Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 99 i Old Bike Australasia

There will be a Show & Shine on Saturday 26 March 2022 at the Dai Gum San Golden Dragon Museum Precinct in the Bendigo CBD where vintage Japanese motorcycles from the 1950s to the 2000s, from concours to daily rides will be on display. We are happy to announce that Suzuki Australia will be in attendance at the 2021 Suzuki VJMC National Rally Show and Shine. They will bring a range of new Suzuki motorcycles which will be available for test rides by both the rally attendees and the general public. The Suzuki display will be positioned at the entrance to the show event between 11:00 am and 3:00 pm. A Suzuki JR80 will be raffled over the rally weekend with tickets available to rally attendees and the general public…

It was based on the ‘Open’ class machines that were produced to boost entries in the premier class and it is believed only about 250 were made. At the recent Collecting Cars on-line auction, this British-domiciled example with only one mile on the odometer, in its original packing crate and still clad in its factory bubble wrap, saw 63 bidders vying for the honour of ownership. The winning bid reached £182,500 (approx. AU$344,500) – a new record for a Japanese motorcycle sold at auction. The RC213 came with the optional HRC Race Kit and titanium exhaust system which boosted power from 150hp to a claimed 214hp at 13,000 rpm and dropped the weight by 10kg. The 90º V-4 engine used conventional valve springs instead of pneumatic operation and steel instead…

The team arrived at Novo in Antarctica from Cape Town for four days of acclimatisation, loading of supplies, checking equipment and the motorcycles. From Novo, they covered 3,200 kilometres over the next nine days, braving extreme weather conditions and temperatures as low as -30F as they pressed on towards the Ross Ice Shelf, the designated start point at 86 degrees south. However an unexpected blizzard forced the team to shift the start point to 87 degrees south for the 400km ride to the South Pole at 90 degrees south. For this expedition, the two Himalayans were prepared in-house, with minor upgrades to enable them to navigate the snow and ice and function under the extreme conditions. The bikes were ridden on a compacted snow track to the South Pole to…

The first model to receive the Z label was the now-iconic Z1 900. To celebrate, Kawasaki is releasing two Z models, the Z650 and the Z900, in a special Firecracker Red, similar to the 1981 Z1100. The retro-styled Z900RS and the new-for 2022 Z650RS will appear in Candy Diamond Brown and Orange with gold wheels. All four have a gloss black frame with Z 50th emblem and logos and come with a Z 50th Anniversary coffee-table book. As we went to press, pricing had yet to be announced.…

Rod and his brothers were members of the St George club in Sydney and were regular competitors on Rod’s Norton twin outfit at Amaroo Park, Nepean and Londonderry dirt tracks. Rod was a Tech teacher who worked at the Sydney Railway workshops with Tony Henderson, builder of the famous Henderson Matchless raced with great success by Ron Toombs. Rod also served in Vietnam with the SAS. Several veterans of the Vietnam campaign attended Rod’s funeral on 14th January.…

Bianca hails from Craigieburn in Victoria and works as an electrician by day, but after hours or on the weekends Bianca has oil in her blood. Her story holds the old adage true about letting youngsters have a go and give them lots of encouragement and the results will speak for themselves. Bianca: “I have been brought up around motorcycles. My Dad has had motorbikes since I was born, specifically Indians (1929 101 Scout, 1947 Chief) and a Mach III Kawasaki 500cc, hence Indians and motorcycles per se became my passion too.” Bianca learned to ride a Yamaha PW50 when she was 6 years old, inspired by her older brother riding bikes. This in turn led to motocross racing for about 10 years, on machinery such as said PW 50,…

Bicycles, small motors, and Italy’s post-war recovery. The challenges facing post-war Italy were numerous, not the least being to find a means of transport for the masses given that so much had been destroyed. While the bricks and mortar may have been wiped out, the engineering ingenuity had not, and in its traditional stronghold in the north it would provide the fertile soil for first green shoots of recovery. Bologna had long enjoyed a reputation for producing outstanding bicycles, with numerous manufacturers developing innovative mechanicals and techniques, so it was a foregone conclusion that in the economically straightened period immediately after the shooting stopped, that bicycles would emerge as the most viable and affordable means of personal transport and even for small delivery work. The bicycle had become symbolic of…

Kawasaki always did things slightly differently to its Japanese motorcycle manufacturing counterparts. While Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha were making little bikes, Kawasaki went the other way with the BSA-inspired 650cc W1 twin. The company’s involvement in bikes stretches back to 1948 when it began supplying component parts to other companies as well as designing its own motorcycle engine. Under the Meihatsu brand, the company released 150 cc and 250 cc four stroke engines in 1953, and produced its own complete motorcycle – a 125 based on the ubiquitous DKW/BSA Bantam concept – in 1955. But it was the Kawasaki takeover of the long-established Meguro brand in 1964 that launched it into the forefront of the Japanese market. Meguro’s T1, a 500 twin, became the W1 650 under Kawasaki’s stewardship, and…

“These are not exotic overseas bikes ridden by star riders; they are the type of bike we all enjoyed during the years when I was riding regularly, specifically the ‘seventies,” says Warwick. “Now I would like to give the current generation the chance to see the bikes that defined that era.” In a real coals-to-Newcastle saga, Warwick’s collection is now housed at Amaroo Park, the same Amaroo Park in Sydney’s northwest that staged the Castrol Six Hour Race, the Mr Motocross Series, the Australian Short Circuit Championships, and much, much more, including the Stay Upright operation for a period. These days, Amaroo Park is much quieter, but home to a collection of original warehouses and factory buildings, a thriving café and restaurant and other small businesses. Within the precinct, Warwick…

My main machine was a 1964 Norton Atlas, which I rode at various times to Melbourne and north to Mackay in the 6 years I owned it, but back to the above-mentioned Vincent. I’ve always had a second bike. I had previously got rid of a 48 Inter and the “Hurdy Gurdy” as I called it, was next cab off the rank. A bloke did a lot of partying those days, and most of my mates rode bikes, so kegs had to be carried on the tank of a bike if no car was available, and of course out in the bush after drinking said kegs, one was prone to falling off. So a second older bike was handy for this. My old Inter Norton had a dent in the…

In 1969, British rider Dave Simmonds won the 125cc World Championship riding the works Kawasaki disc-valve twin. He claimed his and Kawasaki’s first-ever Grand Prix win at the second round in Germany, and went onto take a further seven wins, including the Isle of Man TT, to easily take the championship. The tiny Kawasaki, with its 8-speed gearbox, is now owned by Ron Angel as part of his fabulous collection of iconic racing motorcycles, and will be on display over the Easter weekend. In addition, Ron Angel will bring along his KR350 Kawasaki, the tandem-twin two stroke that took the 350cc World Championship in 1978 and 1979. Riders such as Kork Ballington and Australia’s Gregg Hansford starred on the KR350, as well as the smaller 250 version. The KR350 took…

When the 1961 BSA Golden Flash was wheeled into the garage in 1973, it could not have known that this was to be its final movement for almost half a century. The quiet slumber in the benign Adelaide climate, gathering a coat of dust, preserved the big British twin perfectly – its odometer sitting, seemingly trapped in time – at 3,821 miles. Harold Wigzell forked out a wad of his hard-earned cash in February 1962 to purchase the Golden Flash from BSA distributor J.N. Taylor’s at 150 Grenfell Street, Adelaide. Its final South Australian registration – 18.654, hand-painted as was the custom in those days – expired on 23rd February 1973. It is now owned by Marco Moretti, who takes up the story. “My father has known Judith (Harold Wigzell’s…

Remember also that much of MV’s success came in the 125cc and 250cc classes, thanks largely to brilliant riders such as Carlo Ubbiali, who, aboard the 125 and the newly redesigned 250 singles, had claimed both these classes in 1956. But in the smaller classes MV faced the dogged FB Mondial concern, which thrashed MV to win both 125 and 250 classes in 1957, before joining Moto Guzzi and Gilera in quitting Grand Prix racing at season’s end. Although Tarquino Provini regained the 250 title for MV in 1958 on an improved single, MV further sharpened its pencil, and the result was an all-new parallel twin, the Bicilindrico. Producing 37.5hp at 12,500 rpm, driving through a six-speed gearbox, the new twin used engine dimensions of 53mm x 56mm with gear-driven…

The electric motor is built into the rear wheel, and the power source is a Lithium-ion battery under the seat. Otherwise, it looks just like most other modern scooters, with largish wheels, very good brakes, a windshield, plus the requisites for urban life; a USB charging port, remote keyless ignition, storage for your phone and plenty of weather protection. There is even a reverse ‘gear’ should you need to use it, although I can’t think of an occasion that would require it. The first of the three riding modes is also a bit superfluous, since it propels at scarcely more than walking pace. So how’s it go? Around town the performance is matched to the requirements; zippy between the traffic lights and stop signs, light and manoeuvrable. Practical top speed…

The BSA Empire Star is a beautiful example of the classic Val Page design, produced from 1936 until 1939. It was available in 249cc, 348cc, and 499cc versions and incorporated a number of new features for the time. Bob MacKinney, a member of the Classic Enthusiasts MCC Orange (NSW) branch, commenced restoring a 1936 500cc Empire Star over 40 years ago. The project began when he purchased just a frame. Over the years, in a labour of love, Bob patiently gathered or made parts, so that by 2017 it was almost complete. Among other things, Bob had made moulds to cast a replica primary chain cover. Unfortunately, time ran out for Bob, who sadly passed away in 2017. The Empire Star, about 80% complete, then passed to Bob’s daughter Jennifer…

• 1-2 January, 2022 – McNamara Park, Mount Gambier, SA Racing in Victoria has been rather sparse over the last few years courtesy of Covid. Fortunately, the borders opened for Christmas resulting in a number of interstate riders attending the SA Historic Road Race Championships over the new year. Classes ranged from the ‘twenties (Period 2) right through to 1990 (Period 6) along with class C, the Pre-1951 500cc OHV and 750cc side valve, hand shift with rigid framed bikes. Friday was practice held under sunny skies and temperatures in the mid to high 30s, not exactly ideal racing conditions. Accordingly, most riders opting for some practice laps parked their bikes after the lunch break deciding to enjoy a quiet cuppa in the shade. A few did opt to do…

• 21 November, 2021 – Oatlands Oval, Tasmania After many years located just to the north at Ross, the TMCC’s annual Rally/Show gained a new home for 2021. The popular annual event moved to Oatlands after our event home of Ross had a change of direction with the Ross Oval in the form of three new cricket pitches. Our committee was on the oval at 5.30am on the day and decided it was far too wet to have bikes on the actually oval grounds so the decision was made to have them lined up all around the outer fence and it worked a treat but was a tad “busy”. Nevertheless, it was a great day indeed with 1,600 through the gate, all under strict “Cover 19” guide rules. We hope…

• 31 October, 2021 – Brisbane, Qld. Early in 2001 a few Brisbane Honda CB750 owners got together and decided to form a local club for these machines. In a few months they had gathered a few members and organised their first club ride with about six ‘fours’ attending. This ride was about 230km down south of Brisbane to Rathdowney then across to Boonah area finishing at the Roadvale Hotel. (The Roadie). The club continued to grow over the years with many club rides and social events, and ran the “Living in The ‘70s” bike show in Brisbane for several years which featured all makes of motorcycles. Members participated in many rides including weekend rides to Casino and Inverell in NSW plus Roma, Tin Can Bay and Kingaroy in QLD.…

This was the first Husqvarna to come to New South Wales, just in time for the 1967 Australian Scrambles Championships at the Mount Kembla circuit near Wollongong, where Daley won both 250cc and 350cc titles. Some years later, the Husky went to Melbourne where it was raced for a while by Lee Brown, son of the late Wes Brown, until illness forced him to retire from the sport. The Husky sat in a shed for years until Matt acquired it in 1988, embarking on a long restoration that was not completed until 2016. Sadly, Matt Daley passed away in December 2021, but his widow June has loaned the bike to the NMRM so visitors can marvel at the quality of Matt’s restoration, and consider just how far motocross bikes have…

Sydney born and raised, Brian moved to Narromine, NSW in his later years. With his sidecar passenger Max Luxton Brian was a familiar figure at Bathurst and Oran Park on a variety of outfits including a 650 Triumph and an International Norton. In 1970 he purchased from Stan Bayliss the water-cooled Honda S600 car-engined outfit that had been originally built by Orrie Salter and Charlie Ogden. This proved to be the last of his outfits, although he and Max both raced 125 Yamahas in solo events and a 350 Matchless in Historic races.…

Born and raised in Newcastle, Norm became the man to beat on the Dirt tracks that abounded in the Hunter Valley and around New South Wales. Norm was not just fast, but tough and fiercely determined – a competitor who never gave an inch. His usual mount was a 500cc JAP engine shoehorned into a Triumph 3T frame, running on sky-high compression and the fastest thing on the track. Unlike many of his rivals, Norm avoided the spectacular broad-siding in favour of a point – squirt – brake style that was unquestionably effective. In 1956 alone, he contested 87 races, won 80 and finished second five times. The other two starts ended with broken chains. In 1959 he was seriously injured at Tamworth, nearly losing a leg in a crash…

In 1936, local car dealer Claude Black proposed an idea to run a motor racing carnival on a public roads circuit linking Port Elliot and Victor Harbor, 80km south of Adelaide, as part of the commemorations to mark the centenary of European settlement in South Australia. Boosted in no small way by the presence of motorcycling’s first superstar, the Irishman Stanley Woods, the Centenary Grand Prix was an outstanding success, attracting enormous crowds and providing a major boost to local industry. The lesson was not lost on surrounding districts, notably Lobethal in the Adelaide Hills, and plans were laid for a similar extravaganza to take place the following year. The venue selected was a roughly triangular circuit measuring 14km, which, uniquely in Australia at the time, was entirely asphalt-surfaced and…

In production since 1964, their ‘Trail-Breaker’ model got them noticed because of the sheer uniqueness of its design. ROKON motorcycles use a combination of belt, chain and shaft drives coupled to gear boxes to drive both the front and rear wheels. Older machines were powered by a Chrysler Marine 820 two-stroke engine (134cc), while newer machines have either a Honda or Kohler engine of about 6hp. Each hollow wheel can hold 2.5 gallons of fuel or water for long distance trips. The large tractor style tyres even enabled it to be floated across rivers. The fact that ROKON – based in New Hampshire – continues production of the models; Trail-Breaker, Ranger and Scout today is remarkable. But that’s not where the story ends. How many of us standing around with…

Binders on classics Brad Binder and brother Darryn may be entrenched in the elite MotoGP field for 2022, but both back home in South Africa, are keen on the classic scene. Along with their father Trevor, both lads will take part in the 2022 DJ Regularity Rally for pre-war, vintage and classic motorcycles, from Durban to Johannesburg on 11-12 March. Brad and Darryn intend to return home following the opening MotoGP round in Qatar on March 6th and squeeze in the rally before round two in Indonesia. All three family members took part in the 2020 rally, the last time it was held. Organisers are expecting a field of about 100 motorcycles taking up the challenge of riding at set average speeds on a route that follows similar roads that…

I’m a graphic designer and tinker with cars but this was my first bike resto. It’s a 1954 plunger frame D1 I believe. My grandpa (93) bought it for my dad (67) in 1971 when he was around 15. Dad painted it iridescent orange and purple in the ‘70s as they were the ‘in’ colours back then. When my old man grew up and moved from the little country town they lived in and into the city to work, it was just left there sitting in the horse stable. My grandpa decided to do it up and restore it to original. He painted it, got the chrome re-done and rode it around himself for a little bit before it ended up sitting for 30 or so years. I got it…

• 21 November, 2021 – Collie Motorplex, WA Saturday was perfect and Sunday dawned bright and clear but with the threat of thunder storms and heavy rain from around midday. With that in mind Clerk of Course Keith McCullough and Steward Steve Scragg decided to get the day’s proceedings underway a half hour early and it paid off with the first eight races run and won well ahead of schedule. This allowed them to slot in the '150 Production Junior Endurance Race' ahead of the advertised Lunch Break. Nine riders participated with Bruce Oliver (Trinity Mining Yamaha R15) on pole for the 15 lap race. There were a few spots of rain at around the half way mark but nothing to worry the riders and at the end of the…

• 5 December, 2021 – Strathpine, Qld Starters gathered at the clubrooms for the 2021 Pine Rivers Area Christmas ride. On reflection it has been a very successful ride year even though some events were cancelled and many postponed. Our chairman Jeff Gordon who is normally on the barbecue as our famous ‘Chef de la Pancake & Saus-arge’ led the ride, zig-zagging the local environs to our lunch stop. Glynn Leitch was rear gunner and Neal Bolam had organised for motorcycle parking en masse and lunch at the Emporium Milk Bar in Old Petrie Town. In the festive spirit, it was decided to shout the members a free burger and can of drink which was very much appreciated and guaranteed a large roll-up. The weather was threatening but no rain…