Old Bike Australasia

Old Bike magazine is a must for those who ride as well as the dedicated enthusiast and rebuilder, covering everything from Vintage to early 1980s bikes - marvel at the restoration of machines that could still sit proudly on the showroom floor. Each issue brings you the latest news and results from recent events, race reports and Rally Roundup, along with new and old bike news and reviews, readers letters, Club Directory, What’s On and much, much more.

EDITOR’S LETTER

Old Bike Australasia • NUMBER 116

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Some people need to be protected

OUT IN THE SHED

BUZZ BOX OLD BIKE NEWS

Under the Chequered Flag

Long-distance legend and much more! • A multi-talented motorcyclist, Cecil James ‘Cec’ Weatherby D.C.M. raced at the top level in Australia and internationally, set long distance records, and served the sport for many years after his own retirement from the saddle.

OUTSTANDING BUT OVER-ENGINEERED • Today, the name of Victoria is all but forgotten, at least in motorcycle terms. But there was a time when these handsome machines represented the pinnacle of German engineering.

Win THE COMPLETE GARDENER’S PACK

A BORN-AGAIN CLASSIC • The 29th April, 2024 was a red-letter day in classic/historic motorcycling in Japan – the return of the quaintly-named event, The Good Old Days. Until the devastating onset of Covid 19, this was an immensely popular annual event, patronised by anyone with even a passing interest in historic racing motorcycles.

Missing an issue • from your Old Bike Australasia collection?

THE QUIET AMERICAN • PAT HENNEN, whose obituary appeared in OBA115, was an immensely popular and talented figure until his career-ending crash on the Isle of Man. Pat topscored the Anglo-American Match Races in England twice, racing the rare 650cc square four Suzuki most preferred not to ride. He was the only man to put a three-cylinder Suzuki 750 on the podium in the Daytona 200, and he was the first American to win a road-racing grand prix. Before that, he built a legacy racing in Australia and New Zealand in the 1970s, winning on all three Japanese 750cc two-stroke racers, likely the only man to have done that. Michael Esdaile delves into the background of this unassuming American whose Down Under performances were to be the springboard to his grand prix career …

The Packed 1974 Calendar

Romsey Grass Track • Compared to its immense popularity in Britain, Grass Track racing in Australia was practically invisible. Of course, racing around grassy paddocks was nothing new, in fact it was there from the very outset of motorcycle sport.

A Bathtub Reborn • How a Triumph Thunderbird crossed the globe into hibernation and eventual restoration.

Bella Beta • Mention Beta in motorcycling circles these days and, provided your audience is young enough, you will be regaled with tales of superb motocross, enduro and trials machines, powered by an unusual variety of engines such as KTM and Suzuki. But the beta marque has a long and fascinating history, with some superb models, such as this 1956 Tourisimo 175.

2024 Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 All-new and a giant leap forward • Back in 2016 when the original Himalayan was launched, it was praised for its ability to take on trails and road with equal capability, given fairly basic suspension. One thing that drew less enthusiasm was the 411cc air-cooled engine, which was vastly underpowered, to be kind.

GREAT GIFT IDEA

2024 Honda GB350 Classic meets modern • Here’s a motorcycle that could have come straight out of the early 1970s. Except that it didn’t. The GB350 is a careful and deliberate blend of nostalgia and modern technology – a simple no-frills bike that is primarily aimed at the LAMS market, yet delivers functionality that makes it a very...