A Whakat\u0101ne funeral home has a new way to send your loved one off in style.<\/p>\n
The Last Ride is a new service by Gateway Funeral Services that allows clients to swap out a regular hearse for a 2000s Harley-Davidson Fatboy with a custom-built enclosed hearse sidecar, providing the newly departed with one final cruise.<\/p>\n
A family member can ride on the back of the bike alongside their loved one.<\/p>\n
Managing director Bradley Shaw said the bike was something the funeral home had been wanting to do for a long time.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor the last couple of years, we\u2019ve been looking for a different offering and when this came up, it sort of fitted what I wanted, especially with this area as well.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Last Ride is a service that is available to other funeral homes around the Bay of Plenty and beyond.<\/p>\n
Shaw took the bike to the AMJAZZ Autorama car show in Rotorua and was met with plenty of interest in the bike and The Last Ride service.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of people are saying, \u2018that\u2019s how I want to go out\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n
The bike has already been used for a funeral, and Shaw said the family were \u201cso happy\u201d and it provided a good send-off for their loved one.<\/p>\n
He said the bike fitted well with Gateway Funeral\u2019s other unique hearses \u2013 the 1975 Chevrolet Impala and the 1988 Chevrolet Caprice.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe old hearses are always very cool. People like them as well.\u201d<\/p>\n
He believes the Fatboy will grow to be just as well loved.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
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