Doug Chivas: A Life in the Fast Lane
From our Old Bike Archives – Issue 90 – first published in 2020. DOUG CHIVAS: December 25, 1947 – August 20, 2020. Story: Michael Esdaile • Photos: Highside NZ, OBA archives, Chivas archives, John Innes, […]
Mount Panorama
Geoff Taylor: Across the Great Divide
From our Old Bike Archives – Issue 76 – first published in 2018. Story: Jim Scaysbrook • Photos: Rob Lewis, Michael Andrews, Geoff Neild, Merv Whitelaw, Taylor archives. It’s not uncommon to graduate from motocross to road racing, but […]
Jack Findlay: Don’t call me Cyril
Story: Jim Scaysbrook • Photos: Karel Zegers, OBA archives Mike Hailwood once told me that around the original 14 kilometre Spa Francorchamps circuit, there was no one better than Cyril John ‘Jack’ Findlay. That’s high praise […]
Doug James: The Original Wollongong Wizz
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, […]
BMW R69S – The ultimate flat twin?
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 […]
Gregg Hansford: Talent to burn
The Gregg Hansford versus Warren Willing battles define the ‘seventies period of Australian motorcycle racing. Yet despite prodigious skill, both left careers unfulfilled… for different reasons. Story: Jim Scaysbrook • Photos: Rob Lewis, Michael Andrews, Warren […]
Tracks in Time: Parramatta Park – The circuit in the city
Show any motor racing enthusiast a set of roads that form a lap and the wheels start turning – literally and figuratively. In the days when Australia had no racing circuits built solely for that […]
The Henderson Matchless: Home-spun hero
What started as a Gold Star BSA and evolved to a Matchless G50-engined Norton, eventually became the 4-valve Henderson G50 – a mighty quick single. Story: Jim Scaysbrook • Photos: Bill Forsyth, Dick Darby, Gary Reid, […]
Peggy Hyde: Rebel with a cause
Unfazed by reputations, officialdom, or rules, Peggy Hyde showed that gender is no limiting factor in motorcycle racing. Talk to Peggy Hyde today and it is immediately evident that little has changed in her approach […]
The Guzzi invasion
The publicity generated by reigning world champion Geoff Duke’s ‘Down Under’ tour in 1954/55 did not go unnoticed overseas. Duke made noises about a repeat performance for the summer season of 1955/56 but when this […]
