A little advice on how to sample the dark side

[Dogmatick]

OK so allow me to start with no innuendo intended relating to William Hague''s recent fervor.

The future Mrs Dogmatick and I are due to get hitched next July and I am currently negotiating the Honeymoon.

Having recently finally ridden pillion on the 700xl and loving it, she has allowed me to put forward renting a bike and riding around south island NZ (many friends in Christchurch so please no jokes about what happened today)

Now I figure a reasonable bike for this might be the Sith Lord 1200 GSA for its size comfort, go anywhere, comfort, similarity in riding, comfort, range and comfort.

I'm figuring that with the height and baggage she will be comfy back there though I have no concept of how these things ride. A number of questions

Is this a sensible bike to chose

Will it be comfortable for her

Will it be a similar ride to the Tranny 7

Just 'how' unreliable are they comp to the 'alp

Will it be comfortable for her

Can anyone think of something more appropriate to ride with similar presence height range and comfort that I should think of, height being relatively important as I'm 6'5" and she's 5'11" so don't want to be a tangle of legs for many many hours (not on the bike anyway)

And finally where's good to rent such a thing for a weekend so I can take her somewhere in the UK to show her that it is potentially something we might like to do

Oh and as always if anyone has done this, in particular with a pillion, I would truly love to here form them.

I asked last Sept and here's the ring delivery method, his name was Blacky




Oh and will it be comfortable for her ?

[AnnaH]

I can only say that it should be comfortable for her, I have been on the back of a 1200GSA and found it very comfortable and I am a few inches taller than your future wife. (I know I have my own bike but a back op stopped me riding it that soon after the op and I was still comfortable on the back of the GSA)

I have only ridden the 1150GSA so can not comment about the handling, but my brother in law loves his and so does the guy who's bike I went on the back of. It is supposed to be so much lighter, I am sure you will enjoy it and so will your wife.

On the 1150GSA I went around Morocco as a pillion a few years ago on a standard seat. I added a little Decathlon thermarest type mat for the extra comfort, as it got a little hard on the bum after a while and after 9 hours in the saddle even that did not stop the discomfort, but then I don't think anything would at that point.

[Lord Vader]

Lets meet up and you can have a proper look at my GSA and Deb(wife) can answer all of the questions as she done many thousand miles on the back of my GSA's and my Vara

Fully packed for camping,please note the pillion "Armchair"

[winxp-master]

If someone is not comfy sat on the back of that then i suggest they give up and invest all available funds into anti-grav technology with star trek style inertial dampeners

[j]

The GSA12 IS the dogs for 2 up with kit.
I thought it was only us Welsh who had things with animals. so your Girly is not the one in the grey swimming suit.

[Lord Vader]

The GSA12 IS the dogs for 2 up with kit.
I thought it was only us Welsh who had things with animals. so your Girly is not the one in the grey swimming suit.

Run,Forest,run

[Rubberchicken]

I've done the ride around the South Island last year, rented two little DR650 bikes at Motorcycle Rentals Hire and Tours in Christchurch. I can recommend them.

One thing though. July in NZ is going to be the dead of winter, you know that right?

I went there in early April, that was gorgeous but already very autumn. A month later would've been unpleasant on a bike according to the locals.

[Rubberchicken]

Another thing, we ended up not doing that many miles a day, just 200 or so because you end up stopping often because the place is just too drop dead gorgeous, and you don't have to do a lot of miles because every couple of hundred miles you cross a mountain range and the scenery changes completely.

Anyway, the point. If you're only doing 200 miles a day, you might not even need a huge mile muncher like the GSA, and could settle for something more alp-like such as a 650 Strom. (Which costs half as much to rent ) (They even have a 700 alp these days, I just noticed.)

How many days do you want to do this for anyway?

[jasonbc]

OK so allow me to start with no innuendo intended relating to William Hague''s recent fervor.

The future Mrs Dogmatick and I are due to end my having fun next July and I am currently negotiating the Honeymoon.

Having recently finally ridden pillion on the 700xl and loving it, she has allowed me to put forward renting a bike and riding around south island NZ (many friends in Christchurch so please no jokes about what happened today)

Now I figure a reasonable bike for this might be the Sith Lord 1200 GSA for its size comfort, go anywhere, comfort, similarity in riding, comfort, range and comfort.


I'm figuring that with the height and baggage she will be comfy back there though I have no concept of how these things ride. A number of questions

Is this a sensible bike to chose

Will it be comfortable for her

Will it be a similar ride to the Tranny 7

Just 'how' unreliable are they comp to the 'alp

Will it be comfortable for her

Can anyone think of something more appropriate to ride with similar presence height range and comfort that I should think of, height being relatively important as I'm 6'5" and she's 5'11" so don't want to be a tangle of legs for many many hours (not on the bike anyway)

And finally where's good to rent such a thing for a weekend so I can take her somewhere in the UK to show her that it is potentially something we might like to do

Oh and as always if anyone has done this, in particular with a pillion, I would truly love to here form them.

I asked last Sept and here's the ring delivery method, his name was Blacky




Oh and will it be comfortable for her ?

At the NEC last year we were given details about bike holidays in New Zealand i think this is the website

http://motorcyclerentals.gotournz.com/

[Dogmatick]

Thanks everyone for all the replies. Somehow I wasn't getting them so sorry be being remiss.

Yep doing it over the new year so hopefully better weather. I almost convinced her to go in sept/oct but then when she said yes felt compelled to tell her about the world cup.

She still said yes..... Gotta luv 'er

She's agreed to the idea so long as she can park her bum on a beach for a week, then a week to ten days or so on the bike as she agrees it will be a great way to really see it.

I'm thinking 1200 mainly because she's not known for travelling light.... and because the more comfy I make it the more I will get to enjoy the scenery.. !

She however has expressed an interest in doing the DAS so that is being highly encouraged at the mo.

I found About Town Motorcycle and Scooter hire - The solution to your motorcycle rental needs, London, England - motorbike hire london - bike hire london - bike hire uk - london rent bike - bmw - ducati - honda - suzuki - vespa - aprilia - moto guzzi - affit who I used when training but find them to be ridiculously expensive

Three day weekend

£2000 deposit
£ 375 Hire inc third party only
£ 60 Comprehensive add on with £2000 excess
£ 35 Three piece luggage

For that much I can rent a Merc E class for the weekend and REALLY impress the missus ! Anyone else think that it is unreasonable ?

Thanks again everyone

D