Sunday, November 28, 2010

Some more photos from the late Allen Burt's collection.........

Allen Burt was a racing acquaintance of mine over many years and in the latter part of his life , when I became involved with his day to day care, I'd like to think we became good friends....
I've featured him in my blog before and a search under his name  in the search facility on the RHS of this blog will take you to some of them.
A lifelong bachelor and motorcycle racer and enthusiast he also made the trip to Europe to participate in the "Continental Circus"...that happy band of motorcycle racers that followed the Grands Prix circuit and often as well rode in many of the smaller motorcycle race meetings in Europe, camping and eking out an existence on start money and hopefully finishing money, plus the money they had squirreled away working several jobs over the racing off season.
Lets look at some more of Allen's photos....
Many people have commented to me how much they enjoy looking at these photos from the riders I've featured....I guess for that short moment in time we are taken back to being with them and the pondering of "what if I had gone too"...
Left click on the images to enlarge...
I mentioned in earlier blogs of Alan, his disastrous crash on the first lap of practice in the 1955 IOM TT races.
I found this little pic in AB's stuff...it is Cruikshank's corner and the comment that the fence after it was repaired following his crash into it....guess he took it later in the year, as he convalesced for the rest of the year.
Below is his 7R AJS, mournfully awaiting repair outside the competition shop of AJS at Plumstead, London. 
Allen #97, in Brno, Czechoslovakia, 1958
Fellow Aussie, Richie Thomson, also at Brno in 1958.
Ken Kavenagh, IOM TT 1956.
Early days for Allen...Victoria Park circuit, Ballarat, Victoria likely 1947, Tony McAlpine , Norton. Tony was heavily involved in the riders strike at the 1956 Dutch TT and received, with others, a 6 month suspension.
Allen, AJS 7R, probably Bathurst, NSW at the Easter racing carnival, with Ron Kessing.

Two great mates...both on G50 Matchless's,  probably at Amaroo Park circuit on the northern outskirts of Sydney...when? 1980's at a guess.
Jack Saunders #53 rode in Europe in 1960's ,AB #5.



Tuesday, November 23, 2010

It's back to 1957 with Keith Bryen, Aussie privateer who secured a works Moto Guzzi ride.....

I've still quite a few photos stored from Keith Bryen's archive, kindly loaned by him and as you'll remember I've done quite a few blogs on him so far....
Type in "Keith Bryen" in the search facility over on the right of this blog to bring up all I've done on him.
Keith as you'll remember left Australia in 1953 with wife Gwen to join the "Continental Circus", made up of a happy go lucky group of racing motorcyclists, mostly from the Commonwealth countries, who followed the GP circuit across Europe each year, riding for start and hopefully finishing money to fund their adventure.
Keith was asked by Moto Guzzi to ride for them in the last few races of the 1957 season.
"The bubble burst" in January 1958, when back in Australia and readying for the forthcoming 1958 season in Europe with Moto Guzzi, he received a letter from the factory informing him that as Moto Guzzi in concert with two other Italian factories had withdrawn from racing, there would be no machines for him to use....
Rather gut wrenching...
Left Click on the images to enlarge...
Keith on a factory AJS 7R during practice in IOM TT.
Practicing on his G45 Matchless in 1957 IOM TT.
13th in IOM Senior TT in 1957.
Now on a works Moto Guzzi, Keith won 350cc race at the Norisring circuit at Nurnberg West Germany, Vally Lundberg on the left and Eric Hinton on the right.
Harry Hinton jnr, Keith Bryen and Eric Hinton and Vally Lundberg at Norisring circuit July 1957.
2nd in 350cc class of Ulster GP, 15.08.1957.

Another Ulster GP photo.

5th in 500cc class of 1957 Ulster GP.
Keith Bryen, Keith Campbell and Liberati after Ulster GP 1957.
Warming up for the 350cc Italian GP at Monza 1st September 1957.
During practice for the Italian GP in 1957.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Technical items from "The MotorCycle" and "MotorCycling".........

I always like the small technical items that have been featured in "The MotorCycle" and "MotorCycling" since the 1930's through to their demise in the 1970's....
So lets feature some, not in any particular order or theme.....
Left click on the images to enlarge...