New Zealand March 2012

[Dakarnoway]

NZ March 2012

Hi to all,

I thought i`d add a few things as this thread progresses.

It`s still a long way off and I have been looking at flights. Hoping to pay about £850 return. Manchester - Auckland. It will be a bike trip of 28 days, 2 weeks on each island. The bike we are going to hire is the Yamaha XT600E as a BMW F650GS is twice the price and 30kg heavier.
We all have a budget and mine is based on a comfortable time in NZ (well best you can do on a trail bike) but i`m not into paying silly prices for accommadation and so i`m looking at youth and independent-hostels, as said before the cheaper end of motels and B+B`s.

I can admit that we wont get to see everything and some great tracks will be missed, by that I mean the nadgry stuff. Until nearer the time I wont know what tyres will be fitted to the bikes we hire but hoping some semi-off roads tyres will be available. It`s all to do with how things progress on our holiday. I have ridden quite a lot of off-road stuff, trials and with the TRF. The other guy on the other hand has done very little and would not want to push it too far and break owt. Body or bike

(I have been watching ADV rider.com on NZ. A few of guys riding MAUNGAKOTUKUTUKU DIARY, 787 post, 6th video. Top Stuff but frustrating at the same time)

I have taken fuel with me when traveling around Scotland one year though I didnt use the spare 2ltrs I had. I didnt have a SatNav then either. I had to miss out on The Taliska distilery tour on Skye as Carbost fuel station had closed for the day at lunchtime. . Portree was the nearest station. It`s just that there are gonna be two or more bikes with a similar fuel range. A 5ltr canister between a couple of bikes is for just in case.

ttfn chaps Dakarnoway

 

[(RIP) Kaister]

NZ in March ?? it'll be wet and cold.......brrrrr

 

[ahutcheon]

NZ in March ?? it'll be wet and cold.......brrrrr

Sez the man who moved to the desert continent. It's April already down in Dunedin and I'm not that sorry that I didn't light the log burner tonight...

 

[(RIP) Kaister]

Sez the man who moved to the desert continent. It's April already down in Dunedin and I'm not that sorry that I didn't light the log burner tonight...

get yer atlas out - its not all desert..in fact wattest winter on the east coast for years ...have you seen the news lately ?

 

[ahutcheon]

get yer atlas out - its not all desert..in fact wattest winter on the east coast for years ...have you seen the news lately ?

Saw some flooding and a spectacular cyclone before we had an earthquake and the Japanese suffered a tsunami. But it doesn't do to dwell on nature and its occasional inconveniences - I suspect that the risk of coming to grief in the wrong parts of Manchester, for example, are somewhat higher.

 

[Keyframe]

I'm in Christchurch at the moment and I'd certainly bring gear for cool weather riding. It can get pretty chilly overnight too. Great roads though.

 

[Dakarnoway]

Thank you Kaister for your weather observations, i`ll bring my brolly and a fleece. We have just had the driest/warmest April in central england for 350 years and where I live up-north i`d say we`ve had no rain for 4 weeks.

OK moving on ... I can add one more guy and it`s now 3 lads to NZ.

ttfn Dakarnoway

 

[Dakarnoway]

Hi to all,

As I have said before I am limited to the amount of time i`m allowed off work for this trip.

I have booked 2 flights leaving on 28th Feb 2012 and return to the UK on 30th March 2012. The 3rd person wants to visit family in Hong Kong either on the way out or after we`ve been to NZ, so i`m leaving him to sort out his own flight plans, he has more time available for his trip you see.

Being able to get to NZ with at least one day either side of hiring the bikes and taking them back suits us all for flight differances ... well we`ll see. Thinking of staying close to Auckland Airport for the 1st and last night anyway as there are stacks of places for that purpose.
The bike hire co. will pick us up and drop off where ever we`re staying.

For those that are interested i`ve booked flights with Korean Air, an added bonus on the return is a 19 hour stop-over in Seoul all incl. accommodation and meals, should be interesting . Singapore Airlines were too expensive though maybe if you are not limited to time allowed off a cheaper flight could be available later on, just not the case for two of us on this trip.

Catch you later

Dakarnoway

 

[Dakarnoway]

Update ...

Not much to add really only that i`ve put a deposit onto 2 bikes for our trip in March 2012.

Was going to be 3 but i`m waiting and waiting for a definate yes and some deposit money for the hire bike but it has not happened.

ttfn Dakarnoway

 

[muddypuddles]

Hi Darkonoway

Just read your post with interest. I’m also putting plans together to travel to New Zealand early March 2012, spend some time there (budgeting on three months) before heading on to Australia etc. Going to take some time away from work!

Key difference is that I am planning to fly my bike over (1150gsa) as it seems fractionally cheaper than hiring a bike for that length of time.

Be good to hear about what your travel plans are for south and north island. Still working on mine and trying to get an idea on how much to budget for…petrol, hotels, food etc. Early stages.

Thanks everyone for the information - extremely helpful.

 

[DaveH-F800GS]

Possible interest

Only just read about the trip.

Might be interested in joining you if it isn't too late. Would be interested to know some more detail if you think it might be a go.

Checked flight from Heathrow at around £ 808 for dates you posted. Any idea what other costs are likely to be?

 

[Dakarnoway]

PM`s have been sent to DaveH-F800GS and adventurer27

 

[Dakarnoway]

Thank you for your enquiries from adventurer27 and DaveH-F800GS

I would like to put this thread to sleep but not close it all together. Maybe the Site Mods have a better idea.

It will be just two going in March 2012

Anyone with relevent info please add.

Thank you to everyone for your help.

Chris (Dakarnoway)

 

[Dakarnoway]

We are into the last month of waiting which has taken a fair while to come round. 25 days to go and are flying by too quickly as I try to get the last few details sorted.

Thanks for all your comments, books, maps, kit, ideas and pointers folks.

I`m not all that good at ride reports but hopefully i`ll have a blog of something when we are out there and to finish off when we get back. It wont be as flash as the many fantastic RR`s on here though, maybe just photos

Oh! by the way Kaister, what is the weather report for March ?

Cheers Chris (Dakarnoway)

 

[PETELU]

had we not become parents our next bike trip would have been NZ.

Any way.... 4 years on We've got a motorhome booked for 3 weeks from late March and I'm just firming up the route and itinerary but just need some advice.

Should I pre-book the camping pitches and try and stick to the timings or will the campgrounds be okay with us turning up on spec or phoning ahead as we travel?

Hi Keyframe dont worry about booking campsites we were there in november december 2008 and just turned up, also check out the basic sites of the New Zealand conservation department.Top 10 Holiday parks are good if you get down to Fox Glacier area site with same name was good.Queenstown there are two within walking distance of the town, we took at least 1500 photos !!
enjoy

 

[Dakarnoway]

My Journey to the other side of The World starts today.

Just a quick thank you to all your information and help over the past year.

There will be an Ride Report when we return.

Ride safe, Chris (Dakarnoway)

 

[Coolcarbon]

Bon Voyage....

 

[Kritou]

Lucky sod ............... we will want a piccy of the hiviz!!

 

[ahebron]

Hope you have packed a rain coat or 3.
Our Indian Winter is still hanging on.
But whatever the weather you are going to enjoy your trip and wish you lived here.

A note to anyone planning on riding/driving over here from March 25. The government has decided this day will be the day the NZ ditches its give way to the right rule. This has been a sneaky wee trap for tourists so now we will fall in line with the rest of the right hand drive world. Just beware of confused locals who might just defer to default setting and not give way to any one.

Adrian

 

[Dakarnoway]

Yahoo in sunny Coromandel town.

Well, it`s been sunny this afternoon.
Only had one shower this morning riding down from Whangarei.
Having a brilliant time and I dived The Poor Knights yesterday as we had a Bomb of a weather front on Saturday when I was supposed to dive. So on Saturday we went in Grants car upto 90 mile beach ... who is Grant ...He is a Kiwi Biker.

Catch you later, Dakarnoway