In celebration of the 30th anniversary of BMW GS motorcycle and to raise money for the Westpac Helicopter Trust, riders from the BMW Owners Register of New Zealand and visiting BMW aficionados from overseas will be riding the length of New Zealand in November taking in as many opportunities as possible to get "off the beaten track".
The BMW GS series of dual purpose, off-road/on-road motorcycles have been produced from 1980, when the R80G/S was launched, to the present day.
"This is just a great example of how many of our members seek to combine their motorcycling adventures with practical ways to benefit our community," said
Rob Hargreaves, National President of the BMW Owners Register of New Zealand.
This epic off-road adventure starts at Cape Reinga at the top of the North Island on Sunday 14 November and ends in Invercargill at the bottom of the South Island where riders will join the festivities at the Burt Munroe Challenge from 24 - 28 November. The Burt Munroe Challenge is an event that honours Burt, his ingenuity, determination, and love of speed and motorcycles.
Ride organiser and member of the BMWOR Canterbury branch
Justin Ryan said, "A few of us were kicking around ideas for this ride earlier this year and thought if we're going to spend two weeks riding the length of the country then we should use that opportunity to raise money for charity. We decided it would be the Westpac Helicopter Trust. The trust provides a service that, unfortunately, motorcyclists have drawn on over the years".
The Auckland based Westpac Rescue Helicopter is the only rescue helicopter service in New Zealand that operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Over the past 40 years of operation, the service has performed more than 12,000 rescues and is internationally recognised for its pioneering work in saving lives. The funds raised from this event will be used for the ongoing operational costs of the Westpac Rescue Helicopter. The running costs for most helicopter rescues are between $3,000 and $7,000 per hour.
So far, over 75 GS riders have registered their interest, with a core group of 10 undertaking the whole ride and others joining and leaving at different points.
To find out more, please visit
https://bmworcantab.wordpress.com/category/gs-anniversary-ride/.
