Classics
Words & photos: Rhys Jones
Invercargill’s Motorcycle Mecca
W
hen American entrepreneur,
businessman and philanthropist
Tom Sturgess put together a
collection of classic and post-
classic motorcycles in Nelson,
and opened it to the public,
the future looked bright for what was then called
New Zealand Classic Motorcycles. This was to
change when he became ill with cancer, and said
that he needed to “prepare for some changes” in his
life. The future of the collection then looked grim.
The purpose built museum was to close to
the public, and the bikes were to become a
private collection. Fears arose that the multi-
million dollar collection would go overseas, but
Invercargill, a city with a reputation for classic
two- and four- wheel collections, came to the
rescue. Now part of Transport World, and called
Classic Motorcycle Mecca, the bikes look set
to become another magnet for motorcycle
enthusiasts and an all year-round compliment
to the annual Burt Munro Challenge.
The story of Transport World began with Bill
Richardson, a successful businessman and avid truck
collector, who amassed 170 trucks, which he showed
proudly to visitors. Before his untimely death he
said “One day I hope someone loves it enough to
carry it on”. The someone who did carry it on is
Bill’s daughter, under whose guidance Transport
World continues to flourish with automotive
displays, conference facilities, a wearable art
collection, and now... Motorcycle Mecca.
I first saw the collection in Nelson, then housed in
an unassuming looking building in the centre of the
city. This was a temporary home for the collection
while the purpose built site was being prepared.
At that stage it was not open to the public. I had no
idea what the collection was all about, or how many
machines there were. To my astonishment there
were around 300 vintage, classic, and post classic
motorcycles, dating from a 1902 Peugeot to modern
classics like an MV Agusta F4 and a Hailwood Ducati;
a collection representing an almost complete
N.U.T. engine detail