One of New Zealand’s biggest drug busts uncovered, the new policy threatening 20 years behind bars for Kiwis in Bali and Florida braces for another ferocious storm.
The light in Diann and Joe Henry’s eyes shine as bright as the body of Joe’s classic Suzuki Bandit motorbike when they recall their last 40 years of adventuring together.
Through fires, floods and friendships, the bike-mad couple live and breathe the spirit of the open road, and at81 and 83 years old respectively, the Napier locals aren’t stopping any time soon.
Next year will mark another year of long-distance riding in the South Island, and while the days of tenting and campfires may be behind them, donning the leathers and revving up the engine are not.
“We’ve been riding around New Zealand since 1980/81. We usually go for about two or three weeks,” Diann said.
Diann and Joe Henry, both in their 80s, still share a love for the open road. Photo / Mitchell Hageman
“My brother bought a bike, a James two-stroke, when he was about 15 and I was 13, so I jumped on it and used to ride it round the block in Marewa.”
Originally, the pair rode together, but after the first few trips it soon became clear Diann needed her own bike.
“I used to pillion with Joe, but I would always ask him to go one way, and he’d just keep on going straight.”
The couple have no shortage of stories to tell about their biking adventures. Photo / Mitchell Hageman
Their longest trip was 4000km right down to Bluff, with Diann remembering how they would often pack “everything but the kitchen sink,” on the back of their bikes for the longer trips.
“We go a bit easier now and just stay in motels now and buy food.
“I can sleep better in a car than I can in a tent,” Joe added.
After 40 years of trips, there’s bound to be some mishaps, and the couple said they often found themselves having to cope with the elements.
On one such trip, they were chased by rising floodwaters, at one point having to follow a truck to navigate them.
“They were closing behind the road behind us as we were going through knee-deep water from Dunedin to Christchurch. God knows why we didn’t stop,” Diann recalled.
“After a big flood hit Wairoa all those years ago, we also had to get ferried across in a raft to cross the river.”
Another incident saw them have to leave their campsite when the service station across the road burst into flames.
But there’s been plenty of great time too, spent with friends and strangers discovering the beauty Aotearoa has to offer.
From a 94-year-old shipping executive who tore down the highways, to Australian media moguls about to have a baby, a warm smile and a helping hand has never been far away.
And yes, the couple admit there are sometimes puzzled looks when they take off their helmets to reveal their grey hair, but more often they come joint with words of support and affirmation.
“Age is just a number you know, it’s not a destination. If you want to go for a ride, just go for a ride,” Diann said.
“We saw on TV there was American lady who was still going at 95. I said, if she can do it then I can do it easily.”
“I’ll keep going till I fall off and don’t get up.”
Mitchell Hageman joined Hawke’s Bay Today in January 2023. From his Napier base, he writes regularly on social issues, arts and culture, and the community. He has a particular love for stories about ordinary people doing extraordinary things.
