Motorcyclists saddle up for charity ride

10 February 2006

Motorcyclists saddle up for NZ’s largest charity ride

It’s time to rev your engines for the 11th annual Westpac Rescue Helicopter-Ulysses Motorcycle Club Charity Ride.

“The ride takes place this Sunday (12 February, 2006) and for a short while over one-thousand bikes will own the Auckland Motorway,” said event organiser Bob Leeper.

“Any machine on two or three wheels is welcome to participate – from scooters to large motorbikes and trikes.”

Non-riders can also show their support by going along to the end of the ride event at the Akoranga AUT campus, Northcote.

“The bikes will start arriving from 1130am and will be on display for a couple of hours. The event will also be visited by the Westpac Rescue Helicopter,” Mr Leeper said.

“We encourage everyone to come along and show their support of the biggest charity bike ride in New Zealand, and for the West Rescue Helicopter.”

Over the last 11 years the Auckland branch of the Ulysses Motorcycle Club has raised over $100,000 for the helicopter. In 2005, $11,000 was raised for a laptop computer with a state of the art GPS moving map system. This year all money raised will go towards kitting out the rescue helicopter crew in brand new flame proof flying-suits.

“The Ulysses Club has made a huge contribution to Auckland’s rescue helicopter over the years and the crew are excited at the prospect of new suits with a much higher degree of flame resistance,” Helicopter Manager Greg Brownson said.

The ride departs from the NZ Bloodstock Centre, Papakura at 11.00am and travels along the Southern Motorway to the Wellesley St off-ramp, down Queens St, over the Harbour Bridge to finish at the Akoranga AUT campus.

It’s free to enter the charity ride and all monies raised are through t-shirt sales and merchandise.

ENDS

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