Australian & NZ Motorcycles

New Zealand Motorcycles

Farmbyke

Johnny Callender and Jack Sleep of Waitara designed and built a motorcycle named the Mountain Goat in 1963. The firm went on to build trailers and sidecars along with a new motorcycle, the Farmbyke. Powered by Kawasaki and Suzuki engines of 80 to 120cc, these proved very popular in the 1970s.

Sources: collection.pukeariki.com, stuff.co.nz, et al


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FTN-Motion

"The first Streetdog was built in a garage by Kiwi founders Luke and Kendall. Today, a team of engineers and technicians craft them in our Hamilton workshop."

The first machines were sold in 2020.
Website: ftnmotion.com
FB: fb.com/ftnmotion


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.

Herbert James "Burt" Munro was born in Edendale, New Zealand, on March 25, 1899. At the age of 21 he bought an Indian Scout, and began modifying it in 1926. In 1967, at the age of 68, he took his now much modified machine to Bonneville Salt Flats and achieved a world record.

In total Munro took 14 trips to Bonneville and achieved 3 world records, one of which still stands.

"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


Stella

Stella Cycle Works, C. T. Jessep and Co., of Temuka, (near Timaru), was established in July 1899 by Charles Jessep and Raymond Every. In October 1901 they produced New Zealand's first motorcycle, powered by a 1¼ h.p. Minerva engine which had been imported by A.G. Healing.

    "On July 10,1901 A.G. Healing & Co. of Christchurch, reported that they had ordered a motor cycle to the order of a client..."
    "The first arrival of a class of bicycle which in a few years promises to become as common as the modern safety , made its debut in public on Monday week at the Canterbury Athletic and Cycling Club's evening carnival at Lancaster Park. The motor is a 'Minerva', constructed after the De Dion pattern, and was imported by A.G. Healing and Co. to the order of Messrs Jessop and Every, of the Stella Cycle Works, Temuka."
    ~ The Wheelman

See also Wood, below.

Article on the Stella and Wood. Well worthwhile. bsaoc.co.nz

Sources: en.wikipedia.org, Beaded Wheels.


Wood-1903-Tricycle-Wpa.jpg
Wood Tricycle, 1903

Howard and Ruby Tripp of Orari Gorge Station, just north of Geraldine, with Wood's motor tricycle, 1903

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