A VISION OF BEAUTY
A ferry crossing was a unique aspect to this GS
Trophy. There’s nothing incredibly special about
ferry rides. But then add in a 3:30am start, then load
140 identical F850GSs on the vehicle deck, then
section off a whole half deck for the 200-odd strong
team, and it starts being a bit more exciting. But
not as exciting as passing through the Marlborough
Sounds on a fine summer’s day – along this whole
route New Zealand was simply a vision of beauty.
As with any adventure rides, it’s the stops we
all truly enjoy the most. On the GS Trophy, given
NZ’s excellent supply of cafes and coffee shops,
these were enjoyed to the max. And it’s a curiously
attractive thing to see 140 identically attired
adventure riders take over a small village, all
their identical bikes lining the streets, the riders
lounging around outside cafes and sprawled
on the pavements sipping coffees, eating cake.
Having some 10 women riders among the 140 was
a welcome aspect as well and you could see the
locals eyeing these guys with some curiosity. And,
maybe this is a BMW thing, maybe not, but all of
them, men and women alike, being impeccably
well-mannered, treating the locals with respect, no
shouting, no obscenities. It was Women’s Institute
genteel.
THE (UNSEALED) ROAD LESS TRAVELLED
Mostly the route followed legal roads and it seems
for many foreign nationals unsealed roads are ‘off-
road’. Given the dry conditions, particularly along
the North Island’s east coast, the gravel was pretty
slippery, like riding over so many marbles. And
of course if you’re ever to meet a car coming the
other way it’ll be on a blind right hand corner so
there were a few examples of riders scrabbling to
stay on the road. The riders were pre-warned about
the road-eating nature of farmers’ utes and, while
a few did go to ground in the deep gravel berms
on the outside of turns, with one minor exception,
everyone avoided collisions.
KIWI RIDER 31