The West Australian regional city of Albany has dished up a smorgasbord of beautiful motorbikes, with a host of new machines and more than a few well-known classics on show at the 2021 Albany Vintage and Classic Motorcycle Weekend.
A big turnout of bikes and spectators, coupled with sporadic sunshine and no rain (!), made this year’s event a corker.
A gloss black Egli-Vincent was the head-turner of the show-and-shine event on Saturday morning, pulling a steady stream of people for the obligatory phone pics. The low-stress format of the event – just roll up and find somewhere to park on the city’s historic Stirling Terrace – ensured a wonderfully broad range of machinery.
Many bikes came from sheds in and around the south coastal city, but there was also a strong contingent making the trip down from Perth, 400-odd kilometres to the north.
Sunday provided the opportunity for 100 bikes to have a jolly good fang-up-a-hill in the annual hill climb event at Mount Clarence, overlooking the picturesque King George Sound.
But Saturday was our favourite, with a whole bunch of grey-bearded bike nuts showing off their best and ogling everyone else’s.
You can buy a 2022 calendar of photos from the weekend (check it out here) but, in the meantime, here are some of our best shots.
Show and shine
All eyes were on the Egli. Gosh, even the Trumpys on the other side of the terrace were ogling it.Yes, it’s a pin-up bike for sure. So you’d like one too? Sure thing. Take a lookhere.
This one’s only a Black Shadow …Glorious old Indian was probably second-most-photographed machine on show. What a pearler. (We interviewed an Indian guy a few years back. He had a wonderful collection. Check it outhere.)
And the award for the most engine goes to …The Albany event always brings out a bunch of superb early Triumphs.There were lots of rare beasts on show … this schmick MV Agusta 350 shared digs with a 500 Ducati Pantah and a Honda CB750.Speaking of rare beasts, when was the last time you saw a Maico road racer? It’s a 1969 vintage 125.Motorcycle maintenance, circa-1911. Don’t let the leather dry out.No shortage of Italian beauties.Lovely Laverda Jota had huge presence. We met a guy not far from Albany who sources and sells Laverda parts across the world. An interesting tale. You can read ithere.
Several bikes were looking for new custodians. Next year we might need to take a trailer…
But I like it here. When most everyone else had fired up and gone on to the poker run, one recalcitrant Trident wanted to stay a little longer.
Hill climb
It’s meant to be fun, right? Bob Rees and Kaye Morling had the spirit nailed. Bob’s 1962 BMW R69S featured an automatic transmission. Very cool.
Watching bikes thunder up the hill was great fun, but there was more to see in the pits.
