to get to know the two bikes pretty well . The Harley ’ s Sport mode is great when you want full-on attack , but switching it to Road mode eases back the savagery of the throttle , and softens up the ride beautifully . The V-Strom ’ s SDMS mode B does a similar thing , removing the aggressive , slightly snatchy feeling , and giving a smooth roll on and off the throttle . I found myself preferring the firmness of the V-Strom ’ s seat on the gravel , as well as its ergonomics when standing up . Now that we were in road touring mode , I was leaning toward the Harley ’ s plusher seat and more relaxed ergonomics . One thing the comparatively low-tech Suzuki has over the Harley though , is a USB charging socket on the left-hand side of the dash cluster , meaning I could charge my phone while on the go . There ’ s
a full auxiliary power outlet under the Suzuki ’ s pillion seat too . We barrelled through to Murchison for morning tea , then on to St Arnaud for the obligatory Lake photo . Next up was lunch at the Wakefield Bakery ; if you ’ re ever in the area , be sure to stop in for a chicken pie . Finally , we cruised through to Nelson and our accommodation for the night .
DAY THREE The first job was to find a morning coffee . Riding around town , they certainly looked the part - covered in bugs and remnants of the first day ’ s mud and dust . Today ’ s ride was a cruisey wee jaunt of around 200km from Nelson to Havelock , and finally the lovely Queen Charlotte Drive to Picton . Once again , the July storm which had affected Awatere Valley road , had also made a mess
106 KIWI RIDER