The Vintage Motorcycle Club is dedicated to the preservation, restoration and use of motorcycles and sidecars manufactured up to 31 December 1947. This is the girder fork era of motorcycling history covering the Veteran, Vintage and Post Vintage periods.
The VMCC specifically caters for motorcycles made up to 31 December 1947, covering the veteran, vintage and post vintage periods.
This date essentially marks the end of the girder fork era.
From the pioneering days until around this time most motorcycles commonly available in Australia had girder type front forks often controlled with an adjustable friction damping device. From around 1948 manufacturers began fitting telescopic, hydraulically dampened front suspensions, and into the 1950’s rear suspension systems also became commonplace.
While the girder fork era has passed into motorcycling history, the VMCC promotes the preservation and active use of these fascinating machines. For some people, the enjoyment of owning an old motorcycle comes from riding it with a group of fellow enthusiasts, the friendship, the camaraderie. For others it’s the process of restoring a bike, the research, finding and making parts, the engineering challenge and working towards the goal of finally taking their handiwork for its first spin. And of course many people enjoy both these aspects to varying degrees. Being a member of the VMCC makes it all that much more enjoyable, and far easier as there is a wealth of knowledge within the VMCC to draw from, a beaut library and monthly magazine to keep everyone in touch.
Your bike doesn’t have to gleam with glossy paint and fresh plating, or be ‘correct’ in every detail. This is just the way that some people like their bikes. For other enthusiasts, a bike that looks like it has just been rescued from a dusty chook-shed is ‘just right’, and so it is too! Whatever approach is your ‘cup of tea’, you are welcome at the VMCC. Of course, your bike must be in keeping with the era it was made (not highly modified) and be compliant with the RMS’s requirements that govern the historic vehicle registration scheme. In fact, you don’t need to own a motorcycle at all to join the VMCC, just the interest and enthusiasm of being around old bikes and talking about them is qualification enough.
So, if you like old girder fork bikes or are interested in restoring or riding one, come along to a Club meeting and have a chat to some friendly VMCC people. Or, you can check out one of our events and see some bikes in action.
The Club is affiliated with the Vintage Motor Cycle Club UK
Club History
On April 29th 1955 Superintendent Gribble of the Police Traffic Branch officially opened a display of Veteran and Vintage motorcycles at the Sydney premises of Burling & Simmons’ motorcycle shop on Parramatta Road, Auburn . On display were 22 machines together with a collection of items showing many of the facets of motor cycling in the pre-war years including trophies, photographs and newspaper cuttings.
The motorcycles on display illustrated the diverse and varied ideas in the veteran and vintage period of design. The oldest machine displayed was a 1909 3.5hp Triumph. This display was the result of efforts by a few well-respected riders and motorcycling personalities. These enthusiasts saw a need to preserve motorcycles from the early days as these machines were fast disappearing. There were tragic cases where magnificent veteran and vintage machines were being thrown away simply for lack of anyone interested in preserving them. It was apparent that unless some positive action was taken the welfare of historic motorcycles and part of Australia’s motorcycling heritage would be lost.
Interested people were canvassed to see what degree of support there was and from that display the “Vintage Motorcyclist Club” evolved. This was the first name chosen for what is now The Vintage Motorcycle Club of Australia (NSW) Inc, the oldest motorcycle club of its type in this country. The inaugural meeting of the Club, convened by Ray Corlett and chaired by Norm Cooper, was held at the Hollywood Hotel on the corner of Hunt and Foster Streets, Sydney on Thursday 28th July 1955.
The Club has a proud history and continues with an active membership.
