ROAD NEWS
GERMAN RIDER ' S PILGRIMAGE TO ENFIELD
Roland Pudor from Germany took an early retirement package in the German Auto Industry at 60 years of age and is in New Zealand enjoying‘ An old man’ s Dream’. Roland has a few motorcycles back home in Europe, BMW & Ural, but for his three month retirement holiday in New Zealand he purchased a new Royal Enfield 411 Scram with fixed panniers included in the package. Roland says he is excited about everything in New Zealand, our beaches, roads with no cars, native bush, windy roads, mountains, the sheep, and the geat people. The trip to Enfield Village was a special part of his three-month journey. On Feb 19, Roland boarded a ferry to Picton heading to Christchurch for a Royal Enfield gathering at the Mike Pero Gallery on Saturday, Feb 21, before riding through to Timaru for the night. Canterbury Royal Enfield owners were invited to join up at the Mike Pero Gallery to catch a coffee on the ride through to Methven and Ashburton. Roland was then part of the ride which left from East Coast Powersports in Timaru, with other riders joining from Wanaka Powersports and McIver & Veitch in Dunedin, all heading to Enfield.
The Enfield ride event was started by local hospitality businessman, Craig Sturgess, who runs The Old School Enfield, a luxury bed and breakfast. As a rider, he believed there was an opportunity to create a special event based at the Enfield Village, and to take-in the splendour of the Waitaki Whitestone Geopark. " I approached Robert Cochrane of the NZ Royal Enfield Riders Club for help to get the event off the ground. In future years, we see the Royal Enfield brand as one small but important part of the event as we engage with different rider groups and expand the event. I believe this Unesco Geopark has so much to offer ", says Craig. The aim of this first‘ Royal Enfield Tribute Day’ event was to meet at the Memorial Gates to pay respects to those fallen, have lunch at Fort Enfield and then a static display of Royal Enfield machines at the Old School with judging and prize-giving.
Words: Robert Cochrane. Photo: Roland Pudor( Germany) and Ole-Jorgen Dahl( Norway) on Royal Enfield 411s at Guyton Street, Wanganui on the way to the Moto 71 Museum at Paloma Gardens.
KIWI RIDER 75