Robyn Edie/Stuff
Invercargill superbike racer Cormac Buchanan, 17, with his Formula 3 bike that he and his father transported home from Spain, dismantled in three different suitcases.
An Invercargill superbike star had to think outside the square to get his new Formula 3 bike home from Spain.
Cormac Buchanan is a supremely talented superbike racer who was in Europe last year to race in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup, finishing 13th overall.
Getting the bike back to New Zealand so he could fine-tune his skills was a part of the journey that Buchanan hopes will lead him to competing in the MotoGP in the future – his ultimate goal.
His supersport 600cc, the bike he usually races here in New Zealand, was quite different and took time to adjust. For the New Zealand Superbike Championship, he wanted a bike that was similar to what he had been riding in Spain.
The only problem was he had to get it to New Zealand. So he devised a solution involving three suitcases full of the various pieces that make up a motorcycle, as well as lots of bubble wrap.
The suitcases arrived safely, and it took his dad two weeks to put the bike together.
Now that it’s all done, Buchanan is ready to race it in January.
“It definitely took a lot of packing and a lot of organising to fit in everything,” he said. “Dad got the bike and took it apart, and we knew once we got it back here we’d have no issue rebuilding it.”
Finding suitable cases to buy was the hardest part, he said.
“We looked everywhere – they couldn’t be too heavy as we only had 23kg per bag to work with.”
It worked out to be a touch over 50kg for all three suitcases.
Robyn Edie/Stuff
Buchanan, 17, hopes to win the New Zealand title on the Formula 3 bike pictured behind him.
Buchanan is looking forward to putting the bike into action in the F3 class.
“It’s almost identical to what I am running in Europe, so it’ll be great to get used to it over here. Ruapuna will be the closest track to what I race on in Europe.
“I can’t wait to race it at the next round of the New Zealand championships. It’ll be great to get some minutes on it … I am aiming to win.
“I just don’t want to make up the numbers. I want to challenge Karl Hooper, the leader in that class, and show him he won’t have it all his own way.”
Buchanan wants the double and said he will do what he can to make it possible.
“I am definitely going out there with the intention of winning both New Zealand titles.”
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Cormac Buchanan has had a standout year on his bike.
He was unbeaten so far in the supersport 600cc class and had every intention of keeping it that way.
“I’ve started really well in that class and want to carry on with my form … and keep my 100% record. I want all the lap records and race wins.”
Luckily for Buchanan, the next three rounds of both classes are in the South Island: at Christchurch’s Ruapuna Speedway this weekend, Timaru’s Levels raceway on January 13-14, and Invercargill’s Teretonga Park in February.
“I know all the South Island tracks well, and I am excited to get back on familiar territory,” he said.
“It will be exciting racing at Teretonga for the Burt Munro weekend in February in front of hopefully a big crowd.”
Buchanan said doing well in the New Zealand series was a confidence booster before returning to Europe.
He returns to action this weekend in Christchurch for round three of the series.
