Motorcyclist loses licence

AUCKLAND: A man associated with a group of dirt bike motorcyclists pulling reckless stunts on Auckland motorways has pleaded guilty to one charge.

Rhodi Manners (23) appeared in the Manukau District Court yesterday morning charged with abetting a group to operate an unregistered vehicle in an unnecessary exhibition of speed or acceleration on February 6.

He has been ordered to pay $400 and has been disqualified from driving for a minimum of six months, starting from yesterday.

A lawyer representing Manners said he was remorseful and apologised for his actions. Videos emerged of hundreds of riders without helmets performing wheelies, other stunts and standing on their seats across Lynfield, Hillsborough and Mangere Bridge over Waitangi weekend. Two riders fell off their bikes.

Footage showed riders hooning down the Southern and Northwestern motorways, some carrying out dangerous manoeuvres in the Waterview Tunnel. The courtroom heard police received 50 complaints about the group.

Police said they were trawling CCTV footage and using information from the public to track down others involved.