Classic Motorcycles 2011 Calendar

Following the photoshoot with John Branton (https://heinkelscooter.blogspot.com/2010/07/model-behaviour.html), his Classic Motorcycles Calendar for 2011 has now hit the streets. The calendar is really excellent and features great photos of 18 beautifully restored classic motorcycles from Western Australia. My Ariel Leader has been lucky enough to feature in October. Amongst the motorcycles featured are John's beautiful 1936 Harley Davidson VLH, a 1928 Indian Scout with sidecar, a 1959 Ariel Square Four, 1914 Douglas, a 1927 Triumph model N deluxe and many more.

The calendar costs $33 including postage (within Australia).

In addition to the calendar, John is offering a range of other products, including:

Classic motorcycle greeting cards - measuring 117 x 170, these photographic cards feature some of the historic motorcycles photographed over the past two years. There are two series -

1. Classic card series featuring 12 full landscape images of the old favourites, BSA, Norton, Triumph, Indian, Ariel, Kawasaki and Harley Davidson;
2. Artistic card series featuring artistically stylised images that capture unique distinguishing features of these bikes.

These sets of 12 cost $36 each or $48 for both (postage $6).

594 x 840mm classic motorcycle posters for $15 each featuring:

• 1957 BSA Gold Star
• 1936 Harley Davidson VLH
• 1973 Kawasaki Z1 900
• 1926 AJS G6

Stubby holders for $10 each.

To order any of these items you can email John at john@treko@net.au
or send a cheque or money order (Australian dollars only) payable to 'John Branton'
PO Box 525, Kalamunda, WA, 6076

Or now, order online at: http://www.johnbranton.com.au/

Of check out the facebook page at:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Classic-Motorcycles-2011-Calendar/151140531565714

If you're the owner of an interesting classic motorcycle or scooter John's always on the lookout for machines for future calendars.

A call to arms

What will be the point in spending our time and money restoring these machines if we find ourselves banned from the road?

Having been on the receiving end of bureaucracy I'm quite passionate about protecting our hobby. The AHMF (Australian Historic Motoring Federation) is seeking the assistance of vintage scooter, motorcycle and vehicle enthusiasts to gather some statistics about the economic impact of our hobby. This information will allow the AHMF to effectively lobby Governments and other bodies on issues that may affect our interest in the historic motoring scene.

A similar survey was conducted in the United Kingdom in the late 1990's and in Australia in 2006. The results of the Australian survey were quite staggering and have been extremely valuable in representations to Government and to those who want to remove old cars from the road. The UK survey is currently being undertaken again and it is also including clubs in the EU countries. Hence we also will continue our Australian data collection. This new 2010 form is designed to be completed and collated electronically but may be downloaded printed and submitted in hard copy form to this address:

WA (Council of Motoring Clubs of WA)
AHMF Survey
PO BOx 742
Subiaco WA 6904

There is also an electronic version here:
http://www.councilofmotoringclubs.asn.au/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=46&&Itemid=62

Please take the time to complete this survey as best you can. Whilst it is unlikely that you will have 100% recall or all records of your expenses, it is important that a fair and reasonable assessment of your spending is recorded if it is to be of relevance. If we want to protect our hobby, we should all participate.

Some interesting links
http://www.fiva.org/CommonDownloads/LC-0110-00-Environmental%20guide.pdf
Austalian Historic Motoring Federation
http://ahmf.wordpress.com/
The Victorian Association of Motoring Clubs has some interesting information on a proposal to introduce a log book approach to concessional licensing, like in South Australia. This is a very good idea but has, as always, run up against bureaucratic opposition and stalling.
http://www.aomc.asn.au/

A helpful resource
The Association of Motoring Clubs (AOMC) Victoria offers a service to search their archived records of vintage and veteran vehicles registered in Victoria between 1910 and the computerisation of records in 1994. This useful service would have resolved my problems attempting to prove that my Ariel was not illegally imported. Most of the records are paper based and have very limited information. An engine number is all that is required to request a search but it may be helpful to have an idea when the vehicle was last registered, in order to speed up the search process. Volunteers from the AOMC are slowly entering the records into a database but it is slow going, given the numbers of records involved. Although the records are primarily Victorian, the AOMC has also acquired some early records from other states too. For information about this service, check out their website.
http://www.aomc.asn.au/eng&regrecords.htm