Old Bike Australasia

Mike Pero Southern Classic 2016

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The most exotic collection of two-stroke race machinery ever assembled in New Zealand will be rasping their away around the Levels circuit during the Mike Pero Real Estate Southern Classic Festival in December. Kevin Magee will be reunited with the 1992 YZR500 factory GP bike he raced in Japan and is now owned by Tom Dermody, while fellow Australian and former champion Steve Trinder is making his debut on his recently-bought ex-Pat Hennen 652cc Suzuki XR23. Former TT winner and F1 World Champion Graeme Crosby will be aboard Stu Avant’s RGB500 Suzuki.

Christchur­ch-based classic and post classic racing club CAMS (Classic Action Motorcycle Sport) president Dave Reesby says, “Australian-based Irish rider and Formula Oz champ Paul Byrne will be riding Tom Dermody’s McIntosh Suzuki, and Gary Middleton is bringing his ex-Team Kawasaki Australia Gregg Hansford KR750, plus a Kawasaki H2R. “The GP bikes will be kept in tip-top shape by legendary Kiwi engineers and ex-Kenny Roberts Yamaha factory team gurus Mike Sinclair and MNZ Hall of Fame inductee Paul Treacy.” Among other Kiwi legends attending are John Boote, Paul McLachlan and Jock Woodley. In addition to being meeting sponsor, multi New Zealand champion Mike Pero will be joining the ‘Parade of Champions’ on a Yamaha TZ250. The three-day race event has become the largest classic/post classic meeting in the South Island, Reesby says. “The meeting is popular with riders for its relaxed, fun feel, heaps of track time and plenty of social activities through the weekend including meet the riders Friday night and a BBQ Saturday night, all at the track clubrooms with some of our special guests speaking after dinner. Being the weekend after the Burt Munro Challenge in Invercargi­ll it’s also the perfect excuse for a bike racing holiday.”

Friday is practice and qualifying with racing all day Saturday and Sunday. Race classes range from the vintage, pre war, pre 63 classics to all the post classic pre 72, 82, 89 and the new pre 1996 class, plus classic and post classic sidecars. “Past Masters” classic parade class will feature at lunchtime, Parade of champions with all the special guests and special bikes will feature each round of racing and on Sunday a special Grand Prix feature bike race for the 30+ GP machines expected at the event. For more info, entry forms, contacts and the latest news go to www.camsracing.org.nz or check out the festival website at www.mikepero.com /classic/ or www.facebook.com/ mike pero classic/

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 ??  ?? ABOVE Kevin Magee aboard the YZR500 at this year’s Barry Sheene Festival of Speed.
ABOVE Kevin Magee aboard the YZR500 at this year’s Barry Sheene Festival of Speed.

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