Rare motorcycle stolen in Taranaki

A rare motorcycle stolen from Inglewood, Taranaki, will be hard for thieves to shift as there were only two in the country, police said.

The $60,000 Aprilia was taken while it was at a specialist mechanic's garage early Tuesday morning, the Taranaki Daily News reported.

Constable Darren Hayes said any prospective buyers would likely recognise the bike, which was one of only 150 ever made.

He said the mechanic was spreading the word amongst bikers to keep an eye out.

The bike's Martinborough-based owner said each example was allocated a factory number - his being 28.

He had owned the bike since new, having brought it over from Britain following its release in 2000.

"It's left a large hole in the garage. It's very annoying to know it's something you use and enjoy and to someone else it might mean very little. It could be used for parts of dumped. It's depressing to known that's what its fate might be."

- NZPA