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British Bikes / Re: Australian-made motorcycles in the 1950s - help please
« Last post by R on October 07, 2026, 11:29:02 AM »
My little Waratah spent its entire life on a farm, going to check on the cattle every morning.

When it was about worn out, it was replaced - by a CL175. Circa 1971 I think.
I bought it at the farm clearing sale, one owner, never been off the farm.
It still ran, but the teeth were nearly entirely worn off the gearbox sprocket.
And the big end talked to you
Probably never had a penny spent on it ...
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British Bikes / Re: Australian-made motorcycles in the 1950s - help please
« Last post by 33d6 on October 07, 2026, 05:00:26 AM »
Given Rupanyup is in the middle of nowhere and too far away from anywhere to be in actual riding distance by Malvern Star I wouldn't be surprised if it was bought but never registered and never got outside Rupanyup. Is the place even big enough to rate its own cop shop to keep an eye out for such blatant lawlessness as an unregistered autocycle?  It would be hard to think of a more impractical motor vehicle for the area. Perhaps it was just used to come in from the farm to collect the mail or some such. I suspect the novelty quickly wore off and the wee beast spent most of its life sitting in a shed.
Go back and ask. Leon.
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British Bikes / Re: Australian-made motorcycles in the 1950s - help please
« Last post by R on October 07, 2026, 12:06:55 AM »
Quote from: cardan on October 06, 2026, 10:39:14 AM

Worth repeating something from above: the frame is fully gas welded (no lugs) at the Malvern Star factory, which was a modern process for 1948.

Aye - my similar era Waratah 125cc is the same - all welded frame, no lugs.

Quite a substantial weld around the steering head too, no lug there either.
Without sandblasting it and studying it closely.

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British Bikes / Re: Australian-made motorcycles in the 1950s - help please
« Last post by cardan on October 06, 2026, 10:39:14 AM »
Oh bummer. Why is the one you're looking for always missing? It's said that the bike was bought new for use in Rupanyup, but even though it's way out in the sticks you'd think it would have been registered when new. Maybe communication between Melbourne and Rupanyup was a bit flakey. Thanks for looking!

By the way, I missed the "S" at the start of the engine number - looking more closely I see it tangled up with the "No".

Yes, R, it would benefit from a wipe over. Or better still, an occasional spin around the car park. The Auto-byke is not much of a motorcycle, but this one is a very nice example. Worth repeating something from above: the frame is fully gas welded (no lugs) at the Malvern Star factory, which was a modern process for 1948.

Leon
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British Bikes / Re: Australian-made motorcycles in the 1950s - help please
« Last post by 33d6 on October 06, 2026, 08:20:38 AM »
Interesting. S586/15553 and S586/15555 are listed, both first registered mid 1949 but no S586/15554. There are little gaps like this all throughout the list, remember that this is only the Victorian records. I've no idea how many were sold in other States.
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British Bikes / Re: Australian-made motorcycles in the 1950s - help please
« Last post by R on October 05, 2026, 09:06:12 PM »
That bike could be greatly improved by dabbing on some phosphoric or citric acid ?.
And careful rinse off and then a light wipeover with linseed oil.
(gently removes the bulk of the rust, and puts a shine back in original paint)

Or even just a wipeover with an oily rag.
But that precludes any future gentle rust removal.

I know some folk like the rusty crusty look, but when it has sooo much potential as an original paint bike ...  ???
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British Bikes / Re: 1932 Coventry eagle Silent supreme
« Last post by R on October 05, 2026, 09:01:04 PM »
Quote from: Rex on October 05, 2026, 09:23:33 AM
I don't suppose fasteners in such an odd-ball size are that common either..

I know its not quite the same thing, but the local Norton bolts supplier makes a small range of bolts etc in slightly oversize sizes,
to suit various Norton fasteners that are well known for causing such problems.
Particularly the 26tpi drain plugs into alloy castings, and the front fork stay bolts - also 26 tpi into alloy.

I've deployed a few of these, and they easily 'fix' such problems.  Very solidly and permanently
Note - may not be interchangeable with stock items
(But then neither are 9/32" )....
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British Bikes / Re: 1932 Coventry eagle Silent supreme
« Last post by geoff.godwin on October 05, 2026, 04:59:32 PM »
Back in the day Namrick had some of them .Geoff
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British Bikes / Re: 1932 Coventry eagle Silent supreme
« Last post by Rex on October 05, 2026, 09:23:33 AM »
Quote from: geoff.godwin on October 02, 2026, 05:06:49 PM
. the tricky bit is getting hold of good 9/32 taps and dies Geoff

I don't suppose fasteners in such an odd-ball size are that common either..
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British Bikes / Re: Australian-made motorcycles in the 1950s - help please
« Last post by cardan on October 05, 2026, 06:52:21 AM »
I came across a very original Malvern Star Autocycle in the museum in Rupanyup [edit: not Pupanyup as I first typed], not far from Horsham in country Victoria. It originally belonged to the uncle of a chap at the museum.

33d6, is this one listed on the rego records? It's a 1948 model (8M frame number prefix) and the engine number is 586/15554. Interesting to see if the original rego was in Rupanyup!

Thanks

Leon
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