of Tassie are you from? We have relatives in New Norfolk and we were over there back in March. Love Tasmania, it's about the only part of Aus I could happily move to!

[jaffaonajappa]

Born in the UK, I came to Austrlia in 1974. Wife is a Kiwi,

I'd appreciate any input

Hi Tim, Glad to hear your a pom, and not reallllly tasmanian. Otherwise would have started to explain the need for you to bring your own riding gear, or at least your own gloves. All our kiwi gloves have spaces for just 5 digits. Bwahahaha

[santoy]

Thanks to everyone for the greetings, advice and mild insults - finger jokes are quite acceptable........it's usually about having 2 heads.

Thanks, Jantar, for the heads up about hire agreement for riding gravel.....I'll do it, though I have a memory that the company mentioned the F650 would give me that option. I've done a bit of research on the route you suggested, and it looks interesting.........I'm presuming you've done it, any info would be appreciated.

Edbear - We live in the north of Tasmania, just east of Devonport........yes. It's a very different place than the mainland....much cooler and wetter. Good motorcycling too.........lots of riders come down here in the warmer months. In fact, if anyone's thinking of coming to Tasmania for a holiday, I can help with any info.

I'm wondering what sort of weather I'm likely to encounter in late Sept/early Oct - will the inland routes and the passes be, well, passable! I'm planning for and will be equipped for cold/wet and anything else will be a bonus.

[Edbear]

Thanks to everyone for the greetings, advice and mild insults - finger jokes are quite acceptable........it's usually about having 2 heads.

Thanks, Jantar, for the heads up about hire agreement for riding gravel.....I'll do it, though I have a memory that the company mentioned the F650 would give me that option. I've done a bit of research on the route you suggested, and it looks interesting.........I'm presuming you've done it, any info would be appreciated.

Edbear - We live in the north of Tasmania, just east of Devonport........yes. It's a very different place than the mainland....much cooler and wetter. Good motorcycling too.........lots of riders come down here in the warmer months. In fact, if anyone's thinking of coming to Tasmania for a holiday, I can help with any info.

I'm wondering what sort of weather I'm likely to encounter in late Sept/early Oct - will the inland routes and the passes be, well, passable! I'm planning for and will be equipped for cold/wet and anything else will be a bonus.

Next trip we're going to go right up North. We toured around much of the Southern half and loved everywhere we went. Hobart is a beautiful city and we were struck by the historical buildings, the friendly people the clean beaches the countryside, pretty much everything about the place. We went from Mt Wellington to the forest walk to Russell Falls, to several beaches and quirky little tourist towns.

I can very strongly recommend a trip over there to anyone! But go via Melbourne as it's cheaper than Sydney.

[unstuck]

Thanks to everyone for the greetings, advice and mild insults - finger jokes are quite acceptable........it's usually about having 2 heads.

Thanks, Jantar, for the heads up about hire agreement for riding gravel.....I'll do it, though I have a memory that the company mentioned the F650 would give me that option. I've done a bit of research on the route you suggested, and it looks interesting.........I'm presuming you've done it, any info would be appreciated.

Edbear - We live in the north of Tasmania, just east of Devonport........yes. It's a very different place than the mainland....much cooler and wetter. Good motorcycling too.........lots of riders come down here in the warmer months. In fact, if anyone's thinking of coming to Tasmania for a holiday, I can help with any info.

I'm wondering what sort of weather I'm likely to encounter in late Sept/early Oct - will the inland routes and the passes be, well, passable! I'm planning for and will be equipped for cold/wet and anything else will be a bonus.

Bring ski,s that way you sure not to need them.

[Jantar]

....
I'm wondering what sort of weather I'm likely to encounter in late Sept/early Oct - will the inland routes and the passes be, well, passable! I'm planning for and will be equipped for cold/wet and anything else will be a bonus.

Late September into early October should be mild weather with possible strong equinotic winds still springing up from the west. All passes should be open and even the high country trails that close over winter normally open on October 1st. The only one that you may need an update on closer to the time is the Haka pass, but you can get up to the day info on that by sending a pm to Oakie Dokie. She lives only a short distance from the top of that pass.