Vintage motorbikes cruise Whanganui backroads for 36th Castrol Autumn Motorcycle Trial

Riders of vintage motorcycles enjoyed a trip on unfamiliar rural roads during a weekend based in Whanganui.

It was the 36th annual Castrol Autumn Motorcycle Trial, organiser Bill James said. There were 37 entries, with the oldest rider in his 80s and the youngest just 28.

Some had come from as far away as Wellington.

The bikes left the Wanganui Vintage Car Club rooms in Patapu St one by one, starting at 9:30 on April 21. Each had a set speed to travel at.

Their 170km route took them on Brunswick, Rangitatau East and Brewer Rds, and they finished up at Whenuakura School for a barbecue lunch. Then they had a chance to ride the former Whenuakura racing circuit, a sealed distance of 16km.

They headed northeast to return to Whanganui on a different route.

"They really enjoyed that - the different roads and different scenery," James said.

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The vintage bikes make a different sound to modern machines and brought farming families out to watch as they passed.

There were only two breakdowns during the day, for minor mechanical matters. Those bikes were picked up by a trailer.

The winner of the trial was Pat Steer, whose ride was closest to the set time. His 1955 Velocette MSS 500 was also "the best looking single-cylinder engine motorbike there".

On Sunday the group visited an engineering shop, had lunch together and saw an electric Mazda car.

The whole weekend "went like a dream", James said.