Info on NZ
 

Hi

Am planning to visit NZ in Dec for 2 months. Will be flying into Auckland initially. What I am hoping to do is buy a small secondhand m/c or big moped rather than rent one. It seemed to me that renting one for this length of time would be too expensive because of the length of the rental. Looking for something less than 400cc, preferably 125 or 250cc to travel round the islands on.

My problem is that I have been Googling motorcycle dealers etc but have failed to find any sites selling used m/c's. Tried the newspaper classified but again drew a blank. I am trying to get a feel for what is available, and costs. My question is can anybody either recomend a dealer or dealers in, or close to Auckland who sells used bikes, and/or point me in the direction of a web site. Also would be grateful to receive any info that anyone thinks would be useful for my holiday.

Thanks in advance - Jack

Try www.trademe.co.nz the equivalent of e-bay

Kira

Land of sheep
 

Hey jack,

Great choice for a holiday destination mate- kiwi land
is just so amazing a place....
I am afraid i cant give you any info on bike hire/buying but can tell
me and 3 mates bought a car back in 2004 and there was plenty choice in auckland and very little hassle with regards to documentation...i think you dont even need insurance or something, i dunno, but was quite simple...we just rocked up in Auckland and went from there...

Out of the two islands- definetly try and spend more time in the south...it is by far way more chilled and from the feeling i got, a more real laid back old style New Zealand which i wish i had more time to see...but the north island is great...if i can recommend one place, perhaps after you have got fed up in Auckland and want to get away...gown down to the ferry docks and get yourself on a ferry to Great Barrier Island...stock up on food, fuel, beer etc as it is quite pricey (incl. the ferry) but man oh man when your sleeping on your own personal beach, surf pounding at your heels, ocean bursting with fish (sharks were feeding at our ankles one day) you'll be glad you went... oh and if you go pack a fishing rod....check out the great Irish pub too on a Thursday night-karaoke and they love to party!

Ok must stop there cause i could go on forever!
Enjoy it
Mike

Mike's right.
 

It's very easy to be legal with a vehicle in NZ. You don't need insurance and all you need to register a bike is an NZ address. Even that can be a backpacker hostel or similar. You don't even need to keep the documents that they send you with you! Legal ownership is based on your drivers license, so as long as you are carrying that the cops can verify that you own it. As for insurance, third party is pretty cheap, so most people have it.
The link to TradeMe is a good one, and there are classified newspapers in every region that will have hundreds of bikes listed, so that's another source. Also you can try this link:

Automotive - Motorbikes - sellmefree.co.nz

It's a bit like TradeMe only a lot smaller.

Also consider flying to Christchurch and buying. Usually bikes are slightly cheaper down south and the weather and terrain mean the bikes are also, on average, in better condition for older models.

Send us an email when you are down south. There is usually a bed, a beer and a shed for travelers here, near Christchurch.

Regards

Nigel in NZ

Thanks for those replies. It has put my mind at rest, when I couldnt find owt on google I suppose I became worried. Daft really. Thanks for those links - looks good. Just counting down the days now, 16 left.

Thanks for the invite Nigel, would prefer to ride down to the South Island rather than jet about the place. Basically I am looking for a small bike thats not going to become a liability (either repair or selling it etc) and for the links you have all sent that looks doable without great hassle.

Once again thanks and all the best = Jack

Dealerships in Auckland - K' Road and Barrys Point Road
 

Its been a few years since I lived there, but the best places for dealerships are Karangahape Road ('K' Rd) in central Auckland, and Barrys Point Road just over the harbour bridge on the North Shore (Takapuna). Follow this bike ride for directions ( YouTube - Auckland City to Barrys point road )
Each has several dealers in walking distance. Should have a good range of new and used bikes of all makes.

For dealer details search New Zealand YELLOWâ„¢ for 'motorcycle' and 'auckland'.

I'd also have to recommend the South Island over the North, it should take no more than two days to get into the South from Auckland.

Cheers,
Bruce.

Hi Jack

I stay in Auckland - if you need help let me know.

I toured the South Island in February. A beautiful place. You can get from Auckland to Wellington in one day but it is a long ride - probably 8 to 10 hours. From Wellington get the ferry to Picton (on a good day this is a stunning trip) and then go as you please. The whole island is beautiful and you get around it (without rushing too much) in about 2 weeks. You will need more time if you want to see it all. Even though it is the middle of summer, you may still need winter gear at the bottom of the South Island (I did).

There are many dealers in Auckland.

Peter

The Motorcycle Trader magazine web site also has a number of bikes for sale, mostly by dealers, but also a few private sales. They are at:
Motorcycle Trader New Zealand

Click on Dealers to find a list of all dealers, and the bikes they have for sale. Search on the keyword Auckland to find mostly Auckland dealers.

Try registering on Kiwi biker and asking around. They have a for sale section too.
Kiwi Biker - New Zealand motorcycle community

Also try bike specific sites like. xt660.com or xt225.com. they have Kiwi members.

Just in case you still what to rent
 

Hi

Thanks once again to those members who have replied since last time. Thanks for the bike ride bthomson - is NZ all motorway :-} From looking around at all the various links it seems I can buy a 125 (was looking at a few suzukis) for around 2500 NZDollars. This seems cheap compared to hiring so that is my plan for now. Am not really a speed merchant these days, and while a 125 will be a bit underpowered (ride a KTM 640 Adv) I reckon it will be ideal transport for my 2 month holiday. With a bit of luck I may be able to sell it before I go, and if not, perhaps i can give it to a charity shop. Provided it keeps going then as far as I am concerned it will have paid for itself.

Thanks - Jack

It would be great if you would do a write up of your experiences of buying and re-selling a bike over there. I'm sure there are hundreds of us who dream of doing the same. The best hire price I've found so far is an XT600 for NZ 105 (£40) per day. 4 weeks £1000/£1100. Which isn't too crazy compared to £100 per day for a 1200gs. One step closer to the dream.

Buying and selling.
 

It's usually pretty easy to buy a bike here, lots of choice in the big cities, but selling can be a stress, as you have to get it sorted before you leave. That might take a week or two which is a waste of holiday time. I have quite a bit of space here, and if you are leaving from the South Island, and are running out time, I can probably look after it, while it sells on TradeMe (NZ's equivalent of Ebay). I'm near Christchurch. Selling a bike on TradeMe gives you the option of letting the buyer do all the organising about freight. It would be easy for me, just to let the auction run it's course until sold. Like all auctions, selling is subject to many things, but eventually you can find a buyer for anything really, if the price is right.

Personally I think buying and selling is a great way to go IF you keep in mind a number of things.
You are in NZ long enough (I think at least 6 weeks to cover the week or so to buy and set up and a few days at the end to sort/sell the bike) and you are prepared to pay for any fixes to the bike as it is your own. I have hired bikes in many countries, and almost always it's much more expensive to hire a bike than a car.

As Flyingdoctor said, it's a dream for many people to come to NZ and ride. Just doing a little bit to make it easier for people to realise their dream....

Kind regards

Nigel in NZ

Thanks for that Nigel. The info and the offer. As you say it's the time either end of the trip buying and selling that eats up your holiday. Now where's my Lonely Planet to NZ...