By Susan Sandys  December 8 2009

Methven’s town centre will turn into a motorcycle street racing course next Easter, in an event set to rival the town’s Big Air and rodeo.

The Methven Mountain Thunder Motorcycle Street Race will see all classes of bikes, ranging from classics to formula one, travel at speeds of up to more than 200km/h.

 Methven Lions Club has joined with the Classic Action Motorcycle Sport in Christchurch to stage the event, which could attract up to 5000 spectators and ultimately be held every three years.

 Racers from throughout the South Island are expected to participate.

 It was Lions member Bryan O'Hara, 76, who came up with the idea.

 He said it was after he attended a street motorcycle race at Rakaia five years ago that he decided to get his 1938 Velocette out of his farm garage.

 He then began street racing himself, and can reach speeds of 116 kilometres per hour on the bike.

 It is not quite as high as the speeds that the famed Bert Munro, on which The World’s Fastest Indian was based, attained on the same model bike.

 After modifying the machine, Munro exceeded speeds of 116 miles per hour.

 Lions Club spokesperson Graham Robertson said when Mr O'Hara suggested the idea of the race, there was no question that the club would give it a go.

 “We are just all little boys at heart really, we like lots of noise and smoke,” Mr Robertson said.

 “Methven will be reverberating with the sound of motorcycles the whole day.”

 The one kilometre circuit will begin outside the Methven Medical Centre and travel up Methven Chertsey Road, left onto Mackie Street and back to Main Street.

 The club is currently applying for permissions to close the roads for the day.

 Lions race sub-committee chairman Ron Smith said the date of the event, April 3 on Easter Saturday, had been set to try and attract people to the town over the holiday period.

 “I think it will be massive for Methven, we are hoping we can pull in anywhere between 3000 and 5000 people,” Mr Smith said.

Pictured: World’s fastest Methven farmer, Bryan O'Hara (left), Methven Lions Club race sub-committee chair Ron Smith (centre) and secretary David Barlass are planning the town’s first motorcycle street race. - Photo Susan Sandys 041209-SS-003