Heinkel Scooter Project: VMCCWA

Saturday, June 2, 2012

Arthur Grady Ride Out 2012

Saturday 2nd June was another glorious sunny day and officially the second day of winter (!). As part of the Fremantle Heritage Festival a motorcycle ride out and display was held at the Fremantle Town Hall.

Last year a ride out and display was held to commemorate Freo lad Arthur Grady's 1924 circumnavigation of Australia on a Douglas motorcycle. That was a pretty rough and rugged trip in those days through country without roads or facilities. The trip took 5 months.

Here is a link to some details of his trip along with photos from last year's display. http://www.vmccwa.com/clubruns/grady/Arthur%20Grady%20Run.htm The display was organized by the Fremantle City Council and involved several motorcycle clubs.

This isn't Arthur's actual bike of course, but a later model 1925 Douglas with suitable props.

At the Town Hall end was a display of pre-30's motorcycles.

1920s BSA

Matchless

Ariel

Gents from the Vintage Motorcycle Club of WA (photo Jon Whiteman)

The display was very well attended.

I was running very late, arriving just on 11am when the run was setting out. Over the past six weeks I've been all about the car and the bikes and scooters have been neglected. As a result the Leader was running terribly. I'll need to give her some TLC over the next couple of weeks.

There was a good display by the Early American Motorcycle Club.

http://www.earlyamericanmotorcycleclub.asn.au/ride-calendar---2012/2ndjune2012-arthurgrady-fremantleheritagefestival

1916 Harley-Davidson board-track racer

Indian

A greasy Harley-Davidson

Indian

Busy traffic all morning.

Classic British - Royal Enfield, Triumph and Matchless

Riders, start your engines!

1951 Ariel NH and an NSU behind

1971 Jawa Californian, my Ariel and a 1940s Indian

There was a lot of interest in the Ariel and I was kept very busy talking to lots of people.

1955 NSU Max 250cc four stroke

HRD-Vincent

Chinese Chiang-Jiang outfit

A truck engine on two wheels.

Links to some more photos:-

Monday, March 26, 2012

Vintage Motorcycle Club WA Swap Meet 2012

The annual Vintage Motorcycle Club of WA swap meet was held on Sunday 25th March 2012. After a bit of a slow start it proved to be a good day with an impressive turnout for the display and swap meet.

Bikes started arriving for the display from 6.45am

Setting up

John W and Norm C admiring John's 1929 DKW.

1929 DKW E300 http://pre31.wordpress.com/about/

1927 Triumph 500 Delux

1927 BSA outfit

1929 Francis-Barnett Cruiser. The Cruiser was one of the first British bikes to feature enclosed mechanicals. One of these bikes appeared on the British "Heartbeat" TV program.

BSA Bantam

1959 Triumph Speed Twin

1968 Jawa

1972 Jawa Californian

A French Motobecane 125

1956 AJS

BSA Gold Star. There were 13 BSAs on display.

Now this is a BSA

1951 Ariel NH 350

1935 Ariel Four Square 600cc and a Matchless

I think it looks splendid in its unrestored condition

A couple of 1950s BSA and the Leader

1942 BSA in military trim

1940 Velocette 350 in military trim

Despatch rider's telephone

BMW R69s

1949 HRD Vincent Rapide 1000cc and 1945 Indian Chief 1200cc

1926 Harley-Davidson 1200cc original and unrestored

Indian

1942 Harley-Davidson

1946 Indian Chief 1200cc

Indian

Harley-Davidson

Harley-Davidson's first financial catastrophe - the Harley-Davidson Aermacchi. Aermacchi were a successful Italian sports bike company until Harley-Davidson took them over in 1974 and ran them into the ground. In 1978 Harley sold Aermacchi to the Italian company Cagiva, owned by the Castiglioni family. Sadly Harley-Davidson seemed to learn nothing from its experience, buying the Italian sports bike brand MV Agusta from Castigliona for US$109m in 2008. Sales were poor, debts were high and one year later Harley-Davidson sold MV Agusta back to Castiglioni for 1 euro!