Paraparaumu College duo restore vintage motorbike

REVAMP: Paraparaumu College students Henry Robertson, left, and Logan Ralph with a vintage motorbike they've restored.

Two Paraparaumu College students have restored a beat-up vintage motorbike in partnership with the country's premier vehicle museum.

Henry Robertson, 15, and Logan Ralph, 14, have been hard at work restoring a James Cadet 125cc 1954 motorbike.

Ra Higgott, a careers/work experience coordinator at the college, was approached by college staff to see if he had a project for the two mechanically minded boys.

They started by creating some miniature kitset cars and motor engines before Mr Higgott approached Southward Car Museum and asked if they would consider a project for the boys.

The museum was enthusiastic and offered the boys a dilapidated James Cadet 125cc 1954 motorbike as an educational restoration project.

RELIC: A James Cadet 125cc motorbike before being restored by two Paraparaumu College students.

Since April the boys have stripped the bike down, sandblasted parts, removed paintwork, created new parts such as a new exhaust pipe and stand, rechromed the handlebars and headlights, ordered a new seat, and lots more.

Helping oversee the project, which took place at the museum, was museum restoration manager John Bellamore.

The result has been spectacular - the bike looks stunning and sounds great when sparked into life.

The boys were rapt with the project and are keen to do more.

"They've done a very good job," Mr Higgott said.

"They've been keen, enthusiastic and always ready to go.

"They worked well with the staff at the museum, and the museum has said they would like to continue the partnership with the college for ongoing restoration projects.

"A big thanks for the management and shop staff at the museum."