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Scooter Safari

  • Spectrum for 30 December 2012

    Ever fancied riding a 50cc scooter across the Southern Alps in the middle of winter? No? Funny that. And yet earlier this year, more than two hundred mad men and women did just that. Spectrum's Justin… Read more Audio

Ever fancied riding a 50cc scooter across the Southern Alps in the middle of winter? No? Funny that. And yet earlier this year, more than two hundred mad men and women did just that.

Scooters December An unofficial motto for all those who take part in the Tranz Alpine Scooter Safari small

An unofficial motto for all those who take part in the Tranz-Alpine Scooter Safari

This 250km endurance ride is the brainchild of Rangiora couple Mike and Jayne Rattray. Spectrum producer Justin Gregory visits them at Safari headquarters the day before the big ride, and Mike introduces him to his favourite scooter.

Scooters December The Red Baron He s the one wearing the goggles small

The Red Baron. He’s the one wearing the goggles

The Tranz-Alpine Scooter Safari pits putt-putt bikes against our biggest mountains, to raise money for the New Zealand Cancer Society.

Scooters December Molestrangler motorized bicycle small

The Molestrangler

Scooters ranged from the rare and the beautiful, like this exceptional Molestrangler motorized bicycle, to well-maintained city bikes, to scooters you wouldn’t want to ride across town, let alone over the Southern Alps. Nevertheless, almost all of them made it to Hokitika.

Scooters December Czechoslovakian Cezeta Scooter small

The Cezeta

The oldest, and according to its owner, the ugliest scooter in the Safari. Peter Marshal’s 1959 Czechoslovakian Cezeta Scooter. Every rider travels with a support crew, just in case of breakdown. The Cezeta made it, and even won a prize.