Friends and family shocked at death of careful rider

Locals say Toka 'Junior' Piho, with his wife Lorna, would drop everything to help others. Photo / Supplied

Toka "Junior" Piho was a gentle giant and the first man to offer to help, say friends.

Yesterday, the 42-year-old grandfather was killed as he rode his prized Victory motorcycle to work.

Mr Piho was heading along Kitchener Rd in Waiuku, south of Auckland, about 7am when he and a light truck collided at the intersection with Cornwall Rd.

He was critically injured and died at the scene. Police have spoken to witnesses, but are urging others to come forward.

"We're still looking to ascertain what happened," said Constable Steve Carey, of the Manukau serious crash unit.

"He [the truck driver] certainly pulled out at give way lines but the rest of it we're working on. It's way too early to tell if charges will be laid."

Yesterday, shocked friends and family were on their way to Waiuku, with some coming from Australia and the Cook Islands, where Mr Piho's mother comes from.

His half-brother Bill Piho, co-owner of Pacific Biofert, said some people broke down in tears as they put up a marquee.

"Because that was [the kind of thing] Junior did. He was the first on the doorstep to help out," he said. "He was the first guy that any one of us would ring. It wouldn't matter what time of the day it was, he'd drop anything and be there."

Yesterday, Junior Piho's grandson Ahi Pene, 3, was looking through photographs of his "papa".

"The last conversation he had, he spoke to him and said he was 'Papa's wee boy'," Bill Piho said. "Two of his first words were 'papa' and 'bike'."

Bill Piho said everyone was shaking their head at how such a careful rider had come to grief.

David Flett, president of the Pure Freedom Victory Riders, agreed.

"He loved to be tail-end Charlie," he said. "He was sort of the shepherd of the slower riders."

Mr Piho was a charter member and "probably the heart" of the club, he said.

Staff at the Wolf and Beaver bar and restaurant in Waiuku, where he worked part-time as a bouncer, were devastated.

General manager David Oliver said he had a great way with people.

He said locals respected the gentle giant who didn't drink and insisted on putting people in courtesy vans if they had had too much.

Mr Piho is survived by his wife, Lorna, and three children.