Old Bike Australasia - June 03, 2018

RALLY REPORTSBATHURST EASTER

90 :OLD BIKE AUSTRALASIA

Vintage Motorcycle Club of Australia

(NSW) Inc. 2018 Bathurst Easter Tour

• March 25-April 1, 2018 – Bathurst, NSW

Cruising the

central west

ReportSue Scaysbrook PhotosJim Scaysbrook

The makeupof the entry list may
change, but the Bathurst Rally, which
ran for the 44th time over Easter and
in the preceding week, attracted a
healthy line up of motorcycles of all
eras. Six veterans entered, the oldest
being Jim Clarke’s 1910 Humber, and
Ross McDermott’s Triumph and Kent
Hillier’s Bradbury, both 1912 models.
The incessant dry spell in the central
west of NSW was evident in the
surrounding countryside, but the great
roads were still there and the far off

sound of around 190 classic

motorcycles enjoying these wonderful

roads is music to the ears. The rally

consisted of eight separate runs,

radiating from Bathurst HQ, beginning

with Trunkey Creek on the opening

day and concluding with Forest Reefs

on Easter Sunday. In between there

were rides to Carcoar Dam, Burraga,

Chifley Dam, Sofala and an optional

leg to Hill End, Tarana and Neville.

There is no judging, no prizes,

with the emphasis on riding and

camaraderie. And this is just the way

we like it. Time spent riding with

good mates is always the draw card.

And this year Jim and I were the

source of great consternation when

both our Hondas needed attention! It

was like “bees to a honey pot” with

so many chaps weighing in on the

likely causes of the problems and on

both occasions, our bikes made

speedy recoveries thanks to the

“brains trust” of our fellow rallyists.

Continuously one of the most

popular fixtures on the calendar, the

rally has always been based at the

Bathurst Caravan Park, but in coming

months this venue is being

substantially rebuilt, and the owners

cannot guarantee it will be ready for

Easter 2019, forcing the organisers to

possibly consider other options. We

will have to wait and see!■

When gremlins attacked the editor’s CB750,

Many took the opportunity many hands made light work of the problem!

to ride to Hill End as part of

Thursday’s Sofala run.

Hans Sprangers’ 1935 Nimbus

soaks up the sun at the Tarana

Greg Blades, dressed for

the part, with his Matchless

at Chifley Dam.