thank goodness we have saddlebags

 

The Bendigo Club has been delving into the history of Panniers

The French and English moneyed classes adopted a fashion from the early 1700s called pan- niers, a basket like contraption worn on each hip.
The first panniers were simply large hoops bound together with tape. These were known as “panniers a? gue?ridon”. A second style resembled arches springing from the waist and were called “panniers a? coudes” because the wearer could rest her elbows upon them. (The first personal armrests?) Some panniers grew to enormous dimensions until they reached six feet from side to side.

The ridiculous width was inconvenient for the wearer as well as others. Two ladies could not sit together on a sofa, or pass through a door side by side. When passing through a doorway a lady had to walk sideways until some bright spark had the idea of collapsible panniers that could be lowered then raised again. Ladies walking the streets annoyed pedestrians who were forced to go around these wide loads.

What is the point of this? Well next time you see a panniers on a bike, keep in mind the ori- gins are women’s underwear.

Indian serial numbers 1901/53

Recently I set out what your 17 digit VIN number meant, but what about your old Indian, this will help

Indian Serial numbers 1901/53

building a bike from a oil stain

Steve McCulloch from Tamworth has started with the motor from the “Black Bastard” it was the engine from my 1948 till I ripped it out and turned that into the Vindian, well after about 2,1/2 years its been re-birthed into an Indian again and ready to rally hopefully at the Crazy Horse Rally at Corryong later this year. it takes a lot of time and dedication to start with bits so good work Steve. the other machine is Chris Horner’s Kiwi Indian Bobber with its new 8″ T.L.S front brake and hopefully ready for the Hub Rally in Dunkeld next week, George Fitzpatrick will have his 1944 Chief out for the first time at that event as well, so plenty of Midnight Oil being burned by various members at the moment.

I have been replaced.

After 50 years in the motorcycle trade this month I find now that all of this doesn’t amount to a hill of beans compared to the qualification below, these guys are completely trained within 10 minutes in some circumstances and are well capable of maintaining or servicing anything from a dishwasher to a airplane turbine and if necessary do surgery on your wife or even your pet!

Don’t forget the meeting tonight

Whats a V.I.N Number?

Those 17 numbers on your post 1976 model mean quite a lot ever wondered why so many the reason is below

 

Your New Constitution and new logo’s?

 

At last your new constitution is in place, now onto the association logo, these are not the final two above but are in the group we are considering, at the meeting next week we will be asking for final submissions if any, so get out your crayons and if you wish to bring out your work of art we need to see it, there is the current version and also the earlier version we first started with

#IIRA  Constitution 2016R2-1

Time to jump to it

This time next week the second event of the year will have “kicked  off” down out Inverloch for the Sitting Bull Rally so hopefully like me you have had the “old Girl” kicked to life and ready for the action (no not the missus), to tell you the truth I’m looking forward to catching up with all the members that take advantage of our excellently organized rallies and this time “hats off” to Noel Thornby he always sets up a great week-end. Of course next month the 4 -5 day event is on at Dunkeld and Chris Horner never fails to provide a great time as his past Gypsy Tours have proved, which by the way is March 2018 will have us doing a Gypsy on the Old Hume Highway to Sydney and returning on the Princes Hwy don’t miss out on this one when eventually the expressions of interest come out it only caters for about 20 and fills up nearly overnight.

Same old, same old

Our friends at the Bendigo Club seem to have the same problems as the IIRA, personally I think a very thought provoking article well worth a discussion at our next Association meeting. A few bikes above that were at the recent Las Vegas auction

The Editor:- Bendigo Historic Motorcycle Club

A proposal for the BHMC Committee and general club members to consider

The sheer number of individuals who want to join our Club, is testimony to the benefits the Club pro- vides especially those of us who ride and drive historic machines and vehicles.

The Club provides fantastic services for members boasting Club rooms that are the envy of many (if not similar Clubs in the region) but it doesn’t just happen. The Club has developed into what it is today, be- cause of the dedicated work put in by many members, especially Rex and Pam Jones. Their input has been stupendous!

However, in spite of record numbers of members joining over the last several years, the Club continues to be plagued by too few members offering to volunteer. The Club needs members to volunteer in the kitchen and out in the field as marshals as well as assisting at working bees etc. While many Club mem- bers will have valid reasons for not being able to put in a term on the Committee many will not.

Surely, any fair minded person will agree that being part of a really good Club at only $50 per year is a benefit we cannot take for granted. Not only does the Club enable us like minded individuals to get to- gether to enjoy one another’s company, it enables us to ride/drive our beloved old machines/vehicles legally and cheaply.

In addition to the requirement that members attend at least three official Club functions annually, I be- lieve members should be expected to contribute by submitting articles for publication in Good Oil, by being kitchen aids, marshalling at runs and assisting at working bees at least once a year. Remember, many hands make light work.

I believe that in order to ensure the Club will be able to fill all Committee positions into the future, new measures are warranted. All applications for membership to the Club must be willing to accept the new condition that (after twelve months experience in the Club) in the event a Committee position cannot be filled, a ballot of all those members affected be taken to fill it.

Failure of a member to accept the nomination to a suitable position without a valid reason could possi- bly lead to the termination of their membership of the Club. By the same token, I suggest that any mem- ber who has served on the Committee for at least one year would be exempt from any further such bal- lots.

As a sweetener, any member who has served on the Committee for at least twelve months should be able to request a, ‘Certificate of Service’ from the Club. A copy of such certificate (enclosed with one’s CV) would probably look good to any would be employer. For your consideration.

Sincerely,

Luke van Oosterwijck 15 January 2017

 

Welcome to America and the Auctions

We all have a bucket list, some want to go to Sturgis (waste of time) others to I.O.M the Isle of Man (Mecca), Daytona (Jury’s still out) Davenport (to view acres of ferrous oxide) or the Cannonball Run ( lots of money) mine was the auctions at South Point Casino in Las Vegas Nevada for two reasons one to see 1.000 bikes auctioned over three days at Mecum’s the other at the Rio Hotel & Casino where 345 bikes were auctioned by Bonhams in a day. Fellow association member Jon Munn from Classic Style met me with his mate Martyn Crisp who is a ex-pat Pom living in Ventura California, I arrived minus my wife because of a visa waiver foul-up and that was emotional for the both of us, meanwhile the auction at Mecums was were I was lodging so it was a mere 5 minutes walk past all the fools gambling on the slot machinery to see the presented motorcycles, and there was plenty everything from Honda mini bikes to $500,000 Henderson’s, works replica Tridents to 1912 Indian’s and when the auctions are going its like a cattle sale most bikes on the podium sold in under 2 minutes. The thing to remember is a sellers fee of 10-15% and a buyers fee of 15-20% so that combined with a 25% variation in the exchange rate can have a $30,000 bike costing you $45,000 plus by the time it’s here! People quickly forget this from overseas and soon realise its wasn’t a good deal after all, but there were bargains to be had a 1941 Indian 4 at $40,000 seemed cheap and an immaculate 1952 Blackhawk at $30,000 a 1972 Indian-Velo $12,000, 1948 Chief $26,000 seemed ok but remember you can’t hear them run and some Americans don’t ride just trailer to one concours to another. Bonham’s Auctions are the one’s I had a personal interest in as my Indian-Vincent was on the podium they start at 11-00am (compared to Mecum’s at 8-00 am) and things are more conservative for the British based firm Nick Smith was the man in charge and was good at his job and seemed unflustered when 300-400 people want him all at once and at about that time I realised most bike were selling 25% under there listed reserve price or more which meant the reserve price in the immense catalogue they had and you could read it as a direct Aussie exchange, the currency exchange boards were at Bonham’s and helped to see what the actual prices were unlike Mecum’s that had none. Bonhams are pedantic over details and history, providence etc Mecum’s aren’t  & the Americans like Mecum’s and it pulls huge crowds in an auditorium, Bonhams sell in a large darkened  room quite a contrast to Mecum’s in an arena ready for Madonna to sing. Anyway my Indian-Vincent topped out at below reserve with two serious bidders, and so it was passed in but negotiations are still in progress by Nick Smith so the “fat lady is not singing” just yet. Would I do this again, I think so but when the dollar was favorable our way would help and Jon Munn said in such times in the past he brought back 40-50 bikes at a time there is a odd bargain to be had still a tatty Vincent Rapide could have for about $50,000 landed here, the secret is selling your machine in the States as at the moment it can be great with the right machine and you don’t have to go yourself if you are thinking about doing this please contact me there is a Mecum’s Auction on June 1-3 this year at South Point Las Vegas and I’m tempted to go again or next year in January 2018 to Bonham’s . The picture above with the guy standing next to his Kiwi Indian is none other than Kiwi Indian Mike Thomas, went out to a meal with him and his charming wife Carolyn quite a pleasant night nice people. The other person that I must say is fantastic at his job is Warren Barnes from Schumacher Secure he was in charge of all the movements of the bikes all around the world and some also in USA, another great guy to do all the worrying for you about shipping you machine to a event anywhere in the world, a hearty thanks to both Nick and Warren for their commitments to me and many others.

Touring New Zealand?

 

Touring New Zealand on a Indian or perhaps want to take your own Indian to New Zealand for the trip of a lifetime, Mark Barthelmie and Sandy recently did such a trip and he still “raving” about it, semis they are being used as the poster couple on this website and as usual very happy looking. I’m sure that Mark/Sandy can give you any details that aren’t on the site

www.realaotearoa.nz/imrgrally.html