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Clarence Reserve, New Zealand

3K views 16 replies 12 participants last post by  rigley1 
#1 · (Edited)
Hi Guys,

Thought you might want to take a look at some photo's from last weekends ride on the Clarence Reserve, NZ. It is a stretch of consevation land that runs south of the Kaikoura Ranges on the South Island NZ.

http://www.google.co.nz/url?sa=t&so..._CAu_KX6w&sig2=u3WP5ol4saIwFDNAeTeJnA&cad=rja

The ride was nearly abanded due to heavy rain the previous week, though thankfully the heavens closed and the ride progressed:

The ride was organised by a Kawasaki KLR riders club, they are pretty loose on who comes on a ride, as long as it's got two wheels and you bring your on beers!!! We stoped over night at an old Muster Station Hut, you could see large gaps between the wooden panels and there were plenty of holes in the corrugated sheet roofing, thank god it never rained. We managed to get a good fire going on the night, allowing us to "chew on the fat" on a great days riding.

So how did the Versys manage the ride? I must admit I think I pushed the bike to its limits, especially on the one section which progresively got more rugged on a down hill section. In hind sight I should have stopped and turned around, this was easier said than done when the bike starts picking up momentum with the breaks on! Anyway I have managed to stay on, though not before denting the front wheel on the way down. The bike is in for repairs having the wheel straightened at a cost of some $300+ (NZ $) The tyre still stayed inflated throughout the trip and it got me home.

On reflection it would have been better to do the trip on a KLR or alike, though through the 100Km + ride, I never fell off something not all the riders managed to achieve
 

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#11 ·
Great photos Gary
Ditto

Thanks for sharing Gary
Ditto

Damn that island of yours is pretty.
Ditto

Beautiful!
Ditto

You might consider raising the front fender and running a rear tire on the front

Have I mentioned at all that I'm ready to move to New Zealand?
Ditto

...that looks like some great country to ride through. Thanks for sharing.
Ditto

Those are really nice shots
Ditto

It is beautiful there, the island of all terrains.
Thanks for the photos and the ride report..
Ditto

You may want to think about running a rear tire on the front.
 
#3 ·
Hi Guys,

Thought you might want to take a look at some photo's from last weekends ride on the Clarence Reserve, NZ. It is a stretch of consevation land that runs south of the Kaikoura Ranges on the South Island NZ.

www.doc.govt.nz/...and.../clarence-reserve-conservation-area.pdf

The ride was nearly abanded due to heavy rain the previous week, though thankfully the heavens closed and the ride progressed:

The ride was organised by a Kawasaki KLR riders club, they are pretty loose on who comes on a ride, as long as it's got two wheels and you bring your on beers!!! We stoped over night at an old Muster Station Hut, you could see large gaps between the wooden panels and there were plenty of holes in the corrugated sheet roofing, thank god it never rained. We managed to get a good fire going on the night, allowing us to "chew on the fat" on a great days riding.

So how did the Versys manage the ride? I must admit I think I pushed the bike to its limits, especially on the one section which progresively got more rugged on a down hill section. In hind sight I should have stopped and turned around, this was easier said than done when the bike starts picking up momentum with the breaks on! Anyway I have managed to stay on, though not before denting the front wheel on the way down. The bike is in for repairs having the wheel straightened at a cost of some $300+ (NZ $) The tyre still stayed inflated throughout the trip and it got me home.

On reflection it would have been better to do the trip on a KLR or alike, though through the 100Km + ride, I never fell off something not all the riders managed to achieve
Great photos Gary, hope you get that wheel back by the time i get there saturday. Check your DOC link you added as its saying page can't be found.
Thanks for sharing Gary and hope you get your wheel in time for the ride.

Safe ride guys.

:cheers:
 
#7 ·
Have I mentioned at all that I'm ready to move to New Zealand?


You are showing pictures like that, and meanwhile it's been below zero Fahrenheit around here! :cool:
 
#8 ·
Gary, are you SURE that's New Zealand? I don't see a single sheep! ;)

Seriously, that looks like some great country to ride through. Thanks for sharing.
 
#12 ·
Hi Element,

I have been looking for a 19" V Strom front wheel for some 12 months, to no avail. Things are very limited over here as far as parts go, especially when you consider our population is only 4.5 million, so to find a V Strom front wheel thats not been in some sort of collision is doubtful. It would be really great to expand the true potential of the V on and off the road, I know JDRocks has had some great adventures on his bike, and it has held up pretty well over all sorts of terrain. Would a 19" wheel have faired any better after going over the same terrain as the standard wheel, who knows? I think I might be asking a little too much of the bike, especially after denting the front rim this time.
The problem I have is only been able to afford one bike, I like twisty roads and the mild off tracks, which New Zealand is full of. It might mean a change of bike might be the sensible solution, hmm KTM 690 Enduro perhaps?
 
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