Scooters have come a long way since the concept sprang from post-war surpluses and evolved into cheap, chic and convenient transport. That concept was soon ransacked by even cheaper cars, and scooters became decidedly uncool, […]
Story: Jim Scaysbrook • Photos: Sue Scaysbrook For Benelli enthusiasts, there is a definite line in the sand in the company’s heritage; in reality, more a deep trench than a line. That is the point when […]
At just seventeen years of age, Doug James was the youngest rider in the Australian Tourist Trophy in 1939. He was also a long way from home. Pre-war, the journey from Wollongong to Phillip Island, […]
Tony McAlpine had a reputation for being a forceful character, both on and off the track. From the time he first appeared as a teenager in Miniature TT (unsealed circuits) around Sydney in the late […]
Robust, attractive, reliable and frugal to own and run. What more could you want in a motorcycle? Story and photos: Jim Scaysbrook In 1970, while killing time prior to sailing for England to chance my […]
The Isle of Man mountain course is unique in its sheer abundance of natural hazards, which are rarely tolerant of errors of judgement or mistakes. Those who have taken on the Mountain respect it, for […]
BMW had something to prove – that their venerable twin was capable of more than just comfortable touring. The R69S was the answer. Story: Jim Scaysbrook with thanks to Damien Cook and Adrian Vergison for […]
It was late 1972 when the Z1 arrived in Australia, initially in very small numbers. But the Z1 story had begun almost six years previously at Kawasaki’s Akashi factory in central Japan; the task being […]
Like many aspiring racers, the war robbed Laurie Boulter of perhaps his best years. But despite being on the wrong side of thirty, the South Australian resumed his career after the war and had a […]
As post-war public road closures for racing became more and more difficult, the search was on for suitable stretches of tarmac where motorcycles could be raced in anger. East of Melbourne, the bike brigade found […]
