National Royal Enfield Riders Club launches in Whanganui

Three New 2024 Royal Enfield models at the Red Eye Cafe, Shotgun 650 (left), with Himalayan 450 and Bullet 350 (right) in August.

The Royal Enfield Riders Club of New Zealand was officially launched in Whanganui on Friday, September 20, by founder Robert Cochrane of Whanganui.

“For the past two years I have been very active both riding Royal Enfields and arranging events in the Whanganui and surrounding regions, as part of my health recovery,” said Cochrane.

“I chose September 20 for a new beginning, as the 19th marked 10 years since my 32-year-old son Daniel Cochrane was killed in a freak motorcycle accident in Queensland, so this club is a tribute to him and late dad, Joe Cochrane QSM.

The new decal for the Royal Enfield Riders Club of New Zealand.

“One of my strong interests since coming to Wanganui 24 years ago has always been the huge contribution Percy Coleman and his family made in the development and growth of motorcycling in New Zealand, both as transport, recreation and in the sporting arena.

“I have been using the original 1925 Percy Coleman Motorcycles showroom as both a meeting place and a starting point for some Royal Enfield events as it’s the spiritual home of Royal Enfield in New Zealand.

“After competing at the Isle of Man as NZ’s first official ACU competitor in 1930 on both Rudge and Royal Enfield machines, Percy came back to Wanganui as the NZ Royal Enfield distributor.

“His old showroom is the Red Eye Café on Guyton St, a very popular local café. With the endorsement of his son Bob Coleman, I will be running a series of Percy Coleman Motorcycles 100-Year events in 2025-2026,” said Cochrane.

Andrew of Eltham trying out the 450 in Guyton St, Whanganui, at the Royal Enfield 450 Himalayan launch in August.

The club is based in Whanganui and holds weekly coffee meets, monthly RE Indian meals in the 1958-65 Percy Coleman showroom on Guyton St (the Great Kitchen Indian Restaurant), and a mix of midweek social rides weather permitting, plus weekend Royal Enfield rides.

Ride events in the next 12 events will include inclusive destinations with riders from Taranaki to Wellington to Hawke’s Bay, creating a true regional mix of riders and RE machines.

In addition, the RE Riders Club of NZ will host annual events like The Great Whanganui Coffee Ride, Vintage Weekend RE Exhibition, Kai Iwi RE Camping Weekend, Great 350 Treck to Waiouru Museum, the Commemorative River Road Ride plus more.

■ A regular newsletter, The Bullet, will be published with controlled social media pages for members. Membership is open to all Royal Enfield riders in New Zealand and there will be an overseas section in the future. For membership details contact robertc72@xtra.co.nz and www.royalenfieldridersclub.co.nz for further information.