Ross Hannan – Never say die
Despite a near-death experience on the Isle of Man, Ross Hannan never lost his love for motorcycle racing, and along the way has guided several newcomers to stardom. Lying in Nobles Hospital in Douglas on […]
Feature
Agro in Assen – Riders Strike of 1955
Saturday July 30th, 1955 was a tumultuous day in the history of motorcycle Grand Prix racing. For a bunch of Australasians, it marked a watershed in their careers. It’s a tough life being an international […]
White knight – Kawasaki Z1B
By the mid 1970s, the Castrol Six Hour Production Race was the biggest thing in Australian motorcycle sport. It had grown like topsy from an argy-bargy affair in 1970, to a heavily trade supported, nationally-televised […]
Jack Forrest – The man who gave his elbow to the sport
Flashy cars, glamorous women, and a string of the best racing motorcycles money could buy. But Jack Forrest was no dilettante – he was an accomplished, brave and dedicated racer who mixed it with the […]
BSA Gold Star – All that glitters
Around the globe, Gold Star owners and fans rejoiced on June 30th as the 75th anniversary of the feat that led to the creation of the legendary model – Wal Handley’s Brooklands lap. Few motorcycles […]
Ron Toombs – King of the Mountain
In one of the sport’s greatest ironies, Ron Toombs lost his life on the very circuit where he was the acknowledged master. Had Ronald Arthur Toombs still been with us, he would have turned 80 […]
Honda CB1100R – A machine on a mission
In ten years, the Castrol Six Hour Race at Amaroo Park had established itself as the equivalent of the Bathurst 1000 four-wheeler classic. The scrutineering was as tough as the race itself, and for the […]
The Crafers TT: Storm in a teacup – March 15th, 1947
Up in the well-to-do Adelaide Hills, the teacups were rattling one weekend in 1947. “A less-likely venue for motorcycle racing is hard to image”. These are the words of Doug Voss, keen student of the […]
Harry Pyne – The Laird of New England
They breed ‘em tough in the bush. Harry Pyne was a classic example of a man who never walked away from a challenge. Tamworth is today a thriving city of around 55,000 people. It grew […]
Ducati 450 ‘Silver Shotgun’ – A bike to put a sparkle in your eye
When you mention Vincent HRD, just about everyone thinks of the big vee-twin, the legendary Phil Irving-designed machine that is today one of the most valuable and collectable motorcycles on the planet. Likewise Ducati; the […]