KEY POINTS:
Motorcyclists campaigning against "cheesecutter" road barriers at the weekend were left in mourning after a crash claimed the life of one of their own.
Scott Allan McIsaac, 36, of Taradale, near Napier, crashed near the top of Coromandel Peninsula and died from his injuries while the Westpac rescue helicopter was flying him to hospital.
In a cruel irony, the helicopter was one of the beneficiaries of six fundraising protest rides nationwide by motorcyclists campaigning against the wire barriers.
Waikato police said Mr McIsaac lost control of his BMW in heavy rain and cross-winds on a wooden bridge on the difficult Port Jackson road on Friday.
Although he had planned his peninsular tour for some weeks - which meant having to be absent from the mass "cheesecutter" awareness ride in Hawkes Bay on Saturday - organiser John Baine said he had given it strong support by gathering a car boot full of spot prizes from corporate donors for the event.
"It's gut-wrenching for any of us to lose a mate like this, but this was particularly hard."
About 120 Hawkes Bay motorcyclists pressed on with the event, adding black armbands in Mr McIsaac's honour to red ones highlighting the dangers they believe Transit NZ's wire barriers pose to their lives and limbs.
Mr Baine said the motorcyclists made a detour past Mr McIsaac's home, where his widow greeted them in tears and watched as some left their black bands tied to the family's mailbox.
They raised about $2000 for Hawkes Bay's Lowe Walker rescue helicopter, at stops between Napier and Waipukurau.
A smaller band of Auckland motorcyclists also wore black armbands for Mr McIsaac as they rode an eight-hour circuit through Tauranga, Rotorua and Hamilton in what co-organiser Anne James said was "appalling" weather, including hail and thunder.
