As the son of one of the founders, Bill Veitch has been immersed in the world of motorcycles all his life.
His sons now run the business, allowing Mr Veitch time to enjoy his collection of classic bikes.
Mr Veitch is a longtime participant in the Dunedin-to-Brighton rally, first entering the run in 1967, riding a 1909 Abingdon King Dick.
He has ridden the same model in about 20 to 30 Dunedin-to-Brighton rallies, but as age begins to catch up with him, one of the challenges of the early machine has begun to bite.
His early 1909 model lacks a clutch or gear box, and instead is operated by a fixed engine, an engine connected by belt straight to the back wheel.
"So you’ve got to run beside it and work the controls, and then jump on it.
"And as soon as you have to stop at the end, you have got to get off the bike, the engine stops, and you have to run again."
This level of physical activity is not ideal on an ageing body.
So Mr Veitch has obtained a second 1909 model which has the useful addition of a clutch.
"That is a factory optional extra and it is called a clutch hub ... It is pretty rare."
This allows him to start it with the clutch and spare his knees.
"And then when I want to take off, I can use a clutch."
The Abingdon King Dick motorcyles were made by the Abingdon Engineering Company, founded in 1856 in Birmingham, England.
Between 1905 and 1932, the company produced motorcycles, but after a period of consolidation it refocused on just producing hand tools, eventually changing their name in 1945 to King Dick Tools.
The "King Dick" name came from the company owner’s show-winning bulldog, featured in the logo of the early motorcycles.
