Radioman Rides the World.......

Awoke to another clear, blue sky day.



have just started having a little intermittent starting problem. Started a few days ago. Bike was just cracking with no ignition. Turned key on and off.... and she then ran all day long. Googled the issue with some results. and also called Sebastian at Experience BMW and talked through the possibilities. The side stand switch seemed most responsible. Took it off and zip tied it on the run position and then road all day and had no issues. Hopefully that will be it.

Just not wanting to get stuck in a remote place and not be able to start the bike.

Headed up the lake to Glenochy.





Then got on the gravel road heading to Dart River





And a few water crossings



Arrive at the end of the road...

Not a bad place to ride



Worth a big jump!!



Big spaces and mountains



Just stunning !





On the way down this road..... I could see where I needed to stop



LOL GPS got me to Paradise





It is a nice homestead nestled amongst the mountains and rivers.



The homestead dog "Karuhu" took the walk up the hill to see the mountains.







Just so much to take in on this ride today. The natural beauty is beyond words. It is remote, quiet and peaceful !!

Then back up along the lake toward Queenstown to explore some other off road areas.



Found the entrance to Skippers Road which was an old gold mining town in the mid 1800's.



Looks like a good place to ride



Exploring



Down the valley it goes





Nice view down to the Shotover river Famous for it's jet boat tours and white water rafting closer to town.





Spectacular scenery



Bridge just before I get to the old settlement



Very High bridge!



View from near settlement!



Found the site. Looked at the buildings and school. Was s booming town at the time, with school, hotels, bank etc.





It has long since abandoned except the historical values!





Rode back out the canyons, and I quick ride to the top of the sky area. Wonderful twisty roads!



Staying with my friends Dick and Diana in Queenstown has been great! Getting a chance to relax, explore on day trips and enjoy our conversations and time together!

Mark on the staring issue, check that the battery terminals are secure.

It is cranking just fine. Some electrical shut off of the fuel I think.....

Side stand switch is the first thing that comes off my new to me bikes.

I hope your starting troubles are over.

That approach to the mountains reminded me of Red Rock heading to the Continental Divide on my last trip.

Awesome as usual, thanks for the updates.

I am sure you don't need yet another tool in your luggage, but GS-911 tool from hexcode.co.za may be something worth considering. I have absolutely no affiliation with the vendor, just really love the ability to diagnose my own GS on the road or read/reset codes when I service it. There is a large knowledge archive for the tool usage at groups.google.com/group/GS-911. Of course that won't help with a failed EFI pump controller if you didn't carry the part, but at least you would know the cause. On GS1200 there is a way (a jumper wire) to bypass the fuel pump controller in case the controller turns out to be the culprit.
Hopefully the side stand switch was it.

Best,
Vic

Hello Vic, I have one with me but have yet to need it. Also I am a MAC guy so it does not connect with MAC, so I need to find a PC guy to hook it up to. Will do so soon!

any sign of the 72 virgins ????

Not to hi-jack Mark's thread but you have to be very careful where you source a GS911. There is a Chinese counterfeit that was back engineered. The manufacturer of the "real" GS 911 (In South Africa, I think) will not support this fake one. As far as I know there is only one authorized distributor in the US. That is the guy up on the Central Coast of CA... Ted... damn if I can remember the rest of his name... i think his biz is called the Beemer Shop and is up near Santa Cruz. I would have bought one before my trip but they were backordered or some such thing and do require a PC. I tried to find a small PC but everyone has quit making their ten inch models because things like this iPad have taken that market. I could not even find a used one! Mark seems to carry more computer and camera technology than I have in my home office. Maybe he didn't pack underwear and socks?!

I have an Original from Beemershop. Just need to connect to something tp see if I have an error code.

Hi Mark,

Same here, that is where I bought mine. Amazing someone is cloning it, I will refrain making further comments but I have in the past purchased cheap knock off shit and am convinced it ain't worth the trouble.
I have the blue-tooth "enthusiast" version. At home I connect it with my 10" net-book, also works on the road with the small app on my Blackberry. It will work with Android, Windows tablet, and quite few other java enabled smart phones, am afraid it won't work with I-phone or any MAC type device (not out of the box, but seems might work on MAC with some additional software tinkering) The official site has some suggestions how to run their windows software on a MAC. If my Blackberry didn't work, for it's functionality I would simply buy a cheap unlocked phone that works with their app, and carry it with me solely for that purpose. Then the cheap phone may even turn useful abroad when used with prepaid sim cards.

Hope Radioman doesn't have to spend time troubleshooting but rather enjoying riding and beautiful sights

Best,
Vic

some great pictures there, how was paradise!?

Paradise was a wonderful homestead in a wonderful mountain area! Peaceful.
The signage and the image of riding to Paradise makes me !

It has been great staying in Queenstown for a short break, and time to explore some of the local sights!!

Having such a great view of the Remarkables, and also seeing the switchback road going up the back side of the mountains ....... Made it a place to say.... I want to ride up there!



It is a 13 Km gravel road that climbs up to the ski area.



As you climb up you get a nice view of Queenstown.



Right up the marbly gravel road to the ski area.





At the parking lot I parked and then took a hike up to the top of the Ski area, then up to Lake Alta.



It is on the east side of the Remarkables.



While talking to some younger hikers from the UK and Australia, 3 people walk up and one of the ladies says; "your Radioman" ...... And of course I do not know her, but she saw my bike in the carpark, and called Diana to ask if it was their motorbike..... Connections!

Ann and her two other friends Don and Donna from the US, and I hiked up to the top of the ridge to look back on Queenstown. It was a steep uphill with big rocks !

This is where I climbed to looking from Queenstown.

https://radioman.smugmug.com/Other/Ride-the-world-4/i-4xrDCVL/0/
L/IMG_0394%232-L.jpg

Long way up!



Looking back down to Queenstown.





Lots of scrub and rocks to hike down to the carpark



Then I road down the hill back to Queenstown.



Had a bit of lunch in Queenstown and chatted with some travelers that rented Bikes in NZ and were riding about. Normal questions about how I could aford to do this kind of trip Choices is what I tell everyone. I could be home working, putting money in a 401K and hoping to make it to retirement, or I can be out doing it now!! Of course I am fortunate to have had the option, ultimately I had to decided what my life would look like in the chapter.

In queenstown there are plenty of tourists from all over the world doing the adventure outdoor things of NZ, tramping, bunny, jet boats, eating and drinking etc. The coal powered ship TSS Earnslaw is a big attraction for a cruise on the lake.



Nice little beach for people to enjoy!





Here is the Earnslaw chugging up the lake



Sunday I had the first really rainy day since Ushaia.... So it was time to catch up with Arnout again as he was back in town. Met up for a great lunch and then coffee!





Then I had to get Arnout on my bike o inspire him to travel differently



Said goodbye to Arnout for now, as his travels are taking him north then onto SE Asia. But I might see him down the road somewhere!

In most of the KIWI homes I have been into, they take off their shoes. Just something I have never done at home.



While up hiking on the Remarkables, I met Ann and her friends. She invited me to join Dick and Diana at there place for dinner Sunday night! How wonderful!! Had a great evening with Ann and Joe, Barbara and Dick and Diana!



The generosity and friendship of meeting people on the road has been amazing!



Including Ann's hard work to make a Blueberry pie especially for me!!

I got two pieces!!



Then the next morning, Dick and Diana invited Mike and Denise for Breakfast. The own and operate a motorcycle tour company out of Australia taking riders all over the world!! Was really wonderful to meet passionate motorcyclist!! I am can their tours would really be great!

Check out their web site: http://www.ferriswheels.com.au

Lovely People, Mike and Denise with a great story of meeting, riding motorbikes and touring people for the last 18 years! Too bad we did not have more time together!



Here's Mike hamming it up around my world motorcyclist always come home to their Hubbards Cereals!




What a wonderful time I have had here in Queenstown. The special connection to Dick and Diana has really been an extraordinary blessing to my trip and my life. Today I will be riding on toward the Fjordlands and saying "goodbye" but it really is only until we see each other again in person! Once again the journey has been filled with the beauty of meeting people and sharing this life together!


.

New Zealand is what I picture Heaven looking like...

Amazing pictures!

The roads are great for riding too!

LOL sorry Paul.... None in sight

Nice riding area Mark. Glad you are enjoying it all... especially the pie.

Took my grand daughter riding to the St Paddy Day picnic near Eugene today (adv gathering). Got talking with some adv'ers and was really surprised, as they had never heard of Radioman. I had to clue them in on what they were missing, reading of your adventures.

Ride on Mark!

Dave

Are you intending to go to Macetown? There are about 22 river crossings, but with the drought they should be quite low. If you do, pick up a guide booklet from the Arrowtown Museum. It's only a few photocopied sheets, but has a numbered list of points of interest that correspond with marker posts on the road so adds to the interest.

I am in Manapouri now. Did not know about Macetown...will check it out.

You going to milford sound? great scenic road up to it, a boat trip is worth doing as well.
we have a spare room near invercargill if you need somewhere to stay?