Police are hunting a motorcycle stolen minutes after it's young rider was killed in a crash

The 24-year-old rider died on Sunday night, near Murupara, south of Rotorua.

Acting Senior Sergeant Joe Cairns says police arrived just minutes after the crash, but the motorbike was gone.

He says it's a vital piece of evidence in trying to establish the events that led up to the young man losing his life.

He says people at the scene would have seen the motorcycle, but so far no one has come forward with information..