Atujara Motorcycle Club Inc

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