Innholdsfortegnelse for # 52 i Old Bike Australasia

At the time of his introduction to motorcycle sport in 1937, Tony’s powerful physique and swarthy good looks, with dark brooding eyes and a shock of black wavy hair made him a standout figure. His mother Melita was Italian, an opera singer, and young Tony’s cultured baritone voice indicated he was headed for a similar calling. His father, Wallace, was a bank manager, and his grandfather Anthony held the position of Mayor of Fairfield, in Sydney’s western suburbs, for 13 consecutive years. Anthony Street Fairfield is named after him. Even at school, Tony had little regard for authority, or for rules and regulations, and when he decided he wanted to go racing he had no intention of waiting until his seventeenth birthday to obtain a competition licence. At fifteen years…

Although it had entered the field via the expedient of purchasing the long-established Meguro firm, and indeed simply re-badged some of Meguro’s existing four strokes, Kawasaki then turned its attention to a range of well engineered two strokes, most featuring the then revolutionary rotary disc valve induction. The range of Kawasaki ultra lightweights performed well enough to make the establishment sit up and take notice, but what really set tongues wagging was the sensational 250cc A1 “Samurai’ of 1966. The 250 just pipped the Bridgestone 350 GTR to become the first Japanese production twin to be fitted with twin rotary disc valves, and to press home its case, Kawasaki also produced the A1R production racer. The A1R was meant to be a serious challenger to the Yamaha TD1B, which it…

Many years ago (Life Member of the HMCCQ) John Finglas shared a private museum with his dad Jack. They had over 100 bikes in the collection and amongst them was a 1923 Ner-a-car. These were not very common in Australia at the time and although complete in a visual sense it still needed a few hard- to-source components to have it on the road. Back then there was a moment in time where the Finglas family had the Ner-a car on display at a public event when the very first Surfers Paradise Meter Maid, Annette Welch also was in attendance. Annette sat side-saddle on the Ner-a-car for a photo which made the newspaper and John still has a copy of that photo today. I wonder if Annette ever thought that…

Velo & Vincent Rally • 23 May, 2015 – Moss Vale, NSW This rally has only one rule, “there are no rules”, which could be the secret to the increasing popularity of the low key annual gathering of Velocette and Vincent folk in the NSW Southern Highlands, which this year attracted its biggest contingent in recent memory. On a glorious, clear autumn day, an eighty mile (OK, 130 km) route through the lush countryside saw eleven Velocettes and nine standard specification Vincent/HRDs in solo and sidecar form, plus a near new Egli Vincent, a Norvin, and a 1929 HRD, making it a fairly even contest. A healthy number of support machinery, including a road-going Manx Norton, joined in for the fun. This area contains some of the best motorcycling roads…

Norton Owners Club of NZ Mail Run Rally • 21 March, 2015 – Taupo-Napier, NZ The annual Mail Run from Taupo to Napier went ahead this year in glorious weather, so with everyone in good spirits it was a good turnout of girder forked and rigid framed bikes that assembled at the Marina start point – some 54 bikes of all makes and models. The first leg was concluded with only one bike requiring a lift due to a faulty clutch. Some minor fettling was seen to be done amongst the other bikes but it was then my turn to ride Richard Caudwell’s 29 350cc Indian Prince. Having followed Richard two weeks previously at the Indian Rally held in Wellington, I was keen to feel how this bike went. I’m…

VCC of NZ 24th National Motorcycle Rally • 20-22 February, 2015 – Cromwell, NZ The Vintage Car Club of NZ’s 24th National Motorcycle Rally was based this year at Cromwell in Upper Clutha Valley of Central Otago, NZ. Central Otago is a major wine growing area, with spectacular alpine scenery, that enjoys its own rather dry micro climate. This year’s event was truly international with 5 Australian, 2 English and 2 Dutch competitors. 164 bikes entered, the earliest were a pair of 1911 Abingdon King Dicks and the youngest a 1983 Suzuki GSX. There was a good spread of machines across the age classes; 10 Veteran, 33 Vintage, 14 Post Vintage, 68 Post War, 34 Post 60 and 5 Post 80. All the major manufacturers were represented and there were…

The real Ray In OB46 ‘Under the Chequered Flag’, there is a photo of Lindsay Urquhart at Bathurst. The caption claims that his passenger is the late Ray Kelly. In the interest of accuracy, I would like to point out that this is incorrect, the passenger shown is definitely not Ray Kelly, but more likely Jim or Jack Craig. Here is a photo (above) of the real Ray Kelly passengering for Bernie Mack on the long stroke 600cc Manx Norton at Fishermen’s Bend in 1956. Paul Reed, Stanthorpe, Qld Not so slippery Your latest magazine (OBA 51) is a cracker, just amazing photo’s and stories. Write a winner! Each issue, we’re giving away a pair of tough, stylish Draggin’ Jeans, valued at $249, for the Best Letter contribution. Don’t forget…

LEWIS OSWALD (LEW) DOWSETT, one of the stalwarts of motorcycling in South Australia received the chequered flag on Sunday 12th April at the age of 93. There would be few motorcyclists in Australia who had entered a competition event at 90 years of age or were riding a motorcycle up until a few days of their 93rd birthday but Lew lived a good part of his life on two wheels. When he was a lad growing up at Southwark in South Australia he and his two best mates would ride their push bikes to watch motorcycle races and as soon as they were old enough to obtain motorcycle licences they purchased motorcycles with Lew’s mount being a 350 Rex Acme JAP. In 1941 Lew enlisted in the A.I.F. as a…

Back in 1967, my father owned a small motor cycle shop at Sylvania in Sydney’s southern suburbs, with agencies for Bridgestone, Bultaco and Ducati. Before the v-twins came along, the Ducati range was made up of singles in capacities from 160cc to 450cc, all variations of a common theme. Being Italian, they had a certain charisma, as well as a deserved reputation for lousy electrics. My mate Rick purchased a 250cc Monza and I was tempted to do the same (attracted by the family discount) but the styling just didn’t grab me so I bought a new 250cc Scrambler. In mid-winter, Rick and I saddled up, pulled on our rudimentary motorcycle clothing (which consisted of plastic spray jackets and gardening gloves), and headed out west. When we returned 10 days…

Lewis – The Man and the Company Vivian Lewis, the man behind the company name, ‘emigrated’ from the colony of Victoria and established a bicycle works in Adelaide in 1893 and named it the “The Ormonde Bicycle Depot and Lewis Cycle Works”. The business focus was on the transport craze of the time, the “safety” bicycle. It was only 6 years later in 1898 though that the next technology craze was embraced by Lewis and, with the help of Tom O’Grady, he built a small kerosene powered 2 h.p. engine and fitted it to a 3-seat bicycle (the “motortriplet”), followed by a small car (just a tad underpowered by all accounts). Bicycle manufacturing wasn’t abandoned though and continued to be a steady source of revenue for Lewis right through to…

Victorian Historic Road Race Championships • 11-12 April, 2015 – State Motorcycle Complex, Broadford Vic. One week after the Penrite Broadford Bonanza, the State Motorcycling Complex once again echoed to the sounds of classics for the state titles. Riding the T-Rex Racing Harris Honda 1100, Michael Dibb hardly raised a sweat to take out all four races in the Unlimited Forgotten Era title, although he got to within 0.161 of his own lap record in the final encounter. A healthy turn out of early models fronted for the Vintage and Class C classes, taken out by Peter Birthisel (Indian) and Peter Hehir (Matchless) respectively. Following on from his impressive performance at the Barry Sheene Festival of Speed, Jonathon Houston and his neat 1962 Motobi were untouchable in the Classic 250,…

• 25-26 April, 2015 – Newstead, Victoria Out in the Victorian countryside, one of Australia’s biggest and most popular rallies takes place at what was formerly the Newstead Race Course. From Friday midday, hundreds file through the gates and set up camp for a weekend of socialising, checking out the huge variety of British machinery, and a ride to historic Malden, 30 minutes up the road. Ron Weste was there to sample the sights and sounds. My sidekick and I arrived early at the Newstead campsite, me with my camera in hand, he with his pencil and notepad at the ready to record interesting stuff. Due to the early hour most of the rally bikes and riders were still arriving. The only way to really appreciate the multitude of makes…

14th Annual Coalfields Classic Motorcycle Show • 15 March, 2015 – Tattersall’s Hotel, Greta NSW Coalfields Show Results The third weekend in March seems to be the perfect time to have a Classic Motorcycle Show. Perfect autumnal weather and a great selection of machines from all eras attracted a big crowd to the 14th Annual Coalfields Classic Motorcycle Show. There were 124 classic motorcycles entered, and many more that were not entered parked outside along the New England Highway. The earliest motorcycles on show were a 1912 500cc Brooklands Racer, a 1912 Rudge, (which won Bike of the Show and Pre 1925 Awards), a 1923 Waratah, and a beautifully restored 1929 350cc Douglas which won the People’s Choice and 1926-1945 Awards for its owner, Tony Fitzpatrick. The Tattersall’s Hotel certainly…

That motorcycle forms the basis for the new Tracer, which weighs in at just 190kg, but is equipped with everything the MT-09 didn’t have, namely touring accoutrements, plus traction control and ABS. But the Tracer is much more than a cosmetic makeover; there’s a touring size fuel tank, a seat more suited to longer hours on the road (although still a bit on the firm side for me), standard lockable panniers and a new electronic mapping for that brilliant 847cc triple that in this guise, churns out 115hp (84.6kW) at 10,000 rpm with 87.5Nm torque at 8,500 rpm. Fuel economy is excellent and you can expect to squeeze around 300km from the 18 litre fuel tank. Just to harp a bit on the motor, it pulls cleanly and strongly from…

Walter Schneider, from the town called Siegen in south western Germany near Cologne, started his racing career in a sidecar chair in 1949. He soon built his own BMW R 66-engined sidecar outfit and earned his first laurels in 1950. Many German solo and sidecar riders used Nortons in the years before the BMW Rennsport was available. In 1953 he took the opportunity to buy a 500cc Norton Manx from 1952 German champion Rudolf Knees (1907-1982) and Schneider started sidecar racing with more success, ending up in fourth position in the German sidecar championship that year. The result encouraged him to take part in the 1954 world championship. His passenger being associated with the local BMW dealer, and BMW being about to deliver the first few of the RS 54…

Adelaide International Raceway Some circuits have an indefinable character that labels them as ‘classics’. Phillip Island is one, Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium another, perhaps even Mount Panorama would qualify. One that probably would not is the strange mixture of half-banked ‘speed bowl’ and unimaginative linking sections created on a typically parched expanse of ground north of Adelaide; what was originally titled Virginia Raceway. The entrepreneur Keith Williams, who died in 2011, had a serious love affair with motor sport for a while, creating both the Surfers Paradise circuit in 1966, and Adelaide International Raceway six years later. To be fair, Surfers was a far better track than AIR, as the southern circuit came to be known. As with many of Mr. Williams’ projects, AIR was mired in controversy from the very…

John Britten Tribute • 21-22 February, 2015 – Christchurch, NZ In February I flew over with some mates from Melbourne to see the John Britten Sound of Thunder Tribute. As this event was organised by the B.E.A.R.S. Motorcycle Club, the pits were full of Triumphs, Nortons, Ducatis, KTMs, Moto Guzzis, MV Augustas, Harleys and Buells; not a Japanese bike to be seen. The organisers had 32 races across 10 classes, and multiple races for each class. The range and the number of bikes competing is impressive. There are budget racers to high-end competition bikes, classics to superbikes, and lots of NZ ingenuity. The races are extremely competitive, and in some races they had over 80 competitors – fast and with very few incidents over the two days of racing. We…

• 29 March-5 April, 2015 – Bathurst, NSW Unlike the usual motorcycle rally the Bathurst Tour is in fact a tour of Bathurst and surrounding districts by motorcycle taking in places such as Barry, Blayney, Burraga, Carcoar and its dam, Trunkey Creek, Newbridge, Neville, Sofala and places in between. Over the 9 days of the Tour the motorcyclist does in fact benefit in learning to know the district located in Central New South Wales in a fair bit of detail. If you ride a veteran or vintage machine like I did this year you also become familiar with some of the bumps as the back roads chosen for each day’s run do have a few hidden irregularities in them, but it’s all part of the Tour. The Tour now in…

19th Red Scarf Rally • 14-15 March, 2015 – Kiama, NSW The start and finish point of the 19th Red Scarf Rally was the pictureperfect Black Beach at Kiama Harbour. Despite poor weather leading up to the rally, the weather for the main rides on Saturday was excellent but unfortunately deteriorated on Sunday and because of safety concerns the ride on this day was shortened prior to an early BBQ lunch. Over 90 entries were received representing 18 different manufacturers from the years 1926 to 2014. Of note was approximately 75% of the entries were either on historic registration or eligible for historic registration. Entrants came from near and far including the Illawarra, Griffith, Sydney, Central Coast, Shoalhaven, Goulburn, Dubbo, Mudgee, Albury, the South Coast and the Southern Highlands. Participants…

The Spagforth Competitions Department lurched from ignominious failure to public ridicule as poorly developed prototypes failed miserably year after year, but department head Bat Flatchat was convinced that the key to race-winning horsepower lay in harnessing exhaust gases. Flatchat managed to convince the Spagforth board that a considerable investment in exhaust technology research would pay handsome dividends, but the board was loathe to engage local expertise, should any discoveries be leaked to the opposition. So it was that in 1938, Flatchat, accompanied by works rider Edgar Jessop and Jessop’s then-fiancé Lucy Lastic journeyed to Japan for top secret talks with the Itchykuchi Exhaust Pipe Company. A deal was struck whereby a new design of exhaust megaphone would be developed and jointly marketed by Spagforth and the Yingtong Motor Corporation, who…