In NZ for 6 months - advise on what should I buy?

**cheezmonger** · 5th January 2018, 01:57

Hi - I will be in NZ for work for 6 months and need a motorcycle/scooter to commute and ride along North Island during weekends. What would you recommend I should buy and at what price range? What can I relatively easily sell back when I leave Auckland 6 months later?

PS. I ride a 2003 Triumph Speed Master at home

**FJRider** · 5th January 2018, 07:14

Originally Posted by cheezmonger

Hi - I will be in NZ for work for 6 months and need a motorcycle/scooter to commute and ride along North Island during weekends. What would you recommend I should buy and at what price range? What can I relatively easily sell back when I leave Auckland 6 months later?

PS. I ride a 2003 Triumph Speed Master at home

How big do you think the North island is ... ???

**SVboy** · 5th January 2018, 08:56

Suzuki GS500-$3500-4000. Suzuki SV650 $3500-5500. Suzuki Bandit 650 $4500-6500. Kawasaki ER650 $3500-6500. All cheap, reliable and easiyish to sell on when you are done.

**husaberg** · 5th January 2018, 09:06

Originally Posted by cheezmonger

In NZ for 6 months - advise on what should I buy?

You should buy a ticket to the South Island where the scenery actually is.

**FJRider** · 5th January 2018, 09:22

Originally Posted by husaberg

You should buy a ticket to the South Island where the scenery actually is.

I found an American couple in Taupo once ... they were intending to tour (the entire) NZ in three days (and fly out of Auckland). When they arrived in Taupo ... they were looking for the ferry to the south island.

**husaberg** · 5th January 2018, 10:01

Originally Posted by FJRider

I found an American couple in Taupo once ... they were intending to tour (the entire) NZ in three days (and fly out of Auckland). When they arrived in Taupo ... they were looking for the ferry to the south island.

**jafar** · 6th January 2018, 09:37

Originally Posted by cheezmonger

Hi - I will be in NZ for work for 6 months and need a motorcycle/scooter to commute and ride along North Island during weekends. What would you recommend I should buy and at what price range? What can I relatively easily sell back when I leave Auckland 6 months later?

PS. I ride a 2003 Triumph Speed Master at home

Will you have an equivalent to a nz full licence?

Sent from my SM-T116 using Tapatalk

**FJRider** · 6th January 2018, 09:57

Originally Posted by jafar

Will you have an equivalent to a nz full licence?

Sent from my SM-T116 using Tapatalk

His comment

PS. I ride a 2003 Triumph Speed Master at home

suggests he has a full license in the US. He should be able to ride/drive in NZ for up to twelve months on his US license with no issues ...

**cheezmonger** · 6th January 2018, 12:58

Originally Posted by SVboy

Suzuki GS500-$3500-4000. Suzuki SV650 $3500-5500. Suzuki Bandit 650 $4500-6500. Kawasaki ER650 $3500-6500. All cheap, reliable and easiyish to sell on when you are done.

Thanks a ton for the ideas. Do you think dealerships lease for 6 months?

**cheezmonger** · 6th January 2018, 13:00

Originally Posted by jafar

Will you have an equivalent to a nz full licence?

Sent from my SM-T116 using Tapatalk

My US license is for both Car and Motorcycle and it affords me the ability to ride/drive in most countries in the world, with a notebale exception of china

**cheezmonger** · 6th January 2018, 13:06

Originally Posted by FJRider

How big do you think the North island is ... ???

I'm loving the camaraderie. Northern to Southern tip of NZ is 1000 miles. east to west Texas is 900 miles ;-)

Last summer I was in NZ for a few weeks and rented a car to drive a loop around North island and loved the roads. Now that I'll be there longer I'd like to ride a motorcycle on the weekends and cover parts of North Island, still probably drive the south Island.

**FJRider** · 6th January 2018, 13:12

Originally Posted by cheezmonger

I'm loving the camaraderie. Northern to Southern tip of NZ is 1000 miles. east to west Texas is 900 miles ;-)

Last summer I was in NZ for a few weeks and rented a car to drive a loop around North island and loved the roads. Now that I'll be there longer I'd like to ride a motorcycle on the weekends and cover parts of North Island, still probably drive the south Island.

Then THIS will worth a look.

https://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/mot...2f6f66cc285fc0

**SVboy** · 6th January 2018, 15:03

Originally Posted by cheezmonger

Thanks a ton for the ideas. Do you think dealerships lease for 6 months?

Not to the best of my knowledge.

**rastuscat** · 9th January 2018, 05:36

Originally Posted by cheezmonger

ast summer I was in NZ for a few weeks and rented a car to drive a loop around North island and loved the roads. Now that I'll be there longer I'd like to ride a motorcycle on the weekends and cover parts of North Island, still probably drive the south Island.

5 million ish people live in NZ. 1 million are in the South Island, with traffic being correspondingly sparse. The roads are largely vacant.

The South Island is a great place to ride bikes. Don't miss the opportunity to ride the big loops down here.