Moving to Wellington - What's it like having a bike in the Windy City?

[BlightyBiker]

I'm going to have to move from Auckland to Wellington for 3-6 months for training. I'm trying to decide whether to take my Hyosung GT250 down with me.

I've been riding almost 6 months and about to take my restricted. I love my bike and it's my main form of transport (i.e. I don't know if I can bear to be apart from it for this many months!! )

However, I'm a bit apprehensive when it comes to riding in the wind and parking on hills - two things that I hear are very common in Wellington! (I've not actually been there yet myself!)

I'm keen to hear from riders in Wellington (especially those who have moved from Auckland) about their experiences riding in Wellington and whether you think it's a bike friendly city.

Thanks!

[Maha]

Take your bike Tara, there are some really nice people down there that will look after you, and show you some roads that are considered 'biking nirvana' by local standards, like the Hutt M/Way

[Dragon]

Heaps of free parking espically in the city for bikes and its all on the flat

wind isnt to bad just need to be aware and tbh its only an issue on the motorways

What area you going to be based in?

I ride 110km a day and its good apart from roadworks atm

Traffic isn't as bad as Auckland

Also I am always keen for a ride and to go out riding with different people so hit me up

[James Deuce]

It's not as windy in Wellington as the rest of the country would have you believe.

Just like Auckland isn't entirely filled with Wankers. Only some JAFAs are pretentious dickheads with a superiority complex and a focus on money above all else.

When it's windy in Wellington, it's windy and you learn to deal with it. There are, at least, one million threads with good ideas on how to manage riding in windy wind. Those threads also contain ideas that are utter n00bish bilge, so ask before you think of employing techniques you've read about. I often giggle at people starting threads on how terrible the wind in Wellington is and how you should leave your bike at home if at all possible, when I've just ridden to work over the Rimutakas and have no choice but to ride the whale home.

The reality is that managing the wind comes down to utilising the mental tool set you should already have acquired to get a license in the first place, and to remain relaxed and alert, and to avoid overreacting, despite your brain telling you you're about to be blown under a bus containing 2 PI under-19 rugby teams and their mums. You can't learn to deal with the wind unless you ride in it and practice being a loose goose who doesn't crap itself every time the bike moves around a little, or freeze when you really need to be applying some steering input and looking where you want to go.

[oneofsix]

Yeah like the city of volcanoes doesn't have hills. At least in Welly the CBD is relatively flat unlike Queens Dr and K road. Leave it in gear facing up hill when parking. But unless you are heading into the hill suburbs generally you will be parking on relatively flat ground. Are you heading for the CBD, Uni or valley? As that can make a difference.

As to the wind depends when and where you ride. If you can handle 130k winds - no problem Wind usually strike in spring at the worst so when you intend being here makes a difference. If during daylight saving you could attend one of the slow paced rides and pick up some advice there.

Pretty sure you will adjust ok. Bring the bike and enjoy some different roads. It will add to your experience and therefore skills.

[\m/]

The wind in wellington itself isn't that bad, top of the rimutaka hills however...

[Maha]

The wind in wellington itself isn't that bad, top of the rimutaka hills however...

Groundsmen at the Basin are so clever, they ''push'' the covers about, no dragging bullshit there.



...and in Featherston street...lady blowen over at 0:14

[MIXONE]

If you commute now in Auckland you will find riding in Welly a breeze(pun intended).
As JD says the secret is to stay loose,don't try and fight the bike moving and you might even end up enjoying it.
I do.

[caspernz]

Meh, if you can ride in Aucks then Welly is no drama. We moved in 2004 (Akld to Wgtn) and apart from the noticeably colder temps year round, maybe 3-5 degrees on average, the wind is more of a permanent fixture than a hazard as such.

The Hutt motorway is a nuisance actually, not many bits of four lane motorway with traffic lights on them around that I know of in the main centres...but yeah, dodgy at first. Just becomes drag racing practice for some

Plenty of choice roads to ride in the Wairarapa, and the Rimutaka Hill isn't as daunting as what some make out. No worse than heading over to Raglan in my opinion.

And you can still head out on a sunny Sunday morning into the Wairarapa and enjoy a ride, I mean most of the posers will be sipping lattes and admiring their bikes while us riders are out there wearing out the tyres...

Bring your bike would be my suggestion

[Milts]

Have owned a bike in Wellington for the last 4 years and loved it, very few issues. Make sure the flat you move to has a garage/storage space is all - it never actually fell, but I always got twitchy when it was blowing an absolute gale and my bike was parked on the road.

In many ways a bike is better here because we have a bunch of narrow, windy streets in the suburbs which can be a bit of a bitch in a car. On a bike all the gaps suddenly look a lot bigger.

[James Deuce]

The Hutt "motorway" isn't motorway, it's State Highway 2. The motorway turns left at Ngauranga.

[Hitcher]

Wind, schmind. Show me a place in New Zealand that doesn't have wind and I'll show you the inside of my refrigerator.

If you can ride here, you can ride anywhere.

[Sable]

It's just another place to ride your bike. Back your bike into the kerb at a 45 degree angle facing uphill and leave it in gear, you should know this already. Wind is just wind, harden up

[mrchips]

If you can ride here, you can ride anywhere.

Amen to that....

Ha !........ i laugh in the face of the wind

You soon learn how to deal with the wind, grip your tank with ya legs & relax from the waist up.

If you plan to commute, be shure to get your self some good wets. Oh, welly is very bike friendly.

[Big Dave]

If you can ride here, you can ride anywhere.

So, to paraphrase. :-P

Yes, Wellington is the sucky-est place to ride a motorcycle in NZ.
But it's all relative. NZ's sucky-est still rates pretty well in the big picture.

EG - I used the car on a gig here today because it was just too hot and humid to wear the right kit for the all-freeway ride.