A Bikers Paradise

The main highways of the South Island are at best described as rudimentary, especially in relation to the UK and Europe. Think of Southern Italy or the Highlands of Scotland - only much quieter and less developed - and you might get an idea of what to expect.

One million people in an area the size of England and Wales

Twenty towns spread throughout six geographically diverse provinces, each separated by winding and often deserted roads traversing ranges of hills and mountains
¹
.


Lord of the Rings


was filmed here because it is empty²

Motorcycle touring in New Zealand is
not
for the faint-hearted

• 
  dual carriageways are almost unheard of
  

• 
  passing lanes are few and far between and
  

• 
  the driving habits of the locals are lethal! See the article at
  
  
  Driving Etiquette in NZ
  
  
  and it's attached conversations for further opinions.
  
  

If the prospect of riding day after day through an endless succession of corners makes you ask
'why bother?'
then perhaps the South Island is not for you.

However, if all this sounds like
fun,
it can be!

• 
  The scenery is amazing
  

• 
  Most of the locals (when parked) are biker friendly
  

• 
  Almost all of us at least claim to speak English
  

• 
  The
  
  
  $NZ
  
  is worth peanuts compared to most other currencies
  

Ideal Bikes

Deciding what sort of bike to ride is largely a matter of personal preference. Dealerships for most of the major European brands are rare and parts and servicing can be expensive.
Although Kiwi ingenuity has always appplied to motorcycle mechanics ( the spirit of


John Britten


lives on ), if you anticipate bending something to be on the cards, it might be prudent to consider a bike from the land of the rising yen.

• Sports-Tourer
  Ideal for those who want to carry lots of gear and/or stick to the sealed roads.
  




• Off-Roader
  If you want to head into the hills, then an off-roader is the choice for you.
  




• Sportsbikes
  Can be a lot of fun, but they do have a tendency to minimise how much you get to see, either because you will have your head down whilst the scenery blurs past or you will end up in A and E
  ³
  before you know what hit you - or what it was that you hit.
  
  Note: fines for speeding are neither trivial nor rare
  

Some of the legalities you should know...

Although the laws do change, you might need an


international driving permit.

Your bike will need a


Warrant of Fitness
⁴
and


registration


although it won't
need
insurance


as it is NOT complusory in New Zealand. Perhaps because of this, premiums are relatively cheap and most vehicles are insured, at least with third party cover.

Despite many drivers not reading the


road code


(the Kiwi 'Highway Code') since the day they got ther licence in a pack of Weetbix,
⁵
'Common sense' seems to prevail on the roads.

When in Rome

• Drive on the Left
  
  Most of the time, most Kiwis do and it makes sense to follow suit, especially on tight right handers. It's all very well geting your knee down and/or scraping your pegs but oncoming log-trucks are surprisingly big and very solid when seen from up close.
  

• One Lane Bridges
  
  These are still quite common, if not exactly popular. The law of the land demands that down-hill traffic gives way. This is rarely a topic for confusion as most such bridges are in hilly terrain.
  

  
  The laws of physics demand that little things give way to big things. If any confusion arises, be prepared to stop, quickly!! Once bitten, you stay bitten!
  

• One peculiarity
  
  Give way to
  ALL
  traffic on your right when turning. This includes giving way to any oncoming vehicle that is turning right into a road which you are turning left into.
  

Some useful links

• 
  If you are considering buying or hiring a bike, try
  
  
  NZ Yellow Pages - Motor Cyles for sale and/or hire
  
  
  to get an idea of current rates and models
  

• 
  If you are thinking of the BYO
  ⁶
  option, then check out
  
  
  Land Transport Safety Authority
  
  
  page on Temporary Vehicle Imports
  

• 
  There's another entry, called
  
  
  
  Motorcycle Cruising in New Zealand
  
  
  by
  
  
  Foxbat
  
  
  
  - check it out!
  
  

• 
  And if you're thinking of organising a group, then drop by the
  
  
  The Mostly Harmless Motorcycle Club
  
  
  and advertise your plans!
  

New Zealand


offers the two-wheeled traveller an ideal opportunity to experience a diversity of unique landscapes condensed into what must be one of the


safest


and friendliest countries in the English speaking world. Quite simply, road touring in Godzone
⁷
is
different
and the potential for fun and great times is huge!

Last updated: July 2002