Ride Reports

Home                       

back to  Ride Reports index

Rubber burns at

Vietnam Veterans Motorcycle Club (VVMC)

Queensland Chapter rally

13th to 14th March, 2010

Despite somewhat iffy weather, around ten from our HOG chapter made it up north to attend the rally held by the Queensland Chapter of the Vietnam Veterans Motorcycle Club (VVMC) at Kingston, Queensland, on Saturday 13th March.

The event drew large numbers of Vietnam veterans alongside many from a variety of motorcycle clubs.

There was a large number of stalls, selling the usual stuff.

The Vietnam Vets at Kingston have a great clubhouse, set among some very picturesque bushland with ample camping facilities. They run a neat, nifty bar where you can obtain liquid refreshment for the exchange of prepurchased vouchers and kitchen facilities provide some food.

On show was a wide range of bikes (many HDs of course) of variety of models and ages ..... (note the bike in the foreground in the picture below - how old is it?)

Above: a Harley-Davidson "Topper" motor scooter circa 1960. They had motors around 165cc., developing from 5 to 9 hp. Around 3000 to 5000 were produced at the Tomahawk Operation Factory in Wisconsin USA between 1959 and 1965, although the actual number is unknown. Possibly three are known to be in Australia. This one is a 1960 Topper, imported into Australia sometime in the 1980s by Pacific Harley and purchased (by the present owner) in 2002.

(How do I know all this? - It was written on the poster stuck to its side.)

There was a variety of embellishments and paintjobs

and quite a number of very interesting (hotted up) vintage cars.

 Some (very) Heavy Duty burnouts .....

.....that left you wondering ......

........ especially about serious environmental impact

(and pulmonary dysfunction if you were too close)

     .....  and the inevitable result .....

     ...........  tyre-wise

There was some very clever and skilled stunt riding

T

(not in the air like at the Gold Coast bike expo,

but bikes on ground stuff).

     .... very clever ....

..... although heavy on the wear and tear .....

  ..... and in the end, ..........

     The band for the night played an interesting collection of (also vintage) music ranging from the late 60s to 70s.

You had to be there. Great stuff.

Saturday's weather was fine until later in the afternoon, then patches of light and heavy rain lasting a few minutes at a time continuing throughout the rest of the day and through the night. But no one got wet.

The next day was something different. we all started off for home, but someone got lost. (Not his definition - lets just say he didn't seem to be just behind us as we left the venue.). We waited, doubled back, looked, and waited. And waited. On the highway just out of the venue for the certain person to join up ... but no where to be seen. It turned out that - yes, he did take the wrong turn, and followed the wrong group of bikes (again, not his words) - but still managed to be waiting at the Chinderah petrol shop when we finally arrived there. Oh yeah.

The weather started off fine, but towards the boarder where it phizzed down by the bucketful.!!!

But it was still a great weekend. The Viet Vets MC guys were great - thank you guys for your hospitality. Would love to do it again.

By Neil

PS - see more photos in the gallery section - click here

to top of page             

back to  Ride Reports index

Home