Under the Chequered Flag
Peter North
PETER NORTH, who died in April, was the son of
A. P. (Percy) North who founded the company
A. P. North Pty, Ltd., Matchless and Francis Barnett
motorcycle distributors in Wentworth Avenue,
Sydney.
In his school holiday time, and whenever possible
at other times, Peter could be found around the
showroom or in the workshop area tinkering, and
learning about the motorcycle trade. He learned to
ride on what was probably a company demonstrator,
and could be found in later days enjoying the joys of motorcycling. Peter’s parents were both school
teachers and so appreciated the value of a good education with the result that after his Leaving
Certificate, he continued his learning at Sydney University, and later at Harvard.From Roger FoyBob Howle
ROBERT JOHN ‘BOB’ HOWLE, who passed away
on 8th June aged 81, was a Life Member of the
Sydney Veteran and Historic Motorcycle Club,
and a lifelong motorcycling devotee.
Born into a poor family in inner western Sydney,
Bob completed an apprenticeship as a Coppersmith,
a trade that was to lead to a life working in metal.
He owned a large variety of bikes, from the usual
British fare to a 250 Adler, which he raced in the
infancy of Historic Racing at Amaroo and Oran Park.
He also worked in numerous capacities in the sport:
as a scrutineer, race official, committee member or
anything else that needed doing, Bob never shied
away from a task. After seeing a friend fatally
injured against a concrete fence, Bob designed the
first crash pads, and eventually convinced the ACU of
NSW to employ them at the Sydney circuits – provid-
ing Bob hauled them to the track, installed them
(and repaired them when necessary) and took them
down at the conclusion of racing. He also designed
and built the revolutionary fairing for Bob Levy’s
‘Chesterfield Wedge’ outfit, bent up uncountable
exhaust pipes, and made all manner of fittings, often
refusing payment. When his days of riding solo
motorcycles on the road came to an end, he hitched
a sidecar to his Royal Enfield and continued what he
loved most, often with the family dog in the sidecar
seat. Bob was farewelled by a large gathering of
family and friends on 17th June.Peter North (left)
with Roger Foy.Brian Clarkson
The biggest moment of BRIAN CLARKSON’S
extensive and varied racing career came in 1971
when he won the inaugural Sunraysia Desert
Rally near Mildura.
The event was a new concept for locals, and there
were many different approaches taken by
competitors. Clarkson’s approach was simply pull on
his faded yellow Husqvarna jersey, strap a gallon of
petrol to the top of the forks, and go for it. The win
was a touch fortunate after several of the leading
competitors became lost due to incorrect course
marking, but ‘Clarko’ just soldiered on through the
dust storms, battling with the loss of first gear
which made getting through the deep sand difficult.
But for the most part, it was flat in top and after
170 miles, the three-year old Husky came home not
just ahead of all the other bikes, but way ahead of
the closest car. Brian just trousered the $625 first
prize and went home happy.
Born in 1943 and a member of Annandale-
Leichhardt MCC, Brian raced various bikes on Sydney
dirt Short Circuits like Vineyards, Arcadia and
Glenorie, and in Scrambles at Moorebank and Mount
Kembla. Getting onto a new 360 Husqvarna
elevated him to the A Grade ranks, and he used the
Swedish machine not only off-road, but for road
racing at Oran Park. In 1970, he suffered a serious
crash at Bathurst when his Velocette Thruxton seized
at the flat out downhill kink entering Conrod
Straight, leaving him a with a broken wrist, but in
order to take part in the much-publicised
‘Steeplechase’ event on the Husky at Sydney
Showground Speedway, he painted the plaster cast
black and slipped on an oversize glove. Brian gained
further notoriety when he entered an MV Agusta in
the 1972 Castrol Six Hour Race, an entry that gained
considerable publicity but little else after clutch
failure forced an early retirement. He campaigned
an odd variety of bikes in motocross, including
Mexican Carabellas, a TM400 Suzuki owned by
Hazell & Moore, and the ‘All Australian’ (actually
built in Britain by Sprite) Alron. After quitting racing,
he opened a motorcycle wrecking business at
Penrith which he operated until he retired to live
on the NSW Central Coast. Of burly physique, fitness
was never one of Brian’s strong points, but his
natural strength helped him greatly in the off road
events. Brian Clarkson passed away on 21st May,
2019, at his home.JSABOVE Brian Clarkson with his MV Agusta at
scrutineering for the 1972 Castrol Six Hour Race.Brian Clarkson on
his 360 Husqvarna
at Moorebank, 1969.