Classic bikes visit famed circuit

READY TO RACE: Vince and Lesley Keats of Whanganui prepare to leave for the Wanganui VCC 34th Castrol Autumn Motorcycle Trial.PHOTO/ STUART MUNRO

A tour of the old Whenuakura race circuit formed part of the Wanganui Vintage Car Club's annual motorcycle trial.

The Wanganui VCC 34th Castrol Autumn Motorcycle Trial was held on Saturday, attracting 31 riders from as far away as Masterton and New Plymouth.

Jay Hart from the Wanganui Vintage Car Club said riders had to follow a series of instructions and stick to times.

"They have to get to a checkpoint at a certain time, and they lose points if they arrive too soon or too late."

The course takes in a different part of the region each year. This year the riders travelled up to Waverley and Patea. They stopped at Whenuakura School, south of Patea, where lunch was provided, and did a lap of the Whenuakura race circuit.

Famed Whanganui rider Rod Coleman used to ride the circuit for practice.

"It was used in the 1950s for races. But it was most known for Rod Coleman's practice circuit - it was the nearest thing in New Zealand to the Isle of Man circuit," Mr Hart said.

The overall winners were Barry and Linda Wells, from Masterton, (BSA sidecar). Category winners: vintage, Jim and Beryl Watson, Excelsior sidecar; post-vintage, John Viner, Aerial VH 1939; post-war, Barry and Linda Wells, BSA sidecar; P60V, Dave Henwood, Honda XL 1980; classic, Lloyd Williams, Triumph Tiger 1970. Vince and Lesley Keats won the Coleman Cup as the highest-scoring Wanganui VCC members.