Bay of Plenty Times
  • Bay of Plenty Times home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Sport
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Sport

Locations

  • Coromandel & Hauraki
  • Katikati
  • Tauranga
  • Mount Maunganui
  • Pāpāmoa
  • Te Puke
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Thames
  • Tauranga
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Bay of Plenty Times / Lifestyle

Motorcycles, tats, hot cars and girls

By by Annemarie Quill
Bay of Plenty Times·
16 Feb, 2012 11:10 PM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Motorcycles, tats, hot cars and girls. All this and more will be wowing the crowd at TECT Arena this weekend for Metal Mania 2012.

The long established Bay show is one of New Zealand's few custom bike and car shows.

It's getting bigger and more mainstream each year.

This year committee member Kelven Keleher is expecting a crowd of up to 5000 in the new venue of the TECT Arena.

"We were bursting last year and are rapt to be having it in the new arena this year. It gives us room to grow for the future."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

It is not just for die hard engine heads says Keleher.

(Story continues below)

"There is huge interest in cars and bikes and people come from all over New Zealand-yes sure the guys but also girls, families and kids. There's definitely something for everyone."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Keleher added that the new venue means that all the show's components-the bikes, cars, as well as the tattoo and Miss Metal Mania competition-can all take place under one roof. There will also be an overflow of bikes and cars on view outside the venue.

"It is out of the sun which is better for families with kids to wander around. And it's better for the cars and bikes to be on display under cover."

Someone who won't be seeking cover is Lorelle Bayly.

The leggy blonde is competing again in Miss Metal Mania competition against up to twenty other hopefuls.

The winner of the event receives prize money and will be the poster girl for Metal Mania 2012.

"I came third last year. It's a lot of fun but more than just about the modelling - I really enjoy being around the cars and bikes."

People attending the show will be able to get up close and personal to some of the country's most unique custom motorbikes, performance cars and hot rods.

The premier part of the event, the motorbike show will have the best in New Zealand owned motorcycles on display. Keleher says there will be around 100 bikes "everything from vintage to new in British, European, American, as well as handcrafted custom choppers."

Keleher said there are prizes for a range of motorcycles including restored bikes, best engineering, modified bikes, custom bikes and competition bikes. There's even a prize for art work on a bike. There are 28 categories in all including the ultimate prize: overall bike of the show.

Another element in the show is the Custom Car and Hot Rod Show, which features more than 60 of the Bay's premier cars and there will also be cars from the 30s to the 70s restored to their original condition.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"There will be two categories: performance Japanese cars and custom cars (American V8s and Hot Rods)," said Keleher.

Displaying a Ford GT 40 is Bay local Todd Gower who, when he is not directing funerals, burns the road with this beauty.

"I would have loved to build it but it's an expensive hobby. I bought this one as-is and was invited to display it at the show."

The tattoo section of the show is for those with a taste for ink. Top body art will be on display. The best tattoo wins $1000 cash and other prizes.

Metal Mania started in Rotorua originally more than 20 years ago as a bike and tattoo show under a different name and was held bi-annually. In 2002 it was moved to Tauranga and it is now held every year due to an upsurge in interest of custom motorcycles and cars.

The fine print

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Where: TECT Arena Bay Park

When: Saturday February 18 - Gates open 9am, bar opens 11am. Bikini Competition and Wet T-shirt 2pm to 3pm. Tattoo Show 5pm to 8pm. Bike show closes 7pm, venue closes midnight. Sunday February 19 - Gates open 9am. Bar open 11am, catering available. Prize-giving 1:30pm.

Price: Saturday - Tickets $20 (under 12 free). Sunday - Tickets $10 (under 12 free).

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Lifestyle

Premium
Bay of Plenty Times

10 years with Tūhoe: The story behind Nelson photographer Tatsiana Chypsanava’s global award

Bay of Plenty Times

The secret sauce of the bar named NZ's best

Bay of Plenty Times

Robyn Malcolm, Toni Street, Kiri Nathan and Cassie Roma share defining moments


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Lifestyle

Premium
Premium
10 years with Tūhoe: The story behind Nelson photographer Tatsiana Chypsanava’s global award
Bay of Plenty Times

10 years with Tūhoe: The story behind Nelson photographer Tatsiana Chypsanava’s global award

'It became a journey of self-discovery for me.'

19 Jul 12:00 AM
The secret sauce of the bar named NZ's best
Bay of Plenty Times

The secret sauce of the bar named NZ's best

08 Jul 10:00 PM
Robyn Malcolm, Toni Street, Kiri Nathan and Cassie Roma share defining moments
Bay of Plenty Times

Robyn Malcolm, Toni Street, Kiri Nathan and Cassie Roma share defining moments

26 Jun 10:00 PM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Bay of Plenty Times e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Bay of Plenty Times
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP