Australian Motorcycles

Today in Motorcycle History

Australian Motorcycle Dealers

A

Abell Yamaha Qld
Alex Headland


Action Motorcycles
The firm first opened around 1983 in Wentworth Ave, Sydney, a few doors up from Sydney Motorcycle Wreckers, and moved across the road into premises previously occupied by P. & R. Williams at 74 Wentworth Avenue. They opened another store in Parramatta in the building Brian Collins built. The Suzuki dealer entered receivership around July 2014 and Wentworth Ave, which was the hub of motorcycling in Sydney for many decades, had lost its last but one motorcycle shop. Only MCAS, an accessory store, remained.


Al Paterson Vic. (1960s-70s)
KTM, Husqvarna


Alan Lambert Motorcycles Victoria
Boundary Rd, Mordialloc
Suzuki and Bultaco dealer, early 1970s.


Allparts NSW & Vic.
"The Motorcycle Wreckers"
Goulburn St Sydney (1948) - 66 Wentworth Ave, Sydney (1950s)
423 Elizabeth St. Melbourne (1948, 1950s)
67 Cambridge St Collingwood, Vic. (1950s)
Regent St, Sydney. (1960 & 70s)


Allsop Motorcycles Vic. (1960s-70s)
Honda, Kawasaki


Annand and Thompson Qld
Stones Corner


A. P. North Pty. Ltd.
62-66 Wentworth Ave Sydney. Matchless (1947, 1953)


Arqin Motorcycles Pty Ltd
Unit 1/ 6 Church Rd Moorebank NSW Australia 2170
Web: www.arqinmotorcycles.com (404)
Established in 2007 as a scooter importer.



Arthur Trudgitt, Sydney, 1953

Arthur Trudgitt Sydney, 1953
604-6 Parramatta Road, Croydon
The Speedway Rider Agent


Auto Cycle Service Qld
Fairfield then Moorooka


B


B & D Motorcycles Qld.
Nambour Suzuki


Baglee and Weston
The Crescent, Fairfield
Alf Baglee was a well-known motorcycle racer. Jim Airey did his apprenticeship with them, it is believed.

Progressive Young Firm.
Baglee and Weston Enlarge
Accessories and Showrooms
Two local lads who have gone some considerable distance along the road to success since opening a motor cycle and bicycle shop after the war are Messrs. Alf Baglee and Cyril Weston. Cyril manages their Cabramatta shop. whilst Alf is in control of the shop and workshops at Fairfield, where the likeable young Mick Sneddon is in charge of the accessories department. This department has been enlarged considerably and remodelled, and their spare parts section is one of the largest in the Western Suburbs, if not the largest. The entire shop, which once housed the repair department, is all given over to accessories and a showroom for motor cycle and bicycles.

The Biz (Fairfield, NSW) Thu 15 Nov 1951


Baileys Honda Vic.
Frankston, also sold Italjet in the 1970s. His son Andrew Bailey raced Vintage MX in Queensland.


Les Bailey NSW
Stephen Leslie Bailey ran a motorcycle shop in Tamworth, Australia. He moved to England in 1909 and designed the 1911 Twin Humber Twin, and was then offered a position with Douglas. During the First War he was effectively the Douglas works manager. Post-war he designed and oversaw the production of the R.A Douglas speedway machine. Bailey returned to Australia in 1924.


Beaumonts Qld
a.k.a. Brisbane Kawasaki


Benders Vic. (1960s-70s)
Geelong. Kawasaki


Bert Kingston Qld


Bert Flood Vic. (1960s-70s)
Box Hill, Melbourne. Bultaco, KTM, SWM


Bennett & Barkell (B&B Motorcycles) Sydney


Bennett & Wood Sydney


Bill Maher
27-29 Campbell St, Sydney. (1953)
Puch


Brian Collins Sydney
Major player in the trade for decades. Brian Collins began as a Bridgestone dealer before taking on Yamaha. Their Parramatta shop was later occupied by Action Motorcycles.


Brisbane Suzuki Centre Qld
Ross Street, Newstead


Brisk Sales Qld
Stones Corner


Bryant Suzuki Victoria
Beach St Frankston. The owner, Terry Bryant, founded Top Gear Motorcycles which was later sold to Martin Orchard.


Burling and Simmons Sydney
40 Parramatta Rd, Auburn. (1953)
Triumph dealer, later Harley-Davidson and Benelli in the early 70s.


C

Carlyle & Co.
919 Hay Stéeet. Perth, W.A. Royal Enfield. (1953)


CCM

Canada Cycle and Motor Agency (Qld) Ltd

"The CCM's range of motorcycles, snapped up by shearers travelling between pastoral stations and by young men with a love of speed, included the British 'Triumph' and 'B.S.A.' and the USA's 'Indian'."

Also known as CCMC, the firm imported Autocarrier three-wheelers in 1911.

Source: slq.qld.gov.au


Circular Head Motorcycles Tasmania
Honda dealership. (2012)


Clarry Jones Motorcycles S.A. 1986
709 Port Road, Woodville


Clem Nunn Motorcycles WA
Albany Highway Kenwick Perth, 1974 to 2011.


Coles Motors Vic. (1960s-70s)
Yamaha, Suzuki


Col Crothers NSW. (1947 Advert)
3-4 Church St, Parramatta.
Ariel Dealer


D

Darryl Reeks Qld
Dinmore, Ipswich


Darwin Motorcycle Wreckers S.A. 1986
131 Stuart Highway, Parap


Davies Bros. Sydney.
680 Canterbury Rd, Belmore NSW (1953)
Agents for AJS, Velocette, BSA, Sunbeam, Ariel, Waratah and Vincent.


Disney Motors. Victoria.
410 Elizabeth St. Melbourne. Vincent Dealer, 1953.


Doug Bryants Yamaha ACT
Fyshwick


E

Eglington & Clarke Adelaide, c.1914
39A Rudle Street, Kent Town 1912; 93-97 Pulteney Street 1914.


Eglinton Motorcycles S.A. 1986
61 Port Rd. Kadina Honda Kawasaki


Elliot's Motor Cycles Adelaide 1922
Gawler Place, Pirie St. Harley-Davidson dealer.


Eric Moore Ltd

42 Campbell St, Sydney. Ariel dealers. (1937, 1938)

80 Wentworth Ave, Sydney. Royal Enfield. (1953)


Eurocycle S.A. 1986
296 Port Rd., Hindmarsh
Moto Guzzi, Moto Morini, Ducati



F

Fagerstrom BikeWorks Sydney 1986
342 Parramatta Rd, Petersham
Established by Peter Fagerstrom, a talented tuner who built a Moto Guzzi not unlike the Dr John machine. It crashed at Bathurst and the rider, Mick Lendrum, was quite badly injured. Story has it that the bike came to rest upright, supported by the tank which had become separated. Mick later managed Sydney Motorcycle Wreckers for a decade or so before moving to the Southern Highlands where he managed Staintune Exhausts.


Firth Bros Melbourne


Finlay Bros. 322 Elizabeth St, Melbourne.

More information under Barb Motorcycles.


F. Morrow Bega NSW c.1911


Frank Musset Vic. (1960s-70s)
CZ


Fred Atkinson
374 Auburn Street Goulburn NSW. (1953)


Fraser Motorcycles NSW
Norm Fraser was an early exponent of Bultaco and Ducati with stores in Maitland Rd Mayfield and Broadmeadow Newcastle in the 1960s. The head office is now in Concord, Sydney, with branches in Wollongong, Newcastle and Melbourne.
frasermotorcycles.com.au


Fraser's Imports Pty Ltd S.A. 1986
68-72 Gibson Street, Bowden
Motor Cycle Specialists
Distributors of Quality Products From Around the World


G

Gard Bros 1905~1925 (S.A.)


Gary Adams Vic. (1960s-70s)
Honda


Gary O'Brien Vic. (1960s-70s)
Yamaha


Gateway Yamaha Qld.
Maroochydore


Geo. Bolton & Co.
Pirie Street Adelaide, S.A. Royal Enfield. (1953)


Geoff Bowling Motorcycles
Burnie Tasmania (1970s?)


George Heggie

G.P. Motorcycles S.A. 1986
179 Main South Road, Morphett Vale
Honda dealer.



H

Hendersons Sydney. 1911
40-42 Park St. Advertised Carbine Cycles (the Sydney brand, rather than the Melbourne one, presumably) and Zenith-Gradua motors.


Harry Hinton Sydney (1948, 1953)
325 Chapel Road, Bankstown.
Norton and Triumph agent.
Harry was a well-known motorcycle racer.


Hawkesbury Honda Richmond NSW
Owned by Paul Giles, later by his son son Shawn, who then sold it to Sean Turl who moved it to Windsor.


Hazell and Moore 36-38 Campbell St, Sydney, and Hunter St. West, Newcastle.


J

Jack Kay
418 Forest Road, Bexley, Sydney NSW
Agent for B.S.A., James, Acme, Ariel, Royal Enfield.
1948 Advert


Jacobs Badcock Motorcycles S.A. 1986
300 Port Road, Hindmarsh
*Large Range Of Secondhand Bikes
*Repairs To All Makes
*Wrecking All Popular Makes.


Jim Airey, Fairfield, Sydney
Previously Baglee & Weston, cycle and motorcycle dealers.


Jim Eade sold Laverda in the 70s. The premises was occupied by Classic Allparts around 2015 before they moved to rural NSW.


John Sample Group, Sydney
Moto Guzzi and Aprilia importers and distributors 2000 to 2020. johnsamplegroup.com


J.N Taylor S.A.
Indian and B.S.A. dealers Grenfell Street Adelaide. 1915-1931, probably other years.


Sole Agents for J.A.P. Motors
E. C. WAGENER ON 8 H.P. BLUE SPEC
J.A.P. TO-DAY REGISTERED FASTEST TIME AT M.C.C. SPEED
TRIALS AT MEADOWS.
600 C.C. CLASS WON BY E. WARREN ON A 4¼ H.P.
ELLIOT J.A.P. SPEED APPROXIMATELY 57 MILES PER HOUR
J. B. GILBERT CAPTURED 300 TO 350 C.C WITH 2¾ J.A.P. SPEED APPROXIMATELY 49 MILES PER HOUR.
E. E. KOSTER SECOND IN CLASS WITH 3½ H.P. KENT J.A.P.

(1915 Advert)


John Burrows Vic. (1960s-70s)
Greeves, Dot, OSSA


K

Kellow Vic.
C.B. Kellow, established 1889. 154 Swanston St, Melbourne. 1903. 855 Lonsdale St Melbourne 1904.
Advertised Humber, Werner and Kellow motor cycles.


Ken George Yamaha
Victoria Park WA. Imported Morini Corsaro and 49cc Corsarinos in the 1970s.


Kevlin Yamaha N.T. 1986
26 Elder St, Alice Springs N.T.
(Kev & Lin Pauling)


L

La Guzzi Sydney
Victoria Road, Balmain c.1983
Andreas Seefeld opened his workshop in the early 1980s where he built some quite spectacular Moto Guzzi KCS specials and a BMW R90S MX outfit. He also built a similar Guzzi-powered machine which was owned by Mick Lendrum when manager of SMW. Andreas rode a Guzzi combination from Germany to Australia.


Leo Tobin NSW. (1938 Advertisement)
566 Parramatta Road. Petersham
Isle of Man Lightweight Race Won On A D.K.W. In Record Time
Agents for DKW and HRD motorcycles.


Len Wild Sydney (1947)
598a Parramatta Road, Petersham
Repairs and Spares.
Overhauls, Rebores, Valve Inserts, Wheel Conversions.


Lenroc Limited S.A.
131 Flinders Street, Adelaide (1927-1935, probably earlier and later years)
Triumph Motorcycles


Lloyd Campbell Honda
Burnie Tasmania (1970s?)


Lloyd Chapman Ducati WA imported 350cc Morinis


Lyall O'Brien Vic. (1960s-70s)
Montesa, DKW


M

Maplestone Motors Vic. 1923
318 Elizabeth St Melbourne. Agents for Beardmore Precision.
Maplestone Forks


Markwell Bros. Qld.
5 Victoria Place, South Brisbane. Matchless & Vincent (1953)


Massey Cycle & Motor Depot

Benalla, Victoria 1911

NOTICE OF REMOVAL
MASSEY CYCLE & MOTOR DEPOT
Removed to NUNN STREET,
Next door to 44 Standard Office.
A SPLENDID RANGE of MACHINES On hand.
New Machines from £8 10s to £20.
8TOVE ENAMELLING. Workmanship guaranteed, with 12 years' practioal experience.
A TRIAL SOLICITED.
Note the Address.
J. DUNN.

Benalla Standard (Vic.) Tue 3 Oct 1911 (Trove)


Mayfairs Queensland
284 Adelaide Street. Brisbane. Royal Enfield. (1953)


Maxim Motorcycles Sydney
575 Parramatta Rd., Leichhardt c.1978


McCrae & Pascoe Melbourne


McCulloch Suzuki W.A.
Vic Park Perth


Mick Hone Motorcycles, Melbourne.


Milledge Bros. Melbourne


Modak Motorcycles Victoria
299 Elizabeth St, Melbourne. 1930-2024
Specialists 1940s and post-war British motorcycle parts.
talesofbrickandmortar
modakmotorcycles.com.au


Modern Motorcycles

44 Campbell St, Sydney.

Royal Enfield dealers, 1937


Mollers Motorcycles Qld.
Nambour Kawasaki. Probably the one on the hill on the highway south side of town. Later became Pro Moto at Maroochydore.


Moorooka Yamaha Qld
Coopers Plains


Morgan & Wacker Brisbane

Advertised as "the world's oldest Harley-Davidson dealer outside the USA", by 2019 the Brisbane firm had been trading for 115 years.


Morley S.A.

Mr. J. E. Morley, Victoria Buildings, Grenfell street, Adelaide, imported Hobart Bird motorcycles. 1911


N

Norm Askew
Wiley Park, Sydney. 1950s
Norm's son Carl Askew became an international speedway rider, and later was well known in the trade.


Northcott Blacktown NSW, Suzuki dealer.


O

Omodies NSW
473-475 Pitt Street Sydney
W.F. Omodie was probably the longest established motorcycle dealer in the Sydney CBD.


P

Palmer and Goodsell NSW, 1953
Corner Foveaux and Belmore Steets, Sydney.
Motorcycle repairs.


P. & R. Williams Pty. Ltd.
74-78 Wentworth Ave., Sydney.
Panther dealers, 1937


Percy Armstrong

Percy Armstrong was a cyclist and a car and motorcycle enthusiast who established a chain of bicycle shops across the Goldfields, and became a pioneer of the motor trade of WA. He imported Werner motorcycles to Perth, Western Australia. Probably the first he brought in was a Dussart et Accou, in 1899.

In 1893 Percy shaved more than 24 hours from the Sydney–Melbourne bicycle record, and he went on to take numerous records with motorcycles and automobiles - he crossed the Nullabor 18 times, the last crossing when he was 75 years old, in 1940. He had lost a leg in one of his motorcycle accidents, but continued to race despite this.

Sources: 3-wheelers.com, historicalcycleclub.com.au, rac.com.au.


Peter Stevens Melbourne

Venerable Melbourne establishment.
https://www.mcnews.com.au/peter-stevens-managing-director-paul-chiodo/ (Feb 2020)
N.B. They had premises in Warrigal Rd Moorabbin which was destroyed by fire in the late 70's - it didn't seem to slow them down very much.


Pete's Pitstop Qld.
Yandina in late 70's. (Perhaps not officially a motorcycle shop)


Pitmans Motorcycles S.A. (1960s-70s)
Yamaha


Pratt & Osbourne Vic. (1960s-70s)
Suzuki, Yamaha


R

Ranco Yamaha S.A. 1986
1750 Main North Road, Salisbury Plains.


Rathmore Cycle Works

Progressive Young Firm.
RATHMORE MOTOR CYCLE AND WORKS,
366 BURWOOD BOAD, GLENFERRIE
Repairs a Speciality. All kinds of work done. Bicycles—Best American £9 upwards; B.S.A., from £12 10s
correspondence invited
A. H. BUNNING

Advocate (Melbourne, Vic.) Sat 20 Oct 1906

Rathmore Cycle Works, op Town Hall, Hawthorn
The Argus Sat 12 May 1906
Source: Trove NLA


Redfern Motorcycles was the first Harley dealer in Australia. They sold the Harley franchise to Burling & Simmons (aka Burlo's, or Burglars and Stealers) The owner of Redfern Motocycles was often seen riding a Harley-Davidson (or possibly Indian) combination. One of the machines in his small collection was a flat twin HD.


Mark Reubenstein

Agent For A.J.S„ Velocette. Norton, Ariel Royal Enfield.

604 Parramatta, Road, Croydon.

(1938 Advert)


Reynolds Yamaha S.A. 1986
19 Sturt St. Mount Gambier. Proprietor: Trevor Reynolds


Rising Sun Queensland Honda (2012)


R & M Motorcycles
Honda Northern Territory (2012)


Ron Angel Richmond, Melbourne. Imported Ducati 750SS and GT, also Morini. 1970s.


Ropart Honda Qld
Moorooka


Ryan and Honey NSW.

4 Hunt Street, Sydney

(Corner of Hunt Street and Wentworth Avenue)

Advertised as Paddy Ryan & Co in 1948.



Ryans of Parramatta NSW.

Paddy Ryan was a household name in motorcycling for decades - he began business in 1939. His impressive collection of vintage motorcycles included a Quirk's Mona and a 1912 Triumph.


Russell, Walsh and Hitchcock, of 263 Cardigan Street, Carlton. Manufacturer of Aussi-Also motorcycles, 1919-1920.

S

Sandy Marshall NSW (1948)
38a Stoney Creek Road, Bexley
Agent for Triumph, Norton, Velocette, AJS.


Smith's Motor Works NSW
Burwood St. Newcastle. 1920s
65 Hunter St. West, Newcastle. 1930s


Smith Sons and Rees NSW
30 Wentworth Ave, Sydney. Vincent dealer, 1953.


G. H. Spence NSW
Keira Street, Wollongong
Ariel, Panther, Norton and Triumph Sales and Service
Established 1923 (1938 Advertisement)

Sport & Road Vic. (1960s-70s)
Hodaka


Sport and Road
Burnie Tasmania, Yamaha dealer (1970s?)


Springs Motors NSW
Blaxland Road Eastwood, Sydney. Bridgestone dealer, later Yamaha.


Stacker Motorcycles Vic.
Heidelberg West, Melbourne
Located in Malvern and run by John Burrows and Keith Stacker in the 1960s. Run by Paul Stacker in 2010


Stan Ellis, Cnr. Goulburn St and Elizabeth St, Sydney


Stewarts Motor Cycles Pty. Ltd. Victoria
326 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne. Royal Enfield. (1953)


Stoney Creek Motorcycles NSW
Bexley, Sydney. Sold Morini c.1978-80


"Sports" Motorcycle Depot Victoria
Tuttle's Buildings, High Street Shepparton. New Imperial dealers, 1925.


Suncoast Yamaha Qld.
Woombye


Superb Cycles Sydney

Church St Parramatta, opposite the Rivoli dance hall. AJS dealer in the 1950s.


Suzuki South S.A. 1986
1070 South Rd., Edwardstown


Sven Kallin Motor Co.
140 Gawler Place Adelaide. Vincent Dealer, 1953.


Sydney Motorcycle Wreckers
Established in the mid 1970s by speedway star Bob Levy as Liverpool Motorcycle Wreckers, the Sydney branch opened in Goulburn Street in 1980 before moving to 69 Wentworth Ave in 1981. They moved to Tom Byrnes former workshop at Euston St Alexandria in 1998, and ceased trading around 2015.


T

Taffy Williams Yamaha NSW
Yass Road, Queanbeyan.


Tatiara Motorcycles S.A. 1986
102 Woolshed St, Bordertown. Yamaha, Honda


Taylor Cycle & Motorcycle Co. NSW
633 Hunter Street West, Newcastle. Royal Enfield. (1953)


Tom Byrne NSW
A BMW dealer for decades, originally based at 34 Wentworth Ave they moved to St Peters towards the end of the 1990s. Their large modern showrooms displayed BMW, Triumph and Aprilia. Closed in 2004. The business was taken over by Procycle of Hornsby. Short History of Tom Byrne Motorcycles


Toorak Village Motorcycles Vic. (1960s-70s)
Kawasaki


Top Rider Motorcycles NSW

Previously named Ryde Motorcycles. Located intersection of Lane Cove and Blaxland Roads Top Ryde. (owner died by his own hand in the 1980s)

Lester Morris worked at Omodies and later at Ryde Motor Cycles. He used to describe modified bikes as "hotter than a stove bolt" and said to the buyer of a BSA Goldstar that it used a 44 gallon drum for a carby slide. ~ forum.ozvmx.com

Turner Bros Melbourne


V

Vivian Lewis Ltd (S.A.)
Lewis Cycle Works, Adelaide from 1901 to 1927.
174-180 Gawler Place, Adelaide, (1913) 168-180 Gawler Place (1922)
Branches — Balaklava, Broken Hill, Clare, Kadina, Mount Gambier, Port Pirie, Unley.
Manufacturer of Lewis Motorcycles


W

Webby's Motorcycles
Caloundra Qld.


West Coast Honda Motorcycles
Western Australia (2012)


Westralian Motorcycles. WA
855 Hay Street. Perth. Vincent Dealer. (1953)


W.H. Leech Cycle Works NSW 1904
11 Armstrong Street, Ballarat.



Williams Brothers NSW
255-259 Elizabeth St, Sydney. Douglas Agents (1925)


Wooden's Motor Trading Co.
Bayliss Street, Wagga, N.S.W. Royal Enfield. (1953)


Bob Woodward (1947 Advert)

157 Victoria Rd.. Drummoyne, Sydney NSW

Agent for Triumph, Velocette, Norton, A.J.S., Sunbeam, Panther


W. Tyler S.A.
Flinders St Adelaide. 1906