The Burt Munro Challenge . . . it’s not just a festival, it’s a rider’s rite of passage

Every Moto Guzzi rider knows the call of the open road: the lean into a sweeping bend, the sound of that transverse V-twin echoing off distant hills. However, some roads call louder than others, and in New Zealand’s South Island, one event rises above the rest: the Burt Munro Challenge.

Held annually in Invercargill, this five-day celebration of speed, spirit, and storytelling captures the soul of motorcycling like few others. It’s more than just a race week, it’s a living tribute to the famous recording breaking legend himself, Burt Munroe, bringing together motorbike riders from all over the world. You’ll laugh, joke, share stories, eat, drink and be merry, and get swept up in the beauty of the people, their bikes and the ruggedness of the deep south.

The week kicks off at Bluff Hill Climb, a coastal time-trial that threads riders up a twisting ribbon of tarmac to Stirling Point. It’s steep, exposed, and utterly unforgiving – just the way Burt would’ve liked it.

Thursday, the beach roars to life. The Oreti Beach Races take sand racing to a whole new level, with a colourful mix of motorbikes kicking up the same salt-laced spray Burt once did. It’s part history, part spectacle — all throttle.

Friday night turns electric with Twilight Drag Racing at Teretonga Park. The crowd? Loud. The bikes? Louder.

Saturday doubles down: street racing through the heart of Invercargill by day, then full-noise speedway chaos by night. If you’ve ever wanted to feel horsepower ricochet off city walls or watch dirt-track duels under lights, this is your day.

And then, Sunday. A final wave at Teretonga Circuit, the southernmost FIA-recognised racetrack on Earth.

Guzzi riders you’ll be in your element! And because the festival happens each year, you can return time and time again. So come on over, ride the roads, meet the locals, and experience a race week that’s as real as it gets.

Every Moto Guzzi rider knows the call of the open road: the lean into a sweeping bend, the sound of that transverse V-twin echoing off distant hills. However, some roads call louder than others, and in New Zealand’s South Island, one event rises above the rest: the Burt Munro Challenge.

Held annually in Invercargill, this five-day celebration of speed, spirit, and storytelling captures the soul of motorcycling like few others. It’s more than just a race week, it’s a living tribute to the famous recording breaking legend himself, Burt Munroe, bringing together motorbike riders from all over the world. You’ll laugh, joke, share stories, eat, drink and be merry, and get swept up in the beauty of the people, their bikes and the ruggedness of the deep south.

The week kicks off at Bluff Hill Climb, a coastal time-trial that threads riders up a twisting ribbon of tarmac to Stirling Point. It’s steep, exposed, and utterly unforgiving – just the way Burt would’ve liked it.

Thursday, the beach roars to life. The Oreti Beach Races take sand racing to a whole new level, with a colourful mix of motorbikes kicking up the same salt-laced spray Burt once did. It’s part history, part spectacle, all throttle.

Friday night turns electric with Twilight Drag Racing at Teretonga Park. The crowd? Loud. The bikes? Louder.

Saturday doubles down: street racing through the heart of Invercargill by day, then full-noise speedway chaos by night. If you’ve ever wanted to feel horsepower ricochet off city walls or watch dirt-track duels under lights, this is your day.

Guzzi riders you’ll be in your element! And because the festival happens each year, you can return time and time again. So come on over, ride the roads, meet the locals, and experience a race week that’s as real as it gets.