Atujara Motorcycle Club Inc

Jaroslav Simandl was the owner of a small engineering firm in post war Czechoslovakia, he was also a speedway rider, so naturally enough he found himself making replacement parts for his JAP powered machine because foreign currency was not available in the Eastern bloc to enable import of much needed spares. He was soon supplying other riders
with them.

By 1949 he was making complete replica JAP speedway machines, soon with “ESO” (Czecho for “Ace”) on rocker box and tank. (Although “JAP” was still on the cover at the bottom of the timing side crankcase)

In 1950 his son Jiri took up road racing so they built several machines using their JAPclone engines, 4 speed boxes and telescopic-forks. They also used their own twin loop swingarm frame, proving that it was not only the McCandless brothers who were looking to improve handling with better frames. In fact, Simandl made the move before Nortons
did.

So successful were the ESO/JAP speedway engines, and the 5 road racers, that a new factory was soon established in Divisov.

During 1953 they released the short stroke 88mm x 82mm S45, the first fully ESO designed engine. (Later rebadged as JAWA) So well designed and conceived was this engine that the improvements and changes over its 30+ year production life were minor. The only major reliability improvement was to the crankpin in about 1966, it changed from a nutted taper to a stepped parallel press fit construction. Similarly, all other improvements were “add-ins”.

They simply got this engine brilliantly ‘right’ … from the beginning!

In 1953-54 several of these engines were put into factory road racers, again using the separate ESO gearbox. Their 42bhp @ 7,500 rpm on petrol was the same as the Goldie achieved a few years later. Again, these bikes had a twin loop frame closely resembling the Featherbed that had just appeared in Britain, but now a trailing link front suspension and a 230mm SLS full width brake graced the front. This, with a 200mm hub on the rear meant that it stopped well, something only the Italians had woken up to by then.

What a pity those eastern bloc low budget factories found it impossible to compete on the world stage. However, the new ESO pushrod singles beat the entire works road race team with their Jawa DOHC 500 twins at the Czech championships in ’54

But just when things were looking rosy the ‘government’ got in the way, as they had a habit of doing in Eastern Europe back then. The speedway engines had become so successful that Simandl’s company was ordered to concentrate on speedway machines and to leave the road racing to Jawa, who already had world recognition in this class.

However, against the odds Simandl continued with the road racing development and by the end of 1954 he and his chief designer Jaroslav Cervinka had designed and produced a unit construction wet sumped engine that owed little to the speedway engine apart from the cylinder had and cylinder castings.

But the works Jawa DOHC twin had been redesigned by now and had found more speed and reliability, so perhaps the new engine was not quite the step they really needed?

So only eight 500s and five 350s were produced and successful as they were, these engines went on to be developed into the 1955 ESO motocross machines because Simandl now had other plans…

By 1957 they had an exciting DOHC 4 valve 5 speed unit construction model that produced 52hp at 9500rpm, which would have seen it quite competitive with the Manx at that time. Unfortunately they did not race it outside Czechoslovakia, so intent were they on producing the speedway engine and so doubtful that they could ever capitalize on it.

By 1966 the ‘government’ announced that the ESO speedway machines would henceforth be known and marketed as JAWA. The Jawa marque was by now well established in the west, it made no commercial sense to start and fund new distribution channels and dealerships so the companies were to merge, although the bikes were still made in the ESO factory. If you look under the skirt of every 2 valve Jawa piston you will find ”ESO”….and until the early 70s the ESO logo continued to bracket the engine numbers on Jawa crankcases.

In the late 70s, when the 2 valve ESO/Jawa’s reign was coming to the end with the appearance of 4 valve rivals, they turned again to Cervinka to design their own 4 valve machine, and that went on to win countless national and world titles, as had its 2 valve predecessor.

That success makes one wonder, what if Simandl had been allowed to continue with the Cervinka-designed 1957 unit 4 valve 5 speed DOHC road racing machines……… ?

One of the original 1950 bikes, a pre-unit S45 model and several unit machines are still raced in Europe, In addition there have been numerous speedway-engined road race specials built and raced the world over since the mid 50s…..and for those who think that there were no ESO specials raced here in Australia in the pre-1963 period, think again……both an AJS 7R-framed ESO raced in Tasmania and another ESO special raced in NSW in the early 60s.

Oh, and if you check out the timing side cover of all the pre-68 ESO/Jawa speedway engines you will note that the boss on which the rectangular-ish oil pump is mounted is round, to suit the round recirculating gear pumps that the factory road racers used. These engines still carried their joint road-racing heritage with them.

When you consider that specials formed the background of racing here in Australia during the 50s and for most of the 60s, the ESO specials certainly have a rightful place in the racing history and race tracks of Australia.

Greg Summerton

In 1931 the races were held at Vail Circuit, on the other side of Bathurst. It was twice as long as the mountain circuit is today. The Mayor of Bathurst, Alderman Martin Griffin, was a keen motorcyclist in his younger days. In 1935 he had a scheme to build a scenic drive on Bald Hill and a magnificent race track, providing work for the unemployed following the depression and at no cost to the council.

He approached the Federal Minister for Works for a grant for the scenic drive, but did not mention the race track. In 1936 the council was offered an initial grant of 7,000 pounds toward the construction of Mount Panorama Tourist and Scenic Road.

In 1937 council wrote to the ACU asking for an offer to be submitted for the use of the “scenic road” as a race track for the 150 Centenary Races in 1938. It became obvious the track could not be sealed in time for the Easter Races in 1938 so they went ahead on a granite base road. 18,000 spectators rolled up to see the mayor drop the flag to start the first race on the Mount Panorama circuit.

On December 28^th 1938 the last workman walked off the last section of road tarred and sealed, after two years at a cost of just under 27,963 pounds, 3 shillings and 4 pence.

Bill Mitchell has a map of the Vail Circuit and also a 1938 program. I rode at Bathurst in 1970, 1971 and 1972. In 1972, when the Australian TT was held there, there were 210 solos and 46 sidecars.

The race between Bill Horsman and “Ginger” Molloy (NZ) was the best in years. Ginger was faster on the straight but Bill was faster over the top of the mountain. Some say he was the fastest ever. Bill went under him on the last bend to win.

“Could we put a scenic road at ACUSA Park?”

Bill Davidson

The Atujara Motorcycle Club is one of the oldest and largest motorcycle clubs in South Australia. Their history is an interesting one and truly Australian.
The idea of a club was first proposed by Syd Leaney and the late Les Bray in 1929. They were supported by Arthur and Tom Hubbard who had the Matchless motorcycle agency in Grote Street where the existing Hubbard Building still stands today. After formation of the club, the Hubbard Brothers cleaned out an upstairs room at their premises and these became the first clubrooms.

Motorcycle life in those days was a very social affair and the position of Club Captain was one of the most prestigious offices in any club. Frequently he would lead his members to comparatively distant places and return making them the envy of their less mobile friends. It was this habit of travelling that brought about the naming of the club.

At the time of settlement in South Australia, the Adelaide Plains were inhabited by a tribe of Aboriginals known as the Kaurna (pronounced corner). This tribe would roam freely from what is now Gawler to the Willunga area and east to the lower foothills. Like all aboriginals, they had their tribal boundaries and stayed predominantly within these. However they did have a certain amount of social intercourse with another tribe who inhabited the now Meadows-Strathalbyn area. These were known as the Djalte. Over many centuries a universal dialect came into being between these groups. They would explain these forays to the elders of their tribe as “Atujara” I go. I return. It was this spirit of adventure, felt by the founders of the club, this Atujara of the aboriginals, which typified their own club runs, I go. I return. From that sprung the proud club we know today the ATUJARA M.C.C.’

Unlike most other clubs today, Atujara has never specialised in any one segment of motorcycling, instead all facets of the sport are catered for.

Atujara has been conducting national motocross events for some 50 years and has during that time been responsible for running three Australian motocross championship meetings.

The number one motocross circuit at ACUSA Park was built by the Club in 1974 at a cost of around $25,000 and continual improvements are carried out to maintain it as one of the best circuits in Australia. Use of the camping and circuit facilities are only one of the outstanding benefits of being an Atujara Club member.

In addition to motocross, enduros, road trials, observed trials and road racing are all areas of competition that are organised and competed in regularly.

While competition plays a big part in the life of the club members an additional highlight is the regularly organised club runs. On some weekends, runs are arranged all around the State, while on long weekends club runs include to Mildura for the speedway or the Flinder Ranges for simply a fun weekend away in the bush.

The social scene is the final segment to complete an all-round fun and active motorcycling club.

The Atujara motorcycle club meets at their King Street Pennington clubrooms on the first Monday of each month at 8 p.m. The third Monday of each month is a social night at the clubrooms which varies from film and video nights to sports nights with barbecues. Often various people in motorcycling are invited to talk on technical aspects or their experiences in motorcycling.

If you have a free Monday night come along and talk motorcycling, there is no obligation to join and our club fees are one of the cheapest at $25 per year ($30 for family) with no joining fee.

So come along and be a part of one of the oldest, largest and most progressive clubs in South Australia.

It seems it has become customary for the venerable and respected elder statesman of our club to indulge in a nostalgic look at the history and heritage of times long gone, and our worthy editor has suggested that I might like to add a comment or three.
However, given the constraints and limitations imposed by senile decay and riotous living, my first reaction was that such an assignment would be completely nullified by a total lack of journalistic talent. And besides, too much water had passed under the bridge anyway.

Looking back through the dimly lit Tunnel of Time that has made up my 85-odd years, I realise that just over 70 of those years have been spent in pursuit of motorcycling lunacy of various kinds. So many people, so many bikes, so many changes! To give you even a brief outline of all those years would make rather a bulky newlstter. So instead of boring you to tears with the big picture, I’ll instead bore you with the little picture. I’ll tell you how it all began…..

As long as I can remember I’ve had a passion for mechanical things, particularly mechanical things with two wheels. Back in 1927, during my last year at Aldgate primary school (14 was the usual school-leaving age in those days) a classmate of mine had an uncle who lived at Blackwood. This uncle had a son about our age, and my mate and I would sometimes catch a train to Blackwood and visit, getting up to the usual misdemeanors perpetrated by schoolboys at that time.

But what interested me most at that time was that in the corner of his garage stood the skeletal remains of what was once a 350cc oil-cooled Bradshaw motorcycle. Sure it had no engine. But that didn’t bother me. It had two wheels!!!

After a considerable amount of pestering, the old boy said that if I “took up” the big ends on his old Overland car, I could have the derelict in the corner. I hesitated not a second, and eagerly leapt at the offer, despite the fact that I didn’ t quite know what the big ends were, or where they were, or how to “take them up” if I could locate them.

Nothing daunted, some discreet enquiries among my more knowledgeable aquaintences gave a bit of an inkling, so armed with some borrowed tools and a feeling that fools rush in where angels fear to tread, I spent a whole weekend lying on my back in the dirt of his garage floor in complete and utter bewilderment.

No point going into details — let’s just draw a curtain over this particular episode in my life. The main thing was — I had aquired my first motorcycle!

Pushing it from Blackwood to Aldgate made climbing Mt. Everest seem like a Sunday morning jaunt. The next month or so was spent just looking at it, and vainly trying to find an engine that would somehow fit between the road and the lower tank rail. Finall y, in despair, I asked about the original engine, and was told that a monumental blow-up had destroyed most of the internals. The lot had been junked in one of the local dumps.

I shudder to think of the tons of foul smelling rubbish that was raked over during the next few weekends, but perserverance brings it’s own reward. The remains of the engine were indeed a sad site, with ample evidence that destructive forces had been at w ork. Much time was spent scrounging bits and pieces that looked even remotely like they could be made to do, and a good deal of blacksmithing was required to knock things into shape. Finally, towards the end of 1928, came the moment of truth.

O Hallowed Day!
 
Mind you, the thing was fairly basic. Frame, engine, gearbox, petrol tank, somewhere to put your bum, feet and hands, and — two wheels! At this stage there wasn’t even a hint of an exhaust pipe. But, it was ready to roll!

After much pushing up and down the road to accompanying phuts, splutters, pops and bangs, it was finally proceeding under its’ own power. Perhaps “power” isn’t quite the right word here.

Maximum speed seemed to be about 131/2 miles per hour, give or take a few. The exhaust note emanating from the hole in the cylinder head wasn’t quite up to my expectations of what a well-tuned engine should sound like. “The t imeing seems late” said my know-all neighbour. Asked me how I’d timed it. So I told him. Wait until the piston has started to move down a tad. Then light the match. Wrong, he said. The spark should occur before the piston reaches the top.

I wouldn’t have a bar of it. The man’s crazy. Anyone knows that if the spark occurs before the piston reaches the top it will only push it back again. Maybe I should have apologised to him later on, but I didn’t.

Over the next fwe months the old Bradshaw was to undergo an almost incredible metamorphosis. This was entirely due to the fact that at about this time I got to know a chap who had a most profound influence on my whole attitude to motorcycling. His name wa s Steve Hocking. His expect knowledge and practical assistance resulted in wringing the sort of performance from the old Bradshaw that the designer, I’m sure, never intended.

Around this time Steve formed the first motorcycle club in the hills, the Mt. Lofty Motor Cycle Club, and I joined at the inaugural meeting. In March 1929 the club held its first competition – a closed hill climb, and I somehow managed to win the 350 clas s. Later that year I turned 16 years of age, and got a competition licence. I rode in my first open competition in November that year (1929) in a scramble organised by the Harley Club, run on a circuit at Marino Rocks. Another young chap having his first ride at that meeting on a 23/3 hp New Hudson was later to become a well known Atujara member — the late and great Laurie Boulter.

Over the next few years I rode the wheels off the faithful old Bradshaw, both as an everyday road bike and as an entrant in most of the competitive events around at the time.

A vivid recollection of those years is the difficulty I experienced tempering my youthful exuberance, resulting in numerous unscheduled excursions into the roadside shrubbery.
 
As the mid-thirties approached I had outgrown the old Bradshaw, and bought a secondhand Mark 1 KTT Velocette, a make I had long admired. The idea was to ride in the Centennial T.T. due to be held at the end of December 1936, but a fractured scaphoid susta ined in a scramble spill a few weeksprior meant that the role of spectator was the next best thing. I had to wait until the Australian T.T. at Lobethal in 1937 before I had my first taste of what motorcycle sport is all about — road racing. It was the start of a lifelong passion.

I competed at Lobethal in ‘37, ‘38 and ‘39 with the only result worth mentioning was a 4th place behind Doug Booth (W.A.), Frank Pratt (Vic.) and Harry Hinton (N.S.W.).

The end of the 1930’s saw two significant milestones for me. Firstly, I sold my Mark 1 KTT, and bought another Velocette, a KTT Mark IV. This machine was one of a small number of secondhand racing bikes imported by Paddy Read of Universal Motors, and the KTT had won the prestigious Hutchinson 100 race at Brooklands (England) a few year previously, ridden by the late Noel Pope.

Secondly, about this time I joined the Atujara Motor Cycle Club. The future was looking pretty bright. But the good times were not to be. By then the second World War was getting under way, and that stuffed up a lot of things. The Army commandeered many o f our bikes for military use, petrol was strictly rationed, and motor sport was banned for the duration. What I didn’t know was at the time, however, was that I still had nearly 60 years of active competition riding ahead of me.

Maybe one day I might tell you something about some of those years…..

Bill Pfeiffer
 

[Here is a reply to the popular story written by Alec Ridgeway, Gold Life Member of the Atujara MCC ... Ed ]
Having read a copy of “Chain Chatter” that had been passed on to me by Audrey Diener, & read “How I became an Atujarian, by Alec Ridgeway,” I thought there may be members who would enjoy further memories of the 50’s.

I joined the Club at about the same time as Les after hearing of the Buckland Park events, as I recall things I have been taken to the Park by my uncle to watch car & motorcycle races when I was much younger, another treat I enjoyed was Wayville Speedway!

My membership lapsed during the war while I was in the RAAF, but 1946 saw me rejoin, was it just previous to the war, or shortly after that the club had a fun afternoon at Camden Speedway ? This was a venue that I attend regularly from the time it started. I well remember Les’’s first competitive ride at the “Buff” at Victor Harbour, & still have photos, at the time he had a Velo KCRSS, & I owned the ex Brian Ellis (Motor Traders) KSS, this would have been in 1939 (?). I never rode in competition till after the war & like others, my mount was my going to work bike stripped of lights & mudguards for scrambles. Yes the TT scrambles with interstate riders, I still see Jack French now & then , & of course the shortest TT circuit in the world, up behind the Crafers Pub! Charlie Walker’s comments after he rammed his brand new “Telly” forked Norton off the lower corner first lap in the company of the rest of the field of outfits!

The Horndale Winery Trials up in the Reynella area, out of 40 odd competitors I only recall 6 official finishers! We rode in pairs with the idea of having 2 riders to lift bikes over or across the obstacles, mostly on the 1km way in, & way out from the 6km course that had to be traversed twice in the afternoon, the whole terrain one of steep gullies & hills & long abandoned vineyards & tracks, won by Jack prime & Ray Trevena, but they did fail to report at a control point that was strategically place at the edge of a steep ravine, the idea being a trial of strength in lifting the bikes over or through it, Jack & Ray just sized up the situation as they approached & “gunned” their bikes & leaped across, more or less thumbing their noses at the waiting stewards! Myself, a long forgotten Reynella Club rider on a small Triumph were second & coming in 3rd was our local rider Dud Nicholls, who with his stiff right leg hooked over a steel strap attached to his bike’s front down bar, was asight t behold in full flight. He was one of the organisers, & in view of the course that had been laid out, he carried a long floor board lashed to his bike to assist in the negotiating some of the hazards, – quite legal by the trial rules, which basically allowed Jack Prime & Ray Trevena to retain first place without disqualification, – we couldn’t anyhow as they were two of the state’s top riders!

The TT at Warradale around my home at that time, the pits in a vacant paddock opposite my Uncle’s garage in Morphet Road for the first event, & in Sturt Road for the shortened second event. The first TT taking in part of Seacombe Road, which at that time was a narrow strip of almost non-existent bitumen, the big thrill was the blast down Diagonal Road, with the blind bend across Stuart road. It was here that Ross Twigden went off the road after failure to negotiate the bend, & ended up in the “wormwood” hedge bordering the road.

Around this time I sold my treasured KSS & bought the ex Tuck & Diener work hack, an accumulation of Ariel frame, 16H Norton motor & gearbox, & a “trade box” mead up water pipe & boards, the 16H was soon to become the power dept. of my Holden 3 wheeler, & then my life change and I moved to Kangaroo island. But after a few years & 5 kids the “scramble bug” bit again, mostly due to the presence oD deaB bone. I had been instrumental in Don Dixon’s move to K.I. at that time & “Boney” followed shortly afterwards.

There was almost no motorcycles on K.I. at that time. My wife & I shared the 3 wheeler & a Bantam for awhile, but that had given way to a wrecked “Chevvy” & 2 Vespa motor scooters. Apart from that I can only recall a Royal Enfield, a BSA & a MAV VELO, which I later bought for $4 & retain today re-engined with a Mk.2 KSS & a Velores side car attached.

So it was that I called my long time mate Jim Thurmer who I had known for many years. He was seduced into shipping a load of his stagnate stock to K.I. at bargain prices, these bikes were given a royal welcome at the Kingscote wharf when they were unloaded, & within minutes they had new owners. Thus we had the means of forming the K.I. Motorcycle Club, as I recall the bikes ranged in price from 3 pounds 10 shillings, up to 8 or 10 pounds for an immaculate Mk.2 “Cammy” Velo, the frame of this bike eventually became my MSS road racer here in Victoria, & is still now back in South Australia once more, but hardly recogniseable, but I did run my hand over it for old time’s sake at Phillip Island recently.

Once we had bikes a section of beach front out at Kingscote was soon transformed into a track. Not long afterwards the Jimmy Thurmer Scramble Championships were orginised. Jim supplying elaborate sashes & making the trip to the Island for the inaugural event. These were the days of “ Soapy” Burford & “Mudgey” & others whose names I can’t remember. A sailing sketch transported the “overseas” bikes to the Island, & there followed a weekend of fun that quite a few would remember to this day. The visitors were bundled back on the plane for the trip back on Monday morning, some of them a bit worse for wear! Jim had hopes of creating a road circuit on Kangaroo Island, but alas this was not to be.

We had numerous wrangles with the local council & the club slowly died. Some of the members taking up golf, Brian Wadsworth had “immigrated” from the Morwell (Vic.) MCC & soon married locally. He and Dean Bone remain there to this day. These then are my recollections of the 50’s when wonderful machines of today could not possibly have been imagined. But for us it was a few years of fun after the privations of war. Nothing will ever dim the memory of those times.

Regards Keith & Barbara Hamilton 

At the tender age of 16 this tale begins with my conning my mother into signing a license application with a line something like this:

“It’s okay if you don’t sign it I can still ride in practice without a license”.

My first ride in the sidecar was at Kilburn Speedway which was on Churchill road about opposite where the Albion Hotel is now situated. This was in 1948 and on a practice night and on the first corner of the first lap the front tyre of our outfit connected with the rear of the outfit in ahead, flipping the front of our machine into the air and me onto the track behind it. This would have been the end of my career as a sidecar passenger but for the fact that all my mates were watching and I would have been the laughing stock of the gang. So it was back into the sidecar for approximately 15 years.

During this period I rode in quite a lot of sidecars with different riders and THOROUGHLY enjoyed it most of the time. (Incidentally, don’t knock being a passenger until you have tried it!)

The competitions consisted of road racing at Woodside, Port Wakefield, beach racing at Sellicks, hill climbs at Morialta, scrambles (or motocross) at Royal Park (about where Football PArk now stands), Port Norlunga, speedway at Kilburn, Rowely Park, Marybinongs Melbourne, the half mile at Whyalla, and the fabulous one mile track at Port Pirie. There was nothing to compare with going into bends at around 100 MPH.

Then there were a couple of road trials with Laurie Michel in the Ariel Six Hour and also int he 24 Hour. It was great fun riding with Laurie.

While competing in sidecar racing there were a few little incidents that occurred such as, being left on the bike when the rider slid off the machine because he didn’t think we would make the turn at Rowely Park. He should have stayed on the bike because I got halfway around the bend before hitting the fence, breaking my jaw in two places and my left arm in two places. Incidentally, the rider was Australian Speedway Champion about 5 years in a row.

Rolling over the nose of the sidecar in the Australian Scramble Championship at Royal PArk while riding with Bill Butler who was one of the best outfit rider’s around, but who completely forgot about his passenger once he got on the machine and the throttle in his hand. He had complete trust in his passenger to do the right thing, as do most riders I imagine.

On the final night of the Speedway each season it was declared charity night when solo mechanics rode solo machines, speedcar mechanics drove speedcars and sidecar passengers rode outfits with riders as passengers. Funny things – speedway outfits, shut the throttle and they immediately veer to the right.

NOBODY TOLD ME!!!

On the first practice night I shot off, halfway around the first bend and did a small circle on the infield. This happened 4 times on the first lap and the announcer was heard to say:

“This blokes used to a small track!”

However, this tactic paid off on race night because whilst running third going into the final turn I shut off a bit prematurely, ran across the infield, came back onto the track halfway round the turn and got second place.

Another incident was at Morialta Hill Climb while riding on an Ariel Square Four with Ron Ward and after failing to get to the top of the climb we turned the machine around, took off the plug leads and proceeded to come down the hill with the motor turning over to assist with braking. Unfortunately we had fuel leaking onto the motor and the sparking leads caused a little bit of a fire and fair amount of panic.

About 12 months after I started as a passenger at Speedway, someone said to my father:

“That lad of yours goes pretty well on the sidecar”

He didn’t believe I was competing but didn’t ask me, just decided to go to the speedway to see for himself. Unfortunately he got knocked off his motorcycle on the way, breaking an ankle. He never did see me ride…

Tom Davies, Life Member of the Atujara Motorcycle Club

Following the second world war, 1939-45, motorcycle racing recommenced in S.A. with most riders competing on their road machines. After riding to the track, the lights, number plates and etc., were removed, events were ridden then the lights and plates went back on and home they went.
In speedway racing a lot of riders started riding older machines. For example, Jack Young, who went on to become world champion, used to ride a Peashooter Harley as did his brother Joe while another brother, Frank, rode a Norton. Several other riders, most of whom lived in the Flinders Park-Findon area, including Bob (Bakey) Leverenz, rode a variety of machines that were adapted to speedway style. After a few years several JAP pure speedway machines came on the scene so a road class was incorporated in speedway racing. This class continued for a few years until eventually there were enough pure speedway machines to run meetings. So, out went the road class. Some of these riders gained sponsorship but, other than those lucky few, if you couldn”t afford a tracker that was the end of your speedway career.

Riders then began riding road machines in scrambles or motocross as it is now known. Riders competed on BSA, Matchless, AJS, Tribsa”s, after a few years along came the Greeves, Dot, CZs and other special motocross machines so if you couldn”t afford one you were no longer competitive. Probably a lot of riders retired before they wanted to.

Observed trials riders competed on converted Villiers, BSA Bantams and any other small machines they could adapt. There was the occasional four stroke competing. Probably the most notable was our club”s Fred Greneklee on his 350cc AJS. Most of these riders were able to enjoy their trials at a reasonable cost.

Eventually along came the Bultaco, Montessa and other well sprung motorcycles which eventually made the Villiers specials pretty well obsolete. A lot of riders still competed but with no Bultaco or Montessa no good results were obtained. So unless you could afford good machines you were out of this branch of the sport.

To their credit the observed trials clubs decided to run a greybeards section and a few older members dragged out the old Villiers Specials just to have a ride. Eventually the sections became so tough that no riders on these old machines were able to complete the course. So although there is still a greybeards class, unless your machine is fairly up to date you”re only in the trial for a ride, which is probably what most motorcyclists care about anyway.

In the period 1945-1955 most people in road racing competed on road registrable motorcycles that were in various stages of tune. There were a handful of Manx Nortons, Gold Stars, 7R Ajays, competition AJS/Matchlesses, Triumphs and etc., and the hand built Velos. The most famous of these being the ELDEE Special built by the late Les Diener.

Road racing fell into a bit of a slump for a while but it was only temporary and this seems to be one section of our sport which has not been affected by the almighty dollar, mainly because of the introduction of Classic and Post-Classic classes etc. Not that I think that competing in these sections wouldn”t cost and arm and a leg anyway.

So, by reading this article you should be able to realise that each section of the sport of motorcycling has been taken over by people who have been perhaps able to afford or have been good enough riders to gain sponsorship to have superior motorcycles to ride, the lucky B ….. s!

Tom Davies, Life Member of the Atujara Motorcycle Club

Motorcyclists of the 1990s are probably aware that before the advent of Japanese mass production (which began to make an impact on the worlds motorcycle markets early in the 1960s) the majority of riders were on British machines. Those motorcycles of European and American origin were not quite so popular, possibly because of expense and tariff barriers.
It would not be surprising if few of todays enthusiasts know that several Australian motorcycle manufacturers existed during the years prior to the 1939-1945 war, using mostly imported engines, frame lugs, gearboxes, wheels, and metalwork. What is not generally known is that South Australia had its own motorcycle manufacturer from 1949 until 1956 producing the Tilbrook 197 and 125 tourers and 125c.c. racers.

The driving force behind the venture was Rex Paterson Tilbrook who had already achieved widespread acknowledgment for his large range of motorcycle accessories and the popular lightweight Tilbrook sidecar series with a greater selection of models than any other Australian manufacturer. The difference between the Tilbrook and other previous Australian machines was that apart from the Villiers engine/gearbox unit and the Lucas lighting set, the rest was made in South Australia, and whereas earlier Australian models looked similar to imported machines with the main difference being generally only the name on the petrol tank, the Tilbrook had a unique appearance using a combination of features considered by Rex to be best suited for Australian conditions.

The Tilbrook was radically different, with a massive four gallon, (eighteen litre) petrol tank expressly for long range Australian touring, a large flared front mudguard and combined rear mudguard stressed seat assembly. This was years before Triumph launched their bathtub model to protect the rider from the mud and dust of unsealed roads which were much more prevalent in the 1950s than they are today.

In an era when few motorcycles had rear suspension and most lightweights had limited travel telescopic forks of the most basic design, Rex produced a swinging arm with underhung springs to reduce the center of gravity for the rear and a radial arm front to provide a machine which handled better than any comparable imported model.

Another feature which was vastly superior to contemporary imported machines were the full width finned aluminum wheel hubs with 37m.m. wide shoes working against shrunk in cast iron linings. The coefficient of friction of this combination was much greater than the normal practice of having the shoe lining working against a pressed steel drum and the greater heat generated under fierce braking was quickly and efficiently dissipated by the air cooled finned drums. Even under intense racing conditions there was never any hint of the brake fade that was so common with steel drums.

All models had steering dampers, generally an optional extra on larger machines and virtually unavailable on smaller models, and all had chrome plated tank racks to protect the paint if the rider wished to carry a parcel or bag on the tank. It is worth remembering that motorcyclists of earlier years used their machines mostly to get to work and back, and many had to carry their work tools of trade as well as their lunch, so a kitbag on the tank was a common method of solving the problem.

Whereas alternative lightweights had d shaped speedometers, the Tilbrook was fitted with an 80m.p.h. instrument having an odometer and trip meter mounted above the headlamp in an easy to read position. Under the press stud fixed seat pad was a capacious compartment to house the battery, tool roll and puncture repair kit, as well as any spares the owner may have thought were necessary. The tool roll consisted of sufficient spanners to completely dismantle and reassemble the machine and included special tools made by the factory for the wheel nuts, swinging arm pivots, spark plug, exhaust pipe flange and head stem ball race lock ring. A tyre pump was provided and this fitted on spigots under the seat/mudguard assembly.

In an era when black was the predominant color, offset by a different color petrol tank for most motorcycles, the Tilbrook had a striking red lacquer all over with nuts and bolts and detachable brackets being cadmium plated and handle bars, tank rack, exhaust system, wheel rims, headlight brackets and levers were chromium plated. A broad white line with a thin black one adjacent on the tank and seat/mudguard assembly completed the cosmetic appearance.

Few British manufacturers (with perhaps B.S.A. being an exception), made many of their components but relied on specialist suppliers for much of their production run. By contrast the Tilbrook factory made the majority of the machine under the one roof including all machining, welding, nut and bolt making, wheel building, exhaust pipe bending silencers handle bars, control levers, plating and painting. Aluminum castings were supplied by a small foundry near the factory and footrest rubbers and seat inserts moulded by S.A. Rubber Mills (now Bridgestone) using dies made at the Tilbrook factory. All toolmaking was carried out at the factory and many of the machines used to produce the components were designed and built on the premises, including an arc welder and an acetylene generator.

Although planning was for volume production, many components were mass produced with tooling made to achieve this, motor cycle popularity declined. The sad fact was that the motor cycle was being phased out as a popular means of transport in favour of second hand motor cars which were becoming more plentiful and cheaper.

Tilbrook produced one last revolutionary model in prototype form which was displayed at the Royal Adelaide Show in 1956. It was never started until it was sold to well known S.A. enthusiast Ralph Datlen about twenty years later, after laying in a corner with some parts stripped for other projects.

The Tilbrook factory continued to make sidecars and accessories for a diminishing market but concentrated on contract work for the supply of tables and chairs, special manufacturing machines and general engineering until it ceased trading and closed down in 1976. It is ironic that Tilbrook products are now sought after equally as fervently as British machines when only a short time ago it was difficult to find a buyer and many ended their life as scrap metal. Those who now own Tilbrook motor cycles are generally those with a flair for perfection and as Rex commented to one restorer, the bikes now look better than when they first left the factory all those years ago.

Tilbrook racing machines had their share of success but their development over a twelve year period is another story.

Alan Wallis O.A.M. Life Member Atujara M.C.C.

During the 1930’s, the Advertiser printed a weekend newspaper – “The Express and Journal”. It came out each Friday and in it were the various motorcycle club notes and photos. This paper had the same format as the present new look Advertiser. This is where I first heard the name “Atujara”. In the club notes, during the month of March 1938. I read that the club was holding a “closed” speed meeting at Buckland Park, a shell grit beach some 25 miles North of Adelaide, so I decided, on the Sunday morning, to go and have a look. In those days I was the owner of a 1936 big port A.J.S.
On the way to Buckland Park one had to pass through the “Mad Mile” This was a measured quarter mile that the police had marked out on the Port Wakefield road, Just where the Salisbury highway now branches off. They used this spot for testing the accuracy of speedometers, also quite a number of people used it for checking their top speeds. It was there that I caught up with Bill Watson and Les Diener on that day there were some others I did’t know but have since recognised in latter years. I told Bill & Les where I was going and they decided to have a look instead of going up and down the “Mad Mile”.

After having arrived and had some lunch, we were looking at the bikes in the pits, and were approached by Frank Tuck, who was the competition secretary at the time. He suggested that we might like to have a ride and swell numbers, as the club was not a very large one then. After having our “races” Frank suggested we might like to join the club.

This we did on the next evening (Monday) at the clubrooms in Grote St. This was in March 1938, Nat Saunders also joined on that evening some 59 years ago. Sadly both Bill and Les have passed on. Bill on the 28th August 1988 and Les on the 15th November 1994. Both Bill and Les were Australian champions- Bill in the clubman 350 class and Les in the 250 Australian TT (amongst others).

When I joined the club everyone was approximately the same age, all socials were then organized by the social secretary (there was no ladies auxiliary). The competition secretary organised scrambles(now called motocross). The club funds were not like today’s funds. There were no committees like there are now, so you can see how much the club has improved.

If any one meeting helped with the finances just after the war, It must of been the “S.A. Tourist Trophy Championships”. At springbank ,to which a number of interstate rides appeared. Admission charges were made (donations were previously the way of admission). From memory approximately 150 pounds or $300 was taken. This can be compared with about $40 which was normally taken. This meeting was held on Saturday 3rd August 1946 and In the evening a presentation ball was held in a hall at Hyde park. I joined the Atujara M.C.C in March 1938.

Granted life membership 24th February 1947.

Granted 50 years gold membership badge 1988.

Granted 50 years life membership badge 24th February 1997

These above awards would not have been possible without the help of committees and members, throughout the years, who have made my club life so enjoyable and I hope I have a few years left in me yet.

A sincere thanks to all,

Alec Ridgway, Gold Life Member of the Atujara Motorcycle Club

Club Member, Bill Horsman has again flown the Atujara flag at the Isle of Man Manx Grand Prix with a win in the Junior Classic and a fourth place in the Senior Classic. The Junior Classic was held over 3 laps (instead of 4) on Wednesday 27^th after a delay due to extreme wind and rain all morning. Bill, riding a 349 AERMACCHI won with an average speed of 99.20 mph in a time of 1:08:27.3

The Senior Classic was held over 4 laps on Monday, 25^th August in perfect conditions (18° C). Bill placed fourth after Heath, Jackson and Swallow on a 499 MOLNAR NORTON with an average speed of 103.32 mph in a time of 1:27:38.4