BSA Lone-rider on a whole different level
The Stars and Stripes were flying high in Taranaki for Americana, but the best of British vintage motorcycle riders owned the region’s highways too.
More than 50 riders from across the nation descended on Vertical Horizon in Inglewood, headquarters for the New Zealand BSA Motorcycle Owners Club’s 22nd Annual BSA Rally, February 24 - 26.
One classic motorcycle buff took being a lone-rider to a whole other level when he rode his 250cc 1964 BSA, for 14 hours coast to coast, almost non-stop from Gisborne to New Plymouth for the event.
John Cochrane made just three short stops en route via Urewera National park, with a couple of detours off track to check out some popular sites. ’’There wasn’t too much traffic, but the 20km of gravel road in the dark and a few muddy bits made for a slow, physical ride in some parts.’’
Cochrane said it was a beautiful moment as he pulled up to the camp on Friday night after such a challenging ride. ’’One of the guys was ready and handed me a cold beer,’’ he said.
Perhaps not all his band of BSA brothers were born to be as wild as he was; they did appreciate his small bike was not designed for its comfort or power, and worked as hard as he did to get there. ’’They thought I was mad. They did compliment me on my efforts though,’’ he said.
The engineer’s enthusiasm for quality assembled Brit bikes was born from his dad’s time in the army as a dispatcher — the soldiers’ ride was a BSA too.
Saturday’s bike run was a highlight for many of the nostalgic riders who headed out on to the mountain and coastal highways to bask in their favourite pastime while taking in the awesome views.
A detour en route to Surf Highway 45’s Historic Cape Light and Museum replica impressed them, as did the coaster’s ‘mean’ machine of a different kind. Norman Holland was on the vintage bike run; he swapped his helmet for a skipper’s cap, so-to-speak during the Cape pitstop.
Holland is better known in coastal circles for his involvement in the Cape Egmont Coastguard Trust and its boat the TSB Sea Rescue. He was happy to give his mates the guided tour of the trust’s purpose-built rescue craft designed for helicopter transfers at sea.