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25.01.2022 Friday Flashback This week we look back to issue 37 of Old Bike Australasia and our feature showcasing Dave Aquilina’s 1971 Benelli 650S. It’s fair to say that upon its release in 1969, the Benelli 650 (it subsequently acquired the Tornado and 650S designations) did not exactly cover itself in glory. For one thing, the buying public had become increasingly impatient for even a glimpse of the production version of the machine that had first been touted back in 1967 at the Mil...an Show. Had it appeared on schedule, the Benelli may well have immediately done what it was supposed to do; eat into the traditional British 650 twin market. But by the time it appeared, that market had not just been eaten into, but mauled ferociously by the BSA and Triumph triples and the Norton Commando, then finished off by the ground-breaking Honda CB750. You can read the full story at... https://www.oldbikemag.com.au/1971-benelli-650s/ @oldbikeaustralasia #oldbikeaustralasia #oldbikemag #oldbike #benelli #benelli650 #benelli650s #benellitornado #tornado650s #italianstyle #italianmotorbikes #pieroprampolini #kelcarruthers #isleofmantt #hmccq See more
25.01.2022 Old Bike Issue 88 ON SALE NOW! A California Street Scrambler graces our cover, the CL450 Honda. We trace the 40 year history of the BMW GS series, look at the short but meteoric career of Ron Boulden, and a fabulous TT HRD from New Zealand. Plus races, rallies, stunning pictorials and a whole lot more. Grab your copy now at your local newsagent or subscribe (check our shop now button at the top of our profile) to get it delivered to your door.
23.01.2022 And you can’t ride into Bathurst without doing a sedate lap of the Mountain!
23.01.2022 Friday Flashback It was late 1972 when the Kawasaki Z1 arrived in Australia, initially in very small numbers. But the Z1 story had begun almost six years previously at Kawasaki’s Akashi factory in central Japan; the task being to build the ultimate in sports tourers. You can read the full story of this remarkable motorcycle at... https://www.oldbikemag.com.au/z1-kawasaki-new-york-steak-w/
22.01.2022 Fabulous to see so many motorcyclists out and about during a couple of days away riding through the Central West and supporting the country towns along the way - get out there and help bring back the economy in country NSW!
22.01.2022 Went to Robertson to see a man about an FJ!
16.01.2022 Friday Flashback Way back in issue number 2, we featured the late Doug James the original boy-wonder ‘Wollongong Whiz who at age 17 became the youngest-ever winner of an Australian TT when he rode his 250cc Excelsior Manxman to victory at Phillip Island in January 1939. He followed that up with a second place to the vastly experienced Tommy Jemison in the 1939 Australian Grand Prix the first meeting held on the newly tar-surfaced Mount Panorama. The following year he was... third at Bathurst, and during the war years his beloved Manxman was snaffled by the army, never to reappear - although he searched for it for many years. In the end he gave up looking, and settled instead for an equally famous machine the 1937 350cc Manxman (pictured), designated ER-12 by the factory and ridden with great success pre-war by Jimmy Madsen. By a strange twist of fate, Doug had ridden the Madsen Excelsior during the practice sessions for the Phillip Island meeting. The chance to buy the 350 came about after a chance meeting with Madsen around 1970, when Jim had mentioned that his original 350 (Doug’s Phillip Island practice bike), was lying in a back yard at Wentworth Falls in the Blue Mountains. You can read the full story of Doug James’ motorcycle racing career and his restoration of the 350cc Manxman at... https://www.oldbikemag.com.au/doug-james-original-wollongo/ See more
16.01.2022 Friday Flashback This week we look at Jim Scaysbrook's restoration of a Honda CB125S from Old Bike Australasia Issue 42. More and more Japanese ultralightweights are appearing on the local scene with the bikes still relatively cheap to restore and generally require little intricate knowledge, workshop prowess or special tools. You can read the full story at... https://www.oldbikemag.com.au/1971-honda-cb125s-little-rip/
14.01.2022 Friday Flashback (Belated) From Issue No.1, Old Bike Australasia When Tony McAlpine decided to try his luck racing in Europe the thought of joining just about everyone else on a Norton didn’t appeal, but what was the alternative? With the start of the 1951 season fast approaching, McAlpine, accompanied by his friend Ian Cameron, a staunch supporter of the sport from Maitland in NSW who had been instrumental in securing McAlpine’s appointment in Australia’s TT squad, arrived a...t the Gilera factory, Arcore, near Milan in Italy with a plan to purchase one of the four cylinder racers that had been developed from the pre-war supercharged racer, a design that dated back to 1923. Tony had a considerable wad of cash and a well-practiced argument (which included his Italian heritage) as to why he should be allowed to purchase a four-cylinder racer, but the reception was not exactly what he had in mind. Brash this may have been, but McAlpine was very well credentialled and clearly the most successful rider in his home country. Gilera however, were completely unmoved by either McAlpine’s cash or commitment, but were sufficiently impressed by his audacity that they agreed to sell him a single cylinder Sanremo Saturno racer. You can read the full story of the McAlpine Gilera Saturno at https://www.oldbikemag.com.au/gilera-saturno-sanremo-mista/ See more
14.01.2022 Another Donington Auction to savour - don't miss it!
12.01.2022 Friday Flashback The Isle of Man mountain course is unique in its sheer abundance of natural hazards, which are rarely tolerant of errors of judgement or mistakes. Those who have taken on the Mountain respect it, for very few have ever managed to get every bend, every corner perfectly right every time. In 1951 it almost took the life of one of Australia’s greatest racing men. The resulting accident was so bad few thought he would ever race again yet Harry Hinton fought bac...k and in the following years achieved what are arguably his greatest victories. A bit of a determined bugger, was how Harry was so succinctly described by his close friend Eric McPherson a remark that so accurately sums up the character of ‘Hinto’. And a massive understatement. Read all about Harry Hinton's racing career at... https://www.oldbikemag.com.au/harry-hinton-racing-life/ See more
12.01.2022 Friday Flashback BMW had something to prove that their venerable twin was capable of more than just comfortable touring. The R69S was the answer. You can read all about the R69S at... https://www.oldbikemag.com.au/bmw-r69s-ultimate-flat-twin/
10.01.2022 Perfect riding weather through the Blue Mountains this morning - a year on from the fires it’s lovely to see new growth on the trees - some areas doing better than others though. Loving my MT07
10.01.2022 Big sky on the way to Woodstock - the MT07 just ate the road, such a good bike
07.01.2022 Old Bike Issue 89 ON SALE NOW. Our cover story features the Honda RC30, the consumer Superbike. In MV Agusta’s 75th year, we look at a beautiful 175, plus a 1939 Matchless G80 Clubman and the sporting Royal Enfield Fury 500. Also featured is Burt Munro’s record breaking Velocette. Plus rider profiles, race and rally reports, stunning pictorials and a whole lot more. Grab your copy now from your local newsagent or subscribe to get it delivered to your door. You can subscribe ...by visiting the SHOP NOW link in our profile @oldbikemag #oldbikeaustralasia #oldbikemag #oldbike #burtmunro #honda #hondarc30 #velocette #royalenfieldfury #royalenfield #matchless #matchlessg80
04.01.2022 Friday Flashback Like many aspiring racers, the war robbed Laurie Boulter of perhaps his best years. But despite being on the wrong side of thirty, the South Australian resumed his career after the war and had a solid claim as Australia’s best road racer after Harry Hinton. He had never travelled further than Bathurst in New South Wales, a major drive from his home town of Adelaide, when he decided to contest the Isle of Man TT in 1953. Travelling alone as a private entrant ...he finished a remarkable 11th in the Senior TT, and returned the following year to improve on this performance. But even before official practice started for the 1954 TT Laurie was dead, and almost half a century passed before the shocking truth behind his death was revealed. You can read the full story at... https://www.oldbikemag.com.au/laurie-boulter-cover-handley/ See more
04.01.2022 Friday Flashback For Benelli enthusiasts, there is a definite line in the sand in the company’s heritage; in reality, more a deep trench than a line. That is the point when the famous brand was acquired by flamboyant Argentinean entrepreneur Alejandro de Tomaso in 1971. This week we look back to issue 31 of Old Bike Australasia and the story of the Benelli 900 Sei. You can read all about the 'Italian Alternative' to the big Japanese bikes of the time at ... https://www.oldbikemag.com.au/benelli-900-sei-six-surrender/
