Classic Motorcycle racing from Pukekohe, NZ in February 2006...a pictorial view from DQ's camera.....

I guess I mentioned in previous blogs that I and two others Aussies...Elmer McCabe ( AJS 7R) and Eric Debenham ( 1000 Vincent special) were invited to participate in the first of the Classic Motorcycle events held at the Pukekohe circuit south of Auckland in February 1980 and the meeting has continued yearly since then, gaining strength and due to the diligence of the various committees that have run the event over the years, become THE event to ride or spectate at worldwide....
I've been a pretty regular visitor and did a post of this years event...
http://velobanjogent.blogspot.com/2010/02/brief-peek-though-dqs-camera-at-classic.html

But for this blog, lets pop back to 2006......
Left click on the images to enlarge them....

One of the special guest motorcycles at the meeting was the ex Mike Hailwood Honda 500/4 racer. Owned now by Californian Virgil Ewings, it was sent to NZ earlier to have a major gearbox repair effected by Norton supremo Ken McIntosh. Cost no doubt a squillion to fix, but the job was done right and the bike performed.....much to the delight of  the large crowd in attendance over the weekend meeting.
Virgil has a super motorcycle museum, the Solvang Vintage Motorcycle Museum in Solvang, California, filled with many of his personal motorcycle collection...
See...
http://www.motosolvang.com/

I mentioned Ken McIntosh...here he is on one of the Norton's he prepares, could be his , else for one of his many customers, worldwide, who utilise the meeting to ride them.

Californian Velo and Norton man Paul Adams, a frequent visitor to Pukekohe with wife Sandy, readies to take his 350 Manx Norton for a practice session.

The Triumph Owners had a tent with a brace of racing Triumphs...from memory and the colour of the racing number they were all 350's...likely 3TA or some derivative...looks like a serious attempt to dominate the 350 class....h'mm..

The late Harry Lowe ( on right with hat), NZer who raced BSA in Europe in the 1950's....

Rider from Japan... regretably I didn't get his name. He rode a Norton but brought a BMW Rennsport out for the 2010 Pukekohe event.

Of course there was Velocette activity there so lets look at some of it...
John Bryant with the NZ Velocette Register display...

Now sadly missed...the late Chas.Belk- Velocette afficionardo and fountain of knowledge Velocette...

Support bracket for the Velocette gearbox mainshaft....

Fork brace on racing Venom....

Twin plug Velo cylinder head.

Racing MOV...with alloy MAC cylinder head.

Mk.8 KTT prepared by Nick Thomson and ridden by Bill Biber.

NZ Velocette Register display...looks like Aussie journalist and "Old Bike Australasia" publisher, Jim Scaysbrook with the fluoro vest on....