Round NZ on a 250?

[canarlee]

I didn't see anyone mention tyres yet. I'd want nice fresh tyres that are capable in the dry and wet. One of those handy puncture repair kits wouldn't go astray either.

they come under general maintenence, which i mentioned earlier

[Squiggles]

i did auckland to chch and back on my rgv, perhaps look at having a custom seat done up for a bit more comfort if the gt250r's have hard planks, good fun otherwise, i got good weather the whole way but went prepared for the worst

[TKDSKIP]

Doing a lil ride around Coromandel yesterday came across a girl from overseas doing the loop on a 50 Suzuki 2stroke bike. She had stared in Chirstchurch and been up Northland was on the return trip. The little bike was loaded to the hilt with tent and backpacks doing 60k flat out down the Tairua hill. She had 2weeks to make it back to Chch and fly home. Certainly a great way to see NZ. If she can do it than a 250 should do it easy, and I cant think of a better way to get around.

[mdooher]

Wife and I went from Dunedin to Greymouth and day trips to various places from there last Christmas. (Me ST2, her GSX250) In a recuring theme on this thread the only problem was a puncture on her GSX 250 on the way back.

We were lucky it happend right in the middle of Oamaru on the first day the shops were open after new year. My advice ... if you have a bike with tube tyres join the AA. They seem quite helpful

[NordieBoy]

CelticSeaLily did it on a CB250RS and that only seems to get damaged when she's not riding it.

[deanohit]

or there is a postie bike challenge that i have only heard of and dont know anything about. i think that is australian or american? what that one involves i dont know.

Thats the postie bike challenge in Oz. Would have to look through my mags, but think they did the Birdsville Track with a bout 35 riders and a support crew. It's a bloody long way and not everyone made it all the way, but how much fun would that be? =)

[Solarwind]

The most important thing for a trip like that is how comfy your bike is to sit on for extended periods, and carrying chain lube and a puncture repair kit (if you get stuck out in the middle of nowhere with a flatty). A 250cc engine is plenty powerful enough for highway cruising, although a GN250 is pushing it. A fairing is overrated in my humble opinion, as I find they tend to direct a blast of air straight at your face unless you tuck in behind them, and you DON'T want to hold a racing crouch for several hours a day. My advice would be to try a shorter ride - try Auckland to Taupo (that's 4 hours) and see how your butt feels after that You might want to invest in a custom saddle like Corbin make if you're serious about long trips.

[Kickaha]

This is where my ignorance comes in - can a 250 actually DO this trip? Yes yes yes Hyosung I realise.. But 250's in general? Would there be any prudent measures to take, aside from the obvious I can think of... AA plus membership.. trade in the hyo..!, rah rah...

Have a read of this, it's about a week trip on a 250 that covered some serious miles

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=8959

[limbimtimwim]

I've done it. That was my whole reason for buying a motorcycle initially. Get a 250, ride around the South Island.

You can do it. I've got some great memories.

I remember shedding a tear of delight as I went down the west coast, I thought it was just so amazing. I still do.

[xwhatsit]

Yeah, sure man! You'll get a sore arse but there's absolutely no reason why not. If I can ride (literally) all day and my old girl doesn't blow up, then why can't I do that 2, 3, 4, 5 or 20 days in a row?

In fact, I posted a thread a while ago about it, but a Japanese woman has been riding around the world on her 250 (well, 225cc actually) for a few years now.

Of course comfort might be an issue, as it's not quite so relaxing with a small bike on the open road, but you've got one of the larger 250s out there. Luggage capacity too -- I don't think it'd be quite so effortless to strap a month's worth of supplies to your bike the way you could with a Blackbird.

Go for it! I've been wanting to get down to the South Island on my bike, riding all the way, but time and money is always an issue. Keep us posted and take lots of photos when you do it

[Jantar]

...or there is a postie bike challenge that i have only heard of and dont know anything about....

I am off on the Postie Bike Challenge in 5 weeks. Brisbane to Cairns via Longreach and the Gulf of Carpentaria, 3600 km in 11 days on a Honda CT110 through the Australian outback. Have a look at http://www.postiebikechallenge.org/ and see just what can be done on a small bike.

When I was a young and impoverished student at Otago University, I had a holiday job in Queenstown. That was a 300 km commute on a 125 cc two stroke.

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

When I was in Aucks (RNZN) me and a mate use to ride to Napier and back regularly (every weekend we could) and back on our too fidies...

I had a CB250N and he had a GN250... was interesting we we swapped bikes for a month or so...first corner I came to I went wide and he cut the corner... was funny then when we swaped back did the same thing ...

anyway as said regular maintenance etc... you will have no problems

[bert_is_evil]

I went to the brass monkey in central Otago on a gsxr250 no probs, just spent a lot of time with a sore bum and cramp in my legs

[McJim]

I've been to Taupo and back on a VTR250 and I've been to Napier and back on a VTR250.
It would cruise at 130-140kph quite comfortably in 5th.

Only problem with being on a 250cc bike around New Zealand is the fact that many drivers drive at 75-80kph until you try to overtake them. Then they accelerate to 160kph for reasons best known to themselves. On bigger bikes you can deal with this but on a 250 you have to just put your headlight on full beam and sit behind them.

[shadynz]

Go for it! I've been wanting to get down to the South Island on my bike, riding all the way, but time and money is always an issue. Keep us posted and take lots of photos when you do it

..Oh yeah.. I am planning to be snap happy the whole way down... Will take photos of anything and everyone... I can see myself running up to tourists and asking THEM to take a pic of me and my bike.. ha. Seriously though, this will be kind of a dream trip for me and just looking forward to meeting random people everywhere.

I'm up to about 4-5 hours in a day ride now with stops.. So figure I'll handle the riding position and soreness hopefully. It's more about seeing NZ rather than going flat tack...

Bloody brilliant to get all this advice... muchly appreciated!