Many of the riders came to the rally early to farewell one of their number, Eve Ross, of Gore, who died overnight on October 25/26. Mrs Ross' trike was laden with floral tributes and her photograph was on display at the rally.
The weather largely played its part, allowing those attending to admire the bikes on display, cement old friendships and make new acquaintances.
Alistair Forsythe and Lawrence Paskall, both of Invercargill, were enthusiastic about Mr Paskall's 2000 Harley Davidson that sported a wide array of "bling" from elaborate chrome work to some fine paintwork.
The gleaming red trike featured a Volkswagen fuel-injected, 1600cc motor.
This was the first time the pair had attended the Mates rally, which they thoroughly enjoyed, they said.
This was the third year the Mates Motorcycle Club had held its annual rally at the Waimumu site, club president Errol Ross said.
Enthusiasts came from Canterbury south to the rally, Mr Ross said.
Attractions included the band Brothers Grim, a tractor pull and a tattoo competition.
A feature of the rally was a car-blowing-up competition, which involved people guessing how long it would take for the motor to seize in an old car, which had had its radiator drained of water, Mr Ross said.
