A notorious bikie gang is making its way south, reportedly on its way to Invercargill for the Burt Munro Challenge.
A group of about 50 to 60 members of the Tribesmen MC gang were reported to be taking part in their annual national run.
The run included a patching ceremony in Christchurch, before the convoy headed south for the Burt Munro Challenge in Southland — said to be the largest motorcycle rally in the southern hemisphere.
The Burt Munro Challenge runs from February 8 to 12.
The convoy was believed to have started with the Kaikohe chapter, which rode down from the Far North to Auckland, picking up others as they travelled.
They then caught the Interislander ferry across Cook Strait late on Thursday.
However, as they motored along State Highway 1 through North Canterbury around 1am on Friday, they were stopped by a planned police checkpoint north of Christchurch.
Six motorbikes were seized and impounded, while a number of infringement notices were written up.
After taking some of the bikes and issuing tickets, the police let the riders go.
"Their riding was monitored all the way through Marlborough, and will be while in Canterbury and their travels south," a police spokesman said.
New Zealand Police issued a warning to those who intended to travel south for the challenge — public roads are not the place to test the limits of a motorbike.
Senior Sergeant Brent Kingsland said there would be an increased police presence on roads across the region before, during and after the event.
"Expect to see police patrols anytime, anywhere.
"We will be out on roads in increased numbers, including in locations you’d least expect us to be."
Police would be monitoring gang members who were travelling to the event.
"Burt set his land speed records on the salt flats, not on public roads — and you can expect our cops to be salty with you if you’re acting like a Burt on the road," a police spokeswoman said.
— additional reporting The New Zealand Herald
By: Staff reporter
