Christmas Party round-up

Last weeks Christmas Party at Rod Hadfield’s Museum was well attended, after a very interesting talk on the custom car and restored car museum we had a “blow-out” BBQ and no shortage of treats all for F.O.C the same as the 18 page colour Indian calendar that Pete Kime was handing out to exclusively financial members. Of course thanks must go to Pete Kime, Owen Jones, for the organisation of the party and to Mark Barthelmie for the calendar, this does take a ton of work to set up and very little recognition is given to the hard work behind the scenes, but people are enjoying themselves and looking forward to the New Year with the famous Midnight Express being planned for the 19/01/19 it will 8th year its been on so we look forward to your participation.

No great loss

Always good to see pictures like this, dead Harley’s that are valueless as Indian sell more, so boys what about that “solid gold investment” advert that they were pushing a couple of years ago,” bring it back and we will give you more than you paid for it” I bet that offers gone now

Vale John Treise ( The Professor)

I met John many years ago when he had a factory in Brunswick, and he imported the very first Buell’s into Australia, he was a “motor mouth” and could “talk the leg off a chair” but man he knew what he was on about. The things he could do with metal were legendary and especially H-D”s which he made 2 litre engines and sold them to the yanks in the mid seventies, strangely he started on BSA R3 “s so was well versed in pommey bikes as well, his genius extended to all bikes and he raced a old iron Sportster with such vigour and success that it was victorious against proper period race bikes in Classic Racing. Latterly John machined Series A crankcases for the 15 replica Vincent’s that have been reproduced, and built a racing version for himself as well as riding around the outback on dirt bikes, unfortunately John got a cancer scare about 10 years ago and we all thought he was “ on the ropes” then but surprisingly being a tough old bird he survived until yesterday, I knew he had been ill in the last few months,but we all hoped for the best unfortunately he has left us, guys like this don’t come along often and as with another great engineer that was his mate Karel Morlang  was fond of calling John “the Professor” they will be comparing race notes together, R.I.P mate

 

Great Race is CANCELLED!

Due to unforeseen circumstances we have had to cancel our January date
for the 2019 Great-Race.

We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Further announcements on future dates will be made as soon as possible

David Reidie.

Its Harley Friday

Association rides & Rallies are stimulating

The last Association ride to Malmsbury and last weekends rally to Llannely highlighted to me what its all about, good weather, close friends, and a interesting ride, what more could you ask for well actually one thing a few more to participate. The thing that never ceases to amaze me is everyone knows that that except for December or if there is one of our 4 rallies on in a month that there is a run on which it will be cancelled, so that means 7 times a year on the first Sunday of the month there is a Association ride happening or 4 times a year there is a rally. This has been that way since 2011 and yet people cant organise themselves at least once a year because they are “all booked out” REALLY you’ve got to be kidding, but needless to say they can’t get away at least one time a year I reckon its time to smell the roses chaps!

RIP JIM Tierney

Jim Tierney  was a remarkable guy a staunch Indian rider on his 2014 Chief Classic, he always attended the Rain in the Face, and the Crazy Horse Rallies, a new Triumph Thunderbird owner as well, unfortunately he was killed riding in USA details are sketchy at the moment and his fellow A.C.T mate Lenny is also grieving at this time as well. Many of his friends in IIRA such as Noel Thornby, Gary Hogg, Phillip White and myself I’m sure will be in shock such a great guy is no longer with us Jim rest in peace mate

Indian Specials and not kicking the missus

Lots of people love a standard Indian with enclosed wheels, and sweeping art-deco lines but others like bikes a little different the “Nordian” was on Facebook recently but the other one is a local bike with a 4 speed Norton gearbox and electric start, Suzuki front end and a H-D swing arm back-end grafted on, both owners wouldn’t want a standard factory Chief and personally I reckon either would be a treat to ride. The good thing about Indian owners is they are not that anal about matching this or that, or whether that 1948 model had chamfered washers only in that year which worries some people like Vincent Owners to name but one group, thank goodness we are not like that. Summers on the way and in October we have a run to Malmsbury on the 7th and the Teepee Rally the following weekend check the calendar for times etc, I think its time to get the old girl out and give her a service and a good kicking and Im not talking about your missus.

Another Scout , but this one’s a 741

I have always had a fascination for Scouts mainly the reason I bought a 2015, but recently I was offered this one from an Association member that I had the opportunity to buy in about 2011, and I was thwarted at the last-minute. A phone call last Thursday clinched the deal, and I picked it up the following day and now all I have to do is clean contaminated fuel from the tanks and carby, but I did find the original owner wrote in pencil on the underside of the fuel tank it had 00001 miles on the speedo after a full resto in 1995 the little Scout now has 185 miles!

recipe for getting cold as well

Last weekends Sunday ride to Antique Motorcycles was really well attended for a winters day, it was followed to our vice-presidents place Crazy Horse Moto for a equally nice BBQ and thanks to Mark & Sandy for the hospitality for cooking our meals and looking after us, a ride report below.

IIRA 5 Aug Ride to Antique Motorcycles