Nelson man dies in crash at Greymouth street races

A Nelson man has died after a motorcycle crash at the Greymouth Street Races.

Friends were today paying tribute to tattooed, motorcycle-riding former Englishman Guy Lowe.

Lowe, in his early 50s, died on Sunday on the way to hospital after crashing his bike while riding in the Greymouth Street Races. It was the first fatality in the event’s 27-year history.

Lowe emigrated to New Zealand in 2005 and settled in Christchurch, where he joined the Plains Motorcycle Club. He moved to Nelson about three years ago to concentrate on his racing, friend Steve Pullman said.

Club president Greg Johns said riding a motorbike was Lowe’s ‘‘greatest passion’’.

‘‘He was absolutely dedicated to it and would have been all smiles at the time.

‘‘His passion for anything in life was pretty intense. He was a real people person – you could talk to him today and talk to him again in six months time and he would remember absolutely every single detail.

He would be a huge loss to anybody that’s ever associated with him.’’

Lowe had several bikes including an original Honda CBX. ‘‘It didn’t matter how tough things got, he always managed to just hold onto the Honda,’’ Johns said.

One of Lowe’s biggest dreams was to race at the Isle of Man. He had taken part at the TT street races there six times as a sidecar passenger. The bike he was riding on Sunday was his practice bike for the event, which he and Johns had planned to go to in the next few years.

‘‘As tragic as it is, he would never have handled it had he been severely injured and not been able to ride again,’’ Johns said.

It was the first time in more than 30 years that someone from the club had died in a motorbike accident, he said.