As I write this now, I don’t know when you’ll be reading it, so maybe a safe international travel bubble is already open, or maybe it’s still coming.
But one thing seems certain, Aussies will be able to travel to New Zealand before anywhere else. For riders, if you think that’s too limiting, think again! As an Aussie who moved to Auckland, the riding here – nationwide – is brilliant. It’s a hilly place around where I live, and further south it becomes volcanic and mountainous, but that means the backroads are all corners. Properly-banked corners.
There are no wallabies, kangaroos, emus or other big-bastard-things trying to knock you over. Forgetting the sheep and cattle and farm animals because they’re behind fences, the biggest endemic mammal is a bat. The biggest introduced mammal is the Brushtail Possum (came in from Oz), and even though they’ve evolved to be WAY larger than the ones you see in Australia, like the bat they’re asleep all day! On a motorcycle, the main thing to be careful about is being distracted by the scenery.
When you come here to NZ – ride! Harley dealers on the North and South Islands offer rentals, and a quick google search will find other local rental businesses.
All this is in my mind because today I thought I’d spend a few hours on two wheels, doing what a travel-bubble rider visiting Auckland might do in a day’s rental. Because I write a bit for HEAVY DUTY, and work as a consultant for H-D Dealers and in the industry generally, in the garage at the moment is a 2020 Heritage 114, on loan from Harley-Davidson Australia/New Zealand. And the morning was sunny and perfect!
Denne historien er fra September - October 2020-utgaven av HEAVY DUTY Magazine.
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Denne historien er fra September - October 2020-utgaven av HEAVY DUTY Magazine.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Polishing The Facets
Finessing the sharp edges and making that 124 sing and dance
The Fabulous Flexi Flyer
A genuine time capsule with history oozing from every single unique pore.
Road Raves Living The Life With Doc Robinson
WORDS OF WISDOM “When I was old enough to ride a motorcycle and got my license, I bought a ’69 Sportster.” – Chuck Zito
The End Of The Line
Writing a road test about a bike that is due to disappear from dealers’ floors any minute is a bit weird. Should this be more of a eulogy?
Now It's Time To Head Down Track
What happens when I’m ready to race at an IHRA-sanctioned dragstrip?
RAUCOUS ROCKY
With our own area called the Motorcycle Precinct, bikers were well catered for at this year’s RockyNats
S&S SUPERSTREET
With a Softail Deluxe already dripping in chrome, of course Paul was easily swayed by the offer of a shiny, new S&S SuperStreet two-into-one.
SPORTS STILL ROARING
Blues skies greeted the National Roaring Sporties racers for Round Two at the challenging Morgan Park Raceway near Warwick, Qld.
NO STRINGS ATTACHED
Even some of the locals are over the yodelling and pedal steel guitars. HOG member and history nerd, Roderick Eime explores another side of Tamworth and the surrounding region.
HAPPY HOGGIES
The drought was well and truly broken with HOG members from all over Australia making it to Rockhampton.