Motorcycle mechanic Iain Kelly, of Dunedin, with the handbuilt trike he sold on New Year's Eve following successful surgery on a herniated disc in his back.
''I couldn't hold a two-wheeler [motorcycle] up so I bought the trike ... now my back is back to perfect and I can ride my two-wheeler again.''
He bought the ''stable'' trike about two years ago and spent a year stripping it down and rebuilding it.
A trike rebuild was like a getting a tattoo, he said.
''It is never finished.''
The trike had a 1800cc Subaru motor and a five-speed manual gearbox.
The 1sq m tray on the back was made from heart rimu flooring he salvaged from a ''tinny house'' in Mataura.
''The house blew up, for one reason or another, and I was one of the demolition crew who pulled the house down.''
He and his wife, Leanne, were sad to see the trike go.
''We have had a lot of fun on it - it is a cool toy.''
Now they ride a 1200cc Buell Ulysses motorcycle.
''It's a cool toy too.''