National Rally Recap

Article & Photos by Ian Royall

IT WASN’T QUITE BIGGER THAN ELVIS BUT THE ANNUAL VJMC NATIONAL RALLY PRODUCED A BUMPER TURN-OUT OF MEMBERS AND JAPANESE CLASSICS IN BENDIGO IN LATE MARCH.

Hundreds of bikes from the 1950s to 1990s packed the Dai Gum San precinct in the centre of the central Victorian city which was also hosting the Elvis: Direct Graceland exhibition.

Rally organiser Phil Scorah said the three-day event was up there as one of the best attended, along with Healesville in 2009 and Canberra in 2015.

A total of 283 members turned up with even more vintage Japanese machines for riding and showing off.

The President’s Choice award went to Alan Stevens’ well-used and much-loved 1967 Yamaha 350 which he has owned - and ridden - for 50 years. Alan was a corner marker on the Saturday ride on his eye-catching bike, complete with air horns and home-made wooden rear-box.

Oldest bike at the rally was David Collins’ 1957 Yamaha YD1, while Stewart Barrie clocked up the most kms to attend the rally, crossing the Nullarbor with his Honda XLV750.

President’s Choice - Alan Steven’s 1967 Yamaha R3 350 A rare 1964 Tohatsu CA-S 50

Among many other highlights was a rare Tohatsu, a Wonder Woman mini bike and a Z1 display to mark 50 years since the release of the first Kawasaki 900 Super Four Model Z1. Some of the models on show could have come straight off the showroom floor in 1972.

Suzuki was the rally’s naming rights sponsor and offered test rides at the Show and Shine.

The Greater City of Bendigo sponsorship and assistance with the logistics for the Show and Shine with road closure permits to accommodate the volume of bikes on display.

On Saturday morning, more than 130 bikes followed ride leader Ivan Eeles east on a jaunt to Heathcote, and then on Sunday about 100 lined up for a shorter trip to Eppalock.

Lou Balkan won a Suzuki JR80 in the rally raffle which raked in more than $2400 for the Beyond Blue charity. The good chaps at Suzuki got in the spirit and even threw in a helmet as a raffle prize at the presentation dinner.

Lou Baljak - winner of the Suzuki JR80 Most attendees stayed at the two Big 4 caravan parks in town, with the Park Lane venue doubling as rally central. Organisers were delighted with such a great turn-out under sunny autumn skies and after the pandemic disrupted the past two years of activities.

The 2020 rally in Toowoomba had to become a virtual event, while the October 2021 event in Bendigo was postponed to March 2022. It still carried the 2021 branding in the same way the 2020 Olympics was held in 2021.

If Elvis was the talk of the town, the VJMC rally had all the sights – and smell if you consider the two-stroke fumes wafting across the city.

Mick Hone Motorcycles was another principal sponsor supporting the rally with Robbie Phillis a guest speaker and at the Awards Dinner on the Saturday night.

1980 Suzuki GT250X& leaving on the ride

The Award winners announced at the dinner on the Saturday night at the All Seasons were:-

Best 1950’s era - Dave Collins; 1957 Yamaha YD1 Best 1960’s era - Ray Kinch; 1967 Bridgestone 90 Deluxe Best 1970’s era - Greg Costello; 1977 Honda Goldwing GL1000 Best 1980’s era - Doug Mortimer; 1982 Honda CB1100RC Best 1990’s era - Neale Binnion; Kawasaki AR50-C8 Best 2000’s era - Dave Collins; 2005 Yamaha MT01

Best Original/Unrestored - Dave Collins; 1981 Honda H100 Best Tiddler - James Loveridge, 1969 Suzuki A100 & Phil Dawes perpetual trophy Best Suzuki - Phil Scorah; 1970 Suzuki Stinger 125 Best Honda - Jim Merrick; 1979 Honda CBX1000 Best Yamaha - Jon Treen; 1981 Yamaha XS1100RH Best Kawasaki - Jeff Eeles; 1973 Kawasaki H2A

Best Race Bike - Brinton Preston-Smith; 1967 Bridgestone SR175 Best Off Road - Ken Lindsay; 1989 Honda CR500RK Best Special/Modified - Ray Sumner; 1981 Honda CB900FX Best Single - Greg Rooke; 1982 Honda FT500C Best of the Rest - Robert Edwards; 1967 Bridgestone 175 DT

Concours Suzuki - Michael Samootin; 1975 Suzuki RE5 Runner up - Chris Kelly; 1970 Suzuki MT50 Trailhopper

Concours Yamaha - Andrew Berry; 1979 Yamaha XS1100 Runner up - Dave Collins; 1957 Yamaha YD1

Concours Honda - Chris Kelly; 1970 Honda SL350 Runner up - Chris Kelly; 1970 Honda SL70

Concours Kawasaki - Gary Dalgarno; 1973 Kawasaki Z1 & Zedquarters Best pre-1981 perpetual trophy. Runner up - Michael Samootin; 1984 Kawasaki Voyager

Bike of the Rally - Brian Cutler; 1970 Bridgestone GTR350.

Hard Luck Award - Geoff McPhee who didn’t make it from Qld

Ride who travelled furthest to the rally - Stuart Barrie from WA

Oldest Bike at the rally - Dave Collins; 1957 Yamaha YD1

President’s Choice - Alan Stevens; 1967 Yamaha R3 350

1974 Honda CB125S

Colin Kinsman’s 1972 Suzuki TS250J keeper

1979 Suzuki A100

1970 Honda CL90

A pride and joy 1965 Honda Dream

1974 Kawasaki Z1A

Best 1980’s era - Doug Mortimer; 1982 Honda CB1100RC

Concours 1984 Kawasaki Voyager

A survivor 1970 Suzuki T125 Stinger

Beautiful example of the Honda CB750s’ there

Honda Goldwings well represented The Elvis Exhibition may be getting ready to leave Bendigo, but the VJMC National Rally will be back in Bendigo for 2023.

The dates have been set for 17 – 19 March 2023.

More information will follow via this publication, the VJMC Australia website National Rally forum, Facebook and periodic email broadcasts to members and past rally attendees.

See you in Bendigo in 2023.