Motorbike racing: NZCMRR Autumn Classic sees bikers warm up track for Supercars

The New Zealand Classic Motorcycle Racing Register converged in Taupo last weekend for four rounds of championship racing. Photo / Danielle Zollickhofer

Over 100 classic motorcycles warmed up the track at Taupō International Motorsport Park last weekend.

Supercars will descend on Taupō in just under three weeks, but in the interim, the New Zealand Classic Motorcycle Racing Register (NZCMRR) ensured the track was up to standard.

The NZCMRR converged at the Tony Quinn-owned track for their second annual race meeting, the APS Autumn Classic, which included four rounds of racing for championship points.

The Register was founded 45 years ago to promote the preservation of classic and historic road racing motorbikes. Over the years, they also opened entries to race bikes made up to 1995.

At the Taupō event, over 80 racers competed on more than 110 motorbikes which were categorised in 25 classes and raced in eight groups.

The racers came from all over New Zealand, including from as far as Ōkaihau and Christchurch.

The oldest bike on track was a 1932 350cc Velocette Mk IV KTT, raced by Hamiltonian Neville Mickleson.

The racer who made the furthest trip was Zurrin Wiki.

A former motorcycle mechanic at NV Motorcycles in Morrinsville, Wiki recently moved to Australia, but that didn’t stop him from racing in New Zealand.

Wiki competed in three classes on the weekend: 1-250cc Classic 70s, 251-350 Classic 70s and 351-500cc Classic 70s.

In all classes, he rode motorbikes of De Lacy Motorsport.

“I had a couple of nice runs this weekend. I tried a new bike - it goes pretty fast but we want to make it go even faster.”

When asked why he would make the long trip just for two days of racing, he said: “Why not?... I have a great team [De Lacy Motorsport] that makes fast bikes and I like winning.”

Zurrin Wiki (#24) came all the way from Australia to race at the NZCMRR Autumn Classic in Taupo. Photo / Danielle Zollickhofer

Wiki finished first in the 351-500cc Classic 70s class riding a 1974 Aermacchi Ala d’Oro.

In the 251-350 Classic 70s class, he rode a 1975 BSA Goldstar and came in second, just behind Warren Landon of Tauranga.

Speaking to the Waikato Herald after the event, NZCMRR president Ken McGeady said he was happy with how it went.

“It was one of the smoothest we had, we even finished ahead of schedule.”

The weather also played ball showing its sunny side throughout the two days.

The NZCMRR raced at Taupo International Motorsport Park last weekend. Photo / Danielle Zollickhofer

The Taupō event was the NZCMRR’s second race meeting of the year after the APS Classic Festival in Manfeild.

The register was set to race at Hampton Downs in February, but this was postponed to August 25 due to bad weather.

That event will be the NZCMRR’s next race meeting and will be followed by events in Taupo (September 21-22) and Manfeild (October 26-27).

Trophy winners will be announced at the next Classic Festival (January 31 to February 2, 2025).

Danielle Zollickhofer is a multimedia journalist and assistant news director at the Waikato Herald. She joined NZME in 2021 and is based in Hamilton.

Stay up to date with the Waikato Herald

Get the latest Waikato headlines straight to your inbox Monday to Saturday. Register for free today - click here and choose Local News.