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Velo fellows

February 9, 2016 February 2016, Sports No Comments

Bill leads a fellow ‘Velo Fellow’ through a corner. Photo courtesy  John Cosgrove Photography.

Bill leads a fellow ‘Velo Fellow’ through a corner.
Photo courtesy John Cosgrove Photography.

‘Velo fellows’ is the nickname enthusiasts bestowed on the Velocette classic motor cycle racing team which includes well known local Bill Biber as one of it’s riders. Bill has known Nick Thompson and Phil Price, the men behind the team, for around twenty years.

Nick and Phil met during their University years. They shared a recreational interest in modifying Velocette street bikes for classic racing. From University Phil taught art at Christ College before deciding to combine art with his engineering expertise to branch into creating kinetic art, the Zephyometre by Wellington Airport is an example of his work.

The rewards from the enterprise allowed him to expand his horizon from street Velocettes to purchasing rare 1930s factory prepared racing bikes. The bikes were totally stripped and rebuilt using the better more reliable materials now available for pistons, conrods etc. resulting in producing considerably more power than when new. Three OHC (Overhead cam) bikes were completed and it was decided to attack the classic class at the Burt Munro racing series, the ultimate goal in bike racing.

In the early days, both Nick and Phil tried their hands at racing the original street bikes, but with the acquisition of the Factory Racers they then decided they needed fast, specialist riders. They contacted Bill and asked if he would be interested in riding one of the ’Big Velos’ for them. “I was a bit taken aback, I hadn’t been racing for six or seven years”. However the opportunity was too great to pass up and he along with Cloud Craig-Smith and Chris Swallow became the riders.

They took the bikes to Mansfield to see how they would perform and won all the races. So it was with confidence they packed everything off to Invercargill for the Burt Munro Series.
The series is held over four days; the hill climb on Thursday, Friday is set aside for test riding at the Teretonga circuit with beach racing on the afternoon. The Velocettes and like rare bikes are too valuable to take part in the beach racing. Saturday was the circuit races at Teretonga which, along with Pukekohe, is New Zealand’s premier race track. Sunday was the famous Invercargill street race.

Bill described the conflicting thoughts going on in his head, he certainly wanted to win, but was also aware of the great historic and monetary value of the bike he was on – he definitely didn’t want to crash it.

The racing proved to be a total triumph with the three machines outclassing the others in the field with the three rider inevitably ending out front battling between themselves for position. Bill described the satisfaction of passing riders half his age as he moved up through the field– “I felt like I was sixteen again”.

Meanwhile with the immediate mission, the Burt Munroe, accomplished thoughts are turning to competing at the Holy Grail of motor cycle racing, the Isle Of Man.

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