Determination and Yamaha Spirit

Kiwis Take on The Farm Bike Torture Test

While initially daunting, the prospect of a full day racing around a challenging motocross track on rugged but basic farm bikes did not deter the two dedicated Yamaha Motor New Zealand teams. Competing aboard Yamaha’s legendary AG125 farm bikes, designed using input from New Zealand farmers, the two teams were keen to showcase the legendary reliability of their chosen machines.

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It might lack MotoGP's television coverage, massive crowds, and multi-million-dollar sponsorships, but the Farm Bike Enduro’s 24 relentless hours of motocross action is, for the committed participants, equal in prestige to any world championship - almost. Many teams enter top-line motocross riders – but this was yet to be discovered by the debutants from Yamaha.

Forty teams and 140 riders pinned their hopes on standard farm bikes, including Yamaha’s AG125, Suzuki’s TF125 Mudbug, and Honda’s XR150L. With each team consisting of four riders, the six YMNZ staff member who signed up for the event formed the basis of two teams to be trusted with the task of bringing home the glory: Franki Fourie (National Land Mobility Manager), Scott Kennedy (Marine Brand Manager), Andrew Bartlett (Outboard & Rigging Coordinator), Jonte Hullena (Marine Service Technician), Wendy White (Parts & Accessories Dealer Support), and Dave Cole (Yamaha Technician) were divided into Team 1: Franki, Scott, Dave, and guest rider Royce, while Team 2: Andrew, Jonte, Wendy, and Wendy’s nephew Ben.

The event kicked off in spectacular fashion at 5pm on Friday, with a thrilling NASCAR-style rolling start. For the first three hours, riders tackled rapid-fire 15-minute rotations. However, once the daylight faded, the challenge intensified. At 8pm, with darkness set in, riders shifted to gruelling one-hour stints, testing their physical and mental resilience throughout the long night.

Off-track, competitors tried catching sleep in tents beside the circuit, though the persistent roar of 40 bikes racing throughout the night made rest elusive. Many chose instead to join the festive, overnight atmosphere. Organisers kept spirits high, providing meals, ample hydration, and entertainment to sustain the competitors.

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Early troubles struck Team 2 when Wendy White suffered an unfortunate crash, ending her participation prematurely. Due to race regulations prohibiting other team members substituting for unavailable teammates, Wendy's bike was forced to remain idle during her designated stints, hampering the team's progress. "The track became incredibly rough, and riding conditions were extremely challenging," Wendy reflected. "When we first arrived, we went for a ride round the track and I thought oh, my god! there was no prep on the track at all - It was so rough. I had never ridden on dirt before, so I was looking forward to it. I just wanted to do some jumps to be honest. Then the race started and we realised how competitive this race really is, they were racing hard. It truly was an endurance test.”

Meanwhile, Team 1 was also experiencing its fair share of drama. At 3am their AG125 threw its chain, costing the team several laps. Then, just as the sun was preparing to rise, Dave Cole had a huge crash which ripped the seat clean off the bike and bent the handlebars. After some running repairs they were back on track.  "I showed up expecting a gentle pace on the AG125, but it turned out to be full throttle for the entire 24 hours!" said Scott Kennedy.

At dawn, rider rotations returned to rapid 15-minute bursts, revitalising the exhausted competitors as they entered the final hours. The two Yamaha teams pushed on to the end with Team 1 (Scott, Dave, Franki and Royce) posting an impressive 14^th place finish.  Though neither Yamaha team secured victory or podium honours, the pair of AG125s impressively conquered the demanding terrain without fault; the only maintenance being regular air-filter changes and an oil change for each machine.

The Yamaha Motor New Zealand teams crossed the finish line exhausted but proud. They had successfully completed one of New Zealand’s most unique and demanding off-road events. Ultimately, the true winner was the Rural Support Trust WHC, recipient of all event proceeds.

Reflecting on the event Andrew Bartlett called it a farm bike on steroids race. “It was a hard 24-hour race but there was lots of laughter and lack of sleep, and muscle pain along the way,” he said.  “It was a great time to share with my Yamaha teammates, but also fantastic to finally see the finish flag after 24 hours.  Would I do it again? Well, we know what we can do better for next time, maybe ask me in a few more months.”