Adventure riding

[Herbmiester 923]

I spent a few weeks over Xmas exploring some of the lesser traveled roads of the South Island with fellow Biimmer enthusiast Boytie. Had a grand old time saw some bits of NZ that most don't and got to test our skills and abilities on some interesting roads and passes. My bike is a 2012 BMW F800GS and Boytie rode his old F650GS. The F650 had a couple of issues but none that stopped us for too long. The 800 was a model of reliability and handled the dirt very well. 

[jon dee 500]

Action pictures !!! Looks like you had a lot of fun... the South Island has a ton of great tracks to explore, not to mention the country pubs . There are some great rides in the North Island also but getting more difficult to gain access. Used to be able to ride from Ngawi to White Rock around the coast but there are locked gates now.

Cheers...

[jon dee 500]

There were a lot more riding options pre-covid, so for you GS aficionados... somewhere in Chile

Cheers...

 

 

[NZ00Z3 187]

Yes, I did the Ngawi to White Rock ride a few times in my youth back in the 80's on Honda XR 250's and 500's.  Lots of fun, but you did need to take extra fuel with you.

It was a bit like going in the other direction and doing the Ocean Beach to Esatborne beach ride.  There was a locked gate at the Eastborne end.  Time it for low tide and you just went around it on the beach.

[jon dee 500]

Yuss... I have done the Ocean Beach to Wainui and Eastborne to Wainui coast rides. Often went from Red Rocks to Oteranga Bay or as far as it was possible to get depending on which gates were open and the state of the tide. Having to wait for the water to withdraw and make a dash across wet pebbles before the next wave swept up to the base of the cliff was part of the deal Not making it meant a long walk home !!

Adventure riding / touring is an awesome way to see any country and I highly recommend it to anyone who gets the opportunity.

Cheers...

[NZ00Z3 187]

My bike days are over.  Now I'm out there doing it in my Z3.  Try it with 115mm of ground clearance.

Been some amazing places out in the Central Otago wilderness.  Did the west end of the old Dundas road.  Been to the the end of Skippers Cannon.

Photos of the Central Otago wilderness and the end of Skipper's.

 

[C-130 Hercules 571]

2 minutes ago, NZ00Z3 said:

Been to the the end of Skippers Cannon.

There are a few river crossings on that road, no? 

[NZ00Z3 187]

There is a side creek that is easy and the main river has a swing bridge on it, although one end has a very very steep approach.  There is also a rock ledge across the road that you drop over  (about 200 mm) about 3/4 of the way in, not knowing if you can get back up it on the way out.  Thankfully there was a route on the river side that allowed me to crawl out without leaving my sump or front air dam behind.

[jon dee 500]

That Z must be a time machine judging by the cars you were parked up with at the end of Skippers

Oh yeah... if you are hard enough you can tour Ozee on vintage machinery...

Cheers...

[Driftit 2078]

On 2/10/2021 at 10:09 AM, jon dee said:

Action pictures !!! Looks like you had a lot of fun... the South Island has a ton of great tracks to explore, not to mention the country pubs . There are some great rides in the North Island also but getting more difficult to gain access. Used to be able to ride from Ngawi to White Rock around the coast but there are locked gates now.

Cheers...

I know the owners of the station, Ngapatiki (spelling) it's called. I grabbed the key a few months back and went up to the end in my Rocky. There has been a large slip where the Surf break is and the only vehicles that could cross would be dirt bikes.

It's a private station and can't remember it ever not having gates. They have just been reinforced due to break ins.

[NZ00Z3 187]

My trips around that trail were  over 40 years ago.  It was a different time in the Wairarapa.  People in town had just started to lock their doors.  Farmers never did lock their doors.  A lock gate was the exception.  There was normally are gun (22 or shot gun) behind the back door at farm houses so it was handy to sort out the rabbits and magpies.  I travelled the Wairarapa extensively at that time as an appliance serviceman/electrician.  A CF Bedford van on gravel roads was always fun.

[Driftit 2078]

19 minutes ago, NZ00Z3 said:

My trips around that trail were  over 40 years ago.  It was a different time in the Wairarapa.  People in town had just started to lock their doors.  Farmers never did lock their doors.  A lock gate was the exception.  There was normally are gun (22 or shot gun) behind the back door at farm houses so it was handy to sort out the rabbits and magpies.  I travelled the Wairarapa extensively at that time as an appliance serviceman/electrician.  A CF Bedford van on gravel roads was always fun.

So different now. People have been breaking into the property more and more. The owners actually passed away a few years back. The kids are holding it at the moment. It will be up for sale soon no doubt. Rough country and fun to explore. From the Ngawi side you can go quite far. But sadly all the 4wd warriors in their raised up patrols hoon through there now so the grounds are pretty wrecked.

Waterfall is still a great visit though.

[jon dee 500]

Too many people with 4WD's that don't care what they run over or destroy and just make it harder for anyone to get access. It's the same all over the world and you have to to get a long way from the cities to find any public tracks that are are not rutted to hell by 4WD's. Shame, but that's the way it is

Cheers...

[jon dee 500]

Back in the days when I was big into adventure riding I did a lot of organised rides. These rides obtained permission to set routes over DOC land and all kinds of awesome back country properties. They reached places not accessible to the general public, so the tracks were not subject to 4WD abuse like the Maungatapu Saddle and Akatarawa tracks. Of course like everything, it is always the small percentage of fcukwits that spoil it for the huge number of responsible 4WD drivers who don't spend all their time creating mud wallows and trashing the environment. That's life and it ain't going to change any time soon

Cheers...

 

[Driftit 2078]

Nice pictures.

I have a little 4WD to Explore in.  But it is nearly standard.  And we just putt around on the trails.  I'm not trying to get stuck or show off my winch skills.  We just want to get away from the crowds.
However there are so many trails where I still can't go.  Dug out by the raised up, huge 35"+ tyres purpose built trail destroyers.  I just can't drive in the ruts of that sh*t.

Might have to make the more to 2 wheelers.

This is us right around at the end of the Palliser side of the trail at Cape Palliser.  It's a cheap odd little 4wd.  But still more capable than most modern Utes that haven't had 15K thrown at them.

Edit:  Oh I should mention that some illegal campers set fire to a good part of the bush a few weeks back.  So it might not be so pretty around there at the moment.

Edited February 14, 2021 by Driftit

[jon dee 500]

Good stuff Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against 4WD's and off-roading. I have watched a lot of Aussi 4WD videos and love the way those guys struggle their vehicles over some seriously ugly tracks. In fact, just about every video shows them on rutted out hills or deep muddy swamp tracks. I've been to Cape York on a bike and seen the where the 4WD's drop into and clamber out of the river crossings, but it is not something that really appeals to me... too much like hard work.

There is a feeling of freedom about trail and adventure riding on a bike that just can't be captured in a car or truck. Everything is sharper focus and you have to fully concentrate when off-road, as a moments loss of concentration can result in a face full of dirt !!! I graduated from hare scramble and enduro riding to adventure riding to adventure touring. I met a whole lot of great people and visited a whole lot of wonderful places that I would never seen had it not been for motorcycling. 

I've sold my bike as it takes a lot longer to heal as you get older, and I think you have to know when to quit. And I have  car to play with now

Cheers...

[jon dee 500]

Looks Capable Big tank is pretty much mandatory for adventure riding. On my red bike I swapped the stock 9 litre tank for a 16 litre and that was just enough to get from Hanmer to Blenheim over Molesworth when I was running late for the ferry. Mind you I had to stop and lean the bike over to get the last drops out otherwise I wouldn't have made it to the servo.  I think that's one of the reasons it's called adventure riding

Cheers...

[jon dee 500]

On my first adventure bike I got this Ventura "aero system" pack setup that consisted of two separate packs (one larger than the other) that zipped together. They dropped over a standard Ventura pack rack, and actually worked really well. I could get all my camping gear and a few clothes stuffed in there, but I sold that system with the bike and rode with a decent sized backpack on my later more dirt oriented bikes.

800km range is what you need for touring the outback in Ozee. Here in NZ I found that so long as I could squeeze 250km out of a tank I was always within range of the next servo. Might have a problem if you arrived in some small towns after 6:00pm as by then everything was locked up and deserted... except for the local pub

as

[jon dee 500]

On my 650 I used these IRC TR8 DOT rated dualsport tyres 4.50-18 and 3.00-21. I think they were the OEM fitment in this part of the world and they worked fine for both highway and offroad. Not up to MX grip levels but I rode some pretty gnarly trails with these and they did the job. Typically got 2500km out of a rear and three times that out of a front. That was a few years back so I don't know if they are still available. Tractionator looks like it puts more rubber on the road so should get better life while giving up a little bit of traction in muddy conditions. Otherwise very similar tyres.

Cheers...