Motorbike touring in NZ in april/may
 

Hi all good people in New Zealand

I have ridden my bike from Norway to Australia where I currently am. I will however fly home for christmas and new year and come back in late january and continue another 2-2,5 months here in Australia if things goes approx as planned.
But what to do after Oz? I have reseached a bit and understand that April and May are not the best months to tour NZ as it will be a bit cool/cold in the south and chances of a good bit of rain on the northern island.

But this is probably my only chance to do a motorbike tour on NZ with my own bike. So should I do it or not - thinking mostly about it weatherwise and climatewise? If I ship the bike over from Oz lets say beginning of april and then tour 6-8 weeks of NZ this will I belive give me a good period of time to do a decent tour of NZ. But will it be too cold and too much rain to enjoy it?
Lets say I can try to be on the southern island in April and the northern in May?

Can anyone shed a bit of light on this subject?

Thanks in advance!

Hi Mate, as long as you are set up for cool & wet conditions I'd say do it. It doesn't rain every day! April is actually a pretty good time in terms of rainfall to visit the South Is. In the North Is May will be a bit wetter than Jan/Feb but not by a massive amount, We ride right through the year here, just a bit less over winter.

I wouldn't plan to camp everywhere at that time of year, you will need somewhere to dry out & warm up sometimes. Allow 8 weeks to see NZ then you'll have time to wait out the weather now & then while still having a good look around.

Cheers
Clint

Brass Monkey MC Rally
 

Hello
If you can hang around a little longer in NZ there is the Brass Monkey Motorcycle Rally held the weekend around 4th of June.
Arrive on the Friday too experience the whole weekend. Could be your NZ highlight experience.
Sometimes around 2000 attend.
As Clintnz describes the weather.
Sometimes people at the Rally end up sweating as they have too too much cold weather gear on.
I reckon it should be held later in the winter as its often not cold enough for the reason its held.
Its a cold weather Rally.
But it can snow at that altitude. around 600 meters.

Nothing like Norway in winter I image though. less rain ' the scenery in Norway is a absolutely incredibly fantastic.

Hi,

i will riding in Auckland and start my journey in June 2016.

Greetings from Indonesia.

cheers,

I'd try and get down in the South Island asap, they start putting grit (like marbles) on the road in mid to late May then the snow hits the interesting roads like the Crown Range and the Lindis Pass.

It is cold but if you are wrapped up warm, the weather still throws some glorious sunny days.

will arrive in Auckland April 3rd...
 

Hello everybody
it's the 12th of my Ten Years on the Road...
I will arrive with my sidecar in Auckland on April 3rd for sometimes...
I hope to meet with you there
let me know where I can meet you

Don't forget to take a risk today!

Hubert Kriegel on Thetimelessride RTW

hubert@thetimelessride.com