Australian & NZ Motorcycles

Today in Motorcycle History

New Zealand Motorcycles

Munro

New Zealand's Burt Munro of Invercargill is legendary, the stuff of which movies are made. So they made two, one of which is The World's Fastest Indian.

"You're kidding! No way! He didn't! Holy cow!" - Burt Munro at Wikipedia


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NZeta

Manufactured by JNZ Manufacturing Ltd at 22 England St, Ponsonby, 1961 to 1963

Assembled using parts imported from CZ along with locally made exhausts and other components. Based on the Czeta 501 and 502 models, some 4000 scooters were built.

Source: nzeta.com


Wood

Cecil Walden Wood of Timaru is believed to have built the first petrol engine in New Zealand, in late 1897.

In 1900 he constructed a three-wheeled motor tricycle with a 2hp engine which drove the right hand rear wheel by belt. The front wheel was steered by tiller.

In November 1901 a regional newspaper stated that C T Jessop and Co of Temuka had made New Zealand's first motor-cycle, and it is known that Wood completed his own motor-cycle in December 1901. This machine had one of Wood's engines, but subsequent machines were powered by Minerva.

Wood was a friend of pioneer aviator Richard Pearse, and supplied him with an engine for his aeroplane.

He also built motor cars. In 1904 finances took a dive and he entered bankruptcy. Subsequently he spent a long and fruitful life in the motor trade and died in 1965 at the age of 91.

Sources: teara.govt.nz, Wikipedia, et al