Thousands of motorcyclists have descended on Invercargill for the Burt Munro Challenge which kicked off today.
The weekend has had a slower start than in previous years due to widespread flooding and road closures throughout Southland.
‘‘Just as we are excited about the Burt, which we love [getting under way], we know down the road people are dealing with flooding,’’ Southland Motorcycle Club president Andy Underhay said.
People attending the challenge usually arrived on Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning, but many were delayed due to the adverse weather conditions, he said.
The rally site had been opened early and once they arrived, riders would be greeted with a hot cup of tea or coffee, he said.
Since its inception in 2006, the Burt Munro Challenge had grown into one of the largest all-round motorcycle rallies in the Southern Hemisphere.
Hosted by the Southland Motorcycle Club, the four-day event incorporated a series of races, including hill climb, drag, street and beach racing.
One group of riders and their bikes which arrived dry and intact included members of the Historic Motorcycle Racing Association of Victoria (HMRAV) club from Australia.
The group had brought 15 handshift bikes, almost all of which were about 80 years old, to race at the rally.
