An Introduction to Pre 1945 Motorcycling.
Time has marched on for motorcycling. Electric start, disc brakes, 6 speed gearboxes are just some of the advancements that have made motorcycling more enjoyable over the last 40 years. But what of the pioneering machines that made us what we are today. The rigid framed, girder forked, side valve machines that generously populated our and other countries in the first 30 years of last century. These machines and their riders opened up the frontiers of travel, and their successes encouraged even more motorcyclists to take to the road. The riders may have passed on leaving only family photographs of their exploits, however many of their machines still exist and are ready waiting for new riders.
www.barnstormers.co.nz is hopeful of rekindling interest of these early motorcycles, mainly the pre 1945 girder fork machines that seem to hide away in garages deteriorating through lack of use.
We are not a club however through the pages of this website we hope to offer assistance, information, and runs that will result in better appreciation of these bikes.
Involvement could include –
Organising of vintage riding training days – learn to ride a handchange motorcycle.
Being available for 1 on 1 training.
Organising a few rides that you may want to attend.
Attending events, rallies, swapmeets that you may enjoy reading about.
Scripting of articles of pioneering Barnstormers of NZ motorcycling.
Sharing with you amusing stories of ‘daring do’!
And generally to try to encourage the better use of girder fork motorcycles.
Anything else will do nothing more than take you away from riding your motorcycle.
- The Pioneering Spirit Kaikoura Approx 1923
Even though www.barnstormers.co.nz supports Pre 1945 motorcycles generally, there are officially recognised categories for all historical vehicles in New Zealand. For the purposes of our Pre 1945 machines and what categories they encompass these recognised periods are –
Veteran ¦Pre 1919
Vintage ¦1919 to 31st Dec 1931
Post Vintage ¦1932 to 31st Dec 1945
These have been set by the official historical vehicle authority of New Zealand, The Veteran and Vintage Car Club of New Zealand. (www.vcc.org.nz).