Johnno's trip to the South (Island) for his XJ 900 Diversion

Greetings again from New Zealand, thought I'd show ya'll what I've been up to! (Asides from work, dammit!)

Flew from Taupo to Wellington, then Wellington to Christchurch where I sat around for about 3 hours until discovering that there was more to Christchurch airport than just the top level where my plane had disembarked! (D'oh!)
Then from Christchurch to Invercargill where I was met by a small man wearing a tan overcoat with a carnation in his... wait, sorry, wrong story!

The reason for heading down, to pick up my new toy. 1997 Yamaha XJ900 Diversion. -


By pitchey at 2011-01-20

Lake Taupo and Lake Rotongaio. -


By pitchey at 2011-01-20

Ok, I won't! -


By pitchey at 2011-01-20

Lake Moawhango and Waiouru Military Training Area with Mount Ruapehu and Tongariro in the background. SH1/Desert Road in a straight line, left to right. -


By pitchey at 2011-01-20

 

Mount Taranaki hiding in the clouds. –


By pitchey at 2011-01-20

I filmed our landing in Wellington in case the crash investigators would find it useful however we managed to make it down in one piece. –


[video=youtube;gPIRiZeTvAE]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPW8xmI4w6U&feature=player_embedded[/video]

Wellington Airport as we headed for Christchurch. –


By pitchey at 2011-01-20

An attempt at a classy shot of the 737’s Starboard Wingtip. –


By pitchey at 2011-01-20

 

Hmmm, nice, but it’ll never fit through the station doors! –


By pitchey at 2011-01-20

Packaged water? WTF?! –


By pitchey at 2011-01-20

The owner of the bike picked me up from Invercargill Airport and put me up for the night at his place in Gore where his wife made me dinner and I did my best not to ogle his daughter.

South Island, Day 1. Started at Gore of course, at about 0715hrs...

Finally, some scenery! -


By pitchey at 2011-01-20

We considered parking there in Wanaka for 62 minutes just to be rabble-rousers but wanted to get on the road again, besides, it was 29 degrees! -


By pitchey at 2011-01-20

 

Noice! –


By pitchey at 2011-01-20

Even the taggers are comedians down here! –


By pitchey at 2011-01-20

River flats. –


By pitchey at 2011-01-20

Gates of Haast. –


By pitchey at 2011-01-20

 

Blue cod, chips & 2 eggs at the Fantail Cafe in Haast. -


By pitchey at 2011-01-20

Then it started getting greyer and damper. (Well, it IS the West Coast!) Note the creeks name! –


By pitchey at 2011-01-20

On the coast. Fricking sandflies! –


By pitchey at 2011-01-20

By pitchey at 2011-01-20

 

Waterfall feeding into the Waikukupa River. –


By pitchey at 2011-01-20

Lake Ianthe, a nice spot to put the feet up! –


By pitchey at 2011-01-20

The weather really starting to pack it in now. I’ve done a SAR course in those hills, not much fun when it's wet! –


By pitchey at 2011-01-20



By pitchey at 2011-01-20

...645km (400 miles) of riding and I was in Hokitika and it was 1845hrs! Stayed the night at a mates place (Chris “Hoki” Staton), he and his wife kept me continually topped up with Speights. (Beer) Top folks!

 

South Island, Day 2. A slow start, due in part to the Speights maybe? Weather started out damp and went pear shaped very quickly! Rain and bits of tree coming across the road at me sideways. The wind really picked up on the way into Picton but it was amazingly calm at the ferry terminal.

No photos due to it pissing down!
390km (242 miles) on the bike. -


By pitchey at 2011-01-20

Fellow travellers! –

By pitchey at 2011-01-20

Strapped down. –

By pitchey at 2011-01-20

Ferry time. I'm on a boat!

By pitchey at 2011-01-20

 

Where’s the flamin’ rain gone? Bloody Murphy! –

By pitchey at 2011-01-20

By pitchey at 2011-01-20

Mmmmm, cable..... –

By pitchey at 2011-01-20

98km (60 miles) on the Ferry and I'm back on "dry" land again, 35km on the bike to my brother’s house.
Stayed 2 nights at the bro’s place then back on the bike.

The Rimutakas, then it started raining. Again. –

By pitchey at 2011-01-20

 

North of Masterton, damn it’s dry here! Finally, no rain! (Just wind as it turned out. I was riding sideways near Palmerston North!) –


By pitchey at 2011-01-20

Sunset, nearly home. –


By pitchey at 2011-01-20

410km (255 miles) on the bike to home from my brothers place. -


By pitchey at 2011-01-20

Total distance travelled: 1480km (920 miles)

 

A couple more shots of the lakes. Lovely water colour, camera's just don't pick it up well enough.


By pitchey at 2011-01-20


By pitchey at 2011-01-20

 

Beautiful scenery Johnno! Nice bike as well!

 

Where's the picture of the farmers daughter? :x
No, seriously, nice documented ride with the pics and commentary.
Oh, the bikes nice too!
:twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

 

THAT'S the way to buy a bike!! Thanks for posting the pics

jeff

 

Re: Johnno's trip to the South (Island) for his XJ 900 Diver

Well done Johnno! Looks like you had a great time.

On a side, I wish the 97 model I looked at last week looked as good as the one you got. Give us a little more info on the bike (how you found it, what kind of miles on it, etc).

 

SO JEALOUS! I spent a month backpacking down there a year ago, and I followed your route almost exactly on my way back up from Queenstown. Beautiful Country, great ride! Hope to be down there working next summer and pick up a bike for my stay so maybe we'll meet up. Cheers!

 

Neat trip. You bought your bike from where Burt Munro built his indian for 20 years.

 

Great pics and nice bike, I've always wanted to travel there.

 

Re: Johnno's trip to the South (Island) for his XJ 900 Diver

Found her on TradeMe (NZ version of E-Bay I guess?)

The guy I brought her off had been working in Australia for a few years, brought the bike in Aussie, then came back to NZ and as he liked the XJ so much, brought it back with him!

She had about 69300 genuine km (43000 miles) on the clock when I took ownership.

Came with the saddle bags and "top-box" as well as the original windscreen.
(The one in the photos is a larger after market one.)

Hmmm, might just take her out for a ride tomorrow!

If anyone's ever coming through this way. give me a holla!

Basic info: http://www.mbike.com/yamaha/xj900s/1997