Ride Cancelled: Venues stay open. Naked Racer's Rock'n'Roll ride to Bendigo, the Black Swan and Elvis

Due to a most unfavourable weather forecast, I have made the decision to delete the ride component from this Saturday's Bendigo event,

If I haven't called you personally to discuss, please accept this as a formal announcement along with my apology.

On the upside, both Dave Reidie at Castlemaine and Dugal James at the Black Swan in Bendigo have agreed to remain open in the event visitors still want to see these amazing collections. Having seen for myself Dave's collection of historic Harley-Davidsons and Dugal's Indians (and others) I can only describe both as 'jaw-dropping'.

Dugal will be on site at 117/119 McCrae St, Bendigo to receive guests from 2 - 4pm [Google map link]

Dave will be on site from 12-2pm. Please email for directions

Rod Hadfield's Hot Rod Museum will be open as normal at 624 Pyrenees Highway, Chewton

Elvis Exhibition is open as normal. Bookings are strongly recommended.

Food and drink will be available from numerous local outlets

Unless I am advised otherwise, the other venues will be open as normal

Harcourt General Store - Shiraz Republic - St Anne's Winery 

St Annes Winery will be open as usual on Saturday and riders would be most welcome to pop in and have a taste of some of our wines. Should they like to stay and enjoy a ploughmans lunch this option is also available. On Sunday each week we do offer pizzas with our live music amd for these events it is always a good idea to book

Again, I'm sorry we won't be riding, but please enjoy these great exhibitions regardless.

Cheers
Rod

0418 214 028

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Bendigo to host massive motorcycle collection in new museum

The heritage-rich city of Bendigo, an easy two-hour ride/drive from Melbourne CBD, is set to open a most impressive motorcycle-themed restaurant and nightspot.

Housed in the former Black Swan Hotel, right in the heart of Bendigo on Pall Mall, the ornate two-storey Victorian premises was built in 1873 at the height of the gold rush and has witnessed many of the city’s great events. 

En route to Melbourne, I contrived to stop over in Bendigo and check out the progress and meet with Dugal James, the avid motorcycle collector who has purchased the premises and installed a couple dozen of his favourite machines along with memorabilia.

Dugal James with a gallery of some of his Indian Motorcycle heroes (RE)

“My obsession with motorcycles began before I left home and went to university,” Dugal told me as we eyed the expansive display in the old hotel’s entranceway. He is now a highly accomplished surgeon living and working in Bendigo. “Indian motorcycles have been my primary focus, but as you can see, I’m quite partial to both Italian and German machines, particularly the rarer and more unusual examples.”

Muscling In

Click image for a PDF

April 2017

 

There’s nothing quite like having almost a half-tonne of American metal beneath a comfortably cushioned saddle, the rhythmic rumble of an overly large V-twin engine punching through the buffeting breeze and a highway unfurling to a distant horizon ahead. Not for nothing are the most popular and revered of American motorcycles known as “cruisers.”

For 40 years, Robb Report has been an arbiter of living well. Covering the newest and finest in luxury worldwide, Robb Report fuels the contemporary desires of today’s elite consumers. This new Australian edition is for affluent, discerning people who are passionate about discovering the unparalleled, acquiring the meaningful, and experiencing the best of the best as a celebration of their success. Robb Report Australia is your source for luxury knowledge and inspiration. Our mission is to provide inside access and fresh insight to living well.

American Muscle Bikes

We might not be talking about the most refined or highly technical bikes on the market, but those who love them, and there are plenty of us, say that’s their appeal.

The big air-cooled V-Twins of US biker folklore are the undisputed bad boys of the tarmac with a pedigree that stretches back well over a century. Their appeal has next to nothing to do with latest advances in technology or creature comfort refinement, but everything to do with image, street cred and raw sex appeal.

Read the full story in World Magazine - Summer 2017