This was my first multi day motorcycle adventure trail ride designed for kiwi riders. The idea came from a four day ride I organised for a Japanese motorcycle magazine way back in 1986. I called this ride the Otago Goldfields as it ran from Dundedin to Queenstown over the Dunstan Track and then by various routes through Central Otago and the Southern Lakes.
Reflecting on the success of the 1980s ride and the impact it made on our Japanese guests it occurred to me that few kiwi riders had experienced this very different part of the country. While South Islanders might be aware of what was on their back door the bulk of trail riders who are North Island based had never had the opportunity. It was not until 1989 that I was able to get back to Otago to do more scouting and research for to establish a multi day ride. By using the experience I already had and enlisting the help of highly experienced local Alexandra rider Joe Forsyth, it was clear that we could put together enough trails and back roads to make a blockbuster ride.
Building a customer base however was a far harder and more critical task. In the first place there was some opposition from some in MC clubs to what was going to be a commercial proposition and it was also soon apparent that changing resource management and health and safety practices meant that there was going to be some heavy paper work and fees involved.
Promoting the concept of a top shelf multi day ride and getting sufficient customers was the next obstacle. In the first place it had not been done in NZ. Secondly the costs involved in running rides on a professional basis had never been factored in before and it was also my intention to provide a better level of food and accommodation than many riders were perhaps anticipating. As with many start up businesses it turned out the fees charged over those first seasons did not cover the costs of running the rides, let alone the high initial requirements of promotion in the motorcycle media, plus printing of brochures, cost of mailing and compliance work.
However the rides themselves were sensationally successful and once the cost structure was stabilised and the promotion began to take effect the rides have in time proved to be equally satisfying for the organiser and the customers alike.
Reflecting on the success of the 1980s ride and the impact it made on our Japanese guests it occurred to me that few kiwi riders had experienced this very different part of the country. While South Islanders might be aware of what was on their back door the bulk of trail riders who are North Island based had never had the opportunity. It was not until 1989 that I was able to get back to Otago to do more scouting and research for to establish a multi day ride. By using the experience I already had and enlisting the help of highly experienced local Alexandra rider Joe Forsyth, it was clear that we could put together enough trails and back roads to make a blockbuster ride.
Building a customer base however was a far harder and more critical task. In the first place there was some opposition from some in MC clubs to what was going to be a commercial proposition and it was also soon apparent that changing resource management and health and safety practices meant that there was going to be some heavy paper work and fees involved.
Promoting the concept of a top shelf multi day ride and getting sufficient customers was the next obstacle. In the first place it had not been done in NZ. Secondly the costs involved in running rides on a professional basis had never been factored in before and it was also my intention to provide a better level of food and accommodation than many riders were perhaps anticipating. As with many start up businesses it turned out the fees charged over those first seasons did not cover the costs of running the rides, let alone the high initial requirements of promotion in the motorcycle media, plus printing of brochures, cost of mailing and compliance work.
However the rides themselves were sensationally successful and once the cost structure was stabilised and the promotion began to take effect the rides have in time proved to be equally satisfying for the organiser and the customers alike.