When a motorcycle hearse wheeled up to a Tauranga chapel last Saturday to celebrate the life of a young woman, a crowd of 170 people clapped loudly.
It's something Ricky Hope has never seen before in his line of work at Hope Family Funerals.
'The lady was a much-loved, unique individual. So when I offered the motorbike hearse to her husband, he was like: ‘Yep, we will take it'.”
As the Indian Chief Classic Hearse arrived with the lady's casket aboard the sidecar tears glistened in family members' eyes 'because they felt it was so special”.
Ricky and his brother Tony Hope believe they've created the world's first Indian Chief Classic Hearse.
During the years they've helped many families that have lost loved ones, who were passionate about motorcycles. Many families asked: ‘Do you have a motorcycle hearse?'
'We listen careful to families when they talk about their loved one's passions,” says Ricky. 'And we try to reflect this in their service.”
They sat on the idea, then conducted extensive research. Americans have a trike towing an enclosed hearse-type carriage. The United Kingdom have an enclosed sidecar.
'Feedback from local bikers was they wanted an open-style hearse with the wind all around them,” says Tony.
'There are a few Harley sidecar hearses in Australia that are open to the elements and a couple in the lower North Island and South Island, so Hope Family thought ‘why not'.”
They asked Tauranga Ulysses Club for their opinion on Indian versus Harley. 'They said they wouldn't hesitate to have their last ride on an Indian.”
In February they found a new Indian Chief Classic – but Wellington Motorcycles' owner didn't want to part with it. 'We managed to talk him around and in February the bike was delivered.”
Bar a few small certified modifications to the bike, the sidecar has been designed to carry a casket. 'We had to get some of the sidecar kit from the United States because there wasn't a locally made one specifically for the bike. These had to be manufactured because our [Kiwi] sidecars are on the left and American ones are on the right.”
Apart from that they kept it local – much like Burt Monro's number eight wire, DIY mentality.
Ricky says Chris ‘Pom' Knibbs in Te Puke is an amazingly talented engineer. 'We're stoked with what he's done.” They also had tremendous support from Kurt Nielsen of Sidecars NZ in Katikati, TruFold Products, Gavin Banyard and Paul from Tauranga Auto Electrical and the team at Buckeridge Repair & Refinishing Centre.
'And we wanted to carry the Indian theme right through so we got a matching Indian war bonnet light and tail-lights for the sidecar.”
An experienced staff member will drive the motorbike – with casket – to the crematorium, cemetery, or wherever a service is taking place. 'The coffin gets locked in onto the sidecar so it can't move.”
'We can offer the motorbike hearse out of town but would transport it and use it only for the service.”
Ricky says Kiwis have a massive connection with Burt Munro and the world's fastest Indian. And coincidentally, Ricky is friends with Burt's great-grandsons and knew Burt's wife Beryl on Waiheke Island.
'And we're not a traditional funeral directing family – so we just thought what do Kiwis want or like?”
Moreover, Ricky says funerals are changing in NZ. 'It used to be a very sad occasion, which of course it still is; but now people like to celebrate their loved one's life and remember what they did and like doing rather than dwelling on the fact they've passed away.”
'I think the whole Burt Munro theme of achieving something despite all the odds against you, breaking the mould and doing it the Kiwi way is what we wanted to achieve.”