Age no barrier to speed-loving granny

WILMA McCORKINDALE/151330

DEDICATED FAN: Dorne Clark, in Dunedin, who has ridden all the way from Tauranga for the Burt Munro Challenge.

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At 80 years old, Dorne Clark, has not slowed down.

In fact, she is probably going faster than she ever has.

The goer-gran is scheduled to arrive in Invercargill today on her Piaggio MP3 400cc scooter for the Burt Munro Challenge, after riding it all the way from Tauranga.

"I just wanted to do the last wish on my bucket list; to do the Burt Munro under my own steam and on my own bike. Any rides after this one, if I get home safely, are a bonus as far as I'm concerned," Mrs Clark said.

It will be the second Burt Munro Challenge the biker granny has attended.

She rode pillion with late husband Alf for the first challenge in 2006. Mr Clark died last year.

They had a blast and it had been Mrs Clark's dream to come back but this time on her own bike, she said.

"It's been absolutely brilliant."

The most memorable moment had been riding across the bridge she learned to ride a motorcycle on when she was 17.

"I was a bit of a tomboy and me and three lads used to go round together."

One of the "lads" had a Velocette motorcycle. The boys ran beside Mrs Clark, instructing her how to ride the Velocette, as they crossed the bridge, she said.

"When I hit that bridge (on the way down), I thought to myself `it's been 63 years since I first rode a motorbike on this bridge' ... That gave me a really nice warm feeling."

Mrs Clark said the trip would not have been possible without the encouragement and support of her friends, the Prujean family, who were riding with her, as well as her daughter, also riding with her.