The Harley Club of Victoria

March 2009 Newsletter

Reg Office- 27 Forest St, Whittlesea, 3757. Contact No. 9716 2590

Web address: www.harleyclubvic.org.au E-mail: harleyclubvic@hotmail.com

Next general meeting- 24th March 8pm at the Scout hall, Youth Rd, Eltham


Coming events - Dirt Track practice, March 22nd at Broadford, Trials day at the property March 29th, Ride for the Hills April 5th, HBBB April 11th-12th at Broadford. See below for more info on these events.


Apologies to all members to start with for the lack of newsletters for a long period of time. The club is still around, but it has been hard to fit certain things in, such as newsletters. We still need more help with the general running of the Club. There has been a lot happening, so I will attempt to remember them all.


Welcome to the following new members - Rohan Lander, Jason Bailey, Barry Polkinghorne and Martin Sutherland


CLUBHOUSE NEWS



The concrete inside and outside our shed is all finished, thanks to a number of members with varying skills from expert wheel barrowers, shovelers, gumboot wearers to the real concreters, Fish and Barny. Thanks to all for the great job. Now we can get started on the inside. Check out the photos on our website.


Trials riders day

The Harley Club is having a trials riders day on
29th March at our Broadford property from about
10.30a.m
Bring your bike and try our sections."



An upcoming event at Broadford should be put on the “Not to be missed” list. It is the “Honda Broadford Bike Bonanza” and is happening over Easter. A number of us will be staying at the clubhouse over the weekend.



The Honda Broadford Bike Bonanza: Broadford, April 11 –12 - Easter 2009


The Honda Broadford Bike Bonanza will be held over the 2009 Easter weekend at the Motorcycling Victoria (MV) State Motorcycle Complex in Broadford.

Enthusiasts of old motorcycles - both racers and non-racers - often do not limit themselves to one discipline only - they often like to dabble and with this in mind, the Museum and Heritage Committee of Motorcycling Australia has planned a ‘Woodstock’ event for enthusiasts with old and rare motorcycles that have not been seen at race events.

The Bonanza will feature two non-competitive ride days where attendees will be able to ride whichever pre-1985 machines that are brought along, including Road Bikes, Road Racers, Speedway Irons, Dirt Track Weapons, Enduro Hack, Scramble Bikes or Virtuoso Trials Mounts.

All tracks will be open at differing times on the weekend - please refer to the timetable - so now is the opportunity to find a bike to ride in a branch of the sport you might be interested in.

As well as the ability to bring your own bike and ride, MV has recently bought 44 acres of adjoining bush and a vintage Enduro event will be run on the Saturday, while a featured display and ride of Metisse Scramble machines will take place on the Sunday in the paddock near the old ‘Channel O’ area

Special ‘Star Sessions’ are scheduled throughout the weekend where invited celebrities will be performing demo laps on exotic machinery, while there will also be static displays of Honda road, race, mini and dirt bikes.

The Honda Broadford Bike Bonanza will be a family-friendly event - children under 18 are admitted free, and there is free camping and shuttle buses will be available to transport people around to the action at different tracks.

Entry Details:

Star riders flock to Honda Broadford Bike Bonanza


In addition to 1969 250cc World Champion Kel Carruthers, many top riders of yesteryear will be once again pulling on leather over the Easter weekend.

There has been a tremendous response to entering the event, with lots of star names signing up for the on-track demonstrations.

Already entered are names like John Woodley, who will ride his Bathurst-winning Suzuki RG500, Ron Angel on the ex-Kenny Blake ‘Coca Cola’ Yamaha TZ350, former GP rider Vic Soussan (Yamaha TZ250), Rod Tingate who will hopefully be aboard his revolutionary OSSA single, Steve Oszko on a Manx Norton, Bob Rosenthal on the original Norton Atlas on which he began his career, Ian ‘Buster’ Saunders on his Morbidelli 125 twin, Peter Jones on a Suzuki TR500, and Lyall Williamson who will ride a G50 Matchless and display the 500cc V-4 Yamaha/Seeley that he constructed in the 1970s.

Brothers Alan and Graeme Osborne, as well as Alan’s son Donnie will all be there – Alan on a rare Honda CR93 125cc twin and Graeme on a Manx Norton. Former Castrol Six Hour star Joe Eastmure will make the trip from Queensland with the Suzuki 315 that received the winners’ flag in the 1972 race.

Entries open for the ‘Bonanza’

Track sessions are filling fast for Broadford at Easter, with a huge variety of bikes already entered.The Honda Broadford Bike Bonanza is an ideal opportunity to get some track time without the pressures associated with actual racing, and this applies to motocross, short circuit, trials, enduro, and speedway as well as road racing.

Every circuit at the Broadford complex will be in constant use over Easter Saturday and Sunday. Entry forms must be used to enter and book for the Gala Dinner with Kel Carruthers; and are available from the MA web site; www.ma.org.au or will be posted if you contact the MA office.

Masses of Metisses

With two motocross venues operating – a new natural grass circuit as well as the main motocross track – there will be plenty of off-road action at Broadford over Easter. The featured marque is the Rickman Metisse, and organises expect up to 30 machines in various forms.

These include the Matchless single and Triumph twin-engined varieties, the later unit-BSA, and the ‘Petite Metisse’ – the Bultaco-engined 250s that caused such a sensation in the mid-1960s.

One of the original local stars of the Metisse era, Ray Fisher, will be attending the event; as well as John (JB) Burrows from his home in South Australia, while Geoff Taylor will be reunited with the Triumph Metisse on which he won the Victorian Grand National in 1966.

The Triumph is now owned by Motorcycling Australia, along with another famous Metisse, the Matchless-engined version campaigned with great success in Britain and on the Continent by the late Roy East.

The East machine has been the subject of a complete restoration and Broadford will mark its public debut, with a yet-to-be-announced famous rider in the saddle.

The night of nights

The social event of the Broadford weekend will be the Gala Dinner on Saturday evening, conducted in a specially erected, white silk lined marquee.

There will be a silver service four course meal with wines from the award-winning Tabilk winery, followed by an interview with the weekend’s star guest, Kel Carruthers.

The dinner is sure to be a sell out so early bookings are essential.


Volunteer opportunities at the HBBB


his is one for the true enthusiast.

Be a part of the biggest event yet on the historic motorcycling calendar.

MA needs volunteers to help run the first Honda Broadford Bike Bonanza at Easter 2009. All branches of the sport will be there; riding non-competitively, showing their bikes, talking, reminiscing, caging rides from other entrants, swapping, buying, selling, spectating and just enjoying the vibe.

As a volunteer, you will be rostered on the gate or at a track on an hour on-hour off basis.

We need you to commit to both days to minimise our planning. You will be based predominantly in your area of interest but might have to take a turn elsewhere as the need arises.

All volunteers will be rostered on the same amount of hours per day, finishing at approximately 4pm.

In your hour off, you will be able to spectate or participate in the activities. If you do wish to ride, you will have to pay for a one event permit (if you don’t have an MA licence) and will have to fill out the event entry form and the indemnity. If you wish to purchase Gala Dinner tickets you will have to use the entry form too.

Those lucky participants who have volunteered will receive a pass in their name that entitles them to free lunch and entry and is not transferable.

However, you may bring a guest into the venue and to the free wind-up Sunday night BBQ.

Free camping and the general facilities at the MX GP circuit buildings will be available to you. As officials, you will identified by the event specific T shirt issued to you; so get in early as we only need 100 people to fill the positions.

Send in your application form (see Forms section of site) to;

Honda Broadford Bike Bonanza Volunteers
PO Box134
South Melbourne
Vic 3205

HBBB Volunteer package:

You receive:

Gate entry passes x 2 (One for worker, one for guest)
Free camping (includes guest)
Lunch both days
Dinner and drinks (BBQ) Sunday night x 2
Event official identification. (Use of portables at MX GP site as a base).

Expectations:

Hour on, hour off at all tasks
Flagging at tracks
Security at Show ‘n Shine, Honda Display and general
Bus driving (light rigid licence required – 22 seat bus)
Handling general enquiries
Front of event entry/ticketing


Bike power for Broadford cars

As well as several hundred historic motorcycles taking to the road racing circuit at Broadford over the Easter weekend, organisers of the Honda Broadford Bike Bonanza have assembled a number of motorcycle-engined racing cars for demonstrations.

Heading the list are two Vincent-powered Coopers, both formerly owned and driven by the late Lex Davison.

Cooper Mk.IV chassis number 10-41-50 was imported in 1950 for Sydney enthusiast John Snow and was the first car to race in Australia using a Vincent V-twin engine and gearbox.

In supercharged form, the car was driven by Lex Davidson to win consecutive Australian Hill Climb Championships in 1955 and 1956.

Davidson also raced the car successfully in under 1500cc events. It was bought in 1992 by Garry Simkin of Sydney, who has restored the car to its original un-blown form.

Neal Videan’s car has an illustrious list of owners including Dick Cobden, Bib Stillwell and Lex Davison. Originally powered by a 500cc JAP Speedway engine, chassis no Mk.V/45/51, the Vincent powerplant was fitted by Davison in 1956 and the car maintained by the legendary Phil Irving, designer of the Vincent engine.

In this car, now supercharged Davison won the 1957 Australian Hill Climb Championship in Western Australia. At Broadford, what has become known as the Vincent/Irving Cooper will be handled by its owner Neal Videan.

Further down the scale but no less interesting is Franc Trento’s Cooper Norton, bought new by the noted British driver Bob Gerard and fitted with a long-stroke 500cc Manx Norton engine.

The car spent some time in South Africa and was imported by WA Lotus dealer Don Hall.

Other Coopers with various 500cc engines are also entered, and the sight (and sound) of these flighty little devices tackling Broadford’s sweeping bends should be a highlight of the weekend.

The main focus of the weekend will be demonstrations for all manner of historic bikes, headlined by the appearance of 1969 250cc World Champion Kel Carruthers on a 500cc Manx Norton that he original owned in the mid 1960s. Carruthers will be the guest of honour at a gala marquee dinner at the circuit on Easter Saturday evening, April 11th.

For more information on the Honda Broad Bike Bonanza, contact the meeting secretary Peter Drakeford on 0422... or go to www.ma.org.au/HBBB for full details and dinner registrations.















DIRT TRACK NEWS.

Photo credit to Richard Reeve.

We have been warning people for a long time that help was needed. There has been nothing happening on track this year yet due to a number of reasons, but off track things are moving. Brian Fullard organized a meeting for dirt track enthusiasts and we have got a good number of people putting there hands up to help out. Eight are doing the officials course to become licensed with MA for a variety of jobs. We will hopefully have a group we can call on to share the jobs around plus we will be trialing a number of other suggestions made at the meeting. The way things are going means that riders or there friends will also be expected to help out on occasions. The load must be shared by all and we are confident it will help dirt track survive. By the time you read this there will possibly have been a practice at Broadford, ( March 22nd ) but race meetings are planned in the future, starting in May.

For those who don’t get a rule book, we will be putting certain bits in from the MOMs 2009( Manual of Motor sport). This book can be obtained from MA ( 9684 0555) if you want to know the rules under which you race, a good idea I would suggest. It can also be downloaded from the MA website (www.ma.org.au ). Dirt track is covered in chapter 20.


Rule 20.5.0.3 is new this year and reads - Environmental protection-A protective matting or catch tray must be placed underneath the engine/gearbox and fuel tank of any solo or sidecar while parked in the pit, paddock or work area.


In Junior classes - dirt track, Rule 20.6.0.2 used to read - Motocross knobby tyres on the rear of any machine over 85cc 2 stroke or 150cc 4 stroke are not permitted. This has been crossed out and Rule 20.6.0.3 now reads - Type of tyre to be used in Junior Dirt Track competition must be stipulated in the Supplementary Regulations.


Another addition in the senior classes is that - Riders are eligible to enter one class above capacity of the machine entered.


I will be adding more in future newsletters.


ROAD RACING NEWS

Danny No 45

We had 4 of our members competing in all 4 support races at the recent WSBK at Philip Island last month. Chris Trounson on a Honda CBR 1000( Superbike), Chas Hern on a Suzuki GSXR 600( Supersport), Martin Sutherland GSXR 600

( Superstock) and Danny Gibson GSX 1100 ( Historic). Danny had the best results over the 3 races on his dads Suzuki with a 10-8-9 finish. Chris scored 10-13-9 placings, Chas went 10-12-13 ( a jump start added 10 seconds to the last race) and Martin didn’t have the start he was after with a 9th and 2 DNFs. The next round of the Australian Superbikes is at Tassy on April 3rd to the 5th.


Congratulations to Cam Donald being voted “International Road Racer of the Year” at the recent Irish Road Racer Awards.


CLUB MEMBERS IN THE RECENT BUSHFIRES


Kerry’s ‘74 Triumph Bonneville

A number of current and previous club members and friends have been affected by the recent bushfires in the Reedy Creek, Flowerdale, Kinglake, Strathewen and other areas. All are physically OK as far as I know, but many have lost virtually everything, escaping with only the clothes on there backs and a few small keepsakes. Apart from their houses, a huge number of bikes were also destroyed as well as riding gear, tools, cars, trailers and garages/sheds. They are slowly going through each of the many recovery processes and most have now found some sort of short or longer term accommodation. The rebuilding will probably take a long time and all will need support in many ways. A lot of tools have been destroyed, so if you have a spare hammer, shifter ( for those top mechanics ) spanners, sockets, screwdrivers, pliers, drill press, compressor, mill, lathe ( we can always hope) lying about , chuck them in a box and I’m sure they will find a good home amongst those having garage/ tool-shop withdrawals. Our thoughts are with all those affected at this time.

The generosity from all in the Motorcycling family has been overwhelming and we thank everyone for their support. As different needs arise we will try and assist in whatever way possible. If you know of any member or friends in need of any stuff, get in touch and we will see what we can do.


A ride is being organized for April 5th starting at St Kilda and finishing at Whittlesea. There will be prizes and raffles to raise money. Check out “Ride for the Hills” by doing a google search on your computer. You can pre-register on line for $20.00. Thousands are expected to take part.