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31
British Bikes / Re: “Star” motorcycles
« Last post by cardan on March 10, 2026, 03:18:23 AM »
33d6 - I sent you the text version of the article by PM.

I love that the Williams boys were "half cousins" with S. L. (Les) Bailey of Douglass: explains a lot!

Leon
32
British Bikes / Re: “Star” motorcycles
« Last post by 33d6 on March 10, 2026, 12:38:10 AM »
At least one Villiers powered Star survives (sort of). I saw it for sale at the VVMCC Scoresby Swapmeet a few years back. Supposedly restored it wasn't done well plus the original Mk XII-C engine had been swapped out for an earlier MK VI-C retrieved from an Atco lawnmower. 
I've long since learnt it never goes down well telling a hopeful owner that his exotic and rare early Villiers engine is in fact a rather common lawnmower engine. Yes the MK VI-C was only used in motorcycles for 1923 but it survived for many many years afterwards for lawnmower use. Anyway, a surviving Star with incorrect engine is better than no Star at all. I hope its still around.

I too found the Williams notes fascinating and the Velo remarks do tie in well with Phil Irving's autobiography but reading them was a pain as when expanded the page was too big for my computer screen. Manoeuvring them around to read was a pain and I probably missed a few of the more subtle points. Pity about that. 
33
British Bikes / Girls In Your Town - No Selfie - Anonymous Adult Dating
« Last post by expatriot on March 08, 2026, 09:37:29 AM »
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34
British Bikes / Re: Malvern Star
« Last post by cardan on March 08, 2026, 09:32:29 AM »
Not for me, personally.

Elsewhere in the Malvern Star front, I recently came across two frames that I think might be Malvern Stars from the Tom Finnigan era - pre 1920! The bicycle guys have found that Tom Finnigan used the prefix TF on his bicycle frames, so when there are two surviving motorcycle frames (albeit rather different) with prefix TF1... fair guess that they're Malvern Stars? One frame is very AG Healing (Melbourne), and both frames are Aussie built.

Leon
35
British Bikes / Re: “Star” motorcycles
« Last post by cardan on March 08, 2026, 09:16:13 AM »
Thanks - that's very interesting: memoirs like this from people who were actually there are rare, and give us an insight into the non-public goings-on in the industry. The downside is they are often written down late in life when the memory is not quite tip-top. But here Reg Williams gives it a red-hot go and paints an interesting picture. There are a few puzzling bits: in particular the reference to Wolf doesn't fit in with anything I've seen about Williams, but perhaps it's just a mis-remembering of Sun. (In the 1930s it was Bennett and Wood who, in Sydney, brought in Wolf bikes/sets, which they sold as the B&W Wasp and Hornet.)

Page 3 ends half way through a sentence - have you got the next page?

Cheers

Leon
36
British Bikes / Re: “Star” motorcycles
« Last post by Ozziebsa on March 08, 2026, 12:30:40 AM »
There's little evidence that Villiers engines were built into locally made frames though.
Photos of any such assembly are in very short supply - even from makers who were reputed to be doing this ???
Full imports seems to have become the norm in the 1930s and postwar ?

Yes I agree. Mind you, in the 1930s very few Australian firms claimed to be building their own Villiers lightweights. Perhaps only Acme (Bennett & Wood), and I suppose I believe them. The others - Star, Essex, Simplex, Utility, Waratah, B&W Wasp, B&W Hornet, Utility, Cottman Colt (RE), and probably more - were very likely just rebranded imports, although I have an open mind if more info comes to light. It's not very glamorous, but it is part of the story.

Leon

The accompanying notes appear to be an interview with Reg Williams by Peter Jones sourced from his National Library boxes of materials. Reg Williams mentions the Wasp in particular. I am not sure if Peter Jones ever published this anywhere.
37
British Bikes / Re: Malvern Star
« Last post by R on March 06, 2026, 09:40:49 PM »
I reckon he was just fishing for offers, and aimed big.
Its been up for a while

A bit of quick assembly, "barn find as found" ?
If it was all there...


38
British Bikes / Re: Waratah article
« Last post by R on March 06, 2026, 09:35:07 PM »
That makes 2 of us - spent my $15 and was rewarded with a single page that could have been improved by consulting here.
Ah well, makes for bumper profits on the 1st issue under new management. ??

We'll see if we can tap into that missing page.

39
British Bikes / Re: Waratah article
« Last post by cardan on March 05, 2026, 01:17:03 AM »
Their proof reader is still on holiday.

So I spent my $15 to read the very sparse article on Waratahs, which would have benefited from a bit of googling https://classicmotorcycleforum.com/index.php?topic=6172.0

Proof reading. Mmm... I might have enjoyed the article about Phil Irving's exploits, but (in my copy of the mag, at least) instead of the last page of the article I scored another copy of the second page. I grew up reading Motorcycle Sport, which famously spread bits of an article all over the issue, but in this case the end of the article was nowhere to be found. I doubt I'll spend another $15 next month to get the end of it!

Leon
40
British Bikes / Re: Malvern Star
« Last post by cardan on March 05, 2026, 01:07:58 AM »
Wow, that's a big project for an auto cycle. I reckon you might buy a complete, running Malvern Star for maybe $2-3k, so a restoration like this would have to be a labour of love. Hope someone has fun.

Leon
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