South Island recommendations required

[grubbytech]

I'm going to be riding around the South island in January & would like some recommendations for bike hire, accommodation, roads to ride that sort of thing.
Also if you'd like to meet a Brit biker & his lovely wife whilst we're touring that'd be great too.

[southern_blade]

Hi, there are a number of options, personally I would suggest flying into queenstown, plenty of places to hire bikes there (google search : queenstown motorcycle hire). As for roads from Queenstown, head up over the crown range, through wanaka, lake hawea and up the west coast. Depending on your time frames from there I would suggest two options:

Option 1:
You could either carry on up the coast over to Nelson, around through blenheim and back down the east coast to Christchurch. From there head inland to Darfield and then down the centre of the Island through Geraldine, Lake Tekapo, Twizel down to Cromwell then back through the gorge to Queenstown or

Option 2:
If you are limited for time, skip the top of the South island and from the west coast head over Arthurs pass to Darfield and follow the same route as option 1 back to Queenstown

There are so many variables though, you might want to head south from queenstown and check out Milford etc then follow the Southern Scenic Route around the bottom of the south and back up to Dunedin, you could go anywhere. But as far as seeing some awesome scenery, a fantastic mix of twisty road with wide open straights in massive valleys, my best advice would be the route I suggested!

Good luck

[Jantar]

For the roads to ride I would strongly recommend this book http://www.twistingthrottle.com/twis...w-zealand.html . It has most of the best roads and is written in a light hearted way.

[unstuck]

Heaps of awesome roads, heaps of awesome places to stay, heaps of awesome people to meet up with. In summer accommodation may prove to be a little trickier to obtain, but there are lots of places away from the crowds to choose from.

[grubbytech]

Well part one is done & dusted, flights booked! Next step bike hire & accommodation. Enduro Touring looks favourite for bike hire, I take it they're ok?

[Jantar]

Before you confirm any accomodation bookings post your intended route and itinery on here. Many of us have spare rooms available that you are welcome to use when in the the area.

As long as I'm not working night shift when you are in Central Otago you and your wife are welcome to stay at our place.

[grubbytech]

Hi Jantar
That's really kind of you. We'll give that some consideration.
The bike is now booked, a DL1000 from Te Wapounamu. Really easy folks to do business with it would seem so far.
Now all I need to have is some information from my stepson as to what he's going be up to (He's working in Queenstown) so we can plan our itinerary.
Getting quite excited now

[Gremlin]

Also have a look in this sub-forum, as many visitors ask for some route advice: http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/fo...Visitors-in-NZ

[the oldstuff]

Just rode cheviot to culverden via random spur road. An absolute must when you are here. Free stay in Oxford

[grubbytech]

Just when I thought it couldn't get any better I get an Email from Te Wapounamu & they've upgraded me for free onto a Triumph Tiger. Happy ain't the word. It must be a god omen cos the last bike I hired in the States was also a Triumph (Sprint) & it felt great to Brits on a Brit bike abroad.
The accommodation's all done, the route's all sorted & we'll be there in a few days now.........Definitely getting excited now.
Here's my route...
https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid...e6e218ea&msa=0

[BMWST?]

Just when I thought it couldn't get any better I get an Email from Te Wapounamu & they've upgraded me for free onto a Triumph Tiger. Happy ain't the word. It must be a god omen cos the last bike I hired in the States was also a Triumph (Sprint) & it felt great to Brits on a Brit bike abroad.
The accommodation's all done, the route's all sorted & we'll be there in a few days now.........Definitely getting excited now.
Here's my route...
https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid...e6e218ea&msa=0

suggest you go inland at Kaikoura.
OR Do you have any interests in back country gravel roads .There is a public road which is all gravel and quite narrow that passes through New Zealands biggest farm.The landscape is something else!.Google Molesworth Station,you basically travel from Blenheim to Hamner springs,that is a destination in itself if you like a dip in hot springs

i made a wee map too,see the red line! http://goo.gl/maps/zOYCD,dont worry about the walking its just an easy way to make the line follow the road(the blue line is another back road route but likely a bit rougher)

[bigreddog]

The Molesworth would be great on a Triumph Tiger....Love that place.

[grubbytech]

Much as I'd love to ride on the gravel tracks the bike shop would have a shit fit if they found out, so as they've been so good to me (And trust me they've been superb) I'm not going to take their shiny Tiger onto beaches or gravel tracks.
It's a shame I know & I'm sure there's plenty of you that are probably shouting at your computer screens saying bloody chicken shit pommie but I have respect for the people at Te Wapounamu & that means more to me than an excursion down a dirt road..
Thanks for the tip though BMWST it does indeed look like a good ride & it's one I'd seen in Twisting Throttle already & had earmarked to ride until Te Wa said no off road stuff.

[BMWST?]

Much as I'd love to ride on the gravel tracks the bike shop would have a shit fit if they found out, so as they've been so good to me (And trust me they've been superb) I'm not going to take their shiny Tiger onto beaches or gravel tracks.
It's a shame I know & I'm sure there's plenty of you that are probably shouting at your computer screens saying bloody chicken shit pommie but I have respect for the people at Te Wapounamu & that means more to me than an excursion down a dirt road..
Thanks for the tip though BMWST it does indeed look like a good ride & it's one I'd seen in Twisting Throttle already & had earmarked to ride until Te Wa said no off road stuff.

have you specifically asked about molesworth?.Its a road.Its not a track.Ask.Otherwise as i said when you get to kaikoura i would go on the inland route When are you coming?

[grubbytech]

We pick up the bike on 17th Jan & the schedule is pretty tight for us to get around the whole of the South Island as we want to see our son who is working in Queenstown for a couple of Days. He's a biker too so hopefully he'll have his shit together & will have sorted out a bike by the time we get there. we're actually posting out his kit for him the week.