shock absorber found its way to the clutch. This clutch was to remain virtually unahered riil the last 650s rolled off the line in 1969. The iront brake's backing plate was moved to rhe right and, for the racing fraternit.v, a bronze sku1l allol'head became

an option. For 1 93 5 \onon took over gear- box manufacturing rights irom Sturmey- Archer, the more reliable hairpin valve springs replaced coils and there was that beautiful 4Yz gallon petrol tank - such character. The follo*'ing )ear the frame was altered a little at the front and the steer- ing damper was moved to the steering head. And, in 1937 , a plunger rear end, identical to the previous year's TT-winning machine was offered. By now, 1938, the International could be bought by special order, to full race speci- fication - huge square head and allo1'bar- rel, conical front hub, elektron crankcases, wrap-around oil tank, megaphone and RN carb. No ordinary Inter this, an out and out GP bike and seriously different from a road

'a machine. A name change was listed for 1940. t Thence, the full race-kitted Inter, wouid be known as the Manx. However it would be seven long years before a Norton Inter- national would appear in the showrooms. By now strictly a sporting road bike, it shared its rolling chassis with the ES2 and, in 1949, the Model 7 twin. The engine, with pool petrol and all, returned to the iron age, but it still had those charismatic petrol and oil tanks. The-v do look so right! Telescopic forks replaced the out-moded girders and the old Inter could still run rings around any serious rival, so, unless you were lucky enough and wealthl' enough to acquire a Manx, what serious alternaiive was there? The 1950 bike featured is not unt.vpical of a late '40s early '50s club racer. Strong, reliable and low maintenance, there must have been scores of them at the big meets like Bathurst. I acquired it earil' 1989, from a Mel- bourne collector, in a pretty dilapidated I .:=-:.' state (the bike not the collector). He had some pretty tasty stuff and a non-original '* Inter with an unknown history wasn't high on his list, Hou'ever it was more or less *.j complete, and with many of its specially home-brewed racing fitments still attached. double win in l93l at 77.9mph and closed International immediately set the standard Missing, unfortunately, was a Manx in 1961 with 's 500 win at for single-cylinder performance, by which conical front wheel, required for another l00.6mph and Phil Read's 350 win at 95.1. all others were judged, yet none could com- project. The inferior lVz" standard item Not a bad winning streak for a design pete. was also absent. Never mind, they're not cobbled together in the winter of 1929. In 1933, check spring girder forks hard to come by. More disconcerting was The first actual model International became standard as did a down-draught the lack of a head and barrel, but, joy of appeared in 1932. It was a true race replica, cylinder head; '34 brought in a redesigned joys, a Manx head and barrel were quietly albeit with road equipment. The model 30 gearbox, positive stop mechanism and the

CLASSIC MOTORCYCLING 49 7

front wheel instead of standard 2l ". Didn't GALLING the factory bikes in 1949 have the same? A Newcastle jumble turned up an SR magneto with a Norton platform. It's difficult to fit an AJS one to a Norton. It lltffiltillflltfl didn't spark so $25 changed hands. A bit of TLC and it worked a treat. A 30 thou RESGUE oversize piston turned up at the same meet. I already had valve-springs and the difficult to locate vertical shaft bearings I pinched what I'm letting myself in for." I always from another engine I had. Everlthing fall in love with any bike I go and see and seemed to be falling together for the old Nortons are my passion. The $250 speed- girl. The first classic meet at Eastern Creek ing fine I copped just before mass that was looming. Could I get her ready in time? .;,: ,, tli night didn't help. Bits were now off getting chromed or Hmm. Fin-ishing a head? Actually when I looked at it the next day, painted but I still needed to find some was very fast from the moment he pushed it didn't look so bad. It had rained on the valves and cotters. It's funny when you buy it into life. So fast, in fact, that the speed way back - cleaned it up a treat. I made a bike in a dismantled state. The big bits blew out his contact lenses. a list of what was missing: valves, springs, are always there, but itls the fiddly things In the following three or four years Don cotters, magneto, piston, megaphone, self- always go missing:- cotters and won races that like many on it and not once - never cenlring vertical shaft bearings, handle- cups - and no one's ever got them. - did the Inter need so much as the tapper bars, cables, an empty float bowl and that Then chance played its part. A hopeful settings altered. A more reliable racing front wheel. Not a long list by any means. call back to Melbourne revealed the bike machine gas never built. However finding cammy Norton parts is a had originally come from Sydney and the Anl ho$ back to its restoration, Don was different story. previous owner may be of some help. able to help *ith cotrers and he finally And what of the mechanicals already in I rang the gentleman concerned, Dennis machined an end cover to replace the cham- situ? The big end felt good, mains seemed Fry. It was he who'd given it a Manx top pagne cork that nas stuck in the kickshaft end and front wheel. He supplied me with hole of the gearbox. Also, with Don's help, some road bits and pieces and the name of I made some handlebar clamps to give it the gentleman from whom he'd acquired that authentic plunger Manx look. the bike. Looks are fine but will she go? There's Don McDonald has been racing motor- a lovely run from where I live in Surry Hills cycles in Sydney for well over 50 years. He along the Southern Cross Drive to is, in fact, the oldest registerediacer in Aus- Brighton-Le-Sands and what indeed could tralia and still competes on a very, very be more inviting than a dawn run in rapid Dominator 650. October? Don has some fine machinery and is a Inters har * such a high first gear and fountain of knowledge. He had already such a seemingly slow revving engine that helped me out by honing the barrel and in a moment or i\ro we were going decep- making a set of piston rings. Unbeknownst tively quick. to either of us, he was working on his old Once astride, Ihere's no doubting its rac- bike. I had already asked him about valves ing heritage and you are surprised by how and he had shown me a pair of blanks small it a1l seems. You lean into the increas- made out of EN80 that he'd bought (but ing wind and your chin seems to be over never machined) some 30 years earlier. In the steering damper knob. With a seat the meantime I'd bought some valves and height of or,ly 28" it is small and if you do handlebars off long-stroke specialist Stuart wish to get your chin down there's a bum A neat and tidy rcat end. Rogers in England. But I have got this pad to slide onto.

ok, oil pump happy to stay where it was. other project, Norton of course . . , There's a couple of great sweeping bends Gearbox and clutch - nothing arniss here. Anyhow, I digress. Don bought the bike on the airport by-pass and with the roar of Sprockets and chains very usable. TT carby from a bloke in Parramatta. Well, he an open pipe you could be chasing Geoff - not much slop in there. swapped his racing pre-war MAC velo. The Duke somewhere - but let's not add to I dug deeper. Forks apart, the stanchions bike was in a million pieces; other than the that $250 fine. rolled truly across glass the topped dining cambox you couldn't physically dismantle We cruise home - thocka-thocka- table (we'11 keep that to ourselves). Best fit a was bike further. Everything everlrvhere: thocka - it's all so balanced, so taut. Oh new oil seals though. Dodgy steering head bits were under bits of other bikes, on she's a real Inter all right as the trace of bearings? No way. It even had a good Brit- walls, under shelves, behind cupboards, in oil on my jeans can testify. ish Avon on the rear wheel. the backs of,drawers. The bloke was an Unapproachable Norton? No way, it's you Mind the tank had a few dings - early disciple in the theory of chaos. For in the loungeroom now and there she'Il stay well at least I didn't have to chrome it. in all disorder there is order and he knew unless, of course, someone reckons they Weil-known Sydney vintage Norton sup- where everything was. Everything. can give it a better home. plier, Norm Jeanneret, had cables and a Don had two months to assemble it for Yeah! I'd sell it. As I was saying, I've single-sided Featherbed Inter front wheel the Easter Bathurst meet and, three days got this other project. A cammy Norton, - 8" brake and all. So it's now got a 19" before the races, he tested it at Menai. It what else! I 50 CLASSIC MOTORCYCLING The thrill of the chase whole night of deliberation for as rhough I'd lost out. There one to accept "a cheeky \r'as more in rhe deal and yet GeoffHalllets us into game away. offer" but the punt was worth I hadn't rvorked out how to In my book the whole the secrets of why he it. Bank cheques or cash are gain access to the next level . process of buying "right", hard to argue with. There's has a, garage full of starts with getting the other usually'some cash in the pock- "My attihde is to go in at 50 and, why dude to name a figure. On et up pushed) fjunk' - he to the ante (if per cerf of wlat I am prepared more than one occasion I've but: The cheque's all I've got, can't help adding to to pay and see rlet happens." it. gone too high when forced to mate." make an offer and paid too .I know of a couple of I still iea[on baG;ls rhe more rhan halfway fWAS much (judging by the speed people who have made silly best way to handle manl' siru- down the driveway I heading with which the figure was ac- offers for only to ations where you are dealing for the BM, when the dude I cepted). My attitude is to go be accepted. The ploy had with someone who collects the yelled out, "Stuffit! You can in at 50 per cent of what I am been a way of politely reject- same marque of machine, have the bloody things for ing an offer but ended up with provided there's an ac- $180.00." Three more steps "l heard of proprty developem' a quick and embarrassing trip knowledgement of value (let him stew) and then I $tvaruiry motor firi$or$ for blocks to the money box to honour somewhere. With a bushman's turned. The deal was done! It "the deal". Perhaps there's a upbringing, barter intrigues was hard to contain grin of flats in Bondi, hut never a as moral there, make sure you me. As a teenager I remember we polo pories." shook hands. My brain Harleys for can pay if the price is accept- a drover passing our way with had toted up the value of the ed. People get pretty pissed off the moniker of "Crow" (be- boxes of bits, and there was an prepared to pay and see what if you beat them down and cause he sounded like one). I easy $500 worth of parts al- happens. There's always a then walk away from the deal. His trading covered a wide ready I "sold". Walking away danger that you'll be told to Half the reason there's a range of products and ser- your - after offer has been re- piss off, but there's still a heap of stuff in the shed is a vices, "windmills to watches" I jected is a sure way of testing comeback, eg "That's without temptation to say "throw in being the usual description, the resolve of a seller. As a the spares", which gets you that box of spare parts" to along with "bugging to drov- negotiating technique it can be back pitching for the business. clinch the deil. I've accumu- ing". effective or a bloody long way The biggest problem is con- Iated a lot of rubbish which Nothing has changed. In the to your yourself bike, kicking taining your joy when you may be "useful" one day. early '80s I heard of property hard-headed. I for being so find that part you have been Perhaps a jumble sale is in developeis' swapping motor I Still, i it's interesting. chasing for years. What do order, however it's sometimes cruisers lor blocks of flats in Methinks that half the en- you offer? It's difficult not to difficult to sort the good from Bondi, but never Harleys for 'l joyment of classic ownership punt high when remaining the bad, and I'd probably polo ponies. Perhaps rhat is the search for replacement cool is the best tactic. I suffer at the hands of someone would be a fair swap fcr the parts and the challenge of remember haggling for some who wanted a deal on "the Double Bay yuppie il'ho want- gaining ownership of that rocker covers which were un- lot' '. ed to move into another elusive bit, at the right price. procurable in everyone else's Although I have never recreational activiry. Swap-meets are good a ex- estimation. They were in front bought a brand-new bike, I don't like bul,ing sight- ample of principles most of me, incorrectly - labelled and some demo models have unseen, and 1'et occasionally people are hunting a bargain. perhaps considered worthless found their way into my I've had to send the money There's probably a small per- to the vendor. I paid too ownership. Often the deal has and trust rhe vendor. If any- centage who have no intention much, which is stupid, but the included panniers or some thing, rhe results have always of buying, they simply love the parts were priceless, not even other inducement, but rarely, been better than I expected, showmanship and mental available in Germany (people unless I've asked for them. It's although one dude laid some craft of negotiation. Believe Iaughed when we asked), so interesting to watch an accom- DKW parts along with the you me. I once knew just a bloke occasionally you have to plished salesman furrou' the genuine BMW stuff. An who would haggle with the play safe. "honest" mistake no doubt girls in the Cross until he'd ob- When buying bikes I believe "... but tle chque's alll're go[ which resulted in some lever- tained a really low price. His there's an advanrage turning aEe for another barter. tactic was then to say, mate." "How up with a bank cheque for Perhaps it is best to remeqrber cheap do you think am?,' I what you consider to be the brou and supposedly recalcu- that whatever you buy or sell, and walk off. It was only price you prepared are to pay. late his figures. I am never there appears to be a mentality when someone pointed out the Twice I've had a vendor drop sure which way the dollar is among those who like to danger of someone's flatten- price the even further when being squeezed. Often I sus- haggle that the thrill of the ing (or drilling holes) in all the cheque is produced at the pect it's simply another level chase is more exciting than ac- 6'4" of him that gave he the end of negotiations. It took a of those situations where I feel tual purchase. I _ GEOFF I{ALL

CLASSIC MOTORCYCLING 51 .{€.i:6"+ r;ffi :. ' h .,s *=. .]W*€. ',';'=- -

When it came out in 7967, NYONE who has an interest in in the Ducati line-up to satisfy their per- Ducatis will recognise the name ceptions of the US market. When the bikes Ducati)s 725cc Cad,et may of Bill Hannah. He was the failed to se1l, they tried to dump the whole entrepreneur who, in 1967, shipment. Bill Hannah, from Liverpool in haae been unloaed, and, used the UK as dumping ground England, bought the lot some 3400 bikes a - for cheap Ducatis unsold by the Berliner in total and imported without unwanted, - them any but, if it hasn't Corporation, the then American Ducati spares or back-up, and behind the back of importers. Almost single-handedly, he the importer, Vic The exactly turned into a stoan, ollicial Camp. situ- caused such a crisis of confidence among ation, as one might imagine, was chaotic. at least it is the prid,e of its English Ducatisti that it is remarkable that The 'American' styling was unpopular in the market recovered. England, and Vic Camp felt no compulsion current owner. The Berliners, brash, self-confident to supply parts for bikes imported counter Americans, had demanded styling changes to what he felt was his due. 52 CLASSIC MOTORCYCLING This is the s - .- :-:.:hadfar- there's only 250 of them, I couldn't believe reaching ei:;: :" ::--.r,_i as Spring- it. Anyway, it's just the rightI size me for uood. a ,:.- - -: 3.-: \lountains, it's very light. I'm riding around on my ' - -lU::'.r':i r -.::alia. Learner's Permit now - I let mv licence \\ -.- _,.-. ..::..r) shipped the lapse, but now I've got the Cadet, I'll get ffi :- ::r ;n America, they it again." .*=*' - -:: ::1e 125 Cadet/4, a It appears very much as if the bike has, - : :r,, four-stroke using at one time in its life, been stripped lor rac- - - -._J _qear from the two- ing. The rear guard has been cut down, and : ::: The bike used a bore there is no tail-light. There was no A neat liltle 125cc push-tod ohv ltalian. L 'r 55mm, and a compres- speedometer with the bike when Col -1:1. The ',/4' in the model acquired it, but forrunately, there is a It's obviously a Ducali - look at lhose lines. V source of parts not far away. Phil Hitchcock, from Road and Race -' - :,::-o.k swinging arm at the rear. Engineering in Berkeley Vale, on Sydney's - - r:: drums took care of the brak- Central Coast, is a self-confessed - -::e acceptably for a bike with a Italophile. Part of the 'Central Coast - : _::1i of 72k9. It was capable of Mafia', he has one of the best collections , . . I and 2.51ll00km. of single-cylinder Ducatis in Australia, -. {mericans refused to take the bike, from a racing Cucciolo onwards. ,-: '.r ir was olfered for sale in England, He actually wanted the Cadet to keep the :-:,r unsuccessfully. The factory was left other one in his collection company, but ,i.:h something like 250 bikes - and an accepted Col's good fortune with good English handbook for each. grace, and can supply anything needed for \lost were disposed of in Europe, but the bike. some went farther afield. One went to "Phil Hitchcock has been wonderful. Springwood. He's really helpful. You know he wanted Col Loydell has had his Cadet for going the bike, but when I needed the speedo, he on 12 months, and so lar has ridden it up had one for $59 a new one. He's great." and down the driveway. - There was a slight The paintwork is not exactly standard - noise from the engine, and so he decided Mick Walker, in his book Ducati Singles, it needs a strip-down, but, having finished lists the colour scheme as: "overall black, :h: OEC. the Bantam and Excelsior are with silver for tank flutes, side panel and :l:,: l: -:ne. mudguards". Personally, I think the tank Co, is .rne oi the salt of the earth could do with some highlighting thank- ,,i - For lhose ol you with BlW sets. lhe yellovt l/as, sets reslorers. Ea;h eek he saves a little of the fully, so does Col but I rather like the oll the rcd name logo. A pension cheLlue :e receives after yellow - the early flashes on the side covers - they retiremenl eniorced b1 a heart attack some really set off the lines and pick up the red years ago, and puts ir asicle ro get a few nuts of the Ducati name on the engine. and bolts plared. or ro bu1 .,,me paint so As far as Col is aware, the bike has not he can get on with rhins.. been previously restored. Ifthat is the case, A slow process to be sure. but a satislr'- then he has found himself quite a bargain. ing one, as Col explains: "l do a little bit There is a little to do, and some parts to here and a little bit there. Ir's slog. but I source, but given Col's pension and deter- enjoy it. It gets a bit cold in the shed ol a mination, I have no doubts that he will winter, but Mum lets me bring them inside succeed. After all, he's got the bike, and in front of the fire, and I do it there.,, it sti1l has the original Ceat tyre on the The little Cadet is, so far, pretty much front! I as Col found it. It runs, and is actually his pride and joy. It wasn't for sale when he USEFUL ADDRESSES: discovered it in a bike shop, but time passes Phil Hitchcock Road and needs change, and now it is his. The and Race Engineering 2/29 fact that it is so rare (even if the model Bon Mace Close doesn't have a terribly good reputation) Berkeley Yale NSW 2259 (043) was icing on the cake: "When I discovered Phone 8E 4211 TEATVI BBI lrcerDrrrg th fail unit poking out 120 watts. It is married to Hamish Cooper takes a look a Japanese regulator. The main frame is standard Adventurer at a few ind,iaid,ualisls os but Codrington has fitted leadingJink front forks of his own manufacture. Damping is they batter their Britbikes by Marzocchi shocks. The standard oval swing-arm is replaced around SA's Z4-hour by Codrington's own longer, stronger, box- section item. reliability trial, while And,re He also made the chair up out of lye,, mild-steel tubing with a 3mm wall Kannmer took the sna,ps. thickness. Codrington made all the other custom OMPETITORS mounted on items on the outfit, including the pretty modern Japanese enduro outfits fibreglass petrol tank. looked sceptically at the trio of With Ian Falkenberg in the chair, the early-'70s Brirish bikes warming pair was seeing off hard-charging cowboys up in the staging area. on 600TT Yamahas, ZL ar,d ZR The Wasp-Norton, heavily-modified Tri- in the Open class (for experienced riders), umph 500 Adventurer , and BSA until a broken wire to the electronic igni- B50MX scrambler frame wrapped around tion sidelined them for repairs, putting an ,4'65 motor sure looked good. But what them back down the field to l5th place. were they doing in a24-how reliability trial Meanwhile, in the Trials class (for competing with 140 purpose-built, late- novices), Barry Rohrlach and passenger model Yamahas and Hondas across some Don Turnbull were droning on to possible of South Australia's most rugged coun- victory on their 850cc Wasp-Norton. One tryside? thousand hours and $7000 spent assembling Twenty hours later the answer was clear. the pretty, nickel-plated-frame outfit The Norton was leading its ciass and the looked like paying off. Triumph was challenging the frontrunners Starting life in 1978 as a motocrosser, the in its. Wasp had a 1000cc motor when It was a proud day for Team British, the Rohrlach bought it. In true Anglophile brainchild of Tony Codrington. spirit the Jap motor rl as turned into a boat "We want to prove British motorcycles anchor and a 75Occ Triumph motor can still win races," he said with one eye installed for last year's 24-hour trial. closed. This year Rohrlach $,enr for the superior This Horatio-Lord-Nelson obsession torque of a 1973 850cc Norron engine. A with British competition machines dates hotter cam and 38mm Keihin carburettor back to the early 1970s. His latest passion off a Harley gave more top-end power for is a Triumph Adventurer outfit completely the straights. It sports a stainless-steel, two- built-up by himself. into-one, replica Wasp exhaust for low- Based on a 1972-73 model, the Daytona down grunt. The Commando clutch is stan- motor is surprisingly stock. It has a larger dard but the four-speed gearbox is much 30mm Amal carburettor (up from 28mm) modified, with roller-bearings replacing and hard-chrome valve stems. Boyer elec- standard ball-bearings, and alloy gussets tronic ignition saves wasting precious welded around the casing to strengthen the minutes in the timed sections adjusting location of the mainshaft. points that have closed up. Barry Buckley, seven-times Aussie provide To better lighting for the night champ on a Norton, has advised sections, the Lucas alternator has been on the modifications. rewound with heavier windings and Rohrlach has altered the Wasp suspen- Japanese coils turning it into a three-phase sion for more ground clearance and the

54 CLASSIC MOTORCYCLING ;i'. :.19 s =.

:

ffiE re@dM ffi

'ffi fean British at rcst and in notion. - has competed in previous 24-hour trials on outfit has Marzocchi front damping and a BSA B50MX scrambler from the early airbag rear. '70s. t It ran like a Swiss watch for the 24 hours, Over the years he has refined it by fit- re which included leaping rocks 30cm in ting a YamahalT 250 front end and his diameter, ploughing through metre-deep own swing-arm with Koni shocks, giving mudholes and forging through even deeper him l0 inches of suspension travel front swollen creeks. and rear. The outfit was quite a sight . . . the This year he squeezed in the superior gleaming yellow-tinged nickel frame con- power of an ,465 motor from a road-going trasting with the white paintwork, red seat l97l Thunderbolt he crashed in 1980. This and gold rims. required altering the top rails of the single's The 8-inch quartz headlamp cut a swathe frame at the steering head. through the night as the motor blared on The engine is standard apart from a hour after hour at 6000-7000rpm. Victory 32mm Amai carburettor. I seemed theirs for the taking after Rohrlach Ominous warning noises from the motor made up the last two points on the class forced him out on the fifth lap of the Open leader, a Yamaha 600 sidecar outfir. Bur class, 800km into the event. But it still was in the excitement they lost their scorecard, a grand effort, considering the engine were fined 10 points and finished second. hadn't been run since 1986. After neariy 1000km and 24 hours it was Afterwards, Rohrlach summed up Team a cruel blow. British philosophy: "We just want to bring The third member of Team British, a few of these good old machines back to which had printed irs own T-shirts and racing. " badges, was Melbournian Jim Bisset. He Amen to that. I

CLASSIC MOTORCYCLING 55 t -

l,leailng ltorthan, Fnnk Stanslield acls the lafilkln.

ABOVE LEFI: Nom Cunnlnghan Nlnts thc way hone.

LEFf: The 0wilande6 neat Cocldebiddy.

RIGHI:

The haga wclcomlng cmwd ln Fofiest Place, Peih.

time . The machines stood the test remark- question. Road communication is bound to ably well, we certainly had trouble with the come, and it is now'up to the Common- sidecar chassis; but as the were wealth government to survey a road, and ,overloaded with luggage, petrol, etc, it is erect signposts between Coolgardie of tall tales and celebrating their journey and a wonder the chassis stood up as well as Port Augusta. was had by all. Miss Violet Corderry. who they did. The engines themselves gave ab- recently passed perth On Sunday, February through on her 6, 1927, they rode solutely no trouble, and at the conclusion motoring trip around the world, placed her to Perth and found hundreds ofmotorcy- of the 7000-mile journey, they ticked over car on the train between Kalgoorlie clists waiting for them at Midland and it and as easily as if they had just been prepared Adelaide. She was informed wasn't long before a mile-long procession at Australia to commence the tour. As a supreme test, had formed House, London, that the overland trail was to follow them into the city the local agents took one of the overland practically impassable, which goes to show centre. They were met at the steps of the machines, and used it to break the Albany how much Australia House Perth GPO by the lord mayor officiais know and a large to Perth Record. about Australia. and enthusiastic welcoming crowd. An "The plugs used never mis-fired once, "Road cornmunication heroic event, means the open_ one of motorcycling,s geatest the Castrol oil kept the engines perfect in ing up of areas hitheno unknown, and reliability trials, "the Harley Club Over- who condition on the hottest of days. plume knows but \ye land was ma.v one day see a charabanc Tour", finally over! motor spirit was used exclusively through_ service running between perth and For the end of such a momentous jour- out the entire tour, and it never once failed Adelaide if air transport ney Len Dean made only a very isn,t in vogue brief di- us. belore - ary glad itl " entry, to be home no doubt; but "The assistance rendered to us by Ben- Thus ends the tale of a great pioneering perhaps a bit sad at the end of such an ad_ nett and Wood, Sydney; Millidge Bros, endurance venture with his mates: ,,Sunday, feat and, for myself, Febru_ Melbourne; Lenroc's, Adelaide; and Nlorr- t\\'o years of research. This record of the ary 6 Arrived home safe and sound. lock Bros, - Perth, was invaluable and rve trip would not have been possible Many people gathered to welcome except us. All owe a large debt ol gratitude to these firms for the the clear memory, impish humour and boys in tip-top condition.,, for their generous efforts. assistance of Norm Cunningham; the late Norm Cunningham wrote at the same "The Harley-Davidson tour, and the Len Dean's diary entries and Don Bow- time: "Wherever we went we were received publicity given to it by the numerous den's initiative and enthusiasm to re-enact with the greatest hospitality, and each and newspapers, has been the means of creat_ the WA Harley Club Overland Tour of every member of the tour had a wonderful ing a good deal of interest in the overland 1926. I

CLASSIC MOTORCYCLING 45 7 THE

The final, comprising the first and second place-getters from the heats, put Finlay up against the bicycles of Ivey from Ballarat and Warnock on an "Emerald Hill" (then the name for South Melbourne) and the tricycle riders Thomson on a "Fly- away", James on a "Hercules", A. Ilton on a "Lightning" and D. Ilton on a The 1909 Baft Bicycle lilted wilh a GEM auxiliary "Modesty". notot. This was the best race of the day, and the blue-stone street crossings rather than Finlay's knack ol handling his mount, Back in the old d,ays, on the smooth macadam and asphalt of the which appeared to have an advantage with European cities. its larger front wheel, and his being in much Because of the heaviness of the ground better training than the others ensured that motorcycles receirsed their due to overnight rain the velocipede rac- he carried all before him. Dressed in black ing was not as good as expected but was, and gold, the colours of The Barb jockey, nannes fro* the rnost unlikely however, sufficient to prove beyond doubt Davis, he covered the distance of two miles the superiority of the bicycles over tricycles. in 11 minutes 29% seconds, at a speed of places, lllax Gregory has The cycle racing took the form of four about l0%mph on the heavy turf, lapping heats, the latter being for bicycles, which second place-getter, Warnock, while Finlay won from J. Ivey, who was Thomson 'a one which took its mounted on tricycie, the only other found, on a machine named "Ballarat", in a time finisher, persevered for third place. of 5 minutes 50 seconds for the mile dis- It appears that James Finlay nonte as went on to {ro^, unlikely as it tance; J.W. Sayce on a "Cyclops" failing build further such bicycles as an older to finish. Western District cycling identity tnay' seern, a horse recalled,

HE Barb was a name derived from that of the winning horse in the 1866 Melbourne Cup, and I it was applied to a velocipede x made by James Finlay of Fitzroy, who rode te it it to victory in the first cycle race i* to be held E in the Australian colonies. it Held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in July 1869 as part of the Winter Athletic Sports meeting, the novelty event attracted { a crowd of 12,000 spectators and was con- sidered to have been the most brilliant spec- tacle seen there since the visit of the ,l All-England Eleven cricket team. The velocipede had been the sensation of the 1867 Paris Exhibition and had become the I rage of Europe, although this new I "locomotive luxury" was then not expected ! to gain such a following in Melbourne, where such machines would have to be rid- den through storm-water channels and on The 'Floalet' sidecat was a winner lor Finlay Brcs Herc is the chassis tayout. 46 CLASSIC MOTORCYCLING in 1897, that he had earlier ridden an 1870 been instituted at 675 Elizabeth Street, The prcnises ol Finlay &rcs., with lhe pnminent BSA "bone-shaker" which had been constructed which held the Victorian representation for sign, was a long-tine leaturc ol the Melboume strcet-scape. by Finlay of Fitzroy, who had then been Metz and Pullman cars, while the cycle regarded as a "crack" builder. department was selling the Excelsior motor- cycle and Finlay's spring caster-wheel 249cc Model B through the 557cc Model sidecar. H to the twin-cylinder 770cc Model E By 1918 the "Floater" sidecar was in which was able to carty a load ol Scwt production, after a development period (a10ke). which included participation in trials and The decline in all motor sales resulting other competitive events. Following an from the Depression led to the re- overseas trip by A.D. (Bert) Finlay in early introduction of the Barb bicycle in 1932. 1919, this unit was taken up for produc- BSA machines became the mainstay of the i tion in the USA by the Schwinns in Chicago Finlay Bros. business over a lengthy period, i (makers of the Excelsior motorcycle) and although, in the post-war years, the shaft- i by BSA in England, whose machines were drive Sunbeam, the Sydney-built Acme, the ! also represented in Victoria by Finlays. James and New Hudson lightweights were I Both makes were often ridden in competi- also handled. As the 1950s progressed the tive events by Alec and Bob Finlay. public at large moved away from motor- { By this time the Floater design had been cycles as basic transport, preferring the modified and simplified by having the body enclosed comfort of the car. Finlays mounted on coil springs rather than on the attempted to move with the tide by taking i long C-springs used originally. A "Road- on the city sales of the Standard Vanguard 'l ster" body style with a built-in luggage car (then about number three in popular- locker was introduced, as was a lighter ity) and the smaller Ten at first, following "Floatette" for use with 500cc-engined up with the state representation for the t E:ruri6 !i,ol ol James Finlay on hb Bah velocipede, bikes; the factory for sidecar production miniature Goggomobil with its Australian- lrl tt?,tr"f 'fe Yon the li/,.st bicycle race to be held in being located at 170 Queensberry Street, made fibreglass bodywork. you &x6r-alE * AadneL Esq, eat heart od. Carlton. It is an interesting point that the BSA, then also feeling the effects of wan- : J'ri :he lirm of Finlay Brothers was Floater was, like the Goulding and the ing motorcycle sales, introduced a range of :tr-: -: .: 358-60 Elizabeth Street, Mel- Underwood "Rock", adopted for produc- light air-cooled industrial engines, finished :': -j ; :: ::.toting "The Barb" cycles and, tion overseas. Maybe the rigours of Aus- in a distinctive maroon colour, to compete :r ,,;: .:: Barb 2hp mOtOr-bicycle, tralian roads ensured that machines against the established makers such as JAP ::j:r: . -=..: 'Oeen made Of BSA partS, developed here were able to take anything and Villiers. Finlal's used these engines in ';:-,:-- - '. : :::ed at a price of €40 for that could be thrown at them anywhere a number of machines such as the Finlay :<.:. ,--- - - . ::.: Barb bicycle could be fit- else. Fella swing-sa* in their casting-about for re,i ;.:: . ,:-:-: GEM auxiliary motor, During the early 1920s, also, the motor- a market niche. Other franchises, inclusive uhi;:" "::=:,::::-. the steering head and car section became a separate entity known of the Heinkel and Silver Pigeon scooters, dror e ',:a : .-::.:: :oller which was read- as Finlay Motors, located at337 Elizabeth the Tohatsu Hurry and, for the then cur- il1' engag:: --: :..=:_raged by moving a Street, and later in Lonsdale Street, which rent go-kart racing craze, the Hornetkart, lever. This :.: ;;: -.=,.: added only 301b to held the Victorian franchise for Humber, uere tried in 1960. None of these measures, the weight o: u was ::.: =-=::,-::e hich addi- Moon and Diana cars and survived until however, was successful in ensuring the tional to the laii;: B,r-: :.rior-bicycle with the onset of the Great Depression. The continuation of the business; the savage belt drive and a: *:"-.:a, Iorm of axle Excelsior motorcycle later became known effects of the "credit squeeze", which bit springing on the iio:: r\:.ii. as the "Big X", but seems to have faded deeply at that time, delivering the final In 1913 the 3l:hp Bar'c ::crrorc).cle was out after abottt 1927. blow. advertised at {55, bf iihi;h :ime Finlay The feature of the 1929 season was the l'hanks are extended to Mr R. Saward Bros. were located at 322 Elizabelh Street. healy promotion of delivery vans based on for his assistance in the preparation of this By 1916 a motor-car depanmenr had BSA motorcycles, these ranging from the brief account. I

CLASSIC MOTORCYCLING 47 G TLLING il[[]fflt[illI RESGUE

of competition. Indeed it was not until l9Z Eoer tnea a, tnan who restores that Norton once ag-ain tasted TT success, Nortons in the upstairs and then with their ohv racers. In a logical development of the previous generation's bed,room of a terrace house? side-valves, bore and stroke remained the same. Vell, here's your cha,nce. In the incredibly competitive '20s, where more than 200 British makes alone went Mitehell Barnes lends an out of business, racing success was para- international to mount for sales success. And when an ohv tlaoour won the Junior TT in 1926, it was Sydney's cosmopolitan Surry clear that Norton would have to follow suit to remain in the picture. Hills. One of Norton's engine designers, Walter Moore, had been.working on an HAT'S black and silver and overhead cam engine for quite some time forever unapproachable? - his own in fact, as he would soon point Easy - any racing Norton out. with its camshaft(s) upstairs The resulting machine was both fast and ABoVE and LEFT: lt could be nothing but a Norton. of course. reliable, dominating the July races with There's something about certain fastest lap and a winning margin of over and newly promoted chief draughtsman. classic bikes that sets them apart the - eight minutes. Arthur Carroll, it was decided to follow the "classics" among the classics. There are In time-honoured Norton fashion the Velocette philosophy. but a handful truly a cut above; where bike was offered to the public the follow- Gone was the antiquated reciprocating everything is of an essential nature and ing year, 1928. oil pump, replaced by a gear driven one. nothing is an unnecessary embellishment. Designated KSI (camshaft senior) it Oldham couplings were fitted to the verti- Purpose and harmony in toto. Well, became known, in deference to its vertical cal shaft, the magneto was now chair. whatever those indefinable qualities are, tower, as the "cricket bat" Norton. driven off the right side oil pump. The cam- Norton's International has them in bundles Whence came the description I know not. box, too, followed Velocette practice, being and this 1950 example is living proof. However, by the late '20s, things were vertically split with exposed rocker arms. The Norton International was first dis- really hotting up, with arch rivals Velocette Thirty-two years later as the last ohc Nci-- played in 1932 and production remained in stealing Norton's thunder at both the TT tons were lovingly assembled, the vahe until 1958. Originally an out and out TT and the European GPs. To add insult to stems were still exposed and, although the replica built to celebrate the outstanding injury, Walter Moore took his ohv design cambox was the epitome of reliability, i: run success of of the l93l machines. Not with him to Germany's NSU. So by the end was never completely oil tight. only in the TT, but also all over Europe ofthe decade, Norton's racing future was So, although Norton copied the essen- (from where the "International" tag stems) looking a trifle bleak. tial elements of Velocette's design, theirs riders marques of other had to content But, in a particularly astute move, was a much sturdier, more substantial themselves with following in the wake of former works rider Joe Craig was interpretation. And, of course, it not onlr the factory Nortons. A situation that would appointed'race shop supremo. A decision looked exactly right, it was built to last. The remain a natural part of racing life for that would ensure unparalleled racing suc- 260-plus miles of the Isle of Man TT course much of the next 20 years. cess for the next 25 years, World War II was the litmus test. In 25 Senior starts ir. may have seen the l9ll first Norton- notwithstanding. the next 30 years it won 15 times, with 1l engined bikes, and, although unsuccessful Joe Craig's first major task was to Junior wins and innumerable minor plac- at the TT itself, the side-valve racers made "improve" the Moore engine. In consult- ings, as well. a name for Norton in countless other areas ation with managing director, Bill Mansell, The account opened with Tim Hunt'i CLASSIC MOTORCYCLING