ALBANY VINTAGE & CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE CLUB

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June 2013 Club News

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Collie Historic Racing

by Andy Burn
pics by Trevor & Liz

Cornering at
          Collie.
For the past few months a few off us have tried to get up to Collie to watch the historic M/C racing as we have a club member who races there often. We organized a weekend ride with Phil Penny, Jack Rowe and I meeting up at 9am on Easter Sat. We headed off with the first stop being Kojonup for fuel and a cup of tea and a double coffee for Jack, as he was nodding off, - he even missed the patrol car (must have been asleep then).

All alert and refreshed we headed off to Collie via Changerup, left at Boyup Brook then Arthur River, right at Darken South Rd, left up Bowelling Duranillin Rd and down this other road. I was picking up burning rubber smells coming off Jack’s BMW trike. Just as I was going to pass him to tell him about the smell, a big black thing came off his bike and slid down the road. At first I thought he had blown a tyre, but it was his table and tent-cot! (big black thing)

On close inspection we found the burning rubber smell - it turned out to be one of his mudguard supports had broken and was rubbing on the tyre. After a few make-shift repairs we were on our way again turning left on to Crossman Rd then left at Collie Motoplex and we just followed the signs. We set up camp and went looking for Mike Stephenson, but he was nowhere to be found so we checked with race officials and were told that he had had an ‘off’ and that the bike was unrideable so he had left.

Nortons ready to
          race in the pits.
At this stage Barry and Ian Grant arrived, they are regulars at these events and we informed them of the tragedy of Mike’s bike. Saturday was all practice and tweaking the bikes. We had a most enjoyable day watching the bikes.

The blokes lined
          up to watch the races.
During the day Harley Trent, Barry May, Steve Rowe and Bob Jackson arrived. Bob was with his wife and ‘camped’ in town at the motel (still a softy). After cooking tea and a bit of B/S we all retired to bed to endure a very cold night’s sleep. Up early to thaw out in the morning sun with a coffee and breakfast, then off to watch the bikes. Bob and Jan arrived mid-morning and Trev and Liz Escott turned up around 11.30 for a few of hours then drove back to Albany via Walpole. All up 12 club members and wives made it great little turn out.

Honda 750 racing
          sidecar.
The sidecars were the most impressive to watch bringing the wheel up on the corners. There were not so many 1950’s bikes this year compared to last year, more the 60-70 Japanese solo bikes, but still a pretty good variety of bikes. All had a great day in the beautiful sunny weather.
Bikes lined-up on the grid.

We all packed up but left at different times going to different places, Harley and Barry went to Nannup, Bob and Jan, Ian and Barry stayed, while Jack, me and Phil went on a sightseeing tour led by Jack, until he stoped and informed us that he was lost and so we had to turn back to get on the correct road about 80 kms back.

All in all a lot of fun and we will do it again next time. Come and join us - the dates are in your Magazine.
One to get to will be the Historic National WA on the 14-17 November at Barbagallo raceway. Until next time, safe riding.
PS : Mike – ‘Handy hint No 1’ is: - warm them tyres mate, we are all very glad you are OK!

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