« previous next »
  Go Down

Author Topic: Connie owner in New Zealand  (Read 7719 times)

Offline Cloggy

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 11
  • Country: nz
Connie owner in New Zealand
« on: January 14, 2016, 10:01:59 pm »
Hello everyone,

Pierre here from Rotorua, New Zealand.
I bought a 2010 Concours last month after a two year break from motorcycles.
Prior to this I had a Suzuki Bandit 1250SA, a Triumph Daytona 675 and a Yamaha Scorpio 225.
Great to be back on a bike and the wife and myself are looking forward to getting some great touring miles clocked up on our Connie. The bike also does double duty as my daily commuter.
Looking forward to the camaraderie and helpful advise available on this site.

Cheers,
Pierre
Logged
Of course I don't know how to act my age. I have never been this old before!

Offline banditrider

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 94
  • Country: nz
  • Two wheels are all you need!
    • Off for a ride
Re: Connie owner in New Zealand
« Reply #1 on: January 14, 2016, 10:46:27 pm »
Hey Pierre

You're not the only one to have come from Bandits to a Connie.  8 and a half years ago (and 132,000km ago) I traded my '06 on a Connie and I'm still in love with it!

She's made for touring, so get out there and enjoy it!
Logged
'08 Concours 14: Rad guard, Stebel, Oxford Hot grips, Projekt D Screen, Hugger, GPS mount, helmet locks & fender extender, Zumo 550, Stebel, Phil's rack & Givi V46, Sheepskin seat cover, Phillips Extreme vision +100 bulbs.

AlbertaDoug

  • Guest
Re: Connie owner in New Zealand
« Reply #2 on: January 14, 2016, 10:50:20 pm »
Welcome aboard.  8)
It's a wonderful transition coming off the Bandit, but it's still nice to ride my Bandit every now and then. Makes me appreciate the Connie that much more. I put a fair bit of $ into the Bandit to get it to where I wanted it for touring then I rode a Connie and bought one  a week later.  ::) ::)
Enjoy
Cheers M8
Logged

Offline kwakrider

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 221
  • Country: za
  • Black- 2009
Re: Connie owner in New Zealand
« Reply #3 on: January 15, 2016, 01:01:42 am »
Welcome mate....you're going to love it!!  ;) :D
Logged

Offline Cloggy

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 11
  • Country: nz
Re: Connie owner in New Zealand
« Reply #4 on: January 15, 2016, 01:48:25 am »
Cheers guys,
Banditrider, a familiar "face" on the forum already. Never met you of course but have seen your posts on Kiwirider and visited your website and read your blogs.
I thought I'd post some pics of my motorcycle history. I am still much of a newbie on two wheels. I have had my motorcycle licence for about 7 years but have only ridden 5 of those years since selling the Bandit over two years ago.
My first bike was this Yamaha Scorpio. Up until fairly recently, you could only ride a motorcycle up to 250cc here in New Zealand if you were on a learner's licence.
This bike was a single cylinder 225cc "powerhouse".

Once I got my full licence it was time to upgrade to something a little quicker.
Along came a Triumph Daytona 675

The Daytona was fun for a while but no good for carrying a passenger or luggage.
So along came a Bandit with all the touring options fitted.

The Bandit was eventually sold (along with everything else) to fund an extended tour of the USA.
Upon our return to New Zealand we've had a bit of a bike drought but that came to an end last month when we got this Concours.

I have purchased a Givi V47 topbox for it, just waiting for this to arrive from Italy.
Then we are all set for the first road trip, hopefully early in February.

Pierre
Logged
Of course I don't know how to act my age. I have never been this old before!

Offline tweeter55

  • Arena
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 774
  • Country: us
  • Ride Hard...Ride Safe
Re: Connie owner in New Zealand
« Reply #5 on: January 15, 2016, 06:16:55 am »
Welcome  :chugbeer: to the Forum, Cloggy!!!
Logged
Do not try to live forever on this earth. You will not succeed.

Offline Rhino

  • Arena
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3963
  • Country: us
Re: Connie owner in New Zealand
« Reply #6 on: January 15, 2016, 07:42:25 am »
Welcome! Enjoy the new bike. Post some pics from time to time, especially if you ever ride it to Omaka for the air show.  ;)
Logged

Offline Conniesaki

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 580
  • Country: us
Re: Connie owner in New Zealand
« Reply #7 on: January 15, 2016, 08:06:40 am »
Pierre - We have friends (non riders) on the South Island in Oxford and visited them last year. We didn't make it the N island. Seems like that might almost seem like another country?
Logged

Offline VirginiaJim

  • Administrator
  • Elite Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10772
  • Country: england
  • I've forgotten more than I'll ever know...
    • Kawasaki 1400GTR
Re: Connie owner in New Zealand
« Reply #8 on: January 15, 2016, 10:25:06 am »
Welcome!
Logged
"LOCTITE®"  The original thread locker...  #11  2016 Indian Roadmaster, ABS, Cruise control, heated grips and seats 46 Monitoring with cutting edge technology U.N.I.T is Back! 2008 C14 Moved on to a new home.

Offline Cloggy

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 11
  • Country: nz
Re: Connie owner in New Zealand
« Reply #9 on: January 15, 2016, 11:42:46 pm »
Quote from: Conniesaki on January 15, 2016, 08:06:40 am
Pierre - We have friends (non riders) on the South Island in Oxford and visited them last year. We didn't make it the N island. Seems like that might almost seem like another country?
Yes  :)
The South Island is very scenic, mountainous and comparatively sparsely populated.
Th North Island has got plenty of scenic areas but is not as majestic as the South Island, is generally more hilly than mountains and contains the bulk of New Zealand's population. Although a large part of that population is all concentrated in Auckland.
South Islanders believe they live in the Mainland of New Zealand. Aucklanders believe there is no life beyond the Bombay Hills just south of Auckland. I'm stuck somewhere in the middle and a little lost. All in jest and with a good dose of humour of course.
Logged
Of course I don't know how to act my age. I have never been this old before!

Offline Conniesaki

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 580
  • Country: us
Re: Connie owner in New Zealand
« Reply #10 on: January 16, 2016, 12:34:47 am »
We were there for 18 days, and just scratched the surface, seeing a whirlwind tour of Christchurch, then with home base in Oxford first venturing out to Hanmer Hot Springs for 3 days, back to Oxford, then crossing to Greymouth on the west coast, north up the coast to Punakaiki, Cape Foulwind and Denniston coal mines, then back south thru Greymouth to Hokitika and the Franz Josef Glacier, then back to Oxford before heading home. I thought it was fantastic and really hope to go back ASAP.
Logged

Offline freebird6

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 268
  • Country: us
  • In a big country...
Re: Connie owner in New Zealand
« Reply #11 on: January 16, 2016, 07:22:10 am »
Kia ora Cloggy

Welcome to the forum

I see you already breached the subject of not living on the Mainland so I will not throw that one in there... Some great roads down there on the east side but the west side of the South island was pretty variable with surfaces. Going down the west coast I might think of opting for an ADV bike. Glad you are here. Would love to return and visit with a bike. Connie is going to like the roads, curves and hills down there. That bike should draw a crowd in the cities.

Made friends down there that I have kept close over the years. Wonderful places. Hope you stay and put up posts with pics and vids of your tours.

Logged
2008 Concours
2007 Mean Streak
99 r1100rt
  Go Up
« previous next »