On the 1st October 1924, Arthur Grady, war veteran and bicycle shop owner, departed from the Fremantle Town Hall on the first ever circumnavigation of Australia by motor vehicle. His choice of transport was a Douglas motorcycle. On 15 March 2025, after a grueling journey through trackless wastes, he arrived back in Fremantle to a heroes welcome.
In 2011 Arthur Grady's achievement were celebrated as part of the Fremantle Heritage Festival. The Vintage Motorcycle Club of WA provided a replica of Grady's 1924 Douglas for the display. Year on year the event grew in scale, expanding to a display of pre-war motorcycles, then classic motorcycles, then classic cars and scooters, vintage machinery, steam-traction engines, etc. When the Fremantle events coordinator left, the event was no longer supported. Attempts were made to keep it going, but without the City's support it was pushed to the outskirts where there was no foot traffic. Now, in the post-Covid world, Fremantle has re-embraced the event in its effort to reinvigorate the city. This year the event returned to Kings Square in front of the Town Hall and the city even went so far as hiring a jazz band for entertainment. The result was a great success. The event drew a lot of public attention and there was a constant stream of visitors checking out the bikes.
As I live nearby, I took the DKW down as part of a test drive. As it fitted with the prewar display I was able to park right in the front row.
On the left is a 1930s BSA. On the left is an interesting rarity in Australia - a Belgian FN. FN were an arms manufacturer who also built motorcycles.
Another view of the FN
1937 BSA M22.
A trio of Ambassador motorcycles. Ambassador built light-weight motorcycles powered by off-the-shelf Villiers' two-stroke motors.
The prewar bike display was impressive.
1937 BSA G14 with sidecar.
Another really unusual rarity - 1903 Romania from Belgium. Belgium used to have many automobile and motorcycle companies up until the 1930s.
Another two BSAs and a Nekarsulum
Nekasulum
1914 New Hudson
Two 1924 Douglas motorcycles of the type Arthur Grady rode
BSA
Postwar section
So, how did the bike perform? Well, not as well as it's first drive. The speedo worked on and off, so that's something to fix. Acceleration in 1st gear is near non-existent. 2nd gear seems very long and 3rd gear is also quite long. I feel that clutch may not work that well and grip is slipping. Maybe the oil/grease mix isn't right? Although the bike started promptly in the morning, it would not start again when I went to leave. I think the repro petrol tap is not very good quality (despite it costing a fortune!) and it leaks constantly, flooding the carburetor. I have bought another, simpler petrol tap. More fettling!
https://dkwautounionproject.blogspot.com/2025/05/1938-dkw-sb350-restoration-may-update.html
Arthur Grady 2012: https://heinkelscooter.blogspot.com/2012/06/arthur-grady-rideout-2012.html
Arthur Grady 2013: https://heinkelscooter.blogspot.com/2013/06/arthur-grady-ride-2013.html
Arthur Grady 2014: https://heinkelscooter.blogspot.com/2014/05/arthur-grady-ride-fremantle-2014.html
Arthur Grady 2016: https://heinkelscooter.blogspot.com/2016/04/arthur-grady-day-fremantle-heritage.html
Arthur Grady 2019: https://heinkelscooter.blogspot.com/2019/07/arthur-grady-day-2019.html
