Percy Coleman in 1929 on his 100cc V-Twin Harley-Davidson.
A motorcycling icon will be celebrated in Whanganui this month, 100 years after he launched his first shop.
Percy Coleman opened Percy Coleman and Co on Guyton St in late November 1925 as a Harley-Davidson dealer.
The business later became the New Zealand distributor for Royal Enfield, AJS, NSU, Suzuki, Norton, Lambretta, BSA, Montesa and Triumph.
As part of Whanganui Vintage Weekend, the NZ Royal Enfield Riders Club has organised a 100-bike display outside Coleman’s first premises.
Club founder Robert Cochrane said Coleman was also a champion racer.
“In his first year with Indian [motorcycles] in 1914, he set Australasian records for the one mile, 10 mile and the 15 mile, and he was only 17 years of age,” Cochrane said.
“Then in 1930, he became NZ’s first official Isle of Man representative.
“It’s an incredible Whanganui story.”
Coleman also held the world record for the one mile, achieved at Takapuna in 1929.
Cochrane said Coleman died in Rhodesia in 1965.
“By that stage, [his son] Rod was the 2IC and doing most of the business work, and [son] Bob was an outstanding grass track, beach and scramble racing champion.
“Both sons had talent. Rod was the guy who set up and ran the South Pacific car plant out at Heads Rd.
“They used to build Suzuki cars right here from 1976.”
Rod and Bob Coleman also competed at the Isle of Man and, in 1954, Rod became the first New Zealander to win an event there, the 350cc TT (Tourist Trophy).
He was inducted into the Motorcycling NZ Hall of Fame in 2004.
Cochrane said the business moved to a purpose-built facility on Heads Rd in 1980, with the Colemans involved in several companies.
“They were the No 1 motorcycle sales company in the country in that era.
“There was another factory on Heads Rd, which made motorcycle and cycle helmets, and that went on to become Pacific Helmets.
“David Bennett [Pacific Helmets founder] had been a key employee at Coleman’s.”
At the end of 1984, the Coleman family sold the Suzuki business to Suzuki Japan, with retail Suzuki motorcycle shops in Auckland, Hamilton and Whanganui sold to staff members.
“In Whanganui, they sold to technical manager Joe Lett,” Cochrane said.
“He started in 1961 as Percy’s apprentice, in the second shop on Guyton St.”
Rod Coleman died in 2019, aged 93.
The Whanganui Vintage Weekend display, on Guyton St between Victoria Ave and St Hill St, is on January 17 from 9am.
It will feature 30 Suzuki bikes from 1966-1984, a 1930 Rudge Ulster 4 Valve 500cc, the Steve Roberts-built Coleman Suzuki Alloy Monocoque, a 1973 Triumph Hurricane X75 750cc triple, a pair of 1925 Indians and many more.
Cochrane said the Colemans secured the Suzuki franchise for New Zealand and the Pacific Islands in 1958.
“The first Suzukis, little 50ccs, arrived in 1960.
“On the other side of the showroom were 650cc AJSs. The comparison was huge.”
Percy Coleman was “one of New Zealand’s great motorcycle pioneers”.
“Pre-1925, most of these bikes were just big pushbikes with a huge V-twin motor in them,” Cochrane said.
“It’s a 100 miles/h disaster on wheels. They were incredibly dangerous and there was no suspension on dirt roads.
“It’s no wonder people were good at racing on the mile because everywhere they went was a major race.”
He said in the early 1930s, the British Government introduced a 33% tariff on American motorcycle imports.
“It stopped imports to the Commonwealth overnight – Harley Davidson and Indian.
“They were 1000cc bikes, fast and very strong.
“Most of the British bikes were only 350cc and 500cc, so they were nowhere nearly as fast in competition.”
Grass track racing had “pretty much petered out” by the mid-1940s, but he was aware of a track in Marton that continued racing into the early 1970s.
“Most people have no idea the sport even existed.”
A remembrance event for Bob Coleman’s son, Greg Coleman, and former Coleman’s employee Neil Forbes will be held at the 2Pie Ngatai cafe from 4-7pm on January 17.
Mike Tweed is a multimedia journalist at the Whanganui Chronicle. Since starting in March 2020, he has dabbled in everything from sport to music. At present his focus is local government, primarily Whanganui District Council.