Bike for Touring NZ

[Alex A]

Evening ladies and gents.

I'm moving over to NZ for a couple of years in March and looking to buy a bike out there. I'll be touring for a couple of months and then settling somewhere and using it for commuting and generally getting about the place.

Unfortunately I'll only have £2-3k cash if buying second hand, and a quick look at the NZ bike trader site indicates that the prices over there tend to command more of a premium than the UK, so something closer to the £2k value over here will have to do.

I'll be out there on my own, and travelling fairly long, sparesly populated distances, so needless to say reliability, ease of maintenance and low repair costs rank highly on the list of priorities.

I'm also in two minds whether to go for the comfort of a sports tourer or off roading ability of an enduro. If anyone's done anything similar over there, maybe you could comment on how desirable off roading would be. Another downside of an enduro is poor luggage provision, potentially problematic considering I'll be carrying everything I need to live. Having said that, I'm sure it can be done and I don't think comfort will be a big issue for me.

On the face of it, a BMW GS1200 would be perfect, but they're way too expensive, and too heavy for my liking. The 850 models are also a possibility.

But I think I fancy something a little more hardcore. Always loved big singles, so was thinking a Honda XR650R if I can find one, a DRZ400 or looking at the new G450X, I'm tempted to buy one new over there on credit unless there's a huge mark up:

https://www.motocorse.com/foto/17373/thumbs500/1.jpg

Drool!

The question is, are these machines durable and reliable enough to do long miles as well as off roading? Or am I being naive and really should go for a fared bike of some sort?
____________________
Current: Ducati Panigale R / Ducati Streetfighter S / Suzuki GSX-R1000 L5

[Itchy]

You can always export your bike over there you know, I've noticed that the UK and maybe Japan are unique in that 2nd hand value of vehicles is always really low...

I know a company in Manchester that will do it via Sea freight for £450 , and air for about £650, air takes 4 days, sea takes 5 weeks.
____________________
Spain 2008France 2007Big one 2009 We all die. The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will. In the end, your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.

[Alex A]

[Itchy]

I don't know about NZ , but yes you probably will as per HK , you need to take it for an stricter MOT , buy a number plate and insure it and register it. which costs about £100...
____________________
Spain 2008France 2007Big one 2009 We all die. The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will. In the end, your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.

[Whosthedaddy]

https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=119923

Fancy doing it by moped?

[Irezumi aka Reuben]

Lots of road's will just dissapear from tarmac in to gravel. Having said that it's common over there so riding R1's etc on gravel is quite common. Most popular bike's in NZ are the Firestorm and CB900 Hornet. 600's are rare as insurance between 6's and thou's is negligable. Most bikes in NZ are purely toys as well, very few people will commute so most are in good condition, but they do like doing their own maintanence, trying to anyway. Don't be put off by a Japanese import either, very common over there.

Big singles have inflated prices (moreso than what youve already noticed) due to them being used for field and trail bikes etc.

Youd have to get a WOF' Warrant of Fitness' (MOT) and Rego (registration/tax) for the bike which I'd imagine wouldnt be /too/ difficult in NZ, but they seem to have more beauraucratic bullshit regarding motor vehicles than we do in the UK.

[Al]

[Alex A]

Cheers for the replies. That looks like a very interesting thread indeed, I shall give that a good read when i get time in the next day or two.

I'm going to travel, then work, and if I like the place, emigrate. The Visa is 2 years so plenty of time to make my mind up.

Think it's probably going to be a DRZ or taking my VFR750 over - depends whether I can sell it for a decent sum over here. Must say I *really* like the look of the new beemer though. Always been a fan of stripped down road legal enduro/SM bikes, and BMW screams reliability.
____________________
Current: Ducati Panigale R / Ducati Streetfighter S / Suzuki GSX-R1000 L5

[hmmmnz]

hi, i looked on taking my bikes back over to nz (lived in uk for a few years untill 4 months ago) the cost of going through the nz registration process and shipping outweighs the value of bringing it across,
i dunno where reuban gets the idea the people don't commute??
especially in wellington (where i currently am living) car spaces are at a premium and cost loads to park, bike parks are free, so there are loads of mc commuters.
as for saying having a big bike in nz would or is useless is just stupidity,
the north island of nz is almost as length as the whole of mainland britten, then there is the south is which is even larger,
nz depite looking small on a map, is a big country,(not u.s. big) but big enough to warrant a large bike,
the roads are fantastic relitivly free of cars and we know how to camber a road as well

2000 quid will get you a decent bike in nz$ not a vtr but a good enduro or a decent 1000cc tourer

look on www.trademe.co.nz (nz version of ebay, but better )

as for christchurch.... meh flat boring place
____________________
the humans are dead
I kick arse for the lord
Wiring Diagrams BIDNIP it bitches

[Irezumi aka Reuben]

I live in London and have lived on North island of NZ hmmmnz, relatively nobody rides bikes, let alone commutes.

[hmmmnz]