Tassie delights

• 27 March, 2022 – Devonport Tasmania

For a few years the Rotary Devonport Motor show mainly featured cars but this year under the guidance of the Vintage Japanese Motor Cycle Club led by Tony Mahoney the involvement for bikes was greatly increased. After reading the book

“100 Clicks; The History of the Tasmanian Motor Cycle Club” Tony wanted to make a theme of bikes through the ages, the oldest being two beautifully restored Indians through to a 2500cc Triumph Rocket 3 and the Y2K MTM Jet bike.

The expansive lawns were laid out mainly in Marque’s of British, American and the 4 Japanese in each corner. The main tent had a priceless collection of bikes starting with main sponsor Sea Road (Bass Straight freight shipping) owner Chas Kelly’s collection of some of his Ducatis and an MV Agusta. In the middle included such one-off specials as the Jet Bike, and the Jack Ehret Record breaking Vincent Black Lightning, the most expensive bike ever auctioned. A 1931 AJS S3 that was purchased by someone in the Baltic region and to hide it from the invading Germans it was placed behind a false brick wall and forgotten about until the region became independent again in 1991 and the room was to be remodeled. No interest was shown for this “old British” bike, so a Tasmanian Tourist made an offer. Along side these bikes were three Triumph’s, a 1972 Silver Jubilee 750 Bonneville, a 1982 Royal Wedding Special 750 Bonneville and a 1972 X75 Hurricane designed by Craig Vetter. The bike on display was Vetter’s own bike that he actually had to buy from the factory. It was a joyous day of ogling old bikes that sadly some of us remember too well as our mode of transport. ■

Greg Rooke gives a final polish to one of his set of bikes on display. He had a 1972 CB 350 Four, 1971 500F and a 1973 KH 750.

TOP Mick Damon’s stable. His TR500 Suzuki and the ex-Steve Trinder RG500. ABOVE A Z1 Kawasaki “homage” to the movie Stone complete with the signatures of two of the cast members in Hugh “Toad” Keyes-Byrne and Sandy “The Undertaker” Harbutt each side of the tail piece.

The British section included a Pommy John 750 Triton built as a replica of the bike the owner rode in 1960 as a Rocker.