From the shed

Once again the Goulburn Classic Riders Club have conducted another successful motorcycle-only swap meet. This swap caters for motorcycle enthusiasts and has no bric-a-brac or other unworthy items on sale. A host of traders turned up and occupied some 254 sites on Saturday 16th, and to trade on 17th January. Light rain fell on the Saturday afternoon but the Sunday cleared for a great day and resulted in some 1,600 buyers attending. Profits have gone to the Collector Historical Society to assist in the erection of a monument in recognition of the first Australian TT in 1914. This swap is gathering a great reputation, so much so that traders come from far afield as Victoria and Queensland. One such Queensland visitor was Graham “Soapy” Sinclair. He had three machines for sale. The first was a 1913 New Hudson on which a deposit was taken and is yet to be collected by the purchaser. The other two consisted of a 1924 Southern Cross, which had been restored several years ago by well known Queensland identity Ray Owen. He also had a 1936 V Twin AJS which was also restored. These last two mentioned machines did not sell on the day and Graham can be contacted on 0418 711 405. He also had a very interesting front wheel which although several offers were made he declined to accept. However it proved to be a good attraction and talking point. This is a 10 and a quarter inch front brake with 4 leading shoes on each side. Graham tells me that it was made by Cerham Mackay Automotive (C.M.A.) in conjunction with Dave Degens of Dresda Triton fame. Degens had them fitted to endurance racing machines; in fact his bikes with these fitted won Barcelona 24 hour race in 1965 and again in 1970. Another trader had a partially restored machine for sale. This was a 1934 J11 V Twin BSA which would make a worthy project bike for some enthusiast to complete. Not sold on the day but an inquirer did make the purchase the following day. The seller advised me that he had rebuilt the motor with new big ends, had chain cases and tool box made, new bushes and spindles for the girder forks as well as new bottom rails in the frame. He had been gradually undertaking this restoration for the past five or six years but decided to sell to assist in the purchase of a 750 Y13 V Twin BSA.