We had 21 riders in the group and all the bikes returned safe and with no mechanical problems. We always take a back up van but she wasn't needed this year. We left Christchurch on the Thursday morning, climbing over the mountains that separate us from the West Coast and then along this beautiful and deserted coastline up to Karamea for the first day. The second day took us through the Buller Gorge to Methven and then up to Motueka whilst day 3 was through to Nelson to visit a bike museum before going through the Rai Valley to Blenheim for the night. The final day was a fantastic run down the Coast from Blenheim through Kaikoura and back home to Christchurch. I have put the names so you can google the routes because if you want an amazing overseas ride, with great scenery, brilliant roads and no traffic, this is a route to be considering.Day 3 was an absolute highlight and a bit of a mind spin for the boys. We visited the New Zealand Classic Motorcycle Museum in Nelson and had a visual feast. There are 280 bikes on display and they are all owned by a single guy. (Sadly not a Jappa amongst them
) The layout has some similarities to the Barber Museum with some bikes stacked up on racks. This is a truly professional display with fantastically presented machinery. Unfortunately, we were only permitted to take photos for personal use but if you google this place, they have individual pics of the bikes on display. I have always been keen on the Brough Superior but never seen one in the flesh so to speak. Well, in this one museum, there are 6 on display 
If any of you are headed down this way, do consider visiting this place, they have done a great job. I believe that the whole package (including bikes) has cost this one guy about $11,000,000 
200K of that was for one of the Broughs. The collection features British, European and American bikes from the early 1900's through to the 1990's or so.On the trip we also visited two private collections that were also mind-blowing. I shall post some pics of them later. Here's a few pics of the machinery we ride down here. We did about 1500Km over the four days - still reliable after 40 years these old girls
Spot the interloper ... one big waddling BMW snuck into the troop. It's the size of the bloody Bismarck and about as gainly too
I sat behind this RE5 for about 20 miles one of the days. Man, that exhaust note is something else - the pitch is such that it gets into the very bones of your skull. Never again - the local cattle agreed with me and ran for it whenever he went past
My J Buffalo. Ran beautifully until the last day when she spat a baffle from the top right pipe. Which of course meant the cone went flying
Luckily the eagle eyed driver of the back up van spotted it and retrieved it for me (no baffle though - which meant a noisy ride home )
At the peak of the Pass through to the West Coast. There had been new snow a day or so before and in places it was down to the roadside. Fingers were numb by this point
Pit stop on the West Coast of the South Island - all bush and few people here
One of the locals
