The Classic Owners Motorcycle Club Inc.

We have received the sad news that Charlie Brown has passed away. Charlie has been a member of the club since 1974, 50 years this year. He was also Treasurer between 2010-2014.

Details and arrangements for the funeral have yet to be announced, watch this space.

He also wrote articles for the Courier back in the day – here’s an example of some of his prose:

My Motorcycling Days Part 9 Charlie Brown

My forte is road riding and touring, although I enjoyed the dirt riding on a suitable bike, so when I came upon an ad for 1968 Velocette Thruxton in original condition for $650, registered I hurriedly visited my bank (I was a bit more affluent by now). Unfortunately, the owner wasn’t home when I called, but his wife said he was disappointed at the two previous callers who thought he wanted too much for an old-fashioned bike!! I said I’d call again to buy at the weekend after having a good look. I noted the big G.P. carb and competition magneto, if those previous callers only knew that a bike similar to this ‘old-fashioned one’ had won the 500cc class of the production TT and placed 2^nd overall to a 650 Thruxton Bonneville in 1966, both clocking over 150mph on Sulby Straight!

That cunning brain of mine went to work again. I put $600 in my wallet and the other $50 in my hip pocket before I called again. I learned that he was a ‘swinger’ for one of the sidecar racing boys and they need money to update their old Triumph outfit. he said he bought the Velo new from Burling and Simmonds in order to burn around and thrash his mates. he obviously knew the potential of a Thruxton and said Bonnies and GT Falcons were no match, but he couldn’t take a 750 four. I let him know I couldn’t raise more that- $600 which he reluctantly accepted after he had shown me the starting technique and how well the bike ran.

The ride home was quite exhilarating, it seemed like an incredible speed at so little revs. My wrists when I reached home and on closer inspection, I noticed the clip-ons were in reverse, giving an unnatural upsweep and with the steering stop filled right back they cleared the top of the tank, giving a better turning circle. It was then I also noticed the slight bend in both fork legs, as if the previous owner had hit a brick wall. I soon got the opportunity to right all the faults I has discovered and I kept my promise allowing Stan Edwards a ride.

I expected his ride to take about 10 minutes but when he didn’t return after about half an hour, I went out in the Mini to find him. He wasn’t far from home, all puffed out and pushing the bike. “It just stopped!”. He couldn’t restart it, even the kick-starter wouldn’t turn it over. I couldn’t believe it had seized and started to remove the tank to get at the motor, but when I reached under the seat for the 30 X 12 inch rag I kept there it had gone. Fearing the impossible I lifted the carburettor slide and spied a wisp of rag deep down the inlet tract. Removing the head revealed all the rag packed tightly into the combustion chamber with a leading and trailing end in the inlet and exhaust ports. There was not enough room for the piston to reach top dead centre. The cartoon of the little man being sucked down the carb bell mouth of a Thruxton ‘Fishtail’ now had some bearing.

Luckily, the engine damage was minimal, with only a bent exhaust valve and pushrods. I took this opportunity to have the forks straightened with new seals fitted. Besides replacing the valve and pushrods, I checked the rest of the motor for wear and only fitted new piston rings. The clip-on handle bars were refitted the right way with a new steering stop to prevent the bars hitting the tank. I also discovered it had a non-standard 19 tooth countershaft sprocket fitted, no wonder the previous owner burnt off Bonnevilles, I fitted the standard 21 tooth which made its legs even longer.

With the bike running sweetly again I was the envy of the towns biker bods and was often engaged in conversation with reminiscing old-timers. Imagine me restarting the Velo in the main street after a shopping stint; the distinctive ‘single’ thump attracting all ears and then all heads turn for the first gear only acceleration for the whole 100 yards of the street. The gearing was incredibly high, I could only use first and second gear for legal about town speeds, in fact I only changed into top above 70mph. This feature proved quite amusing when riding home from work with Johnny Guillam. He was on a Tiger 100SS and feeling quite pleased with his machine as he thought we were both in top at 70mph until he heard me change up!

Since acquiring the Velo I made a few very good friends, notably Bernie Spencer, who owned a rarely used Venom. It was in Bernie’s ‘Green Horror’ that I saw the Southern Cross Rally advertised. Johnny Guillam was also interested, so we entered our bikes and started out early one Friday morning to make Melbourne that night. I was disappointed in John’s bike or was it his riding? He wouldn’t cruise higher than 70-75mph and insisted on long and frequent stops to rest his aching bum and torture his lungs with tobacco smoke.

We left Melbourne next day in pouring rain which came bucketing down near Ballarat, so we stopped under a shop awing to gain respite (and for John to have a fag). Through the waterfall we could see a little figure on a motorbike approaching, at the sight of us the rider pulled in and dismounted- only just, as her feet barely touched the ground. We soon introduced ourselves and got chatting. Her name was Barbara and we have always referred to her a ‘Ballarat Barbara’, so I have forgotten her surname. We were then joined by another rider on his way to the Southern Cross on a 750 Four K1. Barbara, however was on her way back to Ballarat on her 350 Honda she called ‘Honny’ after attending lectures in Melbourne. When we mentioned our intentions of looking for a hotel in Ballarat to avoid the incessant rain, she quickly offered the use of her flat as she was working at the Ballarat Hospital that night.

We set off together for the 10 miles to Barbie’s flat. In conversing we learnt that the boys from the Ballarat Rovers MCC were very good to her when she was hospitalized as a result of being knocked off her bike by a motorist. They even looked after and paid for her flat. Consequently she had a lot of time for motorcyclists.

The next day was thankfully dry and after hot shower, a good night’s sleep and a hearty breakfast we were more than ready to reach the rally site that day. After our goodbyes and thankyous when Barbara returned from work, we set off at a pretty pace, as the Honda rider did not hang about. At our first stop at Horsham we had to wait a fair while for John to catch up. When we set off after lunch it wasn’t long before John disappeared from rear vision mirrors, but we two pressed on regardless maintaining 85-90mph. At the next fuel stop the Melbourne lad suggested we carry on and wait for John at the rally site. This time we wound it up, holding 95-100mph I was amazed how well the Thruxton handled at speed, at 95 the rearview mirrors were stock steady and the exhaust sounded like a very fast Triumph twin tick over. The Honda rider was even more shattered by the Velo performance saying it was far better than his previous bike a Bonneville. We reached the rally about three or four hours later. John rolled into the camp and I suffered some abuse, John reckoned he couldn’t even stop for a smoke while trying to catch up.

This was my first Australian Rally and I wasn’t disappointed. Not as large as the Dragon but the same type of fellas and some interesting machines. That was when I saw the ‘Another Triumph for Harley Davidson’ special, a Harley in a Triumph frame. I also saw a Velo in a Norton frame. The Thruxton came in for its fair share of ogling, especially as it was very standard and the unbelievable but true ravings of the Honda rider about the Velo’s performance.

John and I returned to Nowra via the Sturt Highway through Mildura, Wagg Wagga, and Gouldburn. We spent the night at the side of the road with a piece of canvas tied from the bushes to our bikes. I stayed at John’s pace as I felt guilty at not waiting for him the last time. The only excitement came when I tired of waiting while one semi trying to overtake another. As they were taking so long and had left such a big gap between them, I changed down and blasted past them down the middle of the road. I was only disappointed that John couldn’t follow.

VELOCETTE THRUXTON PERFORMANCE DATA