The Alron Story: Western Australia’s ambitious pursuit of an Aussie dirt bike

MAIN PHOTO. Dan Talbot’s Alron doesn’t look like this. Not yet anyway. That’s his bike pictured in the inset. Give him time …

And an ambitious project to bring one back to life

Words by Dan Talbot

Pics by Dan Talbot, Tom Toad, and courtesy of VMX Magazine

AUSTRALIAN-made motorcycles have been a thing since the dawn of motorcycling.

However, to be fair, we have never been a globally significant or mass-market player. While Australia historically boasted a surprisingly high number of boutique brands, it has never established large-scale assembly lines like those found in Europe, Japan, or the United States. Instead, the nation’s motorcycle manufacturing history is characterised by small-scale engineering innovation, regional custom builders, and local assembly using imported components.

Alron motorcycles is one such brand.

Alron was an ambitious motorcycle project situated in Jandakot, a southern suburb of Perth. Before diving into the history, we must clear up two common misconceptions. Firstly, despite the large map of Australia painted onto the fuel tank, Alron motorcycles were not manufactured down under. The base motorcycle was made in the UK and shipped to Fremantle in kit form where Ron Lyon and Al Hayes—who combined their names to create “Al-Ron” would assemble and refine the machines. Secondly, Alron never made lawnmowers. That honour belongs to Alroh, another Western Australian company that derived its name from its own founder, Alan Ronald Hair.

With the lawnmowers parked, let us return to the motorcycles. The foundation of every Alron was built by Britain’s Sprite Developments. Renowned for high-quality, lightweight machinery, Sprite exported disassembled bikes to reduce British tax liabilities. Consequently, these machines wore different badges around the globe: Sprite in the UK, American Eagle in the US, BVM in Belgium, and Alron in Australia.

Upon arrival in Jandakot, Ron and Al assembled the bikes using premium global components. While the hand-built frames were exceptional, the engines were the true talking points. The 250cc model relied on a robust Ossa powerplant, while the 400cc version featured a competition two-stroke with a convoluted lineage. Depending on who you ask, the 400cc engine (406cc to be more accurate) was either Sprite’s own creation, a Husqvarna unit, or a Italian-made Husqvarna clone built by Moto Villa. The engine is an unmistakable facsimile of the Husky 400, four speed engine. It is also recognised that later Sprite 400 engines were built in the UK, using a mixture of their own construction along with some internal parts supplied by Moto Villa (yes, you guessed it, named after its creator Francesco Villa).

The Alron range launched to immense hype as an exciting new “Aussie bike.” It was backed by former Australian motocross champion Brian Clarkson, who served as both racer and East Coast distributor. On the track, however, the results were mixed. The Sprite-designed frames handled and stopped beautifully, but the early 400cc engines suffered from notoriously weak gearboxes and struggled under harsh racing conditions.

Period literature suggests the 250cc Ossa-powered models were the bikes to have, effortlessly combining a reliable engine with a gem of a chassis. In 1975, Clarkson told Two Wheels: “It’s better than just a good bike – this one’s really worth developing.” Such was the nature of the gearbox woes, Clarkson was later heard to be relieved when the Alron was stolen from his workshop late one night.

While the early iterations showed immense promise, the reliance on imported kits remained a major hurdle. For Ron Lyon, the Sprite-based machines were merely a stepping stone toward his ultimate dream: producing a 100% Australian-made enduro and motocross motorcycle. Alron began taking steps toward this goal by manufacturing its own custom frames for the Ossa engines, with plans to eventually develop an in-house engine. Positioned in Jandakot, Alron Industries sat just a stone’s throw from Australia’s busiest airfield—giving them direct access to an abundant workforce of skilled aircraft engineers ready to bring the dream to life.

An aircraft fitter was tasked with building a new frame, primarily aimed at being lighter than the original UK-designed Sprite version. Although the prototype was meant to feature lightweight chrome-molybdenum tubing, a shipping delay forced the use of standard mild steel. Consequently, the first Australian-built Alron motorcycle was just as heavy as its British counterpart. However, its distinctive nickel-plated finish ensured it still looked the part.

The Perth-built machine debuted at the 1974 Perth Motor Show, but local buyers still favoured the UK imports. Retailing at around $900, the Alrons carried a premium price tag. Facing stiff, rapid competition from mass-produced Japanese giants like Honda, Yamaha, and Suzuki, Alron Industries struggled to scale. Only 35 Alrons were ever built, and just five are believed to have been officially registered for road or trail use. Today, surviving models are highly prized collector’s items.

That brings us to this specific motorcycle: one of only six Alron 400cc machines known to still exist.

Originally, production estimates sat at 15 of the 400cc models and 20 of the 250cc versions. However, a 2019 feature in VMX magazine revealed just how rare they are. Author John Cuff noted that research uncovered only six 400s, four Sprite-framed 250s, one Australian-framed 250, two rolling 400 chassis, and a handful of spare frames and wheels. Cuff wrote that those six surviving 400s ranged from “a rusted basket case to fully restored.”

This bike is the rusted basket case.

Having bounced around various Perth sheds for decades, it was acquired by the author two years ago. While initially destined to sit gathering dust in another garage, a full restoration is now officially underway.

Word of mouth travels fast when a piece of Australian motorcycling history is being resurrected. As news spread, enthusiasts have rallied to help. Parts have begun materialising from all corners of the globe, including the UK, the USA, and the Netherlands. Some pieces were purchased, while others were generously donated. Notable finds so far include a new old stock (NOS) expansion chamber, a spare engine, a rear wheel, and various original hardware.

With enough components now sourced to restore this rare Alron to its former glory, the project is moving ahead. Stay tuned.