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Motorcyclists undeterred
By SANDRA COX in GREYMOUTH - The Press | Tuesday, 9 January 2007
The stretch of road where an Auckland motorcyclist was killed last week is on a
dream route for riders from around the world, a tour guide says.
The 415km stretch from Westport to Haast is venerated by motorcyclists for its
stunning scenery, low traffic volumes and winding sections of road.
On Friday, Auckland motorcyclist Rodney Edward Baker, 34, was killed when he
fell down a bank 30km from Haast while touring the country with two friends.
Police said it appeared Baker died when his motorbike failed to take a
right-hand bend.
An owner of Nelson-based motorcycle guided tour company Go Tour NZ, John
Fitzwater, says the dream route for riders from around the world was south from
Nelson, to Central Otago and Wanaka, via the Coast.
The South Island's strong appeal was that it had more contrast and less traffic
than the North Island.
"Our motorcycle dealerships have people coming from Auckland doing a
pilgrimage."
Foreign riders said New Zealanders were fantastic riders with high skill levels,
he said.
"Motorcyclists in general are educated and not fools. They are aware of risk;
no-one has their head in the sand and people know if there's a challenging
situation.
"It is a calculated and measured risk."
Fitzwater said the "old risks" like mid-afternoon doziness were the most
dangerous. Open-road riders were generally experienced, and highways were far
safer than commuting to work in towns on a motorcycle.
The occasional person having a misadventure was unfortunate but would not deter
others, he said.
"The attraction is fantastic scenery, curving roads, changes in elevation, lots
of changes and contrasts and largely uncluttered roads."
West Coast rider Peter Henry, of Greymouth, said the twisty roads, good scenery
and Coast people made riding the Coast Road attractive. However, the scenery
would occasionally distract riders and foreign riders sometimes left one-lane
bridges on the wrong side of the road.
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