motoringfeature 27MahurangimattersJune 15, 2016

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Ken Campbell loves an engineering challenge, but his latest venture would probably be daunting, even for the late, great Burt Munro.After restoring classic and vintage motorcycles for over 34 years, the Matakana resident decided to build the world’s first V8 Indian motorcycle. What is particularly challenging and unique about Ken’s project is that he designed and built the V8 motor from scratch.“It was an engineering challenge,” says Ken. “When I was at school I wanted to build my own engine. There are not many people that stuffed in the head that they want to build a V8 engine that fits in a bike!” Ken built the 2.6 litre engine in the exact style as the traditional four-cylinder version and squeezed it into a 1936 bike.“I was riding it as a four cylinder in the morning and a V8 in the afternoon.”If Indian had built a V8 motor in the 1920s and 30s, Ken is confident it would look very similar to his creation.“I don’t like the word custom. The most important word is authentic. I don’t butcher genuine parts or alter them.”And that is why after three years, untold hours, and a dollar figure that Ken won’t reveal, he is now

Matakana resident builds world’s fattest Indian

dismantling the 1936 V8 bike and putting it back to its original four-cylinder state, and building a new bike to house the V8. He has already started work on a new Indian frame and will ultimately create a completely new bike.“I guess I’ve got a cheek calling it an Indian, but it will look like an Indian-four from the side. I will make it in the style I like most, which is around 1928, then I can fit the carburettors in and it will be perfectly styled to that era.”He plans to build two of his bespoke Indian V8s – one of which might have to be sold to help recover some of the costs.

Ken says that most people think of him as an Indian ‘nutter,’ but his love of old bikes is not restricted to the American brand. He has professionally restored more classic and vintage British makes than any other, including AJS, Triumph and Velocette, and has been rebuilding and personalising bikes for customers all over the world. Despite limiting his work to pre-WWII models, he has had a three-year backlog of customer work for the last 20 years.“I feel very lucky to spend my days playing with something that I’m passionate about.”Those days started when he was a young

child in his father’s garage in Matakana, now the Rusty Pelican Pizzeria. Ken is a fourth generation Matakana Campbell and was a competent gas welder by the age of seven. “It’s in the blood,” he says. “I was basically brought up in the garage. Dad taught me how to weld and now I’m working with my grandson, Storm. He has his own work bench in here and helped me put the V8 motor together.”In 1924, Ken’s dad brought a Henderson motorcycle from the local bank manager when the bike was just one year old. The bike ended up going to Ken’s older brother and he still has it today. That was the beginning of Ken’s fascination with motorcycles.He doesn’t just build the bikes – a few years ago he made a wicker basket sidecar for his wife on a 1910 Indian. The pair then travelled 4200 kilometres from Perth to Sydney. They rode through a cyclone, torrential rain and stifling heat, but far from breaking their marriage, Ken says it was a fantastic adventure and the best thing they’ve ever done.“When we were in the middle of the cyclone, my wife was telling me to slow down. I thought, ‘here we go’, and she said, ‘I’m enjoying it so much I want it to last!’”

Ken Campbell with his unique V8 Indian motorcycle.

motoringfeature28 Mahurangimatters June 15, 2016

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High speed was a factor in the high number of crashes between Warkworth and Puhoi last year, according to the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA).NZTA figures show there were three fatal accidents on the 15km stretch of SH1 between Billings Road, just north of the tunnel, and McKinney Road in Warkworth – the highest number in the past five years.Overall, there were 37 crashes on the road, up from 26 in 2014, following a steady decline in crash figures over the previous five years (see graph).NZTA Auckland highway manager Brett Gliddon says there was a high rate of crashes caused by people losing control on corners due to driving

too fast for the conditions.Two of the three fatalities were motorcycle accidents and both drivers were over the legal alcohol limit. The third occurred when a car swung wide on a corner due to fatigue.NZTA has just completed an annual crash reduction study on the road and is considering a range of potential safety projects.“It will also be undertaking a longer term study of the section of highway with a focus on crashes due to vehicles running off the road and crossing the centreline, as well as high risk intersections,” Mr Gliddon says.

Crash figures jump on State Highway 1

45

40

35

30

25

20

15

10

5

02011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Fatal

Serious

Minor

Non-Injury

Total

State Highway 1 crash figuresFrom July 1 Mahurangi senior citizens who hold an Auckland Transport (AT) SuperGold concession card will need to pay for a new AT HOP card.The cards cost $10 and must have $5 worth of credit. Seniors will continue to receive free public transport on eligible services after 9am on weekdays and all day on weekends.The problem for many seniors will be obtaining the new cards. They will need to take their existing SuperGold concession card with photo identification to one of AT’s customer service or retail centres. For the Mahurangi region the closest are located at Orewa, Silverdale, and Albany. Local Grey Power president Anne Martin says that is too far away for elderly residents.“Grey Power finds it unbelievable that the closest facility for obtaining the HOP card update for Gold Card holders is in Orewa. If that is not sufficiently inconvenient, once the $15 is paid, the next step is to travel to the bus terminal at Smales Farm, Takapuna to get the card put into the computer system to make it operative.”AT metro manager Mark Lambert says they are doing their best for senior cardholders.“We’re working with the Ministry of Transport and directly with seniors’ advocacy groups to make the process as easy as possible for seniors,” he says.Auckland has 180,000 SuperGold cardholders, a figure that is increasing by around 7000 a year. Approximately 42,000 SuperGold customers have made the switch to the AT HOP card, with a SuperGold concession loaded for their public transport travel.

New senior Hop cards enforced next month

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motoringfeature 29MahurangimattersJune 15, 2016

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Mahurangi couple Steve and Dee West have received an EECA award for their fast charging stations for electric vehicles. EECA is a Government agency that works to improve energy efficiency. The award recognises the company’s efforts to increase the number of charging stations available. They have built one at Kaiwaka and others at Warkworth and Orewa are due to be completed this year “We are over the moon with the award,” Dee says. “We’ve only been going for 16 months and to be recognised for what we are doing at this early stage is fantastic.” The recognition comes as international research has shown the biggest

drawback for owning an electric vehicle is limited range. The couple hopes that installing fast chargers nationwide will increase electric vehicle ownership.“Electric cars are coming down in price and we have more choice, but the range is around 120 kilometres. That’s more than sufficient for 99 per cent of New Zealand drivers, but people are still reluctant because of the occasional road trip. That’s where charging stations come in.”The stations take between 10 to 25 minutes to charge an electric vehicle, as opposed to around six hours home charging. With New Zealand’s power coming from 80 per cent renewable energy, the couple hopes to encourage more people to switch to electric.

Electric vehicles given a boostMahurangi couple Steve West (far left) and Dee West (far right) celebrate their EECA award for fast charging electric vehicle stations.

30 Mahurangimatters June 15, 2016

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motoringfeature

After 36 years of driving children on the Omaha-Point Wells bus route to Matakana School, Charleyne Garner is now driving the second generation of passengers.Now aged 66, Mrs Garner first started in 1980 when it was a male-dominated occupation.“I would have to be one of the longest serving woman bus drivers,” Mrs Garner says.Back then, the buses were J1 Bedford’s. Compared to today’s vehicles, they were difficult to drive and lacked any refinements, but Mrs Garner still remembers them fondly.“The J1 was the only thing around back then. It didn’t have synchromesh, and had a crash gearbox, but I thought

it was wonderful. Power steering would have been nice, though.”It’s not just the buses that have changed over the last three-and-a-half decades. Mrs Garner was once the sole driver on the route, with rough roads and very little traffic. Now Matakana School puts on up to four buses, with three drivers doing double runs. Despite being behind the wheel for over three and half decades, it was never Mrs Garner’s driving ambition.“The bus driver at the time was retiring,” she says. “He phoned and asked if I would like to take over. I had never even thought about it until then. He said come on a run with me this afternoon and see what you think...”

36 years behind the wheelMrs Garner at the wheel with school children from Matakana Primary.

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31MahurangimattersJune 15, 2016

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motoringfeature

NZTA will consult on options for a second crossing of the Waitemata Harbour later this year.A crossing would be crucial for reducing the backlog of traffic crossing the Harbour Bridge at peak times and could have a major impact on Mahurangi commuters.The Auckland Plan currently identifies an additional Waitemata Harbour crossing will be needed by about 2030. The crossing will take about five to seven years to build and extensive pre-planning, consultation and design is required before construction can start.AT and NZTA will release indicative designs later this year for public consultation.A tunnel could also enable a North Shore rail line to link with the CBD, but NZTA hasn’t confirmed whether the plans will include rail.NZTA Auckland regional director

Ernst Zöllner says it is currently working towards protecting the required land (Notice of Requirement), so that when a future crossing is needed the land is available.“Protecting a route provides planning certainty for individuals, businesses and communities, particularly while there is development pressure in the city centre and waterfront areas.  A road component of a future crossing would need to connect with the existing highway network at ground-level, however any future rapid transit network is likely to be underground and is less exposed to development pressure.”Future phases of the project will include detailed business cases and design for both rapid transit and roading options which will be developed in parallel. Planning documents are expected to be lodged with Auckland Council next year, with a public hearing and decision to follow that.

Harbour crossing considered

High costs to Northland railKiwiRail says the North Auckland railway line, which runs through Kaipara Flats, is uneconomic, is running at a net loss and there are no plans to upgrade the line. A KiwiRail spokesperson says the annual infrastructure costs are about twice the annual revenue of the line. “There are no plans to upgrade the line while freight levels remain at current levels. If the demand is not there, there are wiser uses for the public’s investment in rail.” The line currently services three freight trains a day, which mainly carry dairy and forestry products.

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motoringfeature

It would seem winter has finally arrived; you’ve revived the winter wardrobe, had your flu jab and stocked up on vitamins. But what about your car; is it ready for our winter conditions? With the slippery, wet roads, colder days and reduced daylight, your vehicle is expected to work a lot harder to do its job. A car’s battery is under a lot more strain on a cold morning. The cold temperatures affect the battery and the engine’s oil is thicker, requiring a lot more battery power to crank the engine over. If you think your car has been slow to start over the last few months, it is definitely worth getting it checked now before it fails and leaves you stranded. With the shorter days you will find you need your lights more in winter, much more than you have over the summer months. Are all your car’s lights in good working condition? Some cars have a warning system that tells you if a bulb has blown or a brake light is out, but some cars will need a visual check. Do you notice while driving at night that oncoming drivers often flash their lights at you? Your lights may be misaligned or have bulbs fitted incorrectly causing you to dazzle oncoming drivers. If your car’s headlights are yellowed you can restore them quickly and easily by polishing them with a metal polish or even toothpaste. This simple trick will increase your visibility at night. Speaking of visibility, you’ll be using your wipers a lot more than you have been, too. Make sure your wiper blades are in good condition and your washer bottle is full and has a good additive in it. As well as rain, there is more road grime from other vehicles at this time of the year.Tyre tread depth also becomes more important during the winter months. One of the functions of the tyre tread is to disperse water. If the tread is low the water has nowhere to go and the tyre will aquaplane causing loss of grip and control. A recipe for disaster!Did you know the most effective way of clearing your windscreen of moisture is to the use the air conditioning? Air conditioning removes moisture from the air quickly and is just as effective with the heater on in winter as it is at cooling you down in summer. So there is no reason to sit there freezing while your window clears this winter.Many automotive workshops offer a free winter health check at this time of year, great value, peace of mind and worth 15 minutes of your time. Safe motoring!

Steve Hawes Automotive Technician/European Specialist

Winter health for your car