Under the Chequered Flag
Graeme Osborne
One of motorcycle racing’s enduring characters, GRAEME OSBORNE, passed away on 1st July, aged 83, as a result of a long-running heart condition. Graeme was the son of Norm Osborne, pre-war racer of note under the assumed name of Reg East, and winner of the 1932 Australian 250cc GP, and the 1933 Australian TT, both at Phillip Island. Norm later went into business with Frank Pratt in Geelong, trading as Pratt & Osborne and specialising in BMW. Norm’s other son, Allan, was a highly successful rider on Yamahas and his son Donny was also an Australian champion. Graeme himself was from the same mould, riding a wide variety of bikes, including production models, mainly in Victoria. Teaming with Allan, Graeme competed in the 1970 and 1972 Castrol Six Hour Races. Graeme actually stopped racing in 1974 but took up the sport again in the Historic ranks 35 years later with a Matchless G50, just for the fun of it. He always enjoyed music played guitar and saxophone, and sang in Geelong’s first rock band in the 1950s. In more recent years he moved to Noosaville, Queensland and was a popular member of the Historic Racing Club. ■ Colin Sheehan and others
Neville Doyle
After suffering ill health in recent years, sadly NEVILLE DOYLE passed away on 16 July, 2022, aged 84.
Neville was a native of the Bairnsdale area in Victoria where he went to school and completed an apprenticeship as a motor mechanic. His first machine was a BSA Bantam then a 3T Triumph before moving onto a 5T. It was then that he took an active interest in the finer technical aspects such as valve timing. Although he was an active rider progressing to A grade in scrambles and road racing it was as a tuner that he gained a very high reputation worldwide.
In the early years he prepared machines for riders such as Ken Rumble, Ray Fisher, and Karel Morlang. In the 1960s, he opened a Kawasaki dealership in Bairnsdale, Doyle and Shields, later establishing Team Kawasaki Australia with direct support from Kawasaki Heavy Industries. Under Neville’s guidance TKA became the team to beat, with riders like
Ron Toombs, Gregg Hansford, Murray Sayle and
Rick Perry. As well as racing in Australia and New Zealand, TKA ventured to USA and Europe with Hansford before undertaking a full GP season in 1978, taking second in the 250 World Championship a 3rd in the 350, and two wins at Daytona. He was considered a genius tuner and nature’s gentleman. He is survived by his wife Margot, son Peter, daughter Deborah, grandchildren Jaydan and Dempsey, siblings Shirley, Rodney, Kaye, Elizabeth and Dorothy. The funeral service was a Baggs Funerals Services and attended by a number of past riders and family on the 26th July. ■
* OBA ran a feature story on Neville Doyle, written by Peter Smith in issue 87.