Turbo

Here's a sketch from a Classic Motorcycle Show. Although there were some very old and rare bikes here, I chose some from the early 80's. These three bikes all have 'Turbo' decals at least once on the outside. Of course, this is short for the Turbocharged engines that they had. This term is a bit spoiled to me and seems slightly kitsch now. Back in the 80's, there were so many things that were said to be 'Turbo'. Bicycles, Gobots, washing machines and pretty much any other home appliance at the time.
I also liked how one of the bikes had Turbo written in reverse on the front... as if someone has good enough eyesight to look in their rear-view mirror and can read that while driving.

Classic Motor Heads

3000 enthusiasts, only some in leathers filed through the New Plymouth Classic Motor Cycle Club's show peering up and down at the 90 bikes - BMWs, BSAs, Triumphs, Ducatis, Matchless', Maicas...  An architect friend was manning tickets at the door - and told me to my surprise he had a Velocette and a monster BMW on show.  

The Velocette LE (Little Engine) was most unique with its boxy look - 150cc water cooled.  It was in production from 1948-1970.  Their breakthrough came when the British Police ordered more than half their production for patrols. The Met Police normally had to salute Inspectors and above but this meant taking their hand off the handlebars, so it was agreed they could nod instead.  This lead to their nickname 'Noddies' and the bike became the 'Noddy Bike'

It was a lot of fun watching the enthusiasts and sketching midst the distinctive smell of sump oil. This 1932 Royal Enfield 500 Bullet certainly had a classic look.

Record Breaking Cafe Display

I visited an interesting motorbike workshop/cafe yesterday. Carbon Garage in Newmarket is full of interesting motorbikes and serves a nice lunch too. This an EMC Puch 'twingle' (2 pistons fitted inside one chamber) that broke the NZ speed record at the Cemetery circuit in the 50's.

Grafton Gully Cycleway

This weekend a new cycle path opened in Auckland. It completes the existing north western motorway cycle lane, helping cycle commuters to avoid K-Road, Symonds Street or Queen Street completely - a real bonus (unless you enjoy cycling amongst 4 slow moving congested lanes consisting mainly of buses).

The cycle lane is entered from the motorway overbridge on Upper Queen Street. From there it's a very smooth and fast run downhill (sadly not so fast uphill) beside the motorway offramp, under Grafton Bridge and Wellesley Street, eventually depositing you on to Beach Road where a cycle lane has been added beside the citybound traffic lane.

While I was drawing, a bloke stopped by and pointed out where he recalled all the houses were before they were cleared for the motorway. A friend mentioned his grandmother used to pick fruit in an orchard in this gully too. Back in those days the Symonds Street cemetery extended down into the gully as well. It must have been quite a different place!