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

An electric shock

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

The Racing Boys

Countdown to the VJMC Rally • Since reopening the registrations for the 2021 Suzuki VJMC National Rally at Bendigo on 25 to 27 March 2022, the attendance entries have been coming through consistently.

Old Bike hits one hundred!

Make it a double • The HMRAV, organisers of the 2022 Victorian Historic Road Racing Championships at Broadford on 9/10 April, are urging competitors, especially from interstate, to consider combining two events for a trip.

Japanese record buster • Made for just one year in extremely limited numbers, the Honda RC213 V-S was billed as the closest thing you could buy to a street legal MotoGP bike in 2015.

Rare Kawasakis highlight 2022 Shannons Insurance Broadford Bike Bonanza • As well as the big display to mark the fifty years since the release of the iconic 903cc Z1 Kawasaki, the 2022 Shannons Insurance Broadford Bike Bonanza will also feature two very significant racing motorcycles from the same company.

Historic Husky at Bathurst • The 250cc Husqvarna raced to two Australian titles by the late Matt Daley is now on exhibition at the National Motor Racing Museum, Bathurst NSW.

Royal Enfield reaches the South Pole • With 120 years of history behind it, Royal Enfield made history once again on 16th December when two riders, Santhosh Vijay Kumar and Dean Coxson reached the geographic South Pole, 90 degree south, after a 15-day ride on Royal Enfield Himalayans.

The BSA Gold Star reborn • At the Motorcycle Live Show in Coventry, UK on December 4, the Indian Mahindra Group, which now owns the rights to the BSA name, showed the first model to be built since their acquisition of the brand.

Bulli gets an early start • Organisers of the 2022 Bulli Antique Motorcycle Weekend on August 27-28 have hit the ground running.

Z 50th Anniversary • So the story goes, Kawasaki’s Z series, which has just notched up its half century, got its name from the last letter of the alphabet, representing the ultimate.

Noel Gavenlock • A Life Member of the strong Newcastle Motorcycle Club, NOEL “CHIPS” GAVENLOCK passed away on 13th December 2021 aged 89.

Brian Duffy • Long-time sidecar exponent BRIAN DUFFY passed away aged 88 on 14th December after a battle with dementia.

Rod Baran • A keen Short Circuit sidecar racer, with brothers Len and Mick as passengers, ROD BARAN passed away in January after a long battle with diabetes that saw him lose a leg some years ago.

Denny Lenton • DENNY LENTON, a doyen of Short Circuit and Speedway racing in Queensland from the 1950s to the 1980s died in Brisbane’s PA hospital at the age of 85. He is survived by his wife and companion of 66 years Gwen, and their five children.

Norm Fraser • “I want to live to 100,” NORM FRASER told the editor in an interview conducted in 2016 (see OBA 65). Unfortunately, he didn’t quite achieve that, passing away after a stroke in December 2021, aged 92. But Norm Fraser nevertheless enjoyed a full and quite remarkable life; as a successful racer and consummate businessman.

Evolution of an Aussie racer • The Historic Motorcycle Racing Association of Victoria (HMRAV) has an active bunch of members, which not only compete in Australian national events, but some of them also let their throttle...