But the trio abandoned both when they arrived in Wellington recently from Australia for the ultimate road trip to the Burt Munro Challenge in Invercargill last weekend - on Honda CT110s.
Dressed in full wet-weather gear - it rained just about every day of the trip - the trio could not resist a few more colourful touches.
Each was identified by a different coloured mohawk on their helmets and one had a set of antlers on his handlebars.
"When we left it was 43degC, but when we got here it was only 8degC or something and we were only wearing thongs," Mr Catelloti said.
Mr Stephens and Mr Hall, who both grew up in Invercargill, have lived in Australia for more than 20 years, on the Gold Coast and in Dubbo respectively.
Mr Catelloti, also from Dubbo, was the "token" Australian along for the trip.
Asked where the idea for the road trip came from, they said in chorus, "We drank too much."
They got on the internet and bought the former postie bikes, picking them up in Wellington and heading south, travelling about 60kmh.
They had covered nearly 1500km so far.
"It's been more interesting, more challenging," Mr Stephens said.
With nothing but praise for the Burt Munro Challenge events, the trio were now heading to Christchurch, where they would sell the bikes and head home.
"It's been brilliant. Well worth coming over. To see road racing is a first," Mr Hall said.
• A North Island man visiting Invercargill for the Burt Munro Challenge woke on Sunday morning to discover his distinctive Harley Davidson, adorned with Viking images, had been stolen, Senior Sergeant Maggie Windle said.
The man, in his early 50s, had been staying at a Tay St, Invercargill, motel and had parked his bike in what he thought was a safe place at the motel about 10pm on Saturday.
When he woke about 6.30am, the bike was gone.
The owner was distressed, she said.
The blue 1997 bike, registration 31YRQ, had a Viking head with hair blowing behind painted on either side of the fuel tank, a hand holding a sword on the front guard and a Viking warrior running on the rear guard.
It also had black leather saddle bags.
Snr Sgt Windle would not give the value of the bike and hoped anyone who had seen the distinctive bike would call Invercargill police on 03 211-0400.
