RACQ Motorfest
The 2020 MotorFest was a virtual event and we all know why, but a new venue at the Brisbane Exhibition Grounds and an approved COVID plan allowed the 2021 event to be realised on 13th June.
Admission was $2 and a reported total of almost $19,000 was raised for the RACQ Foundation which provides funding to support Queensland communities impacted by disasters. The entries were capped at around 350 and were displayed along with RACQ heritage vehicles and a future display of the latest electric and fuel cell vehicles. The display vehicles were divided into 10 categories based mainly on country of origin and included vintage, veteran, electric and finally motorcycle/scooters.
While mostly a 4-wheeled event, it was good to see the Vespa club came out with 9 machines to complement the small group of motorcycles.
The future display included the Aussie Savic and an imported Evoke electric motorcycle. I rode my 1954 MV Agusta 175 CSS ‘Sophia’ and was joined by Paul Contarini with his 1982 Yamaha V4 RZV 500R and Barry Green with his 2010 Triumph Thruxton 900 SE.
The Vespa crew provided a diverse range starting with Geoffrey Meredith’s well preserved and patinaed 1965 VNB6T to a couple of more recent machines. Michele Di Leva’s 1962 VBB aka ‘Feisty Celeste’ sported a hot PX200 upgrade which lifts top speed from 62 to 140kph. Romana Di Leva’s slightly warm 1966 VBC 150 Super aka “Stellina’ was all bling with custom flaked paint and air brushed ‘Vespa Girl’ on board. Shirley Russell’s candy apple red 1966 VBC 150 Super badged ‘Kandi’ was immaculately presented and carried the Italian theme with a large rear wicker basket complete with grapes, olives, bread, wine bottles and drinking glasses. Marcus Zammit showed his heritage on his badged ‘Maltese Mongrel’ and then his metal flake green ode to the Quadrophenia movie with no fewer than 22 chrome rear vision mirrors mounted up front. It was a little disappointing that the motorcycles were displayed in the sun away from the shade of the huge marquee that housed the cars and trucks. In another way, it was less congested and a little more relaxed. I hope that next year we can coax a few more motorcycles out to showcase some 2-wheeled motoring history. Gaven Dall’Osto