New to all this

[Quickrik]

Hi Guys,

Quick intro, my names Rik, and I currently in the middle of a decamp from the UK to come and live in NZ with my wife and 2 kids (who all have NZ passports). Looking around the Cantebury area.

Can somebody explain to me how offroad riding work in NZ? Not competition, just general riding.

I've got a WR450F and in the UK we have 'Greenlanes' un-metalled roads which as long as your bike is road legal anybody can ride them. Where can I freely/Legally ride offroad in NZ?

Cheers Rik

[oldrider]

You will probably meet up with Kiwi Bikers in Christchurch and they will get you going, they are a good bunch. Cheers John.

PS: Welcome to KB Rik.

[cooneyr]

Damn were being invaded by those english folk here in Chch. Check out this thread . Welcome to KB by the way.

There are lots of gravel roads around the South Island and a number of us go out relatively regularly. Many of us ride 650's and are probably more into adventure riding than trail riding.

There are not so many un-gravelled roads or tracks about but the waimak river (braided river bed) has a few. There is generally an organised trail each month by one organiser or another. If you are into this sort of riding then dont really need to road reg.

Cheers R

[Skyrich]

South Island has some great gravel/dirt roads all of which are public access roads and require a street legal machine - there are also several well organised offroad rides on back country roads which do not necessarily require streel legal bikes depending on where they are held. i am sure you can hook up with some local riders from this site and they can show you the ropes so to say. i live on the North Island unfortunately.

Rich

[tri boy]

Welcome Rik,
I think you are in for a pleasant riding experience down this way.
I'm sure the southern crew will see you right.

[far queue]

Damn were being invaded by those english folk here in Chch.

Another pommie git you mean? cough cough, I mean welcome aboard Quickrik

[426crasher]

Hi there Rik
I'm another one of these poms that are cluttering up this devine biking land.I live in Christchurch,WR426 and Aprilia tuono. To make it easy- Trail rides are done on private land and the bike does not have to be road legal,think english enduro, maybe not quite as tough with no time card run over great scenery,about every two weeks. Adventure rides done on road legal bikes over mostly public "roads" but sometimes over private land. Rik this place is dirt bike heaven compared with "no go UK".Welcome to send me a private message if you want my phone number for any assistance with anything.
Cheers Tony

[Maha]

Are you the Asian version of Quickchik?...Welcome to Kiwibiker

[RedKLR650]

Hi Guys,
Quick intro, my names Rik, and I currently in the middle of a decamp from the UK to come and live in NZ with my wife and 2 kids (who all have NZ passports). Looking around the Cantebury area. Can somebody explain to me how offroad riding work in NZ? Not competition, just general riding. I've got a WR450F and in the UK we have 'Greenlanes' un-metalled roads which as long as your bike is road legal anybody can ride them. Where can I freely/Legally ride offroad in NZ? Cheers Rik

Hi Rik,

Hope all is on track for your arrival. What line of work are you in ( In other words, do you need leads re work ?? )

As the others have said, the South Island of NZ is an off roaders dream......

Keep the posts coming on here and let the team know whan you and your bike are due to arrive

Cheers, Stu

[Quickrik]

Thanks for the info guys.

I'm getting the picture now, I'm more after trail riding than adventure by the sounds of it. Did a tour of the south island two-up on a Honda Dommie few years back, high point was skippers canyon. That was fun but after something a even more backcountry.

[Transalper]

You'll have to tell us where you actually went sometime, then we'll tell you where you should have gone.
For dedicated off road riding where you trailer your bike to the track, there are great tracks in the forest and riverbed along the south bank of the waimak too. Worseys Rd after you go through the gate is about the only hill in Christchurch you'd get away with riding an un registered bike.
Then you can trailer out further to various other riverbeds, just don't spread that didimo sludge stuff between rivers.
After that there are those organized trail rides every few weeks, cost about $40 to get on those, usually about 30km loops with enduro deviations and kids short cuts. They are more interesting when you get tired of the flatness of the Waimak.
Places like Reefton and Nelson and I'm sure down south too have their own share of trails and a lot more hill but alass I'm not so familiar with those areas, I usually am on a registered machine out those directions liking 4x4 roads instead such as Maungatapu and Porika which you should be on a reged bike to do and i bet you didn't see them on your tour... or did you?