On Sunday 7 April 2024 Mason and I did the Te Omanga Hospice Charity Motorcycle Ride in Lower Hutt hosted by the Red Knights Motorcycle Club. This was not only to support another club who supports R.A.C. but we also have a personal connection to Te Omanga Hospice as this is the hospice my older brother was under during his year long battle with cancer. Trevor passed away on 25 July 2012 at the age of 47 and I would like to pay tribute to him by sharing his cancer journey with our R.A.C. whanau. Our family was a typical NZ family mum, dad, Trevor, me and a younger brother. Trevor was the ‘mo ..read more

Welcome to the final part of our Insight Series where we explore the inner workings of R.A.C. What we do, how we do it, why we do it and who does it! In this part we are going to delve into the growth of R.A.C. How it started, what the future might hold, and how we will go about achieving that. R.A.C started through the vision of one man - our Founder and current National President, Danny Harrison. Without him R.A.C quite simply would not exist! It was through wanting to make a difference, his vision and implementation of that, that kick started it all. Running now for 2 1/2 years R.A ..read more

Welcome to part 3 of our Insight Series where we explore the inner workings of R.A.C. What we do, how we do it, why we do it and who does it! In this part we are going to delve into the workings of R.A.C finances. How those finances are generated, where it goes, and who decides that. We also take a quick look at who oversees them, and who oversee's the overseer! How are funds for R.A.C generated? If only it WAS as simple as planting a money tree!! In R.A.C's early days we had an idea that maybe people who rode with us might like to give $5 whenever they joined us on a ride. After a ..read more

Welcome to part 2 of our Insight Series where we explore the inner workings of R.A.C. In this part we are going to delve into R.A.C Membership. How to become one, who can become one, and what you need to do to become one. We'll also look at why we have an exclusive (or closed group) Paid Members Facebook page. These days we are a little more technology savvy (well some of us) and to become a member you won't need to fill out a mountain of paperwork. It can all be done via our website www.racnz.co.nz If you run into problems - reach out and we'll give you a hand, we can even sign you u ..read more

Welcome to part 1of our Insight Series where we explore the inner workings of R.A.C. What we do, how we do it, why we do it and who does it! In this part we are going to delve into the workings of the National Committee, the roles and what they entail. Nothing happens without an idea, a plan, a direction, or the people in place to make these things happen. We are very fortunate that our National Committee is made up of dedicated, hardworking, and passionate people. A LOT of ground work goes on behind the scenes to make the vision of R.A.C move forward. Don't forget these people have li ..read more

In our first year RAC was able to donate more that $13,000 to cancer related causes. This is a great result, but who did that money go to and, more importantly, why? Cancer Society, Manawatu We try to keep most of the donations local, helping those in our immediate community. Our main choice of charity is the Cancer Society, Manawatu. Their mission is to reduce the incidence and impact of cancer in Aotearoa, and their goal is to be a respected voice on cancer prevention, care and survivorship. They received $3,100 from the 2022 Show n Shine, and $5,110 from the Ride in Support. The Cancer So ..read more

I’m a new rider. In fact, I am so new to riding that I can’t even ride... yet. I wasn’t raised around motorbikes, I grew up in West Auckland suburbs and only learned to ride a push bike when I was 9 by pushing myself down our steep driveway. Something I remember distinctly, however, is my Dad taking me to visit a Harley Davidson store in Wellington. Because of that memory, I have secretly always loved motorbikes. My life path just never really brought me close enough to them, until I met my husband. When we moved in together, his Sportster was part of the package. It wasn’t until he upgraded ..read more

What's involved with being a ride leader? Is it just riding at the front or is there more to it than that? Firstly, the route. You need to know where you are going. Sometimes rides do change mid ride, due to road works, traffic or weather, but generally you need to know what roads you are taking. The Tail End Charlie and other road captains also need to know, just in case a wrong turn is made or the group is separated. Make sure the Tail End Charlie has your phone number and vice versa. The main rule for ALL OTHER RIDERS is that you follow the leader. If we get lost, at least we get lost toge ..read more

From a casual school acquaintance, to loved ones, knowing someone with cancer can be a life lesson for all of us. For some, like Ray, they have more than their fair share of people around them going through cancer. Sometimes it's the small things that stay with you the most. Ray's story When I was at school a girl in my class called Shelly, who was my Dads best friends daughter, died around the age of 12. She had brain cancer. A lovely girl who enjoyed life and all her surroundings, I one day didn't give her a lolly because I was succumbing to peer pressure, I was infant mean. Now with hindsig ..read more

IFRD - International Female Ride Day. An international day to celebrate and encourage women on two wheels. This event has been held on the first Saturday in May for 17 years internationally. For the past three years we have had a large event hosted in New Zealand, from various groups (read last years blog for more history of IFRD) 2023 saw women riders from around the country descend on Masterton for a weekend of entertainment and celebration. This years event was hosted by the Central Gems, and was a very well run weekend. For the first time we had pre-registrations. Although the IFRD ride i ..read more