Back in the saddle after 10 years (oldman_rider2013)

[oldman_rider2013]

Hi all , like the title says i haven't been on a bike for years.Got talking to a mate in Auckland and had the idea to travel the south island in February 2014.So its been over a year that conversation took place and its getting closer.Anyway i bought a bike last month in wellington which is now parked up and waiting for me to fly over and put a few ks on it.(yahoo) anyway i hope i can get some good ideas as where to go/see while we are down there on this site.

Cheers Reece

[fridayflash]

good choice of bike mate, and welcome to the site...are you gunna take the bike back to oz after the big trip? shame you'll miss the burt munro rally
...maybe next year eh

[duckonin]

Before riding too hard, acquaint yourself well with the bike. AND check the tire pressures, very important !

[oneofsix]

If you are leaving Wellington to head south your first choice will be when you get off the ferry; Queen Charlotte Sound, SH6 or SH1. First two take you west over narrow, twisting two lane (if you are lucky) roads and the last takes you east over the primary highway on which you will soon face a hill with barrow twisting road and blind corners. Make sure you do some riding to familiarise yourself with the bike before you board the ferry, suggest that if you are comfortable on the Rimuatakas, Paekok Hill and Akas in the Wellington area you will be ok. In February you will be sharing he roads with kiwi drivers used to city driving on holiday, although the main rush will have return their brats to school so it will mainly be the retied (haven't tested their driving since they got a license) and unencumbered (young and stupid) as well as tourists like yourself and a lot that are used to driving on the right. That's the jealousy out the way.

I would go down west around the bottom (watchout for scumdog), through the catlins, don't miss a loop via Akaroa (rustus will be looking out for you there), I'd be tempted to go inland past Kaikora but then again I have done the coast often and for a tourist the coast would be a good choice. Enjoy yourself.

[oldman_rider2013]

good choice of bike mate, and welcome to the site...are you gunna take the bike back to oz after the big trip? shame you'll miss the burt munro rally
...maybe next year eh

Thanks looked long and hard at alot of different bikes will soon find out what the fjr1300 like for touring, and hope to sell after im back.i have a friend in invercargill so i hope to make down that far, at least get to the museum.

Before riding too hard, acquaint yourself well with the bike. AND check the tire pressures, very important !

will promise to check the tyres.and wont be doing any silly stuff (not without plenty of space ahead)

If you are leaving Wellington to head south your first choice will be when you get off the ferry; Queen Charlotte Sound, SH6 or SH1. First two take you west over narrow, twisting two lane (if you are lucky) roads and the last takes you east over the primary highway on which you will soon face a hill with barrow twisting road and blind corners. Make sure you do some riding to familiarise yourself with the bike before you board the ferry, suggest that if you are comfortable on the Rimuatakas, Paekok Hill and Akas in the Wellington area you will be ok. In February you will be sharing he roads with kiwi drivers used to city driving on holiday, although the main rush will have return their brats to school so it will mainly be the retied (haven't tested their driving since they got a license) and unencumbered (young and stupid) as well as tourists like yourself and a lot that are used to driving on the right. That's the jealousy out the way.

I would go down west around the bottom (watchout for scumdog), through the catlins, don't miss a loop via Akaroa (rustus will be looking out for you there), I'd be tempted to go inland past Kaikora but then again I have done the coast often and for a tourist the coast would be a good choice. Enjoy yourself.

Thanks for the heads up hopfully the weather will be with us ,i guess we will be mapping our route mostly to avoid any bad stuff.I drive all day with city commute drivers and are well aware of the dangers ,even in a bright white van they dont seem to see you ,will be extra aware on the the bike,Thanks.

A popular tourist route if going south from ChCh to head inland via Thomsons Track at Rakaia which passes through a number of small towns and lakes to get to Queenstown which is the most popular tourist resort in the Sth Is. You can go further south from the turn off at the Frankton roundabout near Queenstown Airport. The roads are a good mix of long straights and hilly windy mountain passes.

will also defiantly be going to queenstown got a friend there too,so much to see and so little time..