Slight, Stroud bringing skills to Invercargill

Former world superbike front-runner Aaron Slight and seven-times New Zealand champion Andrew Stroud will get the Burt Munro Challenge celebrations off to an exciting start when they speak at the Ascot Park Hotel in Invercargill on November 26.

Slight, who is an instructor for the Honda riders club of New Zealand, is the only rider to win the Suzuka eight hours race three years in a row and has spent much of his career racing in the world superbike championship.

As well as speaking at the hotel, Slight will spend two days teaching riders the tricks of the trade at Teretonga.

Stroud, a top competitor in the New Zealand racing scene, won the Battle of the Twins at Daytona in 1994, 1995, 1996 and 1997 and will be bringing with him the distinctive pink and blue Britten V1000 that he raced to win the inaugural BEARS (British, European, American Racing Series) world championship in 1995.

Stroud said he always enjoyed speaking about his time involved in the Britten project. "It's inspirational how John could get together with a group of his friends, starting off in his garage, and end up taking on a factory Ducati that won the world superbike championship the year before."

Built in the early 90s by John Britten, the Britten motorcycle has become a world-class racing bike and is rare, with only 10 built.

It is not just the origins of the Britten motorcycle that make it unique. The Britten has an unconventional front suspension system, the radiator is mounted under the seat and has no frame, with parts bolted to the engine, so the engine serves as the chassis. It was also built using extensive amounts of carbon fibre, which was a new material at the time.

The Britten motorcycle will be on display at the Ascot Park Hotel on November 26, and E Hayes and Sons on November 27, and Stroud will give a demonstration at the Teretonga Sprint Races on November 28 and at the Wyndham Street Races on November 29.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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