Oz motorcycle history

So... anyone know much about Oz motorcycle culture in the 1950s?

I believe that patch clubs are a 1960s thing here, were there groups of
people who rode together and socialised together and thought of themselves
as some kind of group apart?

Was there a mods'n'rockers thing here at all? A kind of "gang" thing,
with or without actual gangs?

My feeling is no, but the mags and such I have that might mention it
only go back to the 70s and the 50s reminisences that were published
probably wouldn't be of that kind.

Groups of ex-military who thought of themselves as apart, and dressed
alike and socialised alike were the precursors of the patch clubs in the
USA, think of Brando's lot in The Wild One. Did ex-military types here
come home from WWII and do the same thing? Bored and alienated and ride
bikes and form groups like they used to have?


Zebee

 

Extract from our club history:

"The DMCSC was formed 'around' 1926 and was/is an alternative to the
Toowoomba Motorcycle Club.

Quite a few notable names have graced the list of members and the Club
has a few notable achievements. Sadly, one of those is possibly the
world's first 'motorcycle only' funeral.

Frederick John (Jack) Bishop was a club member who went to England to
race speedway. Unfortunately, in 1933, he was killed over there. He
was cremated and his ashes returned to Toowoomba where he is buried in
the family grave.

Jack may have had the first ‘motorcycle only’ funeral in the world.
Cyril Anderson, who had ridden with him in England, rode a bicycle with
the casket in the sidecar and was escorted by mounted riders.

Downs club members organised the funeral and raised £500 towards a fund
for the education of his daughter."

I'll have to try and get my hands on a copy of the actual whole history,
but the club has had it's "wings" emblem since way back, and has
operated at various stages as a racing club and a social/riding club.
---
Cheers

PeterC [aka MildThing]


'01 Yamaha FJR1300

www.dmcsc.org.au
http://eladesom.com.au/ulysses/
# 37181

 

Hi Zebee

One of the first clubs in Aus was called The Angles motorcycle club.
I don't know when the started (well over 35 years ago). Some from
that club decided to become the arm of another club from the States.
Their new name still contains there old name. But I do know that
it is one of the oldest clubs in existence. There are some
still around and meet and ride together. I do know some people that
are in my club that know them well. I will ask if they know any thing
about the culture of that day. Your best bet is to talk to the older
members of the older clubs that are still around today. I do have a
few contacts for older club that are not around any more. I will see
if I can pass on there info for you.

I will need to know why you want this info for so that I can pass it
on for them to determine if they would like to give info.

There was a guy from the US that wrote a book call the Brotherhood.
The guy said the he researched all the info. He did interview a lot of older
members of the older clubs and may be close to the point with the early
years of the bike scene with in Aus. The book is inaccurate and crap.

Smiley.

 

BMW Touring Club NSW is 42 years old (1965), we still have two of the
original members. And there was another BMW club in NSW before that.

Al

 

In aus.motorcycles on Sat, 3 Feb 2007 14:31:17 +1100

Curiosity mainly.

I know that WWII vets in the USA came back and some missed the
cameraderie and danger. Some formed bike clubs of various kinds.

SOme such clibe mutated into the patch clubs with names and rituals,
some didn't get that formal but still had some internal rules about
dress and behaviour, some were more like touring clubs and riding
groups like most clubs today.

I'm interested in the just post war riding culture in Oz. Not the 60s
and 70s patch clubs but earlier.

Mind you, the start of the patch clubs is also interesting. I recall
the guy who founded God Squad saying that in the early days there
wasn't the bike bigotry for example, and while I don't think he
mentioned any patch holders riding Japanese there wasn't the aggro
about them, that came later.

Zebee

 

Where I grew up we had the Gypsy Jokers in the area, and also a house full
of Rebels across the road living with their mum(say '72-'74ish). Brit bikes
were most common among them, I remember a Ducati SS and the Jap bikes were
only the best of breed at the time Honda 750-4s and Kawa Z-1s, but they were
there just the same.

Al

 

Hi again Zebee

Yes there wasn't the same animosity about bikes back then.
Most of the patch clubs were on jap bikes. I think that the
first club that was Harley only was the h.a.'s. God's Squad
started in Sydney in 69 but closed down in 73-74. God's
Squad Melbourne started on 72. They celebrate their 35th
in November.

Smiley

 

I'd think most were like the pommie mobs in the 60s. I've known a couple
of blokes who rode in mobs in the 60s and most of theirs and their
mate's bikes were Ariels, Matchlesses, BSAs, Nortons, Velocettes, etc.
Some wore bomber jackets and flying boots, no formal clubs or insignia
but some good stories to be told. Someone should write a book...

 

Not about the Australian motorcycle scene of that era, but full of
interesting stories none the less.
http://motorcyclecity.com/books/shes_a_bad_motorcycle.htm

Nev..
'04 CBR1100XX

 

"Well, I've got a baby, she's a bad motorcycle,
Well we ride together all through the night
She's got a real wild machine and its out of sight
She goes vroom pa pa papa pa pa
Vroom pa pa papa pa pa motorcycle"


Cheers
Goaty
--
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