Old Bike Australasia

Old Bike magazine is a must for those who ride as well as the dedicated enthusiast and rebuilder, covering everything from Vintage to early 1980s bikes - marvel at the restoration of machines that could still sit proudly on the showroom floor. Each issue brings you the latest news and results from recent events, race reports and Rally Roundup, along with new and old bike news and reviews, readers letters, Club Directory, What’s On and much, much more.

Old Bike Australasia

The eye in the sky

BLOW YOUR OWN LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

RARITEE Best Letter

CLASSIC COB OUT IN THE SHED

Staintune’s lifeline • While in the actual process of winding up after more than 30 years in business, the last few attempting to sell all or part of the operation, Staintune secured a buyer and a future for the motorcycle exhaust business.

2021 Yamaha MT range almost here

Around Australia for sick kids • Replicating the late Winifred Wells’ exploits in 1950 and 1952, Brian ‘Beetle’ Bayley sets off on the 8th September aboard his 2016 Royal Enfield Classic 350 on a ride round Australia which he expects to take 40 days to cover 14,000km

Pheasant Wood powers up • The newly enlarged and upgraded Pheasant Wood circuit at Marulan, north of Goulburn, has confirmed that its first All-Historic meeting will go ahead on 11th and 12th September 2021.

VJMC strikes gold in Bendigo • With the Covid-cancellation of the 2020 VJMC Rally in Queensland, members of this very active club have had to cool their heels for over 12 months. But October 2021 sees the popular event return, in a new location where it will be staged for the next two years.

Thunder Rally is go • Originally scheduled for October 2020, the National Thunder Rally at Tamworth, NSW is set to go on the October Long Weekend from Friday 1st to Monday 4th.

Guzzi hits 100 • It was 15th March 1921 when Moto Guzzi was officially established, so there’s a telegram from The Queen on its way to Mandello del Lario.

Bonneville boost

Ray Mann • RAY MANN, a long-standing member of Vintage & Veteran MCC of SA passed away at the age of 90 years young.

George Clarke • Our much-revered Founding and AJSMOC Life Member from Albury, GEORGE CLARKE, departed on 15th January.

Geoff Sim • After battling a complex medical condition for several months, former two times Australian 125cc road racing champion GEOFF SIM died on 12th February, 2021 aged 72.

Ray Fisher • One of Australia’s greatest-ever motocross riders, RAY FISHER passed away in Melbourne on 1st March, aged 86 after a battle with cancer.

Albert Newton • One of the great characters from the ‘sixties Sydney scrambles scene, ALBERT NEWTON, passed away in December 2020, age 87.

Dale Walksler • DALE WALKSLER, founder and curator of the Wheels Through Time Museum in Maggie Valley, North Carolina, USA, passed away in February, aged 68 after a long battle with cancer.

Western star • Graeme Sigley doesn’t fit the stereotype of many motorcycle racers in the ‘70s, who often had reputations as free-spirited young blokes riding powerful motorcycles, who’d ride hard and play even harder.

BANANAS AND OTHER FORBIDDEN FRUIT • The International Six Day Trial was the pinnacle of the off-road world in the 1970s, capturing the imagination of every enduro rider around the world. The country everyone feared was the awesome Czechs. They had the all-conquering JAWAs and the Army-trained robots who piloted them. While the German Zundapps cleaned up the smaller classes, the Czechs mainly did battle with perennial rivals the East Germans MZs, who dominated the 1960s.

A TRIUMPH 650 TWIN BUT NOT AS WE KNOW IT • History records the 649cc parallel twin design by the celebrated Valentine ‘Val’ Page in 1933 as anything but a...