Christchurch motorcycle shop nostalgia

[nudemetalz]

So was I - but mine was homebuilt TR3. If your dad was still around i'd be asking where the TR3 pistons are i ordered.....

I think these are them,...sorry they're a little late,..and he ran them in for you.....

[dangerous]

ok... seen as we now have our own thread, heres one for ya... a couple a doors down from Jacks yamaha, Stu White what was the shop called and were was he pror to that?

I know

[cynna]

got my first bike from pacific motorcylces in new brighton. they moved opposite linwoood city and then from memory next to eric woods suzuki

[Kickaha]

ok... seen as we now have our own thread, heres one for ya... a couple a doors down from Jacks yamaha, Stu White what was the shop called and were was he pror to that?

I know

You mean after Jacks moved to Colombo street?

Wasn't that Classic lines before they moved to Sawyers Arms road?

[HenryDorsetCase]

got my first bike from pacific motorcylces in new brighton. they moved opposite linwoood city and then from memory next to eric woods suzuki

was that Tony Holtham? It ultimately became Street and Sport in Manchester street?

[Grumph]

I remember reading in a history book on ChCh there was a shop called Bells Motorworks in Litchfield St that sold Harleys.

Correct - my old man worked there pre war. They were also AJS agents and the old man won the NZ beach race title 3 years running on an ex works Big Port 350 they owned. The building existed pre quakes and still with the Bells up on the pediment. Gone now I think.

You mean after Jacks moved to Colombo street?

Wasn't that Classic lines before they moved to Sawyers Arms road?

Yeah, Classic Lines - no idea where Stu came from, he just appeared in Colombo St.....i know where he is now though....

[HenryDorsetCase]

Yeah, Classic Lines - no idea where Stu came from, he just appeared in Colombo St.....i know where he is now though....

Does he still Whitech or whatever it was called? I bought some clipons from him for my VFR a couple years ago

[Grumph]

was that Tony Holtham? It ultimately became Street and Sport in Manchester street?

Don't think so. Paul wound Pacific up volountarily and moved to aussie. Back again I hear. As is John Shand who "worked" there.....

[Grumph]

Does he still Whitech or whatever it was called? I bought some clipons from him for my VFR a couple years ago

In another line of business now but probably would still make the odd bit. Last time i spoke to him he was looking for a TZ to restore.

[gsxr]

On that subject, is that John Boote still selling cars on his front lawn in Brougham St or, is it some-one else now ?

John Boote was a legend too, been a while since I've talked to him .....

His workshop manager Terry Reed ? rebuilt my YZ360B when I was racing it, did a great job

Been a while since I talked to him as well.
As for selling cars there I dont think so . I drive past there twice a day and it appears either John or someone else is setting up a museum on the front lawn .

[gravediggerNZ]

Whiting & Waltho or Adams were the Triumph agents, Bond & Hockley were the BSA agents with workshop upstairs and hoist in the showroom. Sonny Clark & Tommy McCleary were best of mates, the old man beat him a few times at the beach racing at New Brighton.
Bob Burns son (david I think was head of sales) was head of sales at Doug Cs.
ChCh MC was Lindsey Williamson & Joe Hannah they'd bring containers of bikes out from the US & load them to the max with bits to make worthwhile thats a bit of where the parts side came from. Think 1 of the salesmen from Casbolts brought the Hesketh & still has it. The Harley racer( Blackadder) was a mckintosh framed replica of the Sputhe Engineering XLCR racer ridden by Vance Breese in the AFM series in the late 70/early 80s in US.

im sure elton john wanted to by that hesketh,British Spares was down tuam st a bit, and a harley mechanic out back, long john

[jellywrestler]

ChCh MC was Lindsey Williamson & Joe Hannah they'd bring containers of bikes out from the US & load them to the max with bits to make worthwhile thats a bit of where the parts side came from. Think 1 of the salesmen from Casbolts brought the Hesketh & still has it.

the Hesketh was brought new Engaland and a guy did a bit of a world trip on it then shipped it back to NZ, it then went to the queenstown museum for a year or two then was sold to someone else. I recall seeing it in the ceiling of CHCH motorcycles. in about 85 on my way to my first brass monkey, the massive underside of the engine left me wondering what all the fuss was about.
ChCh M/c's had an auction some time later and greg atkinson brought it, he went to the auction with no plans to but did. i dont think he ever got it home, it was stored maybe in Williamsons shed when there was fire. some time later i was curious to find any in nz and greg got hold of me, a wee while later he offered to me. i brought it and fuck knows why as it was the only one around and fire damaged melted a lot and way before the interweb etc so well hard to try and rebuild. took me five years from start to finish but i restored it and still have it tucked in the shed.
It was red when i got it and the second to last of the production line so most upgrades the early bikes needed were done, i decided to repaint it british racing green as i'd been to the factory just up the road from silverstone racetrack and brought a mudguard in that colour and like it.
Craig from Casbolts got another bike.
pics of bike after resto, at the auckland war memorial museum when they had the 100th year of the motorcyle expo

[Grumph]

This is why it's often hard to track a bike's history in NZ - changing the bloody colour makes everyone think it's a different bike....

At least you've answered that question Spyda.

[jellywrestler]

This is why it's often hard to track a bike's history in NZ - changing the bloody colour makes everyone think it's a different bike....

At least you've answered that question Spyda.

yeah, craig roberts bike is black, the chch mc one was red and mine is green