Christchurch has a new bike dealership

[T.W.R]

Nope I'm not wrong re Norjos. I purchased a Z440 in 81 from their shop in Colombo St and opened the crate with them on my new Z750 twin in 1983 ($3999) - same location. I remember oh oh oh over the Z1000 (blue silver square tank one - J model I think) in there as well.

The shop was small and to get to the workshop you rode down a very narrow drive (more like a hall!) between the showroom and next store.

Somewhere in one of my draws is the purchase agreement for the 750.

Went from there to Ric road shortly after 83 as most of the 750's servicing was done in Riccarton.

True story.

Beg to differ bud as I was racing MX in 1980 and Baden Leighton was my Mechanic & a close family friend and worked at Norjos along with Craig Willis, John Hughes, Mike ?? (nickname Blood & Guts) and they were there on Riccarton Rd then

Also Paul Easterbrook was out at Fernside (Rangiora) at the same time as we used to get the Marshalling gear & other items from the shop for the meeting that used to be held at the Sefton circuit. The shop was just on the bend in the road heading into Rangiora just further towards rangi from where Bob McCleary is now.
Your right though in one respect there was a wee bike shop in on one of the back streets just off Papanui Rd in the mid 80s

[T.W.R]

When Norjo's were on Riccarton Rd, the driveway to the workshop was tight as it ran along the back wall of the distribution wharehoue on the corner of Riccarton Rd & Wharenui Rd and on the other side of the store was a 2nd car dealership. Brought a lot of gear there over the years including the Leather Jacket I still have now and that was in 1988, used to pas the place & drool at the bikes when I was going to Kirkwood Intermediate too

[AllanB]

Man - now you made me search through my draws!

Alan Norfork co-owned it (Nor part of name). A young Geoff Bond was in parts.

It appears my Z440 was new in 82, purchased from Norjo Motors 834 Colombo Street - I remember they sold 3 at the same time - all red and when I collected mine all three were lined up in a row with just the last digit on the number plates different!

Purchase document for the Z750 (20.9.1983) - 834 Colombo Street. And I tell you you remember opening the crate on your new bike - they were made of wood in those days.

First service for the 750 - 500 kms (30.9.1983) 10 days later ! 834 Colombo Street on receipt.

Next receipt - 15.11.1983 - 239 Riccarton Rd and Ric Rd thereafter.

Of interest:

One hours labour in 1983 was $18

4 litres of oil $14.40

Rear tyre $119

WOF $3.25

Sounds bloody cheap but on a earning per purchase ratio things are cheaper now.

This one hurts - 12 months rego $44.75 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Ah the old days eh.

[AllanB]

When Norjo's were on Riccarton Rd, the driveway to the workshop was tight as it ran along the back wall of the distribution wharehoue on the corner of Riccarton Rd & Wharenui Rd and on the other side of the store was a 2nd car dealership.

Correct the car dealer was the first to start importing used Jap cars in CHCH - had the funny stick out bonnet mirrors back then! Heaps of red 323 Madzas.

Easterbrook was that dealer out the back streets in Papanui - he moved to Rangioroa. :-)

I suspect I may be a couple of years older than you??? Born in 1965 (shut-up you young ones).

[T.W.R]

You're starting to annoy me now

Look go do yourself a favour and get your dates right
go and have a talk to Allan tomorrow he's bound to be at work (the hazardous chemicals store behind Norjo's current site).
Or if you want I could get John Hughes to verify the dates I'm stating the next time he calls into work; he the travelling salesman for ELF oils at the moment and was the TS for Darbi accessories.
Or I could call into Baden's place over the weekend and get him to verify dates.

on a side note too the square tank silver blue Z1000 your talking about is a Z1R circa 1978-79 next model was the Z1R MKII 1981 which was black & had the larger capacity tank

[TygerTung]

Maybe the reason Hamptons is not doing too well is that it is not very obvious that it is a motorcycle shop?

[Paulus]

We also had a shop in Columbo St first.
He had to skip the country to go to Oz as he owned money.
I knew a guy that was looking after his racing car.
Boy he was into every thing, drag bikes and cars and boats.

Was he in Southside Kawasaki with Nigel Woods (now at Superior)? Wasn't there a Lotus Esprit Turbo involved there somewhere?

[Paulus]

no.. I remember them on Colombo in the shop thats now a push bike shop.

remember youi are olde than me LeMans... by a long shot hahahahahahah....

Not anymore. Laurie Dawe Cycles has just closed its doors for good. Didn't they shut Jacks to take the son off 250 racing overseas? He was pretty quick on the local scene I seem to remember.

[AllanB]

You're starting to annoy me now

Look go do yourself a favour and get your dates right
go and have a talk to Allan tomorrow he's bound to be at work (the hazardous chemicals store behind Norjo's current site).
Or if you want I could get John Hughes to verify the dates I'm stating the next time he calls into work; he the travelling salesman for ELF oils at the moment and was the TS for Darbi accessories.
Or I could call into Baden's place over the weekend and get him to verify dates.

on a side note too the square tank silver blue Z1000 your talking about is a Z1R circa 1978-79 next model was the Z1R MKII 1981 which was black & had the larger capacity tank

Nah not that one the J model - 81 -84 I think see pic (wrong colour in pic). The Z1000 spectre also was in stock in Colombo St around the time I got the 750.

And I'll spot you a tenner on Norjos being in Colombo Street in 82 & 83 - PM me your postal and I'll send a copy of the receipts. Alan will verify it too.

Good discussion - all we need is the bar and a few beers

[T.W.R]

Nah not that one the J model - 81 -84 I think see pic (wrong colour in pic). The Z1000 spectre also was in stock in Colombo St around the time I got the 750.

And I'll spot you a tenner on Norjos being in Colombo Street in 82 & 83 - PM me your postal and I'll send a copy of the receipts. Alan will verify it too.

Good discussion - all we need is the bar and a few beers

Yeah thats a J model Z1100 Spectre never came to NZ new in was a US only model only a handful of Z750 Spectres made it here.

Make it a $100 bud coz I must be delusional seeing I actually lived in Riccarton until I was 17 and went past Norjo's & was actually in the place fark knows how many times between 1979 & 1990.

Actually
Just scan the receipts off & post them up

[JMemonic]

I do remember the shop in Colobo street mentioned and one in Riccarton, didn't they have two shops at the same time ?

[cynna]

[QUOTE=T.W.R;1516544]Pacific Motorcycles
QUOTE]


got my first bike for Pacific when they were in new brighton - a 1981 xl125s for $600. they then moved near linwood ave then to manchester street where i got my third bike from

[laRIKin]

Was he in Southside Kawasaki with Nigel Woods (now at Superior)? Wasn't there a Lotus Esprit Turbo involved there somewhere?

Yes it was called Southside Kawasaki.
Not sure if Nigle worked for him if he did it was for a short time when he was in Moorehuose Ave before he started his first shop, a bike wreckers in Bath St.
I think he bought it off John (knees) Boot and had his mechanic working for him, (Something) Monk

Not anymore. Laurie Dawe Cycles has just closed its doors for good. Didn't they shut Jacks to take the son off 250 racing overseas? He was pretty quick on the local scene I seem to remember.

I think the main reason he got the shop it so his son could race and to become a mechanic.

The bike market dried up his son stopped racing and working as a mechanic (in NZ anyway) and he had a few run in's with the motor cycle company's in NZ and just moved on.
He had more money than a Bull could shit so did not care.

The son Brent Jones was very quick and race in Malaysia a lot and did very well.

[laRIKin]

Norjo Motors - down Colombo Street around from Kilmore - got two bikes from there (that was 25 yrs ago!). Spags Pizza was on the Kilmore Colombo corner.

I think you could be right, I do remember a shop there now I think a bout it, for a short time.
But I was earlier talking about a different shop on a different street.
And they both had a ramp.

They use to be down Blenheim Rd near the stock yards and (now) old bridge as well and then I think they went their and then to Colombo St.
Then Riccarton Rd back to Blenheim Rd to a new building, now a hire place.
Then to where they are now.

Maybe the reason Hamptons is not doing too well is that it is not very obvious that it is a motorcycle shop?

No, you have never dealt with the old man.

And what you said did not help

[200BUSA]

Wrong as I use to go there and bought a bike or two off them.
And they were in Oxford Tce and Ian (Jungle) Mc Gregor use to run the shop and the owners son was Brent ?? was a mechanic and a good racer also A.J and Allan Mandson a good speed way rider worked there as well.

I bought bikes from there as well and i had my bike in the workshop oneday and Roger Freeth was using the workshop preping his bike for racing and he spared some time to give me a few tips on getting a bit more out of my bike.
Jacks then moved to Colombo St in a shop that sat back from the road.
Tommys Suzuki as it was first -started at 85 Moorehouse Ave,again buying a new TS250, then TS400.
Bought a few bikes from Paul Walton who owned Pacific Motorcycles in New Brighton.He didnt get into importing Jap bikes until he moved to Linwood.
Easterbrooks were in Papanui by the railway station. And how long has Trev Pierce been going now?