Transporting your bike
If you’ve bought a bike elsewhere in the country, or need to relocate one, here are your options.
Specialist motorcycle haulage
There are general haulage companies that profess to transport bikes but the best bet is a specialist in motorcycle transportation. Get some quotes to compare.
Trailer
If you have a vehicle with a tow bar, trailering the bike home is a lot less tiring than riding it, with fewer risks. You’ll need tie-down straps and at least one wheel chock or stand. How you strap the bike down will vary by machine but there are plenty of video examples online.
Ride it
The overriding priority here is getting home safely. Riding long distances on an unfamiliar bike is risky. Factor in our fickle climate and there’s a lot that can potentially go wrong.
On the upside, you’ll be riding through New Zealand! With wonderful scenery and maybe some new places to discover, relax, take your time and enjoy it. Include plenty of rest stops, where you can look over the bike, lube the chain, check the tyres, and inspect for oil or fluid leaks.
If the journey is liable to take more than half a day, try to factor in at least one overnight stop. Long rides are exhausting. Travel at an easy pace, get used to the bike and feel for anything wrong, especially brakes, steering and suspension. If something is amiss, stop and get it transported.
Make sure to take extra layers, including waterproof gear. This is the country that inspired the song Four Seasons in One Day, right?
Best option to transport your bike
More riders are buying bikes online, which means they may need to transport it from somewhere else. Getting a specialist motorcycle transportation company to do it is not only safer than riding it, by the time you take into account all the travel costs it can be an economical option too.
