Velos and BMWs star
New Plymouth Bike Show
The Biennial show was held at the Pukekura Raceway attracting 94 bikes organized by the New Plymouth Classic Motor Cycle Club. To enable access for fans and photographers, limited numbers were in the plan. Barry Styles as organizer, assisted by a subcommittee, saw that all went to plan. Our theme was Velocette and BMW, and the great majority of bikes had not been seen at this venue. Twelve Velocettes and six BMW were displayed. Club Secretary Eldon Peters has put the finishing touches to his LE Velo which his father purchased for him in his student days. Daniel Suhr brought a Velo Valiant, in original paint and used condition. Kelvin Bishop’s BMW Dakar drew the crowds to look at the maps showing where he has been on it; as far north in Alaska as possible by back roads and across Australia from Perth via Geraldton through the deserts to the East Coast, a great informative display. His next ambition is to ride as far north as he can go in Scandinavia. Bruce Hine showed turbo Suzuki and Honda with a display of turbo parts and a film on turbo intricacies. The public vote outright went to Roy Harvey’s 1913 Veloce, an extremely well restored machine and now running. Roy also brought from the Bay of Plenty his Mk v111 KTT Velo. From the local Hall Green collection (Peter and Linda Hutton) were KSS, MSS and BMW as well as a 1939 BSA Gold Star. Peter
16-17 July, 2016 – New Plymouth, NZ
Butterworth of Auckland, loyal to the brand since about 1948, brought his 1933 KSS and bro-in-law Paul Hayes had his immaculate Earles fork 1958 BMW R69. Peter Sacree complimented his BSA B40 trials and 500 Gold Star, with his yet to be started creation, a 650 Triton.
Best post classics were Neil Brill’s Ducati Darmah and Peter Bennett’s Moto Guzzi, equal on votes. A Triumph Speed Twin, sprung hub model, displayed by Peter Nottingham won the public eye for Classics. A BIG X outfit, from 1929 owned by Jim Watson, was in contrast to a much used Mountain Goat farm bike with what looked like a trough as a sidecar. Local dealers showed new Triumphs, Honda and Yamaha and provoked much discussion on evolution of design in comparison with the past. Attendance on both days was extremely good and a large proportion of the takings will be presented to the Local Air Ambulance organisation.