Better late than never! March EoMR plus MCMCs Swap Meet

March was a busy month as the summer riding season drew to a close. The Manawatuu Classic Motorcycle Club hosted a well-attended swap meet at the Coach House Museum in Feilding, where many deals were made over a sausage or scone. It was great to catch up with some old friends who still have a passion for two-wheeled vehicles, and it was also nice to see some young riders who seemed to have caught the heritage bug as well. Well done to the Classic Club for organising such a successful event.

The end-of-month ride saw a diverse range of bikes arrive at Memorial Park. It was great to see a few more classics, as well as some lovely strokers making their debut. Ross had been working on a customised Yamaha LC/RZ for a while, so it was great to see it out and about. Another keen ‘smoker’ turned up on his LC for the first time, and hopefully we’ll see him again so I can get his name and email address!

Bruce brought along his Suzuki GSXR 1100 for the first time. The colour schemes at that time had a unique style of their own. It’s always fascinating to see some of the non-Japanese bikes Warren occasionally brings along, and this time it was definitely unusual and, according to Warren, uncomfortable. However, it’s arguably one of the most ‘stylish’ modern bikes that has made its way off a designer’s drawing board and into production in the last 25 years. The Ducati MH900e demands attention, especially from its rider, with its 8.5-litre tank capacity and potential chiropractic treatments if ridden for extended periods. Roger had his lovely little 350 Moto Guzzi out for a spin, while Gary rode his Honda CX500, and Kim flew the flag for Honda smokers with his NSR 250.

A diverse group of modern bikes and their riders (and a dog) joined us for a run. Our destination was the Windmill Cafe. We crossed the Pahiatua Track, meeting up in Pahiatua before heading off along the back roads towards Woodville. The only problem was Kim’s NSR, which seemed to be suffering from fuel starvation. We had plenty of petrol, and what Kim discovered later was an incorrect fuel cap. We all eventually arrived at the popular cafe for some sustenance. Parking out the back is especially convenient for us.

All in all, it was another great way to spend a Sunday morning with like-minded people sharing an interest and passion for motorcycles, particularly heritage motorcycles.

Woolshed Cafe May EoMR

What a fantastic day for a motorcycle ride through the countryside! Our May end-of-month ride saw an excellent turnout of riders, with a great number of classics amongst them. A healthy two-thirds of the riders were classics, and an interesting statistic was that half of them were smokers! Warren had us sorted for a destination, and as always, he had an interesting way of getting us there.

We headed out of town and headed towards Feilding via Colyton. Then, we took Makino Rd and Lethbridge St, before turning left at Halcombe. Some riders took the long way and continued on to State Highway One, coming back through Bulls to our final destination at the Woolshed Cafe. The place was busy as usual with some excellent food, drink and company.

It was great to see Barry on his Suzuki GT 550, and one of his sons on his Yamaha RZ 250. Another friend was on his Trumpet triple, and Ray was out on his Triumph Bonneville. Warren had his Suzuki GSXR 1100 out for a spin, as did Max on his immaculate Yamaha FZR 750. Roger was on his little Moto Guzzi 500, and Steven was on his Cagiva Raptor 1000. Ian came over from Whanganui to join us on his Suzuki VStrom 650. Kim and Dion brought their Honda 250 NSRs along for an outing, and Sir Al brought the granddaddy bike for the day, his Kawasaki H2 750 in all its glorious bling. Kenny was on his BMW 1250, and yours truly was on the Suzuki GSR 750.

Let’s hope that next month’s ride has the weather gods’ smile on us again!

April EoMR to Whanganui Swap Meet

It was a beautiful morning for the April End-of-Month Ride (EoMR), and for Rich and me, it started with a 7:30 a.m. departure from Palmerston North as we headed over to Whanganui to set up for the swap meet.

The plan was simple: get there early, get set up, and let the rest of the crew join us later. If anyone found something small and worth grabbing, Rich had space in his ute to bring it back to Palmy.

By the time we arrived, plenty of early birds were already doing the rounds. As the morning progressed, it was great to see items changing hands, deals being made, and arrangements sorted for collecting larger purchases. Rich’s ute definitely left Whanganui a bit heavier (and lower!), and he was happy to have sold a few more items from his stock.

A big thank you to Lloyd and Wayne for organising the event. Judging by the turnout and the buzz on the day, we reckon the motorcycling community would love to see another one in the future.

There was plenty to see and buy, and from what we heard, quite a few bargains were snapped up. Best of all, it was a great chance to catch up with people we hadn’t seen in a while—especially from the Palmerston North area.

Well done, gents—great job all round!

February EoMR to the Santoft loop

February’s End-of-Month Ride saw a great turnout, with a solid mix of two-stroke and four-stroke machines among the classics. Flying the Yamaha RZ flag were Dion and Bruce with their 250 and 350 machines, while Warren M. brought out his XJ 900. Warren T also took his Suzuki Cobra for another spin, and Sir Al represented Kawasaki with his H2. Rounding out the classic lineup was Gary A. on his Honda CX500. Supporting the pack, Rich rode his Strom, Max took his Bandit for a run, and the well-represented Suzuki brand was completed by your truely on the GSR.

We hadn’t tackled the Santoft loop in a while, so Warren led the way on his mighty Cobra. A quick detour into Bulls was necessary for a certain rider on a speed block Yamaha with a knack for misjudging fuel levels—an all-too-familiar scenario! (To be fair, it hasn't happened for a few years)After refuelling, we continued the loop, and at one of our catch-up stops, Max and I swapped bikes. I hadn’t ridden a Suzuki Bandit before, and I can now see why they’re such great touring bikes. Compared to the GSR, it’s got plenty of grunt down low, handles impressively for its size, and that seat—what a beauty! No wonder they’re so popular.

Our café stop at the Bakery in Bulls saw the crew diving into pastries and coffee, accompanied by the usual banter—everything from politics to the finer points of restoring, racing, and riding our classic bikes.

Roll on next month’s EoMR.