It has also done a huge amount for Invercargill both economically and for its reputation, he says.
"It’s absolutely the right time to come to Southland to experience ... some great sights to see and some tremendous landscapes."
Southland Motorcycle Club president Andy Underhay says the event already has a great following nationally and internationally.
He expects to see increased interest since the club has been asked to run the New Zealand Superbike Championships.
The added event means motorcycle fans are able to double-dip both events while they are in town.
It is one of the few events where there will be 60 to 70-year-old bikes running at the same meeting as modern ones, he says.
"You don’t often go to a classic meeting and get to see, from very, very early bikes to the same meeting with bang up-to-date bikes," Andy says.
"It will put bigger fields on the track — it’ll just be a better spectacle."
Entries in the multi-disciplined events are on a par with other years, he says.
"The Superbikes will run alongside our original Formula One classes, so you’ll have a a bigger number of riders in the same race, but competing for a different prize."
"In spite of what everybody thinks, it isn’t a money-making cashcow.
"If it was a business, it would have been closed down years ago because the returns were that small.
"But it’s run by passionate people who love the sport and give up a lot of their own personal time to do it. And that’s why it’s a success."
The club is investing in event infrastructure to be more self-sufficient and reduce costs.
Fencing, barriers and communications equipment have been bought.
Changes have also been made to the Bluff Hill climb event after a 10-month review of the 2023 accident where five spectators were injured when motorcycles crashed into crowds.
"Motorcycling is a danger sport. Within a week of that event, there was a total debriefed within ourselves ... including our governing body.
"This year there’s been an awful lot of changes and we’re hoping it will benefit everybody and we’re very confident that it’s going to be better," Andy says.
Great South tourism and events general manager Mark Frood says events like the Burt Munro boost the economy outside the region as guests progressively travel from the North to the South Island.
"It brings people in far and wide.
"It helps to attract people to live and work in the region as well.
"People come down and go ‘Wow, there’s stuff happening here’, it’s really good," he said.
The event is now being marketed through Australia — bringing international travellers from as far as the United States.
"It’s such an eclectic group of people that come to things like the Burt Munro," Mark says.
- By Toni McDonald
