Travelling abroad with a broad...

[SteveR]

G'day everyone,

Ok, the secret's out, I'm in my mid-30's and I've never been overseas... I don't even have a passport... (Ok, full disclosure, I have been to Kangaroo Island, Philip Island and Granite Island, which in my mind, are all 'overseas', or 'overwater' at the very least...).

I'm planning a trip to NZ for Christmas this year.  My partner, born & raised in Hamilton, is desperate to take me back to the family farm and meet all of her family.  We're planning a week around the North Island catching up with friends & family, the second week we'll be heading south, we're both keen to try and spend as much of this leg as we can on two wheels.  Can anyone give me any advice on hiring/loaning a bike & gear in NZ?  A bike club I used to be involved with organised an NZ trip a number of years ago, the local member over there had a shed full of bikes and supplied steeds to the five Aus members who went over... do we have anyone awesome like that in the ST group???

I'd love any and all advice on motorcycling in NZ, and travelling in general!

Thanks!

[West Aussie Glen]

Steve,
Hope your partner doesn't read the forum or you might e travelling abroad alone 
I have only been to NZ once with the plan to return when we no longer want to spend 12 hours plus on a plane.
We spent a week just in the north part of the North Island. I assume your partner has a good idea of what there is to see but I would be thinking about 2 weeks in the North Island. It is one of the few places I have been where it is almost fun just to drive at the speed limits. Have great holiday.

[Biggles]

Hobbiton near Matamata is good fun if you're a Tolkien fan.  Ditto Weka Workshops in Welly.

[Marcus]

Make a post here, I'm sure they will help you out

http://ozstoc.com/index.php?board=89.0

[StinkyPete]

If you have limited time, I would go to the Te Puia Centre in Rotorua.    It will give you the Maori cultural, hot springs, boiling mud, geyser experience all in one place.
See   http://www.tepuia.com/new-zealand/

[Biggles]

Or in the north, the Waitiki Treaty Grounds, Museum and Cultural performance is an excellent alternative, with a short ferry ride over to Russell for a history lesson.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Waitangi

[Gadget]

Waipu north of Auckland has a Scottish museum that is an interesting visit.

Lake Taupo and a morning sailing on the Barbary which was once owned by Errol Flynn.

Opatiki to Gisbourne is a fantastic road as is the Gisbourne to Hastings/Napier. 

The Awhitu peninsula just south-west of Auckland is also worth a poke around. Including Pukekhoe Race track if you AR into motor racing. Waiuku has the The Kentish which has the longest continuous registration as a hotel in NZ.

South Island Hamner Springs at any time of year is worth a visit.

From Kaikoura via the inland road to Waiau to Hamner Springs is also a good run.

[SteveR]

Thanks for the great input guys, a few of those place names ring a bell.  The lovely lady has done up quite an itinerary, so I think the touristing side of it is well covered, as far as the North Island goes at least.  She never ventured too far South, so we're both keen to get down there and have a quiet mosey around, possibly finishing up in either Dunedin or Christchurch to fly home.

I'm pretty excited, especially since I'll be able to leave the majority of the planning to someone else and I can just enjoy myself being told where to go... the only thing I need to do, is find us a bike!

[SteveR]

Well, we had a travel committee meeting today and the decision was passed that we will stick to the Nth Island for this trip, between catching up with friends etc, I think we were trying to fit too much adventuring in as well!  So... to find a bike in the North...

[Old Steve]

Where are you flying in to?  No use having a bike rental in Wellington if you're flying into Auckland.

PM me, I can check out Auckland rentals - think most major bike shops do rentals just depends what they have.

[SteveR]

G'day Steve,
Originally our plan was to fly into Auckland, mainly because I'm not the best flyer... But we couldn't get any direct flights, so now are plans are:
Fly into Wellington about 6am Wed 21st Dec.
we'll spend a couple days there before heading to Napier to visit friends for a couple days. Then we'll be heading to the family farm near Hamilton for Christmas. After that we've got no set plans, a bit of a list of places to visit, Waiheke Island etc, but nothing definite, mostly will be day trips from the farm, or maybe a couple over nighters.