Royal Enfield Riders Club of NZ - Dedication

The formation of the Club and the website is dedicated to riders who have gone before, and as a tribute to the members of the Percy Coleman family passed, and present – for their huge commitment to the advancement of motorcycling, and motorcycle sport in New Zealand.

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Plus the late Joseph Cochrane QSM – a migrant to NZ in the 1950s after serving in the British Army in the Middle East at the end of WW2 in a peacekeeper role, serving with ‘Dundees Own’  Black Watch Regiment and the Gordon & Sutherland Highlanders. He was attached to Battalion HQ as a Despatch Rider on the BSA M20 500 side valve machines. After service he spent a few years working in Hong Kong and used an Ariel 350 for transport in the colony. He purchased a shiney polished Royal Enfield Bullet and had it shipped to Australia where it was stolen from the wharfs in Darwin. After this he had a pair of Ariel Red Hunter 500s, using the last one in Wellington till the late 1950s. In addition to receiving News Years Honours for Community Service, Joe received numerous Lions Club major awards, Upper Hutt Civic Awards and is a life member of the New Zealand BSA Owners Club. Joe was born in 1926, the same year as Rod Coleman. Joe passed in 2011.  

Daniel John Cochrane was born in Feb 1982 and passed in a freak motorcycle accident on 19th September 2014 (aged 32yrs). Daniel was a leading auto technician, having been nominated for Apprentice of the Year by MITO Wellington. A the time of his death he was working in McKay, Queensland as a specialist Diesel Technician on CAT mining equipment rebuilding dump truck torque convertors, and bulldozer electronic gearboxes. As a motorcyclist Daniel was a great allrounder, at trails, dirt and road. He rode a wide range of machines from 10 years of age onwards, and was building up a KTM Super Motard to use at his local Whitsunday track . In the 2007 to 2010 era Daniel raced BSA B44 & B25MX machines in the VMX and Classic Dirt events. He shared the BSA B25MX with World 500cc Motocross Champion Jeff Smith at the Legends of Dirt Festival in Wanganui in 2008, and at the Suzuki 50 Yr in NZ event had guest rides on a Triumph Rickman Metisse 500. Daniel will always be missed, such a great guy and passionate motorcyclist.

Both always were, and will continue to be inspirations to their families and mates.

R.I.P  Joe & Daniel  -  continue to ride free in the wind.