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7 Oct 2018
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Contributing Member
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Dunedin, NZ
Posts: 308
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Can't help with Oz but if you haven't already, sign up to Adventure Riding NZ
https://www.adventureridingnz.co.nz/
It has many of the gravel/4x4 public roads in NZ and it's all free. There's a facebook group too where you could arrange to meet members.
Remote Moto probably lists more routes on the South Island but there is a cost to access them as the GPX files are available (plus other info).
https://www.remotemoto.com/routes/
Stay alert - foreign tourists are notorious for driving on the wrong side of the road & the locals love cutting corners!
__________________
Elaine
Striving to live the ordinary life in a non ordinary way
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7 Oct 2018
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Registered Users
HUBB regular
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Join Date: Apr 2018
Posts: 21
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+1 on remote moto - there is a small charge to join the site but it's well worth it.
Not sure what your timing is, but Mar/April would be my choice for touring NZ - most of the tourists will be gone so everything eases up, but the weather is still good.
For a map the best road map I've found is the 'Kiwimaps' 'Pathfinder' 'South Island Complete Drivers Atlas With Indexed Country Roads' Product No 252 - have a look on kiwimaps.com. There is also a North Island edition but DON'T buy the combined North/South edition as there isn't enough detail. You can buy them in most service stations for around $25. Any 'road' shown in white is usually unsealed.
Just a thought in timing, some of the nice back country roads (Rainbow Road, Nevis Rd, Molesworth Rd) are summer only, Easter is a favorite time for closure for the winter so it would be a pity to miss the cut off.
And for a challenge have a look at either the Dusty Butt ride or the TT2000 - or both :-)
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7 Oct 2018
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Registered Users
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Rotoiti, New Zealand
Posts: 138
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You probably already know to get your bike stupidly clean before shipping to NZ or Oz. We flew our bikes AKL-SYD a few years back & had a lot of hassles when Qantas lost the carnets so keep a tight hold on those. Going into Sydney is definitely best, cheapest & (I think it's still the same) just ride away, no paperwork required after customs & AQIS. Not many people ship vehicles to NZ or Oz for a holiday so expect general cluelessness about the exact requirements at every stage of the process.
Hema maps are really good for Oz. We really enjoyed linking up backroads & nat. parks down the great dividing range from Sydney-Melbourne, & also the Flinders ranges was awesome.
Cheers
Clint
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9 Oct 2018
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Registered Users
New on the HUBB
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Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CircleNZ
+1 on remote moto - there is a small charge to join the site but it's well worth it.
Not sure what your timing is, but Mar/April would be my choice for touring NZ - most of the tourists will be gone so everything eases up, but the weather is still good.
For a map the best road map I've found is the 'Kiwimaps' 'Pathfinder' 'South Island Complete Drivers Atlas With Indexed Country Roads' Product No 252 - have a look on kiwimaps.com. There is also a North Island edition but DON'T buy the combined North/South edition as there isn't enough detail. You can buy them in most service stations for around $25. Any 'road' shown in white is usually unsealed.
Just a thought in timing, some of the nice back country roads (Rainbow Road, Nevis Rd, Molesworth Rd) are summer only, Easter is a favorite time for closure for the winter so it would be a pity to miss the cut off.
And for a challenge have a look at either the Dusty Butt ride or the TT2000 - or both :-)
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Thanks Clive - really useful
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9 Oct 2018
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Registered Users
New on the HUBB
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Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pheonix
Can't help with Oz but if you haven't already, sign up to Adventure Riding NZ
https://www.adventureridingnz.co.nz/
It has many of the gravel/4x4 public roads in NZ and it's all free. There's a facebook group too where you could arrange to meet members.
Remote Moto probably lists more routes on the South Island but there is a cost to access them as the GPX files are available (plus other info).
https://www.remotemoto.com/routes/
Stay alert - foreign tourists are notorious for driving on the wrong side of the road & the locals love cutting corners!
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Hiya,
Many thanks for the advice ... I’ve joined the Facebook group and they all seem a really helpful bunch. Fortunately I’m used to driving on the ‘correct’ side of the toad here in the UK, but point well made !
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11 Oct 2018
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Contributing Member
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Dunedin, NZ
Posts: 308
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rockhopper98
Hiya,
Many thanks for the advice ... I’ve joined the Facebook group and they all seem a really helpful bunch. Fortunately I’m used to driving on the ‘correct’ side of the toad here in the UK, but point well made !
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Sorry, it wasn't a dig & I was speaking as a fellow Brit.
Head-on collisions involving tourists always hit the headlines and on every public holiday there are numerous traffic accidents involving locals too.
Bad driving seems to be norm in NZ
I've lived in NZ almost 4 years and would say most of the North Island is like driving in the suburbs of the UK, whereas the SI is like driving in Scotland. Enjoy!
__________________
Elaine
Striving to live the ordinary life in a non ordinary way
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11 Oct 2018
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Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pheonix
Sorry, it wasn't a dig & I was speaking as a fellow Brit.
Head-on collisions involving tourists always hit the headlines and on every public holiday there are numerous traffic accidents involving locals too.
Bad driving seems to be norm in NZ
I've lived in NZ almost 4 years and would say most of the North Island is like driving in the suburbs of the UK, whereas the SI is like driving in Scotland. Enjoy! 
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No need to apologise ... didn’t even enter my head that it might be a dig !
I hear what you say about the driving ...
Thanks once again
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13 Oct 2018
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Registered Users
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Join Date: Apr 2018
Posts: 21
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When you get to NZ feel touch if you'd like a discounted fare on the InterIslander ferry. You don't even need to hire a bike from us, PM me for details if you're interested.
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13 Oct 2018
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Gold Member
Veteran HUBBer
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Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Cambridge, UK
Posts: 672
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for the record, NZ customs are phasing out the temporary import scheme, and doing carnet only..
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17 Oct 2018
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Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Fern
for the record, NZ customs are phasing out the temporary import scheme, and doing carnet only..
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Hi Fern,
That’s really useful, thank you.
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26 Oct 2018
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Registered Users
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Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: New Zealand supposely
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Hello
When reading the below post I was concerned enough to e--mail customs New Zealand and had this reply.
So not sure what your source was?
Fern
Gold Member
Veteran HUBBer
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Cambridge, UK
Posts: 665
for the record, NZ customs are phasing out the temporary import scheme, and doing carnet only..
Hello,
Thank you for your enquiry.
We have not heard of a proposal to remove motor vehicles from the temporary import entry process. In fact, we have heard from potential visitors that the advice they are getting is not to seek a Carnet de Passage, but to rely on the temporary import entry process in New Zealand.
If we were to remove motor vehicles from the TIE process, it would be a major change for Customs, and it could potentially create more work for us. As we have not heard of any such proposal you can be confident that it is not happening.
Regards,
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Senior Customs Officer
Border Operations, Timaru
DDI 22222222222222
Mob 22222222222222
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17 Oct 2018
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Registered Users
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Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CircleNZ
When you get to NZ feel touch if you'd like a discounted fare on the InterIslander ferry. You don't even need to hire a bike from us, PM me for details if you're interested.
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That’s great, many thanks. I’ll be in touch once my plans start firming up
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