A ''grand old girl'' of a Harley-Davidson was among 170 vintage motorcycles at the Warbirds and Wheels museum at Wanaka Airport yesterday.
The impressive turnout of two-wheelers was a breakfast stop for riders taking part in the Vintage Car Club of New Zealand's annual national motorcycle rally, which is being hosted for the first time this year by the Central Otago Vintage Car Club, based in Cromwell.
The week-long event has attracted about 230 people, including Masterton couple Howard and Marion Sims, regular rally attendees who trailered their treasured 1927 7/9 Harley-Davidson with sidecar south to Central Otago.
''It's the most original one in the southern hemisphere ... She's a grand old girl,'' Mr Sims said of his bike, which has transported the couple more than 170,000km in the 33 years they have had it, including across the United States for the 2003 Harley-Davidson 100th anniversary tour.
One American motorbike enthusiast offered the Sims $200,000 for the bike, but ''we didn't take it over there to sell, we took it there to enjoy 100 years of Harley and it just stole the show''.
Rally director John Martin, of Cromwell, said the event took five years of planning and had so far delivered ''good food, good rally routes and good weather''.
Timed races, field tests, a track lap at Highlands Motorsport Park, a public display in Cromwell, prizegiving evening and ''silly, madcap'' teams events had featured in the rally itinerary.
Most riders had brought their bikes from the 1950s and '60s.
However, there were plenty of older models on display too, including Bevars Binnie's ''95% original'' 1918 Royal Enfield, which he built from parts collected over 20 years.
The same model was used in World War 1 with sidecar-mounted machineguns.
''But this one was built very late in 1918, so probably didn't see service,'' Mr Binnie, of Christchurch, said.
The oldest bike on the rally was a 1911 Abingdon King Dick, which has now returned home, while the oldest riders are a trio of 85-year-olds.
The group includes motorbike lovers from Australia, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom and a big contingent from the North Island.
Mr Martin said some of the riders were women, but most wives preferred travelling in the supporters' van and visiting cafes and shops along the rally route.
''The guys are biking, the ladies are shopping. Everyone's sweet.''
After yesterday's breakfast, rally participants were heading to Wanaka and Glendhu Bay then back to Cromwell via the Crown Range.
They would visit Alexandra, Roxburgh, Lawrence, Gore and Ranfurly today and tomorrow before parting ways on Friday morning.
