Aramoho resident Robert Cochrane had a Royal Enfield 411 Himalayan adventure bike, which was a tribute to his late son, stolen from his garage. Photo / Fin Ocheduszko Brown
Aramoho resident Robert Cochrane had a Royal Enfield 411 Himalayan adventure bike, which was a tribute to his late son, stolen from his garage. Photo / Fin Ocheduszko Brown
A distinctive Royal Enfield 411 Himalayan adventure bike, bought as a tribute to his late son, has been stolen from Whanganui motorcycle enthusiast Robert Cochrane’s garage.
The black bike, licence plate B6LPH, was stolen from Cochrane’s locked garage in Aramoho early on July 16.
Cochrane, founder and leader of theNZ Royal Enfield Riders Club, was in shock and gutted about the loss of a bike he cherished.
Last September marked 10 years since the death of his son Daniel Cochrane. Robert launched the NZ Royal Enfield Riders Club as a tribute to him.
“I had only had the bike in Whanganui a few days,” he said.
He last rode the bike to the hospital for a blood test, met up with his friends after and then rode up Papaiti Rd into the hills.
“Once I was up there, I realised the last time I was on that road was 12 years ago with my late son,” he said.
Robert Cochrane is requesting that his black Royal Enfield 411 Himalayan adventure bike be returned or left for him to collect.
Daniel was 32 when he died in a freak motorcycle accident in Queensland.
“You live with the grief every day, just moving forward one step at a time,” Cochrane said.
He asked whoever took it to leave his bike in a secure spot and there would be no questions asked.
“Hopefully, someone will come forward with info on the bike’s location. It’s not of much use to anyone – it’s the lowest power adventure bike available,” he said.
“I sold the BSA race bike my son raced in Whanganui six months ago, and that was letting go of something, but now I wanted to build something new as a tribute because it is more practical for me.
“Just drop the bike off, let me carry on with my retirement and pay tribute to my son.”
This is the third time in 13 years Cochrane has been burgled, losing his classic trials bike 11 years ago and his house being raided when he was in Wellington burying his son.
Cochrane is organising several Royal Enfield-specific boutique adventure bike events in the Whanganui region in the coming years.
In the 10 months since it was formed, the club has grown to 120 members with active ride groups held in Whanganui, Manawatū, Hawke’s Bay, Auckland, Wairarapa and Wellington, with events planned for Timaru and Dunedin in February.
Cochrane is a key adviser for Kiwi Rider Magazine for the GS Rally coming to Whanganui at the end of October, with 230-250 riders participating over the three-day event.
In November, he is organising a Day of 100 Bikes in Guyton St to commemorate 100 years since Percy Coleman opened his first motorcycle shop.
“I’ve put a lot into event organising emotionally and this theft is twice as draining, you wonder ‘why do I bother?’.”
Cochrane has organised a monthly column in the Kiwi Rider Magazine on how to prevent motorcycle theft and how to improve security.
“Because there are a lot of new people coming into motorcycling, I feel like I need to do something to help others because it is a gut-wrenching experience to have your bike stolen.”
