New Zealand - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.

[Hairy]

4 hours ago, davetapson said:

Seems we're going to be going back the office over time. Being a contractor, I don't get office parking so will have to park on the road, at $1/hr.

Now, some might think this is a bad thing, but I'm thinking it would be a prudent financial move to put that $40+ a week into an asset such as, hmm, a motorcycle.  (Which they don't mind you parking in the office parking as a contractor.)

So... $40 x 48 weeks = ~$2k a year, x 3 = $6k.

What do we reckon would be good for office commutes at $6k plus a bit extra deposit...?

It's not far, (ASB in Corinthian Dr in Albany), could probably walk it at a stretch.  Too short to be cycle commute with any benefit (which is why I'd need a motorcycle, obviously.)

I've been tinkering with the idea of DR650, but they just don't appeal to me for some reason.  Plus why buy ox-wagon tech?  If you gonna do that, buy an XT 500 (which does appeal, enormously.)

Edit: although I'm also thinking that it might be a good excuse for a touring bike (bicycle) (need luggage rack for laptop bag, y'know) as I have eyes on Tour Aotearoa...)

Another pro .... your petrol and running costs will be way less ... I would imagine the insurance won't be hectic either.

[Wayne Potgieter]

15 hours ago, Hairy said:

Another pro .... your petrol and running costs will be way less ... I would imagine the insurance won't be hectic either.

The Registration is stupidly expensive. ACC levies and all.

[patches]

16 hours ago, Hairy said:

Another pro .... your petrol and running costs will be way less ... I would imagine the insurance won't be hectic either.

I pay about $60pm for comprehensive on my Husky, insured for about $15k including the upgrades.

Fuel is about $2.80/L for 95 and the above-mentioned bikes will be a fair bit more frugal than my enduro bike.

27 minutes ago, Wayne Potgieter said:

The Registration is stupidly expensive. ACC levies and all.

Yup! those are the kickers! A bit over $400/year. I go month-to-month as I may put on hold if I can foresee myself not using the bike for 3 months.

Which reminds me... I need to renew for May 😅

[Wayne Potgieter]

Separate topic.

 

MY family are really into outdoor escape room type games. Its pretty cool running around the CBD looking for clues to mysteries and so on and learning more about the city. We recently did one through a company in Auckland and had a great time.

 

I see this event is coming to Auckland and it looks like a lot of fun - they even have a 50% off code so the whole experience is only $60 for 6 adults and as many kids as you can muster. Quite a deal.

 

https://www.cluedupp.com/products/alice-auckland

[Wayne Potgieter]

Anyone on here looking to purchase a Garmin Fenix 6X Pro Solar? I have a mate that has asked me to help sell it and he wants a pretty low price for it...Thought I might offer it here before putting it on Facebook Marketplace. I think his lowest price was $750 which is a pretty good deal for the Por Solar version.

[davetapson]

4 hours ago, Wayne Potgieter said:

The Registration is stupidly expensive. ACC levies and all.

I wonder if it will make a diffs on life insurance policies?

[patches]

Hey there fellow Saffas!

Do you miss driving a manual?

Do you wish you could get behind the wheel of a solid Uitenhage Built, German engineered vehicle?

Would you like the adrenaline rush of driving one of the most stolen cars in South Africa, but without the risk because it's in Auckland?

Well have I got a deal for you!

 

hahaha! Just kidding, but I am actually in the process of selling my wife's little 2015 Polo TSi.

We tried to trade it in, but as she bought it in Australia and brought it over when she moved here, the wholesalers view it like other Australian imports (most of which are write offs). Additionally it's a manual, and although all Kiwis say "oh man, I love driving a manual", they rarely actually consider buying them, especially little 1.2L Polos.

So yeah, I might try my luck on a $1 TradeMe auction... it turned out ok for my Husky dirt bike 😅

(...Unless any of you have teenagers who could benefit from learning in a great little learners car!)

Edited May 8, 2022 by patches

[hayleyearth]

We are going to France in Aug and SA in Dec.

It's been toooooo long now and with this &$#@+:&'**_:;6_+-'3 -ing government that doesn't want to let our family in if I didn't have such a good job at such a good company now we would probably have moved closer to some family by now.

 

With 2 small kids and no support it's crazy hard. 

[davetapson]

On 5/9/2022 at 10:55 AM, hayleyearth said:

We are going to France in Aug and SA in Dec.

It's been toooooo long now and with this &$#@+:&'**_:;6_+-'3 -ing government that doesn't want to let our family in if I didn't have such a good job at such a good company now we would probably have moved closer to some family by now.

 

With 2 small kids and no support it's crazy hard. 

Kids without family support is hard.

In SA we ended up hiring a small village to avoid our twins being the death of us.

Here, without that option, I hate to think.  With two young kids, you certainly have our respect.
 

Edited May 10, 2022 by davetapson

[davetapson]

On 5/4/2022 at 3:45 PM, patches said:

https://www.cyclespot.co.nz/bike/husqvarna/svartpilen-401/999611795/

Alternatively a Katoom 390 Adventure

https://www.cyclespot.co.nz/bike/KTM/390 Adventure/999609021/

So there is now a Svartpilen with my name on it at Cyclespot while I sort out a learner's licence to go on top of my (expired) UK bike licence.

patches you have a lot to answer for! (Thanks, bud 😉 )

What do I need to know about commuting in NZ, given, I suppose, that unlike SA, it's more likely the weather will kill you than the traffic?

Armoured jeans (can you deal with the discomfort for a full days work in them?), armoured, waterproof hoodie, waterproof boots? Rain suit packed somewhere in bike or backpack?

I have the hard core stuff, good German brands I used in the UK, but it might be overkill for riding 5km at 50kmh max. And it's annoying to take on and off going to and leaving work.

Edit: I had a look at the Katoom - effectively same size engine, but feels twice the size 

Edited May 10, 2022 by davetapson

[patches]

13 hours ago, davetapson said:

So there is now a Svartpilen with my name on it at Cyclespot while I sort out a learner's licence to go on top of my (expired) UK bike licence.

patches you have a lot to answer for! (Thanks, bud 😉 )

What do I need to know about commuting in NZ, given, I suppose, that unlike SA, it's more likely the weather will kill you than the traffic?

Armoured jeans (can you deal with the discomfort for a full days work in them?), armoured, waterproof hoodie, waterproof boots? Rain suit packed somewhere in bike or backpack?

I have the hard core stuff, good German brands I used in the UK, but it might be overkill for riding 5km at 50kmh max. And it's annoying to take on and off going to and leaving work.

Edit: I had a look at the Katoom - effectively same size engine, but feels twice the size 

Oooh! So jealous! I've wanted one of those since they came out! You're going to have to get the matching Pilen hipster helmet and gear!

As for commuting in Auckland and kit... I am probably the 2nd worse person to ask (the worst being any of those motorcycle gang members you see riding around in shorts and pee-pot helmets).

I typically commute in my work pants (chinos or jeans most days), with tekkies and an Alpinestars offroad adventure jacket, which I beefed up by sacrificing some Leatt D30 body armour to install in the inserts.

I do have the matching Alpinestars pants which have some form of abrasion resistance, and they can be worn as over-pants (when I'm not on the pie and twix diet). But generally I'm a fair-weather commuter so I don't ride if it requires too much gearing-up for rain.

That said, I also have some cheapie, elastic waist and ankle rain-overpants which will offer sweet-nothing in the way of abrasion resistance, but they're comfy, quick to don on/off and are compact when folded up, so keeping them in my bag "just in case" was not a hassle.

That said, if motorcycle commuting was my only/primary option, I would likely wear my boots (MX boots so overkill) and full offroad-adventure kit for those very rainy days.

Edited May 10, 2022 by patches

[davetapson]

1 hour ago, patches said:

Oooh! So jealous! I've wanted one of those since they came out! You're going to have to get the matching Pilen hipster helmet and gear!

As for commuting in Auckland and kit... I am probably the 2nd worse person to ask (the worst being any of those motorcycle gang members you see riding around in shorts and pee-pot helmets).

I typically commute in my work pants (chinos or jeans most days), with tekkies and an Alpinestars offroad adventure jacket, which I beefed up by sacrificing some Leatt D30 body armour to install in the inserts.

I do have the matching Alpinestars pants which have some form of abrasion resistance, and they can be worn as over-pants (when I'm not on the pie and twix diet). But generally I'm a fair-weather commuter so I don't ride if it requires too much gearing-up for rain.

That said, I also have some cheapie, elastic waist and ankle rain-overpants which will offer sweet-nothing in the way of abrasion resistance, but they're comfy, quick to don on/off and are compact when folded up, so keeping them in my bag "just in case" was not a hassle.

That said, if motorcycle commuting was my only/primary option, I would likely wear my boots (MX boots so overkill) and full offroad-adventure kit for those very rainy days.

My German jacket and jeans it sounds like, plus rain suit. Rainsuit can probably live in jacket back pocket.

[Wayne Potgieter]

Lucky bugger. Love that bike. Many happy and safe miles Dave!

Edited May 11, 2022 by Wayne Potgieter

[davetapson]

1 hour ago, Wayne Potgieter said:

Lucky bugger. Love that bike. Many happy and safe miles Dave!

Thanks Wayne.

[davetapson]

Had a look at the Husqvarna helmets - the Pilen helmet makes you look like a storm trooper, the Adv helmet looks like it could be noisy?

Looks like my venture-hood into hipsterism is going to fail before it starts!

[Wayne Potgieter]

7 hours ago, davetapson said:

Had a look at the Husqvarna helmets - the Pilen helmet makes you look like a storm trooper, the Adv helmet looks like it could be noisy?

Looks like my venture-hood into hipsterism is going to fail before it starts!

Ive always liked the styling of the Ruroc helmets, but they dont get good reviews for noise.

My current helmet is a Nolan X Lite in Carbon finish, but it looks like a sports bike helmet but has an interesting trick up its sleeve in that its face lifts up completely like a touring helmet but still gets the same safety rating as a full face 

https://www.motoin.de/Helmets/Flip-up-helmets/X-Lite-X-1004-Ultra-Carbon-Dyad-flip-up-helmet::44728.html?language=en&id[12]=64093&refID=02&gclid=CjwKCAjwve2TBhByEiwAaktM1DToN1MDC2Yj1O6RR6HRIvzQ2x5hPbx6lOJLOLy5tppul_YjU_njxRoC05UQAvD_BwE