June 2010 Kickstart Rally Report

 

NINTH ANNUAL ‘KICKSTART’ RALLY REPORT

12-14th JUNE 2010

 

The June long weekend was upon us like an express train. Members assembled Friday afternoon at Berry Showground to prepare the rally site for the 9th annual ‘Kickstart Rally’. The set up went like clockwork due to a very good group of hard workers (and eight years experience). With entrants arriving at the camp site and the work done, it was time to sit back and enjoy a social evening with old friends and new.

Saturday morning almost caused a boycott by a number of the Indian riders; it was sunny with no rain insight. The tribe said that it is not a Berry rally without rain! With this minor disappointment aside, the Rally entrants began to arrive, the registration desk was in full swing and the caterer was assembling the kitchen to prepare the days meals. The marshals required to direct the entrants around the days run departed at 1015. Ninety four official entrants astride a large variety of bikes (vintage through to modern) were welcomed and briefed on the rally organisation/requirements prior to departing on a run which encompassed areas north of Berry.

On return to the Showground, a beautiful hot lunch was served in the hall by Mark and his staff and the bikes were lined up within their specific categories for judging by the entrants. On completion of lunch and judging, voting slips were counted and the hall prepared for the presentation dinner.

The presentation dinner consisted of a great roast meal in pleasant company. On completion of the meal, trophies (beautifully hand made by Steve Vidler) were awarded and raffle prizes drawn. The trophy winners as selected by the rally entrants are as follows;

TROPHY WINNERS

CLASS

MOTORCYCLE

RIDER

PRE 1930

1929 500cc ARIEL

KARL GEWOHN

1930 – 1939

1937 750cc BSA Y13

PETER DAVEY

1940 – 1949

1948 500cc TRIUMPH

PHILLIP SELL

1950 – 1959

1951 500cc AJS

DARYL SMITH

1960 – 1975

1961 650cc AJS M31

DICK HOLLAND

POST 1975

2000 INDIAN CHIEF

SUSAN GOSPER

BEST OUTFIT

1924 INDIAN BIG CHIEF

MICK BROWNE

BEST EUROPEAN

1951 250cc JAWA

JULIE KNEEBONE

BEST AMERICAN

1951 INDIAN CHIEF

JOHN MACDONALD

BEST BRITISH

1948 500cc TRIUMPH

PHILLIP SELL

BEST JAPANESE

1972 50cc SUZUKI AC50

IAN STEVENS

BEST UNRESTORED

1938 1000cc ARIEL

STEVE VIDLER

HARD LUCK

1947 350cc MATCHLESS

NICK HARRIS

KING OF THE RALLY

1937 750cc BSA Y13

PETER DAVEY

 

Entrants began to assemble under a sunny Sunday sky. Marshals departed at 0915 to direct entrants around the first part of the ride. This ride headed south to Nowra and then turned east towards the coast and finished at Plantation Point, Vincentia where morning tea was served. After sharing a great morning tea provided by the girls with Rally entrants and other members of the SHVC, we departed for a leisurely run back towards Nowra, over Cambewarra and back into Berry Showground for a steak sandwich and the judging of the ‘Peter Walsh Restoration Trophy’ and the ‘Peoples Choice Best Car’.

This year’s winner of the Restoration Trophy was Keith and Hilma Bridge for their efforts in restoring a beautiful Peugeot.

            We thank Peter for presenting the trophy and for his ongoing encouragement and support in the restoration of historic vehicles.

This year, the ‘Peoples Choice Best Car’ was also awarded to the newly restored Peugeot owned by Keith and Hilma. Great job, well done!

Monday arrived and made it a clean sweep for the whole weekend of fine weather. A group of approximately 20 riders assembled to take a pleasant run up to Cambewarra Lookout for morning tea, then back to Berry via Bomaderry and Bolong Road. This concluded a successful Rally with great weather. Can we please have the same next year for our 10th?

I would like to thank the Rally organisation team who worked tirelessly all weekend, the marshals who did a great job using a new system adopted by Kaj, backup vehicle drivers (who picked up a number of customers over the weekend), and all members of the SHVC. Without this support, this event would not be possible.

Now onto the 40th SHVC Anniversary Rally!

All the best in historic motoring,

John Ducat

 

               

 

               

 

               

 

        

 

CLUB MEMBER PROFILE.

 

 

ROB DUCAT

Motorcycle – 1950 A.J.S Model 16 – 347cc

Born – Murwillumbah.

Age – Oldest riding member aged 72.

Favorite Food – Likes ALL Food

Favorite Drink – A good Red.

Favorite music – Likes All Music except extreme modern.

 

Rob joined the army and moved to Darwin between 1953 and 1957. The RAAF and Army boys got together to race their motorcycles on a fighter air strip. Most of the riders bikes were built up British (no Jap Bikes around back then) with some complete Norton Manx and B.S.A. Gold Stars as well. Rob and his mates had some great racing moments. I heard a rumor he spent his 21 st birthday in Darwin hospital. He had a scrap with a 44 gallon drum. Apparently he came off second best. The 44 gallon drum was still there upon his return to the track!

Rob met his lovely wife June and they moved back to Beau Dessert in Queensland. June would wrap a piece of rope around the bike and seat so she could use it for stirrups for her feet. The bike soon became impractical as little John was soon to be born and the bike had to be sold. Many years went by and Rob raised his family. Not long ago Rob and son John came across another A.J.S. M16 at Crookwell. The boys acquired the bike as fully rebuilt and this was a replica of the A.J.S. he used to race in Darwin. However upon sorting out a pesky oil leak Rob decided to pull the engine down again and discovered a spacer had been left out of behind the sprocket and the crank, resulting in bearing and crank case damage. He completely restored the bike back to Its’ former glory, complete with a new paint job.

The A.J.S. M16 has a bore 69 and stroke 93. The bike runs a Burman 4 speed gear box. Rob is planning to run a competition gear box in the near future. The bike has an Amal carburetor and is currently running trial tyres for on road and off road use.The bike has a 23’ front wheel which may mean the bike was used for flat track or short circuit racing.

 

Here is an extract from the book ‘Great British Motorcycles of the Fifties’

 

Many thousands of Matchless G3L models were built for the allied forces from 1941 on, and it was understandable that the model would continue into post war production in virtually unaltered form – save that khaki had given way to black enamel, and the exhaust pipe were chromium plated. The A.J.S Model 16 announced in mid 1945, was a companion to the Macthless GL, and the only essential difference between the two was that the Matchless carried Its magneto at the rear of the cylinder barrel, whereas the A.J.S. magneto was at the front. In retrospect the distinction seems pointless but there were traditionalists who wanted an A.J.S. and would not have a Matchless at any price and vice versa. So maybe such ‘badge engineering’( which was to continue through the 1950s) did have some justification. Neither A.J.S. or Matchless adopted plunger type rear springing, and the model 16 retained its rigid rear frame, until 1949, when pivoted rear suspension controlled by hydraulically dampened spring units of Matchless’ own design and make became available.

 

 

 

 

 

CLUB MEMBER PROFILE

 

 

STEVE

 

NICKNAME – STEvELO

BORN - SOMEWHERE IN AUSTRALIA (WE HOPE)

MOTORCYCLE – VELOCETTE  ( PRONOUNCED VELL – O – CET- TA?

FAVOURITE FOOD – COOKED – SKINNED AND HUNG

FAVOURITE MUSIC – ROCK N ROLL – ( GAVE UP NANA MOSKOURI AT AGE OF TEN ).

FAVOURITE VIDEO – SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION / SOUND OF MUSIC

FAVOURITE DRINKS – COFFEE AND COKE

BEST BOOK – VELLOCETTE MANUAL

NICEST BIRD ON THE PLANNET -  VICKI, THE GORGEOUS  ONE

 

STEVEN is affectionately known in the club as SteVelo and owns two beautifully restored Vellocette motorcycles. His first Vellocete is a 1956 500 single which he bought off Bryce Davies from Griffith. The bike runs an M.S.N. Venomised motor and has the same lines as clubman street racer, with its drop bars and rear set pegs. The bike is black and chrome and runs 18’ wheels. SteVelo told me the bike ran very well until he cracked a piston ‘racing’ out to Currurong! It was quickly fixed and the bike was running as smooth as ever.

StaVelo’s love of Vellocettes had begun and he acquired a motor from W.A. and there started to build another bike. This time a 1967 500cc Vellocette Venom was to be reborn. He bought a frame and lots of other bits from Gordon Harman in Wollongong and he imported a twin leading shoe front brake from England. The fuel system is a single Amal carburetor. SteVelo had to hand make a lot of parts such as front and rear foot pegs and different brackets. He couldn’t find a tank so he had one made from fibre glass. SteVelo’s beautiful bikes have won trophy’s at rally’s and his artistic flare does not stop at motor bikes. He is renowned for his creativity with timber and sandshoes. He tells me his eccentricity comes from flash backs due to his colorful past!

 

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Majors Creek /Presidents Run 2010