Guy Allen (Guido)was on about “RAT Bikes” recently, and the subject turned to unrestored vs Sh*t heaps, always a bit of a Sh*t stirrer this set me thinking when is rust good or not? John Gee had a very early H-D at his establishment Antique Motorcycles sitting in the weather, I commented on said machine & John’s answer was it was “seasoning”, another friend was doing the same to a very old Triumph rear mudguard, “to match the rest of it” he told me. Now call me old fashioned but my mate is a m/cycle painter & he tells me all those new Flat paint H-D’s are so slow selling that the local H-D agent has given him 16 sets of guards & tanks to paint “cause no one want’s them”, similar thing to a current Benz Coupe at a local dealer, the young Turks, are the only people that like them, selling 1-10 on a shiny version. So I reckon the next trend is RUST, if DuPont can make this it should sell like mad, personally if I had the Four above I would restore it, but I know lots that wouldn’t, Ferrous Oxide (rust) ounce for ounce is selling higher than Gold on the open market
Stevie Higginbotham has two reasons to celebrate, one a grandson Cody pictured below who he has joined up into our Association( free for members under 18) he is our youngest member to date, the second he is replacing Chris Knoop as our Secretary, Chris is busy with the Cannonball Run and the Invincible JAP outfit, & I’m celebrating 90,000 hits on our site
Harold Albert (Ranji) Parsons was born in 1893 and lived at 22 Hoddle Street, Richmond. He became a mechanic at Turner Brothers, Harley-Davidson agents in 1916.He won many motor-cycling championships in four states and in August 1920 established a world record for 24 hours with a ride of 1114.25 miles on his Indian Scout 600cc. In 1921, he and a mechanic friend were trialing their cycles when Parsons collided with a straying horse, and later died in hospital, Over 1000 people attended the funeral and 100 motor cyclists formed a guard of honour.The Victorian Motor Cycle Club erected a monument with subscriptions coming from all parts of Australia. The monument was a double-sided drinking fountain with access one side to the schoolchildren and the other to pedestrians. Following vandalism the monument was re-erected and moved in 1989.
The reason for this event the Harold Parsons Winter Rally being run by IIRA in August 18-19th is to show how much of a historic Indian rider he was, the memorial in Melbourne was the first & only such thing erected to a motorcyclist in Australia. Parsons broke Connonball Bakers records & became the World Record Holder
Harold Parsons.Here are some extracts from my book (Ian Kennedy).
I have enclosed your copy & more can be purchased at $20.oo each through me for the Maffra Sale Motorcycle club or from IIRA.
I think you will find the book interesting reading as it is a collection of information that I had collected over the past 30 years..
Copy below where Parsons beat Cannonball Baker’s World record by 87 Miles set on a bigger bike than what Parsons rode.
Ian Kennedy.
Born 22 March 1891, Richmond, Victoria.
Father: Sidney, a Coach Trimmer age 31, Mother: Susanna, Age 29.
22 Hoddle St, Richmond, one of 8 kids. (5 boys and 3 girls)
Harold (Ranji) rode Harley Davidsons, then switched to Indians riding for Rhodes Motors (Indian motorcycle agents in Elizabeth St. Melb) .
They gave him an Indian motorcycle that had Victorian registration No 3 for his own use.
Died J.H. Rhodes had brought 2 works engines back from America, and on
Sunday 15th May 1921 while testing a Power Plus Indian motorcycle (on a timed 1/4 mile section of road on Epping Rd) , he hit a horse and later died in the Royal Melbourne Hospital.
He had no helmet on and developed a large lump on his temple.
A helmet may have saved his life.
1923: The Victorian Motor Cycle Club erected a monument at Yarra Park State School (The first monument erected to a motor cyclist anywhere in the world.)
(The James Guthrie, I.O.M. Memorial, was unveiled on June 15th 1938.)
The Motorcycle News reported that over 1,000 motorcyclists attended the funeral of Harold Parsons.
There was also a large crowd in attendance at the unveiling of the monument at the Yarra Park State School, Punt Rd,
Wins. Harold’s motorcycling career spanned seven years, in which he crammed
a series of motorcycling feats that made him universally recognised as a rider of exceptional ability, having no peer within Australia, and equal to the world’s best.
3. Records, Some of Harold’s outstanding achievements in his 7 years of racing.
1914 July. Victorian Motor Cycle Club hill climb, Rosanna. First place.
1914 Dec. 500cc 1 Mile Australian record, 58 3/5 seconds.
1915 Feb. 10 mile scratch race. First place.
1916 Mortlake 101 miles in 97.16 mins but failed the 200 miler due to a dropped valve. Harold Parsons sister, Mrs Cheslyn donated this world record medal to the Maffra-Sale Motorcycle Club (MSMC.) About this time he then moved from Harley Davidson to Indian
1916 Fastest lap of 33 miles Mortlake circuit in 31 min 44 secs.
1916 July. 1 Mile World record time 46. 2/5 seconds .
1917 10 mile World record Mortlake, 7 mins 21 2/5 sec.
1917 Victorian 200 miles road race in 3 Hrs 20 mins at Sale.
1917 April. Sidecar race Mortlake. First place.
1917 Full points winner cup Marysville 24 Hr Reliability Trial. Boomerang Cup winner.
1917 Fastest at the 2 mile road race at Werribee, Vic.
1918 Australian 1 mile sidecar record 58 2/5 seconds. First sidecar to do over 60 mph .
1918 AMC Hill climb. Fastest time. ( 8 Valve Indian.)
1918 Melbourne to Sydney 575 miles in 20hrs 58 mins.
1918 200 miles in 200 mins.
1918 10 miles in 7 minutes.
1919 Nov. AMC 7 mile record at over 80 MPH.
1919 Adelaide to Melb. 589 miles in 19 hrs 20 mins on a 7HP Indian Outfit,
beating the best solo record by 15 mins in the rain.
1919 Goulburn, NSW. 33 mile course, Australian Track Championship winner.
1920 NSW Peace Loan Championship Winner. (15 laps of a 16 7/8 mile circuit)
1920 Sale. Australian 200. Fastest lap 70 MPH.
1920 May. Fastest 5 laps at Moonie Valley Race Course.
1920 27th/28th Aug. Sale. 24 world records in all were broken in the 24hrs of riding
1114.5 miles in 24 hrs averaging 50 MPH and 50 MPG.
579 miles in 12 hours & every distance record up to 24 Hrs
1920 Toowoomba. All Powers Handicap. Fastest time and winner.
1921 Sale. Easter Carnival solo and sidecar victories.
1921 April. Epping 5 mile Solo and fastest time.
Is this what a typical H-D rider looks like?
The images of various motorcycle owners always amuse me, I was having a conversation with Mark Barthelmie our V-Prez recently at the Great Race 2012 in March, Mark used to be (in a former life)a committee member of the H.O.G owners in the UK so is well placed to know a Harley -Ferguson owner at 1000 yards in a black-out. Our conversation went “I bet you can pick the H-D rider from a Indian rider I reckon we were 98% right,so what is it with motorcycle riders, car owners are all about the same except Volvo drivers of course, Phillip White has a name for motorcyclists that have to much “Bling” on there machines these a usually big V-Twin owners as well he calls them Chromo- Sexuals, Chris K….p sent me the picture above and goaded me to remark on it, but that was why I wondered why we all think differently about each other on what machine we ride, or in Indian’s case whether it is old enough, stupid isn’t it?
This is a question soon to be answered by your webmaster, members will be able to get full story in the Members Only area, but snippets will be posted on Stop Press when milestones are achieved, first thing is a plan or recipe, like cooking you need ingredients, in this case take one Indian preferably 1948 Chief although any model would do from 1940 -53. In this case I have a 1948 Chief which is the same model the factory used to build the first one this will not be a faithful replica as the previous two machines I have been involved in this one will be made to be functional in the 21st Century, good electrics a Cyclecraft generator,BT-H magneto, Amal Concentric carbs,Schonfield front brake conversion, colour will be a combination of Seafoam Blue & Black this represents the Vincent part of the equation, no Chummie seat, but saddle bags & guard tips with a windscreen, 4.1/4 gallon tanks
Matt Blake of Iron Horse Corral ex Sam Pierce employee, is a extremely talented man, some of you may be aware of his magnificent steel petrol tanks, guards & tinware but I believe he has even over extended himself with this brilliant Indian sidecar which he happily shows in over 20 photo’s on his Facebook page on how to make one! Problem with these guy’s is they all think building such things is basically simple, trust me it isn’t but it makes people like me happy that these skills are still around, the mind blowing thing is this is Matt holding the ALUMINIUM body so to me thats even more difficult to make, whats next Stainless Steel? Chris Knoop has sent a website link about the Australian Goulding Sidecar History (click on link) I know that not many American readers will realise they started here bit like Felix the Cat any way a very good site Chris Horner has got the 1941 Indian Sports Scout today just picked it up from the shippers & seems pleased as Punch with this bike from USA, of course our esteemed author Phillip White was in the Area at the time and never being camera shy had to get in the photo, I reckon a plan will be soon hatched to road test it and give us another article
Anyone with a Springfield model will like this website (click on picture) passed on by Murray Morell plenty of advice & spares, well worth a look, seems appropriate as of yesterday the daylight savings finished to put this old Indian saying in the Stop Press
Electric Clog article by Phillip White is coming out next week in your Smoke Signals this is another brilliant review on the Electric Starter from Tony Leenes (Mr Indian) in Holland. Tony supplies the starter with no fitting instructions so this is the only method I know that is in print at this time. Recently another picture was put on our Facebook page & it is a nice period shot of two girls on a Indian Bicycle a lot of people don’t realise Indian made bicycles & children’s trikes, pedal cars etc in the very early days I have reproduced a photo of a portable Indian Saw Bench driven with a Powerplus motor that was available in the early twenties made by the Master Woodworker Manufacturing Co Michigan, this makes the current version of a Triton workbench look like it was made for “wimps”. I just had a thought a current Triton version with a current Powerplus 105cui motor would be just the thing for the modern D.I.Y handyman developing 80hp instead of the original’s 12 hp it could saw through anything, portable would mean three men to move it instead of two! If any of you reading this have one of these marvels of engineering in your garage I will give you 12 months free subscription to our Association. Murray Morell has sent a Tech Article on the current fuel filters that are being made in the USA, read it & modify if you have one of these & thanks for the W.Aust Indian Club for the 1916 Saw- Bench photo
Wow what a week-end at the Sitting Bull Rally, overcast Saturday, but Sunday was a complete change glorious sunshine, we had a local escorting us called Stumpy who took me to area’s which I have never been over the last 2 weeks & I have been in the same area on the Great Race & the Default Rally, thanks mate, that Guzzi was really hauling with Indian’s up it’s axles all weekend, what was surprising to me was Noel Thornby & Ric Gows 741’s they were giving the Chief’s a run for their money, James Lambert (Breed Flathead Motors 0418 199 391) & his mate Chook rode with us & we went back to Tallangatta to see his very impressive Indian parts all made by James to very accurate specs, a full report will be coming to the Victoria Section News
These two photo’s are of a replica Indian for sale in Europe, they are a lot of very hard work by usually skilled engineers to achieve a high standard, many people myself included have made replica’s in the past(Vincent Black Lightning) to name our recent Chairman Lindsay Urquart, replica 8 valve Indian Board track racer, Vindian replica engineered by Lindsay for Peter Arundel, numerous Norton Manx’s, Matchless G50,s ,Brough Superior SS100, BSA Gold Star’s, Vincent-HRD series A etc not withstanding numerous cars & boats even model airplane engines, my question is do you regard such replica’s as REAL! Most owners will tell you how they are improved sometimes so much externally they look original, but the telling answer is when it is put on the market they never ever bring the price of the original product. Three years ago the Vincent Spares Co produced a 1954 Series C Black Shadow it was completely brand new to prove it was possible to buy all the parts that are available & build a new machine, great, after the exercise it was put on the market it achieved some 20,000 stg less than a original machine! People in New Zealand where is now resides refer to it as not a REAL Vincent. This brings me back to to the above statement is a say Vincati (Vincent in a Ducati frame) worth the same as a 1952 Vincent Rapide, is a Vindian worth more than a Indian or a Vincent, as I said a lot of work for little gain but I encourage people for giving me the pleasure of seeing them