Click the links below for info and photos on the relevant years of the NZ Enduro Champs plus the section of features on aspects of NZ Enduro history.
1974-1975 - early years
1976 - official MNZ status
1977 - the sport grows
1978 - new riders emerge
1979 - rules changes
NZ Enduro features - Tim Gibbes, tough rides, the USA rules, 70s riding gear and more.......
1974-1975 - early years
1976 - official MNZ status
1977 - the sport grows
1978 - new riders emerge
1979 - rules changes
NZ Enduro features - Tim Gibbes, tough rides, the USA rules, 70s riding gear and more.......
This page links to the Vinduro NZ site that is dedicated to the early history of NZ Enduros, from the start point in 1974 up to 1980s. The first decade of NZ Enduros were the years when almost all events were tough and the courses an eight hour all-day slog over a wide area of varied terrain, usually only covered once. Throughout this time the bikes had to be road legal to be able to cover the sections of public road between competitive sections.
The growth of Enduro in NZ was almost entirely rider driven, with the major organisers and promoters of the sport being the riders themselves. One of the rules of those first years was that every rider was required to drop a round from the series, and were expected to help organise that event.
Many riders contributed to the early success of the sport and in that first decade. People who instantly come to mind include; Dave Judson, Roy Long, Gary Wendt, Kevin Sargent, Bob Jackson, Dave Vinsen, Tjebbe Bruin, Lester Yates, John Isdaile, Phill Thompson, Laurie Pettersen, Alaistair Meikle, John Shand, Russell Hurring Alan Olliver, Barry Reiher and Tim Gibbes. There are more of course, people who spent countless hours finding and arrowing courses and running the rides, I simply can't remember them all now.
The seventies were also a time of remarkable camaraderie on and off the course and that story will take up more pages. Perhaps most remarkable aspect of the second half of the seventies and into the eighties was the massive development of dirt bike technology. Those technical developements would in turn create the further specialisation of the dirt bike into separate adventure, trail, trials, enduro and motocross streams, where only a decade earlier there was little to separate them all.
Enduro has its roots in observed trials, a man verses terrain contest that goes back to the dawn of motorcycling itself prior to WW1. Motocross, or scrambles as it was first called, was a much more recent invention, yet it was motocross that would influence Enduro most from around 1980. From about that time speed in motocross style special tests would become more and more critical in results.
NZ had its own market dynamic as well in the early seventies. A hangover of severe import controls meant that genuine competition bikes were in very short supply and the culture of mend and modify still pervaded motorcycle clubs. NZ Enduro bikes were most often stripped down and modified trail bikes, twin shock machines with just 4 inches of rear suspension travel. All these machines would need improvements like gearing changes, better cleated footpegs, after-market shocks, and better tyres. Some riders went even further with engine and exhaust modifications, even entire engine/frame transplants. Trials bikes of the day were also competitive in NZ Enduros, especially when the going got really tough, as they were far lighter than trail bikes.
NZ Enduro rules in the seventies were based on the USA New England scoring system, designed to allow the effective splitting up of road and off road terrain into sections without the need for large numbers of checkpoints or special tests. Ability to ride fast in tight difficult terrain was critical, so that riders with good technical trials skills were prominent.
By the late seventies specialist Japanese Enduro bikes had arrived and were available in NZ in good numbers. With the long-travel suspension revolution well underway these bikes were improving vastly every year. But long-travel suspension and more powerful engines, made Enduro bikes (though far faster) harder to ride in tough terrain. By 1980 pressure was being put on NZ Enduro organisers to make easier, faster courses. Rule changes were also introduced to favour faster ISDE-style events, where speed in special stages was vital, rather than the ability to conquer obstacles and climb hills first-time.
In addition some riders had become interested in competing in the International Six Day and Australian Four Day Enduros where speed in motocross-style special tests counted more than ability on tough trails.
Was it all for the better? Though I competed right into the 1990s, in my mind the tougher, single loop events common in the early days made for more variety, greater camaraderie and ultimately more satisfaction. A rose-tinted view undoubtedly, but the recent rise of Rally and Extreme Enduro perhaps indicates a swing in sentiment at least back to a more heroic style of man verses terrain contest. So the wheel turns.
The growth of Enduro in NZ was almost entirely rider driven, with the major organisers and promoters of the sport being the riders themselves. One of the rules of those first years was that every rider was required to drop a round from the series, and were expected to help organise that event.
Many riders contributed to the early success of the sport and in that first decade. People who instantly come to mind include; Dave Judson, Roy Long, Gary Wendt, Kevin Sargent, Bob Jackson, Dave Vinsen, Tjebbe Bruin, Lester Yates, John Isdaile, Phill Thompson, Laurie Pettersen, Alaistair Meikle, John Shand, Russell Hurring Alan Olliver, Barry Reiher and Tim Gibbes. There are more of course, people who spent countless hours finding and arrowing courses and running the rides, I simply can't remember them all now.
The seventies were also a time of remarkable camaraderie on and off the course and that story will take up more pages. Perhaps most remarkable aspect of the second half of the seventies and into the eighties was the massive development of dirt bike technology. Those technical developements would in turn create the further specialisation of the dirt bike into separate adventure, trail, trials, enduro and motocross streams, where only a decade earlier there was little to separate them all.
Enduro has its roots in observed trials, a man verses terrain contest that goes back to the dawn of motorcycling itself prior to WW1. Motocross, or scrambles as it was first called, was a much more recent invention, yet it was motocross that would influence Enduro most from around 1980. From about that time speed in motocross style special tests would become more and more critical in results.
NZ had its own market dynamic as well in the early seventies. A hangover of severe import controls meant that genuine competition bikes were in very short supply and the culture of mend and modify still pervaded motorcycle clubs. NZ Enduro bikes were most often stripped down and modified trail bikes, twin shock machines with just 4 inches of rear suspension travel. All these machines would need improvements like gearing changes, better cleated footpegs, after-market shocks, and better tyres. Some riders went even further with engine and exhaust modifications, even entire engine/frame transplants. Trials bikes of the day were also competitive in NZ Enduros, especially when the going got really tough, as they were far lighter than trail bikes.
NZ Enduro rules in the seventies were based on the USA New England scoring system, designed to allow the effective splitting up of road and off road terrain into sections without the need for large numbers of checkpoints or special tests. Ability to ride fast in tight difficult terrain was critical, so that riders with good technical trials skills were prominent.
By the late seventies specialist Japanese Enduro bikes had arrived and were available in NZ in good numbers. With the long-travel suspension revolution well underway these bikes were improving vastly every year. But long-travel suspension and more powerful engines, made Enduro bikes (though far faster) harder to ride in tough terrain. By 1980 pressure was being put on NZ Enduro organisers to make easier, faster courses. Rule changes were also introduced to favour faster ISDE-style events, where speed in special stages was vital, rather than the ability to conquer obstacles and climb hills first-time.
In addition some riders had become interested in competing in the International Six Day and Australian Four Day Enduros where speed in motocross-style special tests counted more than ability on tough trails.
Was it all for the better? Though I competed right into the 1990s, in my mind the tougher, single loop events common in the early days made for more variety, greater camaraderie and ultimately more satisfaction. A rose-tinted view undoubtedly, but the recent rise of Rally and Extreme Enduro perhaps indicates a swing in sentiment at least back to a more heroic style of man verses terrain contest. So the wheel turns.
About the photos, top: New Zealand's first National Enduro round was a 2 day event held at Maramarua Forest at Easter 1976 as round 1 of a 6 round Championship. The photo tells a lot about the times and personalities of the coming decade. The three riders on the start line are Kevin Sargent (CZ250) John Nicholson (Yamaha 250 special) and Tjebbe Bruin (Husky 400). The bikes are all have short travel suspension and are modified in some way. Also in the photo (by the pole) are Bob Jackson, Ian Vinsen and other members of the organising AMCC. Riders in the back of the picture include Joe Van Lier, Phillip Thompson and Gary Wendt.
Above: Les O Brien on an Yamaha IT400 at the 1977 Virgin Swamps Enduro in Riverhead Forest. This was back in the day when all events in Riverhead had to be held between June and October so naturally it was always a mud-slog. Les was one of the first national MX riders to give enduros a serious tilt. The black and white photo shows well the uncompromising track conditions. Virtually no track clearing was done, the riders rode raw terrain on what we now see as very basic machinery. One advantage the riders did have in their favour was that seat heights were generally lower . Note also that although many bikes have been over the track there is no rut. With lower power , less aggressive tyres and more rear weight bias the bikes of the seventies did not did deep ruts. In the background is an interesting bridge built of random logs with pallets for a deck. Waitemata MCC bridges in Riverhead these days are far safer!
Above: Les O Brien on an Yamaha IT400 at the 1977 Virgin Swamps Enduro in Riverhead Forest. This was back in the day when all events in Riverhead had to be held between June and October so naturally it was always a mud-slog. Les was one of the first national MX riders to give enduros a serious tilt. The black and white photo shows well the uncompromising track conditions. Virtually no track clearing was done, the riders rode raw terrain on what we now see as very basic machinery. One advantage the riders did have in their favour was that seat heights were generally lower . Note also that although many bikes have been over the track there is no rut. With lower power , less aggressive tyres and more rear weight bias the bikes of the seventies did not did deep ruts. In the background is an interesting bridge built of random logs with pallets for a deck. Waitemata MCC bridges in Riverhead these days are far safer!
