Biker's fatal crash 'repeat' - police

Police are disappointed the motorcycle crash appeared to have been "almost an exact repeat" of another.

Police say a motorcycle crash which killed a Napier man at the weekend was "almost an exact repeat" of a fatal crash last month.

The deceased rider was yesterday named as Christopher John Mills, 58, of Napier.

Hawke's Bay road policing Senior Sergeant Greg Brown said Mr Mills died of his injuries on Sunday, following the crash on State Highway 2 at Morere, north of Nuhaka, last Friday.

He lost control of his Ducati motorcycle at a left-hand bend after a passing manoeuvre.

"It appears the rider has exited the corner too fast and too wide, and upon seeing another vehicle travelling in the opposite direction, has braked heavily in an effort to avoid a collision with the oncoming car," Mr Brown said.

"The rider lost control of the motorcycle, slid across the road and collided with a road sign and culvert, sustaining serious injuries."

He was flown to Gisborne Hospital by the ECT rescue helicopter and transferred to Waikato Hospital for intensive care on Friday night.

After the crash, SH2 was closed for more than an hour with no alternative routes available and traffic backed up for about 5km on either side of the crash scene.

The Serious Crash Unit was investigating, with police seeking witnesses who may have seen Mr Mills on his black Ducati motorbike before the crash.

Mr Brown said police were disappointed the crash appeared to have been "almost an exact repeat" of another motorcycle crash on SH50 last month, which saw Peter Randall Papa, 30, of Pahiatua, killed on impact when he lost control of his motorcycle and collided with an oncoming van.

"Both crashes were entirely preventable, and whilst we acknowledge that many bike riders seem to enjoy riding on our windy roads, they still need to drive to the conditions and watch their speed," he said.

In a separate incident, police were also "horrified" when they clocked a man riding a motorcycle at 218km/h on SH5, on Sunday morning.

"This is just plain stupid, and in light of the crashes we have had recently, we would expect more from the self-employed man in his 50s."

Mr Mills' death brings the region's road toll for this year to three.

Five of the 20 deaths on Hawke's Bay roads last year were motorcyclists.