AMCA Show
AMCA Australia Antique Motorcycle Weekend 25-26 August, 2018 – Bulli Showgrounds, NSW
Just north of Wollongong on the NSW South Coast, Bulli Showground was the venue for the second running of the AMCA Australia National Meet, a celebration of vintage and classic motorcycles 35 years and older, with the club’s aim to “bring like-minded enthusiasts together.” Based on the successful model of the Antique Motor Cycle Club of America, which now has more than 11,000 members, the event features the AMCA’s National Judging program, where bikes are evaluated on a 100-point scale against the standard of the same motorcycle as it would have appeared when it originally left the factory.
Threatening skies and light rain kept numbers down on Sunday, but Saturday saw a healthy crowd, with the main pavilion packed prior to the highly anticipated auction which got under way at 2pm, with auctioneer Andrew Tyson moving swiftly through the offerings. Although some bikes failed to sell under the hammer, they were left on display “open to negotiation” and many had found new homes by the time the shutters came down on Sunday afternoon. The biggest sales of the auction were both Harley-Davidsons; a 1946 EL61 Knucklehead fetching $78,750 and a 1953 FL Hydra Glide with just 28,000 miles from new reaching $65,100. Total sales reached $250,000. There were numerous Club and trade displays, including spectacular turnouts by the Australian Speedway Riders Association, the Vintage Motorcycle Club, ex Police bikes, the Ducati Owners Club and several others added to the colour in the main hall. Throughout the weekend, wellattended Tech Talks were held with experts advising on topics as diverse as magnetos and generators, speedometers, gearboxes, metal repairs, soldering, pin-striping and wheel building. AMCA Chief Judge Don Dzurick from USA gave an explanation of the official AMCA Judging Process prior to the announcement of the winners in the People’s Choice Awards and the AMCA Judging Awards. Jim Scaysbrook gave an account of his experiences racing with Mike Hailwood in Australia, with the famous Castrol 6 Hour Ducati 750SS on display. The Swap Meet did brisk business all weekend, particularly on Saturday. The organisers did a brilliant job, with all the various aspects running exactly to schedule.
AMCA President Tony Blain said the committee was well pleased with their second effort and is already well advanced on plans for the 2019 event, which has now established a set date on the last weekend of August each year. Organiser Antony Gullick, who seemed to be everywhere throughout the two days, said negotiations had already been concluded to have the ex-Jack Ehret Vincent Black Lightning, which was sold to Tasmania for more than one million dollars earlier this year, as the star exhibit in 2019.