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The perfect steed for a long summer road trip, the entire length of New Zealand to be precise, has to be a motorcycle, right?
But a 50cc scooter?
That's what Wanganui's Adam Hutchinson has chosen for his month-long, 15-stop New Zealand tour, a Yamaha CV50 Jog, a bike more accustomed to short blips to the dairy or to ferry university students to their classrooms.
Funny we should mention that, actually, because the 23-year-old is a university student, studying agribusiness and marketing at Christchurch's Lincoln University.
He kicked off his “Mission Impossible” journey at the northernmost tip of New Zealand's North Island, at Cape Reinga. He's now four days along the road and bedding down in Tokoroa, in South Waikato, and hopes to reach his final destination, the southernmost tip of the South Island, at Bluff, on about February 15.
“I just figured I had the time up my sleeve to do something like this,” he said, enjoying his extended Christmas break. “So I thought I may as well have an adventure.”
He is filming his experience with an old 8mm camera and supplementing that with footage on a modern digital camera as well.
“Maybe this documentary of my can be used by tourist outlets or even television stations in Europe, to promote New Zealand. I already have some great footage.
“It was neat blatting down the 90-Mile Beach but the Auckland motorway was a hair-raising experience.”
He said most motorists had been courteous and considerate but, with a top speed of about 60kmph, he's well aware than he needs to keep right over to the side of the road to keep himself out of danger.
“I can't describe how scary it was on the motorway though. Cars are going by pretty fast. The bike's speedo only goes up to 60kmph and it stops there. I guess I'm really pushing it along at times but I just don't know. The bike is awesome.”
Adam travels for four hours a day, an average 200 kilometres, and, so far, his little Yamaha scooter had “gone like clockwork and not missed a beat”.
Yamaha has agreed to provide regular servicing for the bike, free of charge.
He said he has struck all kinds of weather so far but declares “if it goes the same over the next couple of weeks, I'll be stoked”.
His most memorable stop-off so far was when he rode the Yamaha CV50 into Lord Of The Rings movie territory, near Matamata, and rode right up to the doorway of Bilbo Baggins' hillside home.
Visit: www.yamaha-motor.co.nz/hot_news for updates on his epic journey.
