Farewell Jim!
I must admit to being concerned when I heard you were retiring as Editor of OBA after 20 excellent years at the helm. Your swansong, #126 is an issue with lots of diversity, which is how you would wish it to be, and I’m glad we’re not losing you completely. I was pleased that the “Barossa Vintage Collingrove Hillclimb” got a two page spread, as that event is my “baby” within our Historic Motor Cycle Racing Register of South Australia. We wish you well in your “retirement” and look forward to your continuing input to OBA.
Trevor Henderson,
Secretary HMCRRSA.
You have done an excellent job with OBA, it has been a pleasure to read, being very balanced, unlike some rival publications. My only hope is that the incoming Editor can maintain your standards.
I have one concern though, and that is that Edgar Jessup does not corrupt too many at the Monastery!!
Hoping all is well with Sue and yourself, you have both earned it.
Dave & June Kenah.
Editor: Jim has advised Dave that he believes there is already one unconfirmed report from a neighbouring monastery concerning the pregnancy of a senior bhikkhuni. You can’t keep a good man down.
Greetings and farewell to Jim and The Crew. Thanks for all the entertainment you’ve provided over the years. Good luck for the future. I saw the TZ500G you raced at The IOM at Colin Gitsham’s Cabinet Of Curiosities in Mt Pleasant a few weeks ago.
Dave Myall
Takaka, NZ
Ed: The TZ500 Yamaha Dave Myall refers to, in the Isle of Man pits in 1980. Mike Hailwood, who entered the bike through his Hailwood & Gould Yamaha dealership in Birmingham, looks on as Peter Addison (blue overalls) gets the bike ready for Jim to take out in the Senior TT.
Your editorial piece in the latest OBA has come as a shock. But, as Neil Young said, there comes a time, and you’ve more than earned some time out after so many years in the editor’s chair. I just wanted to thank you for every edition of OBA, every bike, story and memory reignited. I never missed an issue, nor will I in the future.
Wishing you and your family all the best for what’s next down the road.
Andrew Bird
Brisbane
Suzuki Rotary Spark
My friend and I were sharing and enjoying the latest issue of Old Bike Australasia (#125) over a coffee. The article about Suzuki’s rotary prompted us to reminisce, as my friend has been known as ‘Rotary Leigh’ since owning two of these beasts in the 70s. He then told me that he is perhaps the only person to have raced one. Apparently they were a bit of a handful around Phillip Island given the gyroscopic effect of the heavy central rotor. As if to prove such an unlikely tale, Leigh managed to find his racing spark plug. I wonder how many of these have survived.
Dale Bartlett
To Jim, former editor. Although you’ve moved on from full-time at OBA, have you got the time and inclination to share your memories of that era when you were team mate to Mike Hailwood, one of the greatest motorcycle racers the world has ever known? The man was nine times World Champion across three classes in the 1960s and twelve times Isle of Man victor, followed a decade later by two more TT victories when he came back to the TT for some fun. Surely you would have many sweet memories from that time.
Although in recent years I’ve spoken to you on the phone, I’ve never met either you or Mike in person. In my first big race at the 1978 Adelaide Three Hour Production Race, S.M.B.H. (Mike) and I were on the track at the same time. I don’t recall seeing either of you at any time and I didn’t seek out Mike in the pits, even though I recognised him as one of the best. Our steed was Richard Dunstan’s Kawasaki H1 500 two-stroke triple, which had a thirst like Adelaide’s parks and gardens in summer. We had no chance of victory, but could run with the class leaders between stops. 48 years later, I still regret my missed opportunity to meet and shake hands with the great man.
I see a golden opportunity to gather your recollections and entertain us all. Please consider.
Alan Berry
Port Noarlunga Sth. SA.
Ed: Alan, that does sound like a great idea. We’ll lean on Jim to put something together.
A Concerned Kiwi
Hi Shane, congratulations on your new position. Being in NZ i just picked up issue #126 today and first read the editorial which was a shock initially but realise that Jim is no longer the youngest kid on the block and is probably deserving of taking a handful of the brakes and stepping back to have a bit of personal time.
Have read/ purchased every issue since #2 and have always looked forward to the next, even if, sometimes, I would find an issue that didn’t completely do it for me.
However. I have read your and Toby’s intros and then checked out the adventure entertainment website and have to say, that with respect to Old Bike Australasia, I do not see you continuing in the same or even similar style to what has been the form for the last 20 years. We do not need another Ozbike, nor a magazine full of the adventures of online influencers.
I will purchase #127 and watch from thereon, it would be a pity to see such an informative magazine deteriorate into a hipster/lifestyle magazine. Recipe for a short run. Good luck and regards,
David Batty
Editor: Thank you so much for reaching out and sharing your thoughts about the changes. I truly appreciate your concern and want to assure you that Old Bike Australasia isn’t going anywhere. For over 20 years, this format has been a cornerstone of celebrating classic motorcycles, and that’s not about to change.
That said, we’re always looking ahead. The reality is, our current readership – many of whom we’ve had the privilege of honoring in our obituaries – won’t be around forever. To ensure the legacy of Old Bike Australasia continues to thrive, we need to welcome a younger generation of enthusiasts while still cherishing and serving our loyal readers.
There are countless incredible vintage bikes and stories yet to be told, and our commitment remains firmly rooted in preserving the history and heritage of classic motorcycles. Rest assured, we’re not looking to become something like Ozbike (as great as it is). We are, and always will be, Old Bike Australasia Magazine – a celebration of the timeless beauty and stories of classic bikes. A key focus for the team here at Adventure Entertainment is on maintaining the ethos of our titles and we can confirm that we will be continuing to bring you Old Bike in its existing format into the future.
Thank you for giving issue 127 a go. I truly appreciate your support! For our readers, we would love to hear directly from you about the stories and topics you’d love to see in the magazine. Your input is invaluable in shaping the future of Old Bike Australasia, and I can’t wait to hear your ideas!
