Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 70 i Old Bike Australasia

• ROYAL ENFIELD • STEIN-DINSE GmbH • VJMC RALLY & NZ TOUR • Using the iconic Interceptor INT and Continental GT model names, the all-new twins are powered by a single overhead cam, 8-valve, air/oil cooled parallel twin engine displacing 648cc, and producing 47bhp and 52Nm torque. A new six-speed gearbox with slip/assist clutch was specially developed for the new models. The chassis is a steel tube cradle with twin rear shocks and 18-inch wheels front and rear, fitted with Pirelli tyres as standard equipment. There are single disc brakes at each end, both equipped with ABS. The Interceptor INT is the more conventionally styled of the pair, with a quilted dual seat, braced handlebars, and a fuel tank that is certainly reminiscent of the old Interceptor. The Continental GT 650 goes for a sportier look,…

• IFoS • NEW KAWASAKI • WAKEFIELD PK • More Old Bike news, photos and stories at... www.facebook.com/oldbikemag Greg’s mount was the unique Yamaha XS1100 superbike that had been converted from shaft drive to chain drive by the team at Pitman’s in Adelaide. Despite its success, the big Yamaha eventually disappeared and was largely forgotten for decades. Recently however, one of the men responsible for its creation has the bike back in his garage after its Sydney-based owner agreed to have it restored to its race specification. Now Mal is working hard to bring the historic XS11 back to the condition of its glory days, with its debut scheduled for the 2018 International Festival of Speed at Sydney Motor Sport Park from 23-25 March, 2018. Another famous machine from the Pitmans stable will appear as well –…

Born in Yass, Ron served in the RAAF and was part of the occupation forces in Japan after WW2, where he learned to speak Japanese and made many Japanese friends. In the air force he worked on instruments and radios. Back in Australia, he ran a radio-doctor service, operating from a sidecar, changing valves in radios. At another time he used a sidecar to sell Streets ice creams at sporting venues in the Illawarra, and also worked as a welder. When Mount Kembla scrambles track was built, he and Edna put more time into it than anyone else. They were there every weekend and he also spent his annual holidays there. Ron and Edna later lived on a property at Belford near Singleton where their daughter Vicki Robertson also has…

In his self-built home in the Adelaide Hills, 64-year old Jeremy Burgess appears not to have a care in the world, nor an enemy. In the garage is his restored Jaguar, a long-term project now nearing completion, with a Triumph T3A next in line. There’s a day of golf each week, a few speaking engagements, and appearances at events like the Levels Classic in Timaru and the International Festival of Speed at SMSP. Indeed, life these days is pretty relaxed – a direct contrast to the previous 35 years on the Grand Prix trail that included high-profile (and high pressure) stints as crew chief to Wayne Gardner, Mick Doohan, and, from 1999, Valentino Rossi. It’s true that that career came to a sudden end, but it wasn’t unexpected, says Jeremy…

BY THE BEGINNING of the 1900s, motorcycle production was a worldwide phenomenon establishing iconic marques including the American Harley-Davidson and Indian; British Triumph, BSA Matchless and Norton; Italian Moto Guzzi and Gilera; French Terot and Gnome Rhone; Belgian FN and Gillet; German BMW, NSU, DKW, Zundapp. The demands of the battle front would spur further innovation and advancement both in solo form and in sidecar configuration. While the First World War saw extensive employment of the motorcycles, it shifted into high gear during the next war. Of all the Second World War combatant nations, the German military was the largest employer of motorcycles, a large number fitted with sidecars. The following photos are originals from the author’s collection and excerpted from his forthcoming book Bikes of the Blitzkrieg appearing in…

But like all brilliant ideas, the CB750 was in the cross-hairs of its rivals from day one, not just with across-the-frame fours like the Z1 Kawasaki and the later GS750 Suzuki, but other big bores that even included the Suzuki GT750 and briefly, the Yamaha TX750. Even though the Z1 established a sub-class of 900cc, there was still something traditional about 750cc motorcycles that the Honda graciously championed. The new Suzuki GS750, with its double overhead camshaft engine and superlative handling, was audaciously poised to snaffle Honda’s previously unchallenged position in the 750cc category, so by the mid-seventies the Big H seriously needed another arrow in its quiver, and it came in the form of the CB750F, which very soon became the CB750F1 and eventually the CB750F2 The new F…

Laverda Concours • 12 November, 2017 – Cleveland Showgrounds, Qld. 2017 saw an attempt at a new date to avoid the rain that has haunted the event in recent years. Unfortunately the 29th running of the Concours was rained out again and had to be rescheduled to the 12th November. The weather on that day was a threat but it thankfully worked out a beautiful day. Feedback suggested that the reschedule limited attendance as many had already committed to other events that weekend. While the entrants and visitor numbers were still very healthy I’m sure it could have been a whole lot better. The quality of entries was again extraordinary and seems to get better each year. Club Laverda has donated to the Make a Wish foundation over many years…

13th BSA National Rally • 13-15 October, Cowra Holiday Park, NSW The 2017 BSA National Rally was held in Cowra, NSW; the 13th National, a year early for NSW to allow Victoria to host the National and International Rally at Halls Gap next year. Although the numbers were down on previous years with 81 riders and guests registered, possibly affected by industrial closures in South Australia, the venue was excellent at the Cowra Holiday Park, with plenty of room for camping, good cabins and extensive areas for a concours, trade displays and convivial meetings. The local weather was warm and sunny, with the district blanketed by harvested and bright yellow unharvested canola crops. Runs to Canowindra, visiting the Age of Fishes Museum, the Cowra POW camp site and Japanese Gardens…

Charlie the great Great story on Charlie Edwards in OBA 68! As a member of the organising Club for the Morgan Mile in South Australia, we saw Charlie many times in SA, at Morgan and many other tracks. He led the 125 race on his Bultaco-powered Bantam at the 1965 Australian Scramble Championships at Clarendon, SA, until the carby fell off, and was successful at the short-lived big track on the old Tailem Bend Racecourse, one very rough circuit! We saw him win at St. Kilda (SA) Short Circuit, and I was part of a group that went to Ipswich (Qld) in 1971 where Charlie won the 125 Title. Ray Owen, whose 125 had expired, turned out in the 125 race on his 250, but Charlie still won. Then, when…

In November, Kawasaki did what has been expected for some time and launched into retro category with a pair of Z1/900 inspired fours. The Z900RS is a modern take on the ground breaking machine of 1971, right down to the ‘Jaffa’ paint, using a liquid-cooled 948cc DOHC in-line four engine with 6-speed transmission with an Assist & Slipper clutch. The trellis-style frame is all new and specially designed to permit the slim-line fuel tank, and uses an extruded aluminium swingarm. The engine unit is a stressed member. Up front is a 41mm inverted fork, with 10-way compression and 12-way rebound damping adjustment. Rear suspension is via a linkage operated single shock under the seat. Front brakes are twin 300mm gripped by 4-piston radial mounted calipers, with a single-piston caliper on…

Steve was born in Tasmania, son a of keen motorcycle racer, and moved with the family to Albury, where we qualified as a motor mechanic. He soon followed in his father’s footsteps, racing a well worn TD1A Yamaha, followed by a series of later 250 and 350 Yamahas and a brace of the Aermacchi/Harley-Davidsons. But it was getting aboard the Suzuki RG500s owned by prolific sponsor Dick Hunter that really accelerated his career. The Swann Insurance International Series of 1980 saw Steve take the fight to TTF1 World Champion Graeme Crosby and his works XR69 Suzuki in a series of incredible battles, but it came to a jarring halt in Adelaide when he crashed and badly broke his leg, so badly that amputation was considered. Fortunately, a series of operations…

To go Formula 750 racing with a BSA/Triumph triple after the category was imported to Europe from the USA in 1971, history dictates that the only way to do so was with a factory-developed Rob North race frame. But Stan Shenton, MD of the large Boyer’s of Bromley Triumph dealership in the South London suburbs, had other ideas which have been all but airbrushed from history. A former RAF aircraft mechanic during national service post-WW2, Shenton became an insurance broker on demob, before he was persuaded by his father-in-law Robert Bentley to take over the family motorcycle dealership in 1955. Stan duly turned this into one of Honda’s top-selling UK outlets, with Triumphs as a profitable sideline, including a tuning business for the British marque. Shenton not only possessed the…

I first became aware of this amazing man when I was travelling through Nurioopta in the Barossa Valley about ten years ago – a town full of history (including motorcycle racing; the Australian TT was held on a round-the-houses circuit in 1949) and historic buildings – and something stopped me dead in my tracks. Here was what appeared to be a building that had been a car showroom in a previous life, with a long glass front facing the main road and a very long row of old bikes and cars inside. Screeching to a halt, my jaw dropped as I surveyed not one, but at least a dozen Ariel Square Fours – arranged in chronological order from the very first overhead camshaft 500cc and 600cc to the last 1,000cc…

Having recently clinched his first World Championships, the 1962 250cc and 350cc, Jim Redman arrived in Perth on January 13, 1963, looking slightly worse for wear. Competing at East London in his adopted home of South Africa just weeks prior, Redman crashed his works 250 Honda and was lucky to escape with severe bruising. The fall made a mess of the Honda, which was hastily patched up, and his crash helmet was destroyed. Despite his physical condition, London-born Redman stayed on until midnight as guest of the West Australian Motorcycle Association, then boarded a flight to Melbourne, arriving at 6.30am. One hour later he was on a plane to Sydney, to be greeted by Tom Phillis Senior, who took him to collect two bikes sent by Honda for his Australian…

Shoalhaven Historic Vehicle Club Nowra Tiddlers Rally • 10-12 November 2017 – Nowra NSW The Shoalhaven Historic Vehicle Club’s 6th Annual Tiddlers November rally attracted a total of 42 entries. The rally is strictly limited to machines of less than 250cc which are older than 30 years. Rally headquarters was situated at the Shoalhaven Caravan Village on Terara Road Nowra. The range of bikes participating included such marques as MV, Adler, Ducati, MZ, Bultaco, BMW, Jawa, BSA, and then to Mick Williams’ house in Sanctuary Point for a lunch break. After lunch it was onto Turpentine Road and past HMAS Albatross with almost no other traffic and back to Rally HQ for judging. Michelle Lees’ MV 150 encountered an electrical fault and had to be trailered back, as did Ray…

Phil Irving Concours • 12 October, 2017 – Ferny Grove, Queensland The Historical Motorcycle Club of Queensland has for many years celebrated Phil Irving for his great contribution to automotive engineering and motorcycles in particular. This year was no different and the Brisbane area of the club organised the Phil Irving Concours at the Tramway Museum grounds in Ferny Grove. The venue has proved popular with families who are able to relax under the trees or enjoy a tram ride whilst the boys ogle over a variety of immaculate machines. The machines on display represent the historic focus of the club and are all in excess of 30 years old. For judging purposes the machines are grouped in the full spectrum of historic categories ranging from veteran machines made before…

ISLAND CLASSIC • BROADFORD BONANZA Over several decades, Ron, who has sponsored many of Australia’s top racers including Kenny Blake and Graeme Geddes, will be presenting around 30 bikes, many of which have not been seen in public before. As well as static displays, some of these bikes will be seen and heard on-track over the weekend. Ron’s beautiful 500cc Gilera-4, identical to the model that set the first 100mph lap at the Isle of Man in 1957, will be screeching its music, along with several of the jewel-like Mondials which dominated the smaller classes in the same period. A hugely significant machine is the V4 350 Jawa, which will sadly be remembered as the bike on which Bill Ivy lost his life in 1969. From the later Grand Prix periods there…

“While entry numbers were slightly down on 2016, those that did compete thoroughly enjoyed the meeting. The weather was mostly perfect, the dry conditions ensuring that every competitor stayed “shiny side up”. To guarantee the future of this unique event, entry numbers need to be viable commercially for the venue (as is normal for any race meeting). We would love to see a 50/50 split of cars/ bikes equalling nearly 200 entries, so the work for this starts now between all of us spreading the word. “We are pleased to announce the 2018 All Historic Racing at Wakefield Park will be held on the weekend of 1st & 2nd September, 2018. Put this date in your calendar now and tell your club secretaries to list the dates in their club…

Ian and Jan Kennedy The Maffra and surrounding communities were deeply saddened to hear of the deaths of IAN and JAN KENNEDY as a result of a road accident near Newry on November 5th. Jan and Ian were not only widely known and respected in their local area, but also in motorbike and car clubs across Victoria and many other parts of Australia. Both were life members of the Maffra Sale Motorcycle Club (MSMC), where they had made huge contributions to the club for more than 50 years. The evening before their fatal accident, Ian had been given an outstanding service recognition award at a dinner held by the club to commemorate 70 years of continuous MSMC operation. Ian and Jan will also be remembered for the organising role they…

He raced at Mount Druitt on a Ryan’s Motorcycles BSA and at Bathurst on John Thurgood’s International Norton. He also rode in scrambles at Moorebank and on the Vineyards, Arcadia, Nepean and Amaroo Park short circuit tracks on his brother Ray’s ex-Bill Larue 350cc B31 BSA. On retiring from racing, Kevin continued to officiate at Bathurst, Oran Park and Amaroo Park road races as well as at the Goodwin Shield road trials. In later years Kevin rode in classic rallies around NSW on his ES2 Norton and 250cc Starfire BSA. With his wife Enid, Kevin had five sons and two daughters. He passed away on 17th October, 2017, aged 89.…

Clive Carter purchased the Seeley chassis new and Stan Shenton supplied the Trident engine, which was mated to a Quaife 5-speed gearbox, and Carter raced the bike at the Stars of Tomorrow meeting at Brands Hatch in 1972. When Clive Carter emigrated from England to Australia later that year, he brought the Seeley Trident with him. He had high hopes of picking up where he left off in his new home of Melbourne, which was well serviced with race tracks. In 1973, the Seeley was made race ready and Clive practiced a few times at Calder prior to racing there. Subsequently, he raced the machine at Winton and at Sandown Park in August 1973. There was no notable success, but the AMCN report from Sandown carried a photo of Carter…

Florida Gardens Estate, Surfers Paradise Qld. The most remarkable thing about the 1959 Australian Grand Prix, held on Sunday July 26 at the partly-finished Florida Gardens Estate residential development at what is now part of Broadbeach Waters in the heart of Surfers Paradise, is that it took place at all. The Australian Grand Prix, in motorcycling terms, had always played second fiddle to the Australian TT, which was endorsed as the official national championship. The Grand Prix was not even contested for many years in the ‘fifties, as the controlling body, the Auto Cycle Council of Australia (ACCA) failed to find a promoter willing to stage the event. It was revived in 1957 and run quite successfully at the Bandiana Army Camp on the NSW/Victoria border, but lapsed again for…

A “breakthrough for the Japanese motorcycle industry” was one headline when Honda’s stunning six cylinder CBX was first announced in 1977, and it certainly left no one in any doubt that this was a bike which was destined to become an icon of that decade. It wasn’t the first six cylinder road bike – Benelli had already beaten Honda with its 750 Sei – but with its spine tingling yowl from the pair of upswept silencers it was an instant reminder of the Japanese giant’s sporting heritage from the early nineteen sixties when their multi cylinder four strokes ruled the race tracks. With twenty four valves, and more than 100bhp on tap from the 1047cc engine the period road testers soon discovered that not only was the big Honda visually,…

Mt Tarrangower Hill Climb • 14-15 October 2017 – Maldon, Victoria Located on the outskirts of Maldon, a small country town in the Victoria gold fields region, Mount Tarrengower hill climb is one of the oldest hill climbs in Australia. Originally an event for classic cars, 1982 saw the HMRAV (Historic Motorcycle Racing Association of Victoria) compete for the first time alongside the cars with an entrants’ list comprising 6 solos and 3 sidecars. After an unfortunate incident, the bikes took a short hiatus until their return in 2001. This year saw 35 solos and 6 outfits compete, the honors going to Stacey Heaney aboard her 1971 Yamaha XS 650 in a time of 43.9 seconds just ahead of the previous years winner and perennial favorite, Mick Panayi aboard a…

Wagga Classic Motorcycle Club Rally • 7-8 October, 2017 – Wagga Wagga NSW It was a great relief to look out the window at 6:00 am on Saturday morning to see a clear blue sky. Marshalling, overlooking a calm Lake Albert, went like clockwork with bikes and riders appearing shortly after 7:00 am. This was our biggest-ever rally, with 110 entrants from Victoria and all over NSW, riding bikes presented to a very high standard. The oldest machine was a 1937 Ariel VB outfit, entered by Kevin and Kath Hammond. Voting takes place before the long ride commences at 10am. The ride left Apex park and headed across the Eunony Bridge to the back road towards Gundagai, turning off at Wanterbadgery, crossing the Murrumbidgee once more at Mundarlo, then Tumblong…

During the Second World War the strategic Maltese city of Valletta was a stronghold for the Royal Navy and consequently suffered from many bombing raids. After hostilities ended there was a considered effort to start rebuilding as with many other cities world-wide. However, in Malta’s case the government (British at the time) decided a few years in to the rebuilding, that the hard working locals needed something to lift their spirits. A ‘pick me up’, so to speak. So the local Royal Navy commander Brigadier General Buckingham was approached by the government to come up with an idea. “Easy,” he said, “We will hold a miniature motorcycle GP around the newly cleared and repaired streets of Valletta”. As an ex-racer, the commander was sure it would be a huge success.…