Another fine Festival

Festival of Motorcycling South Australia • 1-7 October, 2023 – Adelaide, SA

After a year’s planning and hard work, the annual FOMSA took place in and around Adelaide in early October. FOMSA aims to bring together motorcyclists of all ages, persuasions and interests which was manifest at this year’s “Night of Champions”. Guest speakers introduced by MC Jason O’Halloran ranged from 14-year-old Archie Schmidt, of the Yamaha “bLU cRU” road racing team, to world landspeed record contender, and retired speedway champion, Dave Parker. Archie, from Mt Barker in the Adelaide Hills, started riding dirt bikes when he was two years old and was riding road bikes at 12 years of age. He’s currently racing in the Oceania Junior cup and in second place in the championship rankings and 1st place in the state ranking. “It was really cool to be given the opportunity to share what I’m doing in my road racing journey with the Festival of Motorcycling community. Hearing from the other riders was great and fantastic to see how their lifelong careers in motorcycling has had such an impact on the sport” said Archie of the public speaking experience.

Other guest speakers included Paul Wilkins, author of an “encyclopaedia” of Vincent HRD in South Australia, and Connor Hogan, international competitor and current SA trials champion. Dave Parker entertained the crowd with speedway and saltlake land speed record stories, adding to the reality of the stories by starting the Land Speed Record bike up on the balcony of the Adelaide Speedboat Club dinner venue at Gillman.

The “59 Club” started in the UK in 1959 as a church-sponsored group for ‘Rocker’ motorcycle youths. It garnered a good deal of media attention after there was a ‘blessing of the motorcycles’ at the Eton

Mission Church. The club’s activities centred around the Ace Cafe in London and male and female members were welcome. The 59 Club, for the first time, has joined the group of South

Australian motorcycle clubs taking part in FOMSA, leading entrants on the ride to the Balhannah Swap Meet and then on to the Collingrove Hill Climb.

The daily guided and supported rides were again part of the week’s program with rides led by the Classic Owners Motorcycle Club, Triumph Riders Club, Barossa Valley Classic Motorcycle Club, the Ducati Owners Club and the 59 Club. Destinations included Murraylands, the Barossa Valley, National Motor Museum and Fleurieu Peninsula from various starting locations. A guided tour of the Gillman Speedway with a display of speedway bikes was also part of the week’s program.

The week ended with a “new for

FOMSA” event, a fund-raising Poker Run through the Adelaide Hills and southern Barossa Valley. The start and finish location was provided by the Tea Tree Gully RSL and the route took the riders through Lobethal, Gumeracha and Lyndoch. Playing cards collected along the way were compared at the finish to determine the winning hand. Planning is already underway for the first FOMSA event for 2024, European Motorcycle Day on February 18th. ■

The Triumph Riders Club stop for a group shot at Checkers Hill Road, Forreston during their Tuesday ride through the Adelaide Hills. ABOVE Land speed Record Attempt team: Lake Gairdner – Chantelle Parker, Tim Osmond, Jason Stewart, Dave Parker with the Jawa Long Track 500cc 73hp 4 valve.

Photo Bec Bowdidge, Pitlane Studio Archie Schmidt on his Yamaha 150 V2 at Mac Park, Mt Gambier, during the “Masters of Mac”.

ABOVE L-R: ‘Night of Champions’ MC Jason O’Halloran with Connor Hogan (Trials Champion), Dave Parker (Land Speed record attempt), Paul Wilkins (Vincent author) and Archie Schmidt, Cooper Pitt and Lucas Warren from the Yamaha bLU cRU. RIGHT: ‘Night of Champions’ display; Connor Hogan’s Gas Gas Trials bike; Simon Wigg’s 1994 FIM World Championship Long Track Jawa (owned by Dave Parker); Dave Parker’s land speed record attempt Jawa and at the rear the Yamaha rec bikes of the bLU cRU. ABOVE The Adelaide chapter of the 59 Club led the FOMSA ride to the Balhannah Swapmeet. A wet Wednesday ride led by the Barossa Valley Classic MCC. This shot at Menglers Hill Lookout, Bethany features two Tilbrook sidecars; Chris Knight’s red BMW with chair (the last made by Rex Tilbrook), a BSA outfit and Lyndon Tilbook’s ‘GP Attempt’ solo.