Ben Gibbons (26) moved to Christchurch more than three years ago and worked as an electrical technician.
Police are still investigating the crash, which happened at a roundabout at the intersection of Johns and Harewood Rds, just before midnight.
Mr Gibbons was the eldest son of Barry Gibbons and Dona Foley, of Alexandra.
He was one of a ''tight-knit bunch of friends, mostly motor-heads like him, who all loved cars and motorbikes'', his mother said yesterday.
''He always went to the Central Speedway when he was here and to the drag racing at the blossom festival.''
His last visit home was for the festival a month ago, where he attended the Alexandra Musical Society show All Shook Up.
His parents, older sister Grace and two younger brothers, Thomas and Leo, were all involved in the show.
''It was one of the best visits ... He caught up with lots of people while he was here - friends and family,'' his mother said.
Mr Gibbons' death is the second family tragedy.
His younger brother Patrick, Leo's twin, died 16 years ago, aged 4 days.
Described as loyal, always standing up for the underdog and ''honest to a fault'', Mr Gibbons was a man of few words but enjoyed the company of a wide network of friends.
Although he had moved out of the area, he kept in close contact with his Alexandra mates.
He attended St Gerard's Primary School and Dunstan High School and his career was an obvious choice for a young man who was mechanically minded and always fixing things, his parents said.
