LOVERS of really, really, really old bikes congregated in Fremantle this weekend to commemorate what would have been Arthur Grady’s 115th birthday.

Grady is credited as making the first circumnavigation of Australia on a motorised vehicle — his 1924 350cc twin cylinder Douglas becoming something of an international celebrity in the process.

The 25-year-old World War 1 veteran and motorcycle racer left Fremantle on 1 October 1924 and rolled back into the port side town on 25 March the following year.

The trip was orchestrated by West Australian Douglas agent, Armstrong.

A bunch of similar vintage bikes (plus heaps of nice old cars, buses, stationary engines and a really pretty girl in a red and white frock) assembled around the Fremantle Town Hall so we could all have a good gawk. The event is put together by the Vintage Motorcycle Club of Western Australia. A display of old Indians from the Indian Motorcycle Club of WA was particularly impressive.

CAPTION:
CAPTION: Now THAT’S old. Sensational Indian in gosh-I’m-old patina looked so old its shiny NGK’s looked downright silly.

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CAPTION: That's right Johnny, there was a time when you had to kick them to make them go. Just like the dog.
CAPTION: That’s right Johnny, there was a time when you had to kick them to make them go. Just like the dog.
CAPTION: Two old Pommy codgers in fine fettle got together for a chat about old times threshing around the English countryside. Two men look on.
CAPTION: Two old Pommy codgers in fine fettle got together for a chat about old times thrashing around the English countryside. Two men look on.
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CAPTION: Smoke, aviator goggles … gosh, it’s like a lesson in cool.

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CAPTION: A few really old but not really, really, really old bikes came out of the shed to join the celebration. Nice Triumph Cub was one of them.

 

CAPTION: Another one from the spectating-not-exhibiting section. Nice Matchless.
CAPTION: Another one from the spectating-not-exhibiting section. Nice Matchless.
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