BMC: Overview

Start 53943 km

End 58392 km

Total Distance = 4449 km

The best day was from Fairlie to Invercargil. The strong wind made the high gravel passes a really fun challenge. Combined with the magnificently scenic visual impact it was a totally exhilarating day.

Otago and Southland have many roads suited to adventure riding, with amazing scenery. Hopefully I will get to travel a few more of these roads in the future.

The XT400 did not miss a beat. All I did was fill it up with gas and oil the chain. I did check the valve clearance on one valve but it was fine. I really need to clean the air filter now!

If I do another trip like this, I will sort out a better, more comfortable seat. My sore bum was the only really limiting factor that I struck during this little adventure ride.

Petrol Receipts

I kept all of my petrol receipts just to gather a bit more information.

Here they are:

25 Nov 08:22 Shell Riverslea (Edgecumbe)10.13 litre 95 octane 208 km $17.51

25 Nov 12:18 Shell Wairoa 11.65 litre 95 octane 227.5 km $20.37

25 Nov 15:58 BP Connect Taihape 14.08 litre 98 octane 264 km $25.76

25 Nov 18:04 Caltex Woodville 6.07 litres 95 octane 123.2 km $10.50

25 Nov 20:05 Faulknors Mobile Masterton 6.31 litres 95 octane 117.2 km $10.84

26 Nov 02:30 Ferry crossing $73

26 Nov 7:27 Geoff Noad Energy Centre (Blenheim) 8.5 litres 95 octane 178.5 km $14.78

26 Nov 10:36 Caltex Kaikoura 12.56 litres 95 octane 133.1 km $12.56

26 Nov 14:06 Lewis Pass Motors (Springs Junction) 11.66 litres 95 octane 220.3 km $22.27

26 Nov 17:39 Springfield Service Centre (Caltex) 13.93 litres 95 octane 266.8km $24.77

26 Nov 20:12 Fairlie Gateway Top 10 holiday park. Accomodation $60

27 Nov 10:40 MGL Caltex Fairlie 9.87 litres 96 octane 180.1 km $17.26

27 Nov 12:55 Kurow Caltex ?? litres 91 octane 125.2 km $9.82 (1 litre oil $10.95)

27 Nov 14:42 Danseys Pass Coach Inn (Beer and toasted sandwiches) 23.50

27 Nov 15:16 Challenge Ranfurly 5.05 litre 95 octane 100.6 km $8.94

27 Nov 18:33 Mobil Gore 11.07 litre 91 octane 192.1 km $18.36

27 Nov 19:30 get to Oreti Beach.

29 Nov 10:38 Kingston gas Ltd 12.74 litres 95 octane 225.1 km $22.67

29 Nov 13:29 Cardrona Pub (Beer (Pint of Speights)and pasta of the day) $25.50

29 Nov 14:09 BP 2GO Wanaka 8.9 litres 98 octane 171.2 km $16.82

29 Nov 15:15 Johnston Motors Haast (Caltex) 10.43 lites 95 octane 184.2 km $20.02

29 Nov 19:21 BP Hokitika 14.68 litres 95 octane 274.1 km $26.12

29 Nov 20:27 The duke Backpackers $40 accomodation

30 Nov 10:19 BP 2GO Westport 7.45 litres 95 octane 139.1 km $14.07

30 Nov 14:29 BP 2GO Westport 11.39 litres 95 octane 223.5 km $21.52

30 Nov 15:49 Murchison Tearooms (Ham roll) $6.10

30 Nov 17:30 StarMart Bishopdale (Caltex) 11.73 litres 95 octane 218.0 km $20.40

30 Nov 20:47 Rumba cafe Picton Coffee and pasta $19.50

30 Nov 22:30 Ferry crossing $73

02 Dec 11:24 BP Connect Levin ?? litres 239.2 km $21.82

02 Dec 14:40 Caltex Raetihi 9.47 litres 95 octane 202.8 km $16.76

02 Dec 18:35 BP Connect Te Puna ?? litres 280.1 km $23.68

BMC: Day 8 Wellington to Tauranga - Home.

Wednesday 2nd December 2009

Departed Wellington approx 9:00am

Rode to Wanganui and went along the Whanganui River to Pipiriki. Then over to Raetihi.

After so many miles on the bike, my bum was starting to ache. Usually the ache went away when i got onto gravel roads as I have to continually shift my body weight around on the bike to maintain good steerage. However, I had got to the stage where it was really quite sore.

I did have more adventurous plans to go elsewhere, but due to my aching bum, I decided to take the main roads straight from Raetihi to Tauranga.

I stopped off in Oropi for 15 minutes to see Dave's very recent purchase, an NSR250, and then home to Whakamarama.

Google maps link

Depart Wellington 9:00am odometer 57800km

Arrive Home 5:15pm odometer58392km

592km over 8.25 hours.

BMC: Day 7 Wellington rest day

Tuesday 1st december 2009

I was knackered!

I slept for about 4 hours in the afternoon.

Had pizza for dinner.

Wet windy day although did go for a bit of a walk around central Wellington during a fine spell of weather.

BMC: Day 6 Greymouth - Karamea - Picton

Monday 30th November 2009

Departed Greymouth approx 9:00am

On to Westport [rock falls] and up to Karamea and to the complete end of the road at Kohaihai where the Heaphy Track starts. Light rain most of the time but was still fun.

Talked to an Israeli tramper who had hiked back out after hiking in for one day as he had forgotten his raincoat. D'oh! He was soaked through but in reasonable spirits.

Then back to Karamea pub for a beer and a vege soup.

Then back to Westport and on to Nelson.

Went part way over the Maungatapu track only to find that it was closed. I wish they could put up a sign telling you so at the start of the Maitai River Rd.

So back into Nelson and over the Queen Charlotte Drive to Picton.

I had a green Thai curry and booked my ferry ticket. $73

Set sail at 10:30pm and arrived Wellington 1:30am.

Crashed out at Pete's at 2:00am.

Google maps Link

Depart Greymouth 9:00am odometer 57111km

Arrive Picton 8:00pm odometer 57800km

689km over 11 hours

BMC: Day 5 Invercargil to Greymouth

Sunday 29th November 2009

Got up about 7:00am. had another pre-paid $11 breakfast.

Packed up my tent and oiled the chain.

Departed the campground approx 9:10am.

There was a toy run organised to go out to Wyndham where the street racing was to be held.

However, due to the nasty looking weather forecast I decided to make tracks back up North.

I went through Winton and on towards Frankton. Then up the Coronet Peak Rd to Skippers Rd and out to Skippers Bridge. This is a very narrow twisty gravel road with totally blind single lane corners. It would not be so bad except for the number of tourists and small buses travelling it.

On to Wanaka. Here I diverted off to Treble Cone just to have a look. Then back to Wanaka and over to Haast. I made sure I got to Haast before 5pm just in case the petrol stations were shutting early to force people to stay the night. However, upon arrival I noticed a sign that said 24 hour card operated pumps. I did not need to check this out as the petrol station was open.

Up the West Coast Rd to Hokitika. I decided I did not need to fill up at Fox Glacier, as a result I VERY NEARLY ran out of gas before Hokitika. I must have pulled into Hokitika with less than 100 ml of petrol left. I was going to stay the night in Hokitika but decided to press on to Greymouth as I was feeling quite good.

Google maps Link

Depart Invercargil 9:10am odometer 56293

Arrive Greymouth 8:10pm odometer 57111km

818km over 11 hours

BMC: Day 4 At the Rally.

Saturday 28th November 2009

I had a good sleep-in in my tent.

The wind was up and was bitterly cold. It stayed like this for the duration of my time in Invercargil. I got in the queue for my $11 pre-paid breakfast and by the time i got to the servery they had run out of bacon and beans. Watched the road racing at Teretonga and then took in some of the speedway racing over at the speedway track. Both within walking distance of the camp ground.

Spent the evening in Jonno's campervan talking to an ex British Army helicopter pilot who used to fly around Southland doing live deer capture. Very interesting converasation.

BMC: Day 3 Fairlie to Invercargil

Friday 27th November 2009

Slept in till about 8:30am. Washed a few clothes. Checked the valve clearance on the noisy tappet (RH Exhaust). It seemed perfectly fine at 4 to 5 thou.

About 11:30am took off to Burke's Pass and headed along Rollesby Valley Rd then onto Mackenzie Pass Rd. Then along the Hakataramea Pass Rd. Fantastic scenery. Came out at Kurow where I gassed up.

Then on to Duntroon and over Dansey's Pass. It was blowing a gale and it was difficult going. I adapted my riding to suit the blustery conditions and really started to enjoy the ride immensly.

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The Dansey's Pass Pub was an unexpected but completely welcome sight. What a great Pub! I stopped and had a beer and a couple of toasted sandwiches. Appriox 1:00pm.

I gassed up again at Ranfurly and headed off to Patearoa and through Paerau, along Upper Taieri Paerau Rd onto Linburn Runs Rd and then onto the Deep Creek Rd which leads onto the Lake Onslow Rd and through to Roxburgh. This was a pretty cool road!

Back onto the seal and through to Raes Junction, Tapanui, Gore and Invercargil.

I rode out onto Oreti Beach at 7:30pm to find that the beach racing had been cancelled due to high winds and also high-ish tide due partially also to the high winds. This was a bit of a bummer. I had just ridden for three days solid. I had really been looking forward to seeing the beach racing.

I went back to the Rally campgound near Teretonga racetrack and checked in and set up my tent. I went into the main marquee and got myself a couple of whiskeys. I started to look for Jonno, and almost instantly found him amoungst a few hundred bikers. Sweet.

Crawled into my tent at midnight. Job done!

Google Maps Link

Departed Fairlie 11:30am odometer 55797km

Arrive camp ground Invercargil 8:00pm odometer 56293km

496km over 8.5 hours

BMC: Day 2 Picton to Fairlie

Thursday 26th November 2009

On the Wellington side at the ferry terminal there were about 10 other bikes all heading down for the Burt Munroe Challenge. I got talking to them all as you do. One guy had put some Ducati 1098 mufflers on his VFR800. Looked pretty cool.

I got about 2 hours sleep on the ferry lying on the lounge bar floor with my ear plugs in.

Set off from Picton about 5:50am along the coast road to Rarangi and Blenheim. I had a major front end slide on a patch of gravel on seal just as the sun hit me with blinding sun strike at one point. Quite dangerous but I came out of it totally OK.

On towards Kaikoura and stopped to see if the Awatere Valley Rd through the Molesworth Sheep Station was open. It wasn't so I had to carry on via the Inland Kaikoura Rd stopping at Mt. Lyford.


Then along the Lewis Pass to reefton and through to Nelson's Creek and Inchbonnie. Riding along the Lewis Pass into a head wind at times I found the power of the XT lacking a bit. I was often down to 90km/h in 4th gear. To be able to ride fast enough to enjoy the more open sweepers on tarmac roads, a bit more horsepower is required. I can see why 600-660cc single cylinder 4 stroke adventure bikes are quite popular.

The Nelson Creek to Inchbonnie back road is quite open hardpack dirt/gravel and I was able to cruise at 90-100km/h quite safely. It was a bit of higher speed non-tarmac fun.



Back over Arthur's Pass to Darfield, Geraldine and Fairlie. Stayed the night at a Fairlie camp ground. Met 2 other bikers. One was Peter Steadman from Te Puke (GPz550) and his mate Carl (XJ1200?).

Depart Picton 5:50am odometer 54918km

Arrive Fairlie 8:30pm odometer 55797km

879 km over 14.5 hours

Google Maps Link

BMC: Day 1 Tauranga to Wellington

Wednesday 25th November 2009

Left Home at 6:10am. Went via Poripori Rd, then out along Oropi Rd.

Stopped at Dave's to grease the suspension. I also dropped off a dish washing brush as whenever I do the dishes there, they never have one. I also wanted to ask Dave about the roads around Ashurst. Their place looked pretty quiet at 6:30am so I didn't knock on the door and wake them up. I left the brush but forgot to grease my suspension. Meh!

Oropi Rd onto Mountain Rd and No. 2 Rd to Te Puke. Then out to Paengaroa and along Old Coach Rd an onto Matata and Edgcumbe. Then through Te Teko and Murapara. I stopped off at Lake Waikaremoana and had a pie and a banana. Then on to Wairoa and Napier. Then on to Taihape, nearly running out of gas.

Taihape to Mangaweka and Cheltenham then Ashurst. I then went over the saddle Rd to Woodville and back towards Palmerston North along the gorge road. Then I turned off at Ballance Gorge Rd and went along Hall Block Rd. The signs said No Exit but I thought I might be able to make way through anyway. After about 15 km of extremely gusty gravel road I came to a locked gate and had to turn back. Extremely strong winds! Nearly could not ride along the gravel as the wind just kept sledging the front wheel sideways to the edge of the road. Had to travel very slowly in first and second gear.

After this little dead end side track it was about 7:00pm so I just took the main roads down to Wellington over the Rimatuka's.

Arrived at Pete's place 9:20pm. Got to sleep at 11:00pm. Woke up at 1:00am and went down to catch the ferry.

Start Tauranga 6:10am odometer 53943km

Wellington 9:20pm odometer 54918km

975 km over 15 hours

Google map Link

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