Bikes galore at this year’s Speedshow

Media statement

7 June 2010

Bikes galore at this year’s Speedshow

Classic Cotton motorcycles from the 1930s line up alongside some of the latest superbikes seen in New Zealand when the doors to this year’s Speedshow open on Saturday 24 July.

“Motorcycles of all shapes, sizes and vintages again feature strongly at the fourth annual Speedshow automotive extravaganza taking place at Auckland’s ASB Showgrounds over the weekend of 24 and 25 July,” says Speedshow organiser Keith Sharp, who has confirmed Triumph, Aprilia, Victory, Honda, Royal Enfield, Ducati, BMW, Kawasaki and Suzuki will all be exhibiting at Speedshow this year.

Sharp says: “I had the pleasure of seeing the Cotton Motorcycle collection of enthusiast Peter Turner recently and was delighted when he agreed to display this particularly interesting slice of motorcycling history at Speedshow.”

Turner worked for Cotton Motorcycles in the 1960s and owned up to 15 of the once-popular bikes before immigrating to Auckland’s North Shore from England two years ago. One bike featuring at Speedshow is a 1935 Cotton 350cc fitted with a Jap engine which has been owned by Turner and his wife for over 20 years.

“I used to ride this bike regularly before we moved to New Zealand,” says Turner. “We’ll have four of our five Cottons on display and I’m keen to meet other Cotton Motorcycle enthusiasts at the show. When I worked for Cotton’s, I recall a number of bikes being exported to New Zealand where they were popular with South Island farmers.”

Sharp also says Aprilia is bringing their very special RSV4 superbike to Speedshow.

“Voted the best sports bike of 2010 by more than 100,000 motorcycle magazine readers from 12 countries, the Aprilia RSV4 will be one of many top performance bikes at Speedshow.”

MW also showcases their first superbike, the S 1000 RR, at this year’s Speedshow. The S 1000 RR went on sale in New Zealand earlier this year and produces 193 hp, yet has a dry weight of just 183 kg. As well as cutting edge race-based technology, such as optional lightweight race ABS and dynamic traction control, it has an impressive torque figure of 112 Nm at 9750 rpm and the four-stroke in-line four-cylinder-engine produces 142 kW at 13,000 rpm.

“The team at BMW New Zealand tell me that the S 1000 RR has just been voted the best sport motor cycle over 700cc by the readers of PS, a German motorcycling magazine, so we’re certainly looking forward to seeing a super sports bike like this our show in July,” says Sharp.

From the dragbike racing world, Ian Wilkins is showcasing his 685 HP, 6-second ‘After Burner’ bike again this year. Wilkins is working on a new record-breaking turbo methanol bike he’s imported from Canada.

Hamilton rider Alan Thoresen returns with his Kawasaki ZX-14 Black Thunder as part of the Castrol EDGE line-up. He reports: “We ran our third Bonneville speed week achieving a top speed of 198.702 mph, while locally we took second place in the modified bike class of NZDRA drag racing series and third in the competition bike class. We’ll be heading back to the USA in 2011 with the land speed record of just under 215 mph in our sights.”

Sharp says the two-day Speedshow also features an array of top-class products and services, specialist suppliers, performance parts and equipment. “Alongside the numerous fascinating cars and bikes are many products, suppliers and services for two-wheel and four-wheel performance enthusiasts. Most exhibitors offer Speedshow-only specials and these are well worth checking out.”

News and details are updated on the Speedshow website on a regular basis; see www.speedshow.co.nz. Tickets are available from Ticketek or at the gate with an adult day pass priced at $17, children 10 to 15 years $8, and children under 10 free with a paying adult. A family pass, for two adults and up to three children, is $45, perfect for a winter’s day enjoyment among the numerous interactive and kid-friendly displays.

ENDS/

© Scoop Media