The National Vintage and Veteran Motorcycle Rally is an event that is still held every 2 years and is organised between the different branches of the New Zealand Veteran and Vintage Car Club of New Zealand. The 3rd event was held over the weekend of 23rd – 25th February 1973 in Christchurch and had an impressive line up of 225 motorcycles entered. With some of the best from all around New Zealand it would have been a grand event to see such a wide and varied collection of very early veteran and vintage machinery being ridden and put through their paces over the weekend. The early history of New Zealand motorcycling was built on these actual motorcycles, so this programme is a historical record of some of the greatest motorcycles from around the world that navigated the dusty roads of New Zealand.
In its infancy the vintage motorcycle movement was supported by motorcyclists and restorers who were reliving their past from when they actually rode and raced these early machines in the 1920s and 30s.
The selection of motorcycles entered ranged from the oldest as a 1902 Phoenix, 1902 P&M, 1905 Vindec Special, 1906 Du Faux, 1909 Hobart, and a 1912 Singer right up to more modern machines like a 1949 Scott Flying Squirrel, and 1951 Sunbeam and Vincent Comet. A bit of something for everyone.
A lot of effort by a keen group of organisers went into this event, which was reflected in the quality and professionalism of the rally programme, and for 1973 there was also great support from modern day businesses keen to advertise in it. How many of them are still trading in this tough economic climate?
One contributor to the programme was Geoff Hockley who under the alias of Beachcomber wrote for the NZ Motorcyclist magazine from the late 1940s to the 1950s. Geoff was a Christchurch racer from the 1910s through to the 1930s who captured his experiences with his articles for the NZ Vintage Car Clubs Beaded Wheels magazine in the 1960s and 70s. His contribution to the rally programme was an article titled Turning Back The Clock, his memories from 1915 and the Christchurch motorcycle dealers of the time. Clearly an important part of Geoffs younger years. There is a wee bit more from the pen of Geoff Hockley titled Potted Histories which was a breakdown on some of the early motorcycles. And perhaps the most amusing would be on Reading Standards company slogan of Built and Tested in the Mountains, with unkind rivals averring it should have been Built In The Mountains and Tested Downhill. Such revamped quirky slogans that do make us laugh are usually lost through time.
A competitors plaque celebrating the event that entrants would treasure. Some adorned the owners motorcycles, others were displayed on walls and in cabinets at home.
Rallies that we all attended at what seemed just yesterday are now 40 to 50 years ago and of course with the true nature of time with this event most of these entrants would have passed on by now, but I do know of at least one that is still with us and still has that love of old motorcycles.
This programme is a great acknowledgement to those who supported the early years of vintage motorcycling in New Zealand and for those who worked tirelessly within the vintage movement in New Zealand so that we can enjoy the delights of our older machinery today. I wonder how many programmes from this event are still in existence? There would have been at least 225 for the amount of entrants competing.
Enjoy.
We don’t have any photographs of this event but if any readers would like to share their family shots we would welcome them. You can reach us through our contacts page. Thanks.
Just click on the cover below to settle down for a bit of great reading.
The program is 45 pages and is a 8.4M PDF.
