After a long summer stuck watching sport with no wheels, we finally got the chance to load the trailer and head up to The Bend, about an hour south-east of Adelaide, for our first race meeting of 2024.

Round one of the combined South Australian and Victorian Road Racing Championships also played host to the first Australian Sidecar Championship round for 2024, bringing great competition from across the Country.

Having pit garages full of eager sidecar teams was a great opportunity to mix and mingle with others involved in racing, take on new advice and debrief with a smile after each session. With large fields, every team had another matched up on similar lap times, making the racing exciting for all.

The late summer heat had continued with temperatures into the 30’s over the three days, although it was better than the previous week’s 40 degree-plus heatwave! Still, both Royce and Leonard were feeling it in the afternoons, going through plenty of water and staying put in front of the pedestal fans.

Friday’s practice saw us get out five times to hone some new suspension, then it was straight into qualifying and race one on Saturday. After some great dicing with other F2 machines, and a couple F1s making their way past us, we held onto third for our class. Sunday’s two races took a similar turn, moving around positions in the opening few laps before securing third in both.

Being the first round, this places us third in the National F2 Championship and second in the SA Combined Sidecar Championship. We now have a slight break in the national calendar for a few months, with a couple practices and SA rounds approaching fast!

After cracking a celebratory Guinness in Locky’s ear for St Pat’s Day, Royce had this to say:

“After about eight or so months since being at The Bend, we were pretty keen to apply some of the knowledge we had learned from the past few races.”

“Catching up with some friends we made last year, the yarns were flowing in the pits nearly as much as the water in the hot Tailem Bend weather. With the sidecar feeling much more manageable after changing the shocks we could properly start figuring out suspension set up.

“We’re starting to really pick up the pace, but we’re also still trying to figure out how to keep the outfit planted coming out of corners instead of pushing wide. But we are dropping heaps in lap time since we were out last, showing us that we are on the right track.”

“To be third in the Australian titles after less than a year’s experience on the bike, next to some very tough completion, I’m very happy with our efforts. Thanks heaps to all that helped in the pits, Leonard for delivering consistent swinging and I’m very much looking forward to getting out for some more practice before our next race.”

After fainting when realising what four beers at the Bend bar costs at trophy presentations, Leonard came to and said:

“Although it had been a few months between rides, we got straight back into the hang of things and I tried to take on advice from a few other passengers on where to be, when.”

“With Royce changing race lines and braking markers, I had to prepare myself for a few quick moves but overall, it felt much smoother with the new shocks. It was especially helpful having some great competition to follow and given the longer straight, have a moment to reset.

“I’m pretty stoked to be sitting where we are in the championship, so hopefully we can just keep improving times – just wish we could go back out to The Bend for more laps!

“Thanks to everyone who all helped over the weekend and in the lead up. The biggest thanks goes to all the interstate competitors who made the effort in a long journey over to SA for the meeting – we wouldn’t have a sidecar series to race in if it wasn’t for the great numbers!”

A track day at Mallala ended the New Year break for us, which was ideal give we had plenty of testing to do.

New Maxton shockers replaced the worn-out old ones and this virtually got rid of the shopping trolley characteristics straight away, much to Royce’s delight!

We also discovered that sidecars use a steering damper, so one of those was fitted as well.

After the last race meeting, we found two of the four drive pins connecting the rear wheel with the hub had sheared off, so some new ones were made and some refinements were carried out to hopefully avoid it happening again.

Lenno was unavailable for the ride day, probably because he knew it was going to be 38 degrees in the shade. Our spare passenger, Jess Watson, was thrown in the deep end and did a great job while also shedding about 20kg.

After cooling off, Royce had this to say.

“After indulging in a few Christmas puds over silly season, it was great to get back into the driver’s seat and get that race fitness up.

“Nothing better than doing it in the scorching heat of summer at Mallala! Last time we were out in this kind of heat, I was racing solo in the Adelaide 3 Hour, resulting in retiring two or so hours in from heat exhaustion, after my water mechanism stopped working.

“Luckily not having to be out there for 3 hours, Jess was keen to try some bikram yoga in the passenger seat so we eased into it with the main goal of the day to test the new shockers.

“Being pretty taxing on the body, with Jess still learning the ropes we singled out a few corners to really test what we needed. Preparing myself to wrestle the handlebars coming out of the southern hairpin, to fight the stiff violent action it used to give me, the new suspension kept the front end planted which nearly ended up in me making a u-turn.

“Great news moving forward, as we can now really start concentrating on adjusting suspension without chasing our tails. Apart from the heat, ‘twas good fun and I can’t wait for the upcoming first round of the Australian Championship at The Bend on 15, 16 and 17 of March.”

After closing out our 2023 season on a high, the Rowe Racing Team is chomping at the bit to hit the track in 2024! You can check out some highlights from the final round at Mallala in the video above.

Both the Australian F2 Sidecar Championship and State Titles kick off in March, and you can keep up to date right here on our racing blog for all the results and team developments.

See you trackside!

What a difference six months can make! Since our very first race meeting at Mallala, we’ve continually been trying to improve the sidecar’s setup, mechanical ailments and riders’ understanding of racing lines and positioning.

Just before our two-month lay-up while Royce had metal removed from his leg (and enjoyed a mate’s wedding) (and Lenno attended a losing Grand Final at the hallowed MCG) (and Les retired and partied/slept in like it’s 1989), we had a test at Mount Gambier’s reliable Mac Park circuit, which provided some advancement with suspension settings, but this was limited as the suspension wasn’t working well in general, so there was only so much Royce could do…

We took the shockers to the experts at Hoey Racing where Pete whistled and shook his head but then rebuilt them. New shock absorbers are on the shopping list, which should provide some much needed feedback to help inform settings.

We had the bike spray painted vintage white after patching up some dents, then had it wrapped by Marty at Underground Designs who produced some amazing work to his usual high standard. It probably took a couple seconds off our lap times – proof that red does go faster! Inspired by the iconic Marlboro F1 livery, we’ve left plenty of white space for sponsors if you have a business willing to join our 2024 campaign. Please let us know if you’re interested for national or, plenty of, local exposure.

Back to the racing! The team returned to Mallala in mid-November, about six months from our first ride on the sidecar, for the final round of the SA Championships held by CAFNIX.

We were experiencing some handling issues over the three-day meeting but Royce and Lenno worked around these to great effect – qualifying second on the grid, then winning four races out of four starts! Unfortunately Grant and Scotty, the early leaders, were plagued with mechanical issues all weekend but it still gave us a chance to dice with them early on.

Thanks to Gav, Locky and Brian for their help as always, along with the other sidecar competitors who continue to go out of their way to help us – although Grant and Scotty made sure to give us an initiation on track when suddenly losing engine power, trying to avoid a big bungle by diving up the inside!

After wringing out his mullet from the sweaty heat, Royce had this to say.

“Last round of the year and being our last for a little while is always bittersweet but for our sidecar ventures we are only just getting warmed up.

“I was lucky to be able to ride on the weekend, with a prior engagement of the wife’s birthday occurring, she was so kind to allow me to ride and then to make it up to her by celebrating every other day of the month of November – thanks Beth!

“Having done more than 1000 laps at Mallala on the solo, I’m still making the adjustment of changing my lines for the sidecar. I’m taking advice from experienced riders as well as experimenting myself. It doesn’t help that over the past few outings on the bike we have had front end issues, which we have put down to being the front shockers being shocking.

“Being so new to the class, the team and I are still learning what should be happening when riding and the feedback I can give but this will just improve with more seat time. Luckily, we have some great people in our corner helping us on the journey.

“When we realised on Saturday our lap times were competitive with the front runners, that put a bit of a fire in our bellies. Even though we were meant to be treating the weekend as testing, it was hard to not want to have a close dice, especially after the banter happening in the pits. Just getting pipped for pole and missing out on the $100 beer money, we thought it would be a great opportunity in the races to slot in behind Grant and Scotty to watch and learn their lines.”

“With Leonard getting more and more comfortable swinging, I can trust he’s going to be in the right place at the right time allowing me to push harder. We’re still playing around with brake bias, which is particularly important at a hard braking circuit like Mallala.

“We put in some hard work testing the limits of what the bike will do, slowly but surely. Everything seemed to be coming together as we got quicker and quicker. Very happy with the 4 wins even though Grant was having some bike troubles. My first, first place trophy for the sidecar has taken pride and place on the mantle piece, between my cake decorating and cat grooming trophies.

“Thanks heaps to Dad, Brian, Gav, the Locks and the sidecar racing fraternity who are always so willing to help. Training will only slow down a little bit to allow for silly season but I’ll be working hard in the gym to get even fitter for our first big race back in March.”

After three tasking days hanging off the side, Lenno’s hands were permanently stuck in a clenched position by Sunday – luckily they could be pried open just enough to fit a stubbie in time for the trophy presentations. He had this to say.

“I’d been looking forward to getting back to Mallala after completing a few ride days at Mac Park, getting more into the groove – we hadn’t been to Mallala since our very first ride, so comparing lap times and positions of where I am on the bike was going to be interesting. They say passengers are a bit slow to pick these things up, but I was looking forward to comparing lap times and positions of where I am on the bike…

“Friday was a slog, but the final session was probably the smoothest we’d been on the bike which gave us confidence heading into qualifying on Saturday morning.

“The weekend provided a good chance to watch others and how they setup for corners, ask questions and work on my own positioning. Royce was getting more confident to hold speed through sweepers and definitely brake a lot harder and later into hairpins – which I needed to be ready for!

“Thankfully this time, unlike at Mac Park, he remembered which foot is to change gears and which is to brake, as accidentally mixing them up sent me super-manning past his head on one particular lap – luckily I had remembered the mantra to ALWAYS hang on!

“To walk away with four wins, albeit feeling a bit Bradbury-esque due to others mechanical woes, was not expected at all and we were stoked with the result. Our lap times proved that we were on the mark, dropping consistently, which is reassuring we’re doing the right thing.

“I’ve absolutely loved our first season and can’t wait to get stuck into some big races next year – it wouldn’t be possible without the help of Dad, Brian, Locky, Gav and all the teams in the paddock who have offered advice and spare parts. And the support in the pits from my wife and friends/family who have come out to watch.”

Next year, the season will begin in March with interstate and local dates soon to be confirmed – watch this space!

Between our Australian Championship round at Tailem Bend and a ride day at Mac Park, work on the sidecar has continued both in the shed and in the pits.

Gav made up some plates for the front end so we could vary the trail on the front forks and experiment.

The sidecar came with a spare set of wheels but we hoped to buy an additional set so we could have spare slicks as well as wets ready to go. Unfortunately, these couldn’t be supplied so we made up our own.

Whitehorse Industries spun the rims and Brian made up the hubs. Brian wasn’t too happy having to drill about 300 holes but the promise of a cup of tea and a biscuit saw the job completed.

Locky had the number one job of installing solar panels and a solar battery on the trailer so we can have a working fridge out at the track.

The test day at Mac Park was conducted in constantly varying weather which resulted in a phenomenon which may be useful to other sidecar teams when they’re at the track with us. If they see us putting on wets, the track will dry. If they see us putting on slicks, it will rain.

However, it was a good chance to try out the new Hoosier tyres and we were impressed.

We made a lot of progress over the day. More progress than the drive back to Adelaide when a CV drive shaft on the tow vehicle disintegrated in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night. Installing a fridge in the trailer paid off.

With plenty of time to chat while we contemplated who to eat first if the RAA didn’t show up soon, Royce had this to say,

“It was our first time at Mac Park on the Rowe Racing outfit. Although being wet for all our sessions, we still managed to gain a lot each time we went out.

“First time using wet tyres as well as first time using the Hoosiers both seemed to go well.

“Leonard kept the outfit nice and steady in the wet. Mac Park being a bit more physical than Tailem Bend was testing our fitness with plenty of track time available.

“Having the track to ourselves and being just practice was nice to be able to concentrate on suspension changes and alterations to the bike.

“Having Gav Porteous there lending his expertise was invaluable with lots of improvements found with the suspension settings. Also, thanks to Dad, Locky, Deb for taking photos and to Brian who seems to be enjoying his plight of understanding the dynamics of making three wheels go really fast.

“Mac Park put on a well-run ride day as usual, resulting in a great day albeit being next to Mark Boags’ noisy Moto-Guzzis.

“I’m now off to work on my power to weight ratio by getting rid of some hardware, hopefully I get to keep the nails and screws as I’m getting close to being able to build a full metal replica of myself.”

Still sitting by the side of the road and glad the ice for his bruised arm could be repurposed for scotch on the rocks, Leonard said of his day,

“Although rainy, the track conditions gave us a good chance to practice for wet racing. Which isn’t super exciting as passenger, but still good to just help steady the bike and see a few laps of the track at a slower pace to begin with as it had been a few years since my last Mac Park ride.

“I managed to score a great find on Gumtree, spotting Royce’s exact leathers for sale from a racer in QLD, so it’s nice to somewhat look the part now! Not sure I’ll go as far as growing a mullet or librarian glasses.

“The sessions, of which there were many and I definitely felt it for the week after, that were starting to dry out were great, we really found a good rhythm and could see how changes to the setup and my positioning were affecting Royce through corners.

“It was great having a full pit garage with people wanting to help and watch, thanks again to everyone for the advice and assistance.”

The team now have a hiatus of a couple of months while Royce has a rod removed from his leg (a leftover from the Manx GP in 2019), so we will miss the next two rounds of the SA Championships. See you trackside!

Between our first ride at Mallala and second at The Bend, we made another discovery. Sidecars involve a bit of work.

Accessing the battery proved to be a process, so we simply installed an Anderson switch and life is much easier. We also thought the engine could benefit from bell mouths on the throttle bodies, so Brian of BJR Products fabricated a set, which might give a slight improvement in performance. 

Now that we’ve packed, unpacked and repacked the trailer a few times, this process is getting easier. The fairings can still be a bit fiddly but we’re making it work! We’ll look at a new paint scheme to jazz up our current white on white livery in the next couple of months.

The three-day meeting at The Bend was an eye opener with the best teams from around Australia gathering for Round Two of the Australian Sidecar Championships. The majority of the teams shared a long garage, which created a fantastic atmosphere during downtime between sessions… which we had a bit of. Officials did everything they could in what turned out to be a meeting with an unprecedented amount of crashes requiring recovery, so we appreciated them finding time for us to race in a busy schedule.

We didn’t see much of the front runners during the races but during practice and qualifying it was a great opportunity to watch and learn. It speaks volumes that even the newly crowned Australian Champions went out of their way to provide help and advice to novices like us.

We’ve started to assemble a spares kit and have found The Sidecar Shop very helpful. Each track has its own quirks, so once we’ve ticked off all the standard circuits, we can really start homing in on how we best setup and tackle each one going forward.

With his second meeting as driver under his belt, Royce was relieved to have kept the three wheels rubber side down this round and had this to say…

“I’ve always enjoyed racing around Tailem Bend with the variety it offers. From what I had heard from others, doing it on the sidecar sounded great.

“The weather not making its mind up all weekend I think caught a lot of riders out causing delays and missing out on a bit of track time. The time spent off the track though was still enjoyable knocking boots with the best in Australia.

“Being only our second race and so much to learn, the wealth of knowledge that was so kindly being shared with us from the top riders and passengers was a lot to take in but I retained what I could. 

“Still trying new things, every session we went out we went quicker and quicker. With the final race having a bit of a dice with Jock, showing me I’ve still got plenty left to give in the braking department. 

“I’m looking forward to Mount Gambier next weekend for our first strictly practice meet, with no racing just experimenting with sidecar settings.

“Our first Australian round now done and dusted it was great meeting the rest of the like-minded sidecar racers from all around the country whom were very welcoming and great to banter with.”

Len used the three-day meeting to his advantage, getting more comfortable in the chair and trying to find the best place to be on each corner. After explaining the flavour profile of West End to the interstate visitors, he had this to say…

“Having never been to The Bend before, hitting the track on Friday in trying conditions was a little daunting. Luckily the rain gave us a chance to start a bit slower and I could wrap my head around the layout.

“Saturday we managed some better sessions and times started to drop. Corners come up fast at The Bend, so once I could note down some markers, it was easier to get in position ready for the next sequence. Plus, there’s a bit more time to think and move given how big the track is. That being said, when rain hit in race two on Sunday I completely lost my bearings and got a few rights vs lefts confused!

“Over the course of the meeting, we had a number of the sidecar teams offer help and in particular, show me where to be in the rain or how I can help Royce sharpen up a corner. It was all really helpful and things are now starting to click. With so many machines in the one place, it was also a good chance to compare the different platforms passengers use and their grab bars position.

“Our final race on Sunday proved to be a good one, putting together a smooth ride and decent times, plus getting the chance to dice with competitors. I was keen to keep going! Onward to the next round and some practice days in between.”

The team plan to attend some track days when possible to play with setup and try out some Hooiser tyres, but will have a gap in racing while Royce undergoes some body repair work next month. 

Well, buying and importing a sidecar was “challenging” but it has arrived and now we start the steep learning curve.

We had to arrange a trailer to transport the sidecar from its arrival point and we thank Rob Newman Motorsport for the indefinite loan of one of their trailers.

Gavin Porteous made the necessary modifications from a race car trailer to take the sidecar, and Locky has overhauled the brakes, wiring and so on – although tedious, the trailer is now fit for purpose and works a treat!

Our first task on the bike itself was to make it possible for Royce to fit into it! At a bit over six-foot he had difficulty squeezing in, so Brian had to make some significant changes – which are still a work in progress but we’ll get there. All the jokes about Australians being bigger than their cousins from the Old Country were done in the workshop and we’ll leave them there.

Our first chance to ride the sidecar and to begin understanding the ins and outs of how it runs, settings and all the intricacies of a modern three-wheeler was at a local race meeting at Mallala. We went out with no expectations, starting at the rear of the grid and doing our own thing to slowly learn and build up confidence.

A big thanks goes to Jess Watson for filling in for our regular passenger – Royce’s brother Leonard. Len couldn’t get time off work for Friday practice so when he isn’t available, Jess has agreed to be our spare passenger (or as we call him, “the Harry”).

Unfortunately, Jess had to leave early, so Gareth stepped in for a session and Libero another. We may have set a record for the highest number of passengers over a race meeting.

We thank team members Brian, Locky and Gav for their considerable help. We also give sincere thanks to the local sidecar community who have warmly welcomed us and who are going out of their way to assist and advise us in all things three-wheeled, it’s been a huge help!

With the first official race meeting under his belt and taking a few minutes to work out in the cockpit that he doesn’t need Les to lift the back wheel up on a race stand before he could get off the seat anymore, driver Royce had this to say about the new venture.

“After trying Grant Howarth’s sidecar at Mac Park and having a ball of fun, continuing my new found thrill was a must. The Rowe Racing sidecar was then purchased and finally arrived from England for a new and exciting challenge.”

“Being something completely new, I couldn’t just rely on my own progression to master this new skill but to become a unit with my passenger. Building up slowly on Friday practice, I had a new swinger for nearly all my sessions, which helped as I got my bearings. Having to remember my gear changes are now on my right foot and all the brakes are done with my left foot is also a challenge!

“Peering over the fairing as I’m tucked down in the sidecar, nestled into the tight fittings of our modern design was definitely something to get used to. The urge to try and hang off the outfit was quickly contained by the glove-like fit.

“Come Sunday racing, it was Leonard’s time to have a go and start getting some laps in. I was worried all his long lunches and pastries on tea break may result in more than regular pit stops. However, the information he retained from world-class passengers like Scotty Deslandes definitely showed as he displayed the finesse needed of reserving energy by being in the right place at the right time in the chair.

“Our first race was going well, slowly getting quicker, both Leonard and I trying different lines and body positions every lap.

“Come the last lap heading into southern, what ended up being an oil spill in front of us, as I got on the gas at the apex, made the bike start to spin.

“We had seen this happen in front of us to another pair of riders only the practice before, with their bike spinning and coming to a stop before setting off again in one piece. I assumed that would just happen to us, to hold on until we finished spinning then set off again but after one rotation the bike decided to flip. 

“Being in the sidecar quite tightly, I was in there until it decided to stop sliding. I then had to wait for Leonard and a flag marshal to lift the sidecar to allow me to wiggle out.

“To be honest, I’m glad we got our first crash out of the way in a slow easy manner, it gave us reference of what to do when it happens next to avoid it flipping. Luckily the bike was fine apart from a few scratches and we were able to go out in the next race no worries.

“I had great fun with Jess, Gareth, Libero, Tara and Leonard whilst learning a heap with every lap getting quicker and smoother trying new things. I’m very much looking forward to the next round at The Bend in a month’s time.”

It had been a while since Len set foot on a race track and all-in-all enjoyed the opportunity to race on the Sunday. After hobbling out of a Radox bath and lathering up the Voltaren, the new passenger had this to say.

“Having a crack at racing a sidecar has been on my bucket list since I can remember, so after anxiously counting down the days I had to prepare for my first outing, Sunday finally came around and I was glad to be as prepared as I possibly could be. Maybe maturity helps, but bringing fruit and water to the track rather than Red Bull and Maccas like I used to when racing solos 10 years ago certainly made a difference!”

“My first session only lasted a few laps as I worked out how to move around the bike and realised how strong the g-force can be if you’re not setup right. I was sucking in the air after each session, so working on conserving energy and using core muscles rather than arms will be a big learning curve!

“The platform itself has obviously been built for somebody a good foot or two shorter than me… to be fair, I’m probably not built like your average passenger! But we found spots that needed rubber for grip and I’m making it work.

“I could feel Royce getting faster in different sectors as the day went on and trying new lines, so it was good to gradually build up and I’m sure he’ll be flying around soon. All of the other sidecar teams were really welcoming and helpful, especially the passengers like Scotty, providing advice before and after each session.

“Flipping the tank on our first race will go down in the books and hopefully laughed about when we’re up the other end of the field one day… it wasn’t particularly funny at the time though! As Royce said, it’s a big learning curve and although a rare occurrence, we know how to react if it was to happen again. 

“A big thank you to all the volunteers, especially the flaggie who helped me lift the bike off Royce, the recovery vehicle drivers who gave us a lift back to the pits and my wife for allowing me back out in the next session!

“Now I’ve been bitten by the bug, I can’t wait to hit The Bend for the first time and learn the circuit over a few days.”

Our next opportunity for a practice session is again at a race meeting! This time at The Bend for a round of the Australian Sidecar Championships, which will see a large field of pretty serious competitors. Nothing like jumping in at the deep end!

After enjoying his time racing a vintage BSA outfit at Sellicks Beach earlier this year, Royce was given the opportunity to take on some extra horsepower with a ride on a road racing sidecar at Mac Park recently.

A big thank you goes out to Scott Deslandes (former Australian Champion sidecar passenger with Gavin Porteous) for organising the practice run, and Grant Howarth for bravely allowing Royce the use of his outfit.

About five sidecars were present at Mac Park on the day, and all the teams were impressed with how Royce rode so smoothly on his first attempt, given they are totally different to a solo.

After straining to grow a beard and fit in with the other sidecar crew, Royce and his furry lip had this to say, “I had a ball on the classic bike In April, but winter then came along and put bit of a dampener on getting out and testing my body on the bike. Still spending a lot of time in the gym in the cold months working on my joints and strength has definitely been helping.

“I’m wanting to get back into some competitive racing, though I’m still not where I’d like to be on the modern solos with my hips limiting how much I can hang off the bike.

“So, what’s the difference between a poorly dressed man on a sidecar and a well-dressed man on a motorbike? Attire.

“I’ve been keen to find out if my body would be able to handle racing a modern sidecar.

“My first session out, I was swinging to get an idea of how everything works and a bit of fun. Grant took it easy all of one lap before his long time racing buddy Jock went past us and the pace picked up.

“Trying to be smooth and not upset the bike, I learnt quickly… that I had to be quick. With the fast direction change after coming around the water tower, climbing back to the other side of the bike, Grant got on the gas as I was leisurely making my way across for the far handle. Nearly toppling backwards under acceleration I reached for the middle handle and held on for dear life. It was a great rush and to be climbing around the outfit at speed, it certainly was an experience.

“I then had a couple sessions in the driver’s seat with world-class Scotty swinging for me. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, with my only experience being on an old BSA and Pa’s Ariel. Both felt like wrestling a truck to turn corners.

“I was surprised how nice the modern sidecar was to steer around corners. With each lap I was slowly becoming more spatially aware of the extra width I now had, I don’t think Scotty spent too much time in the dirt. Then there’s getting used to all your braking done with one foot, controlling all of the three brakes, slightly different lines, not hanging off the bike, always being tucked in, oh and did I mention it has three wheels?!

“With each lap getting quicker and quicker, I could definitely see myself taking this on as a new challenge welcoming the complexity of something completely different. I can’t wait for my next outing.”

We are exploring the purchase of an outfit but is likely to be a long process as we must look to the UK to find something.

Earlier this month, Royce made his eager return to motorcycle competition after a lengthy hiatus due to the major accident at the Isle of Man in 2019.

Rather than opting for the modern steed, the team took up an offer from Andrew Burford to ride his 1976 TR 750 Suzuki two-stroke triple at the Australian Historic Road Racing Championships.

Held at Mac Park, Mount Gambier, it was a massive race meeting which had been postponed twice in the past two years due to COVID. The track was bustling with over 350 entries from every state and territory in Australia and spectators from all around the country.

The majority of riders had been waiting the same amount of time for this opportunity to hit the track thanks to border closures and lockdowns, so the atmosphere was undeniably electric.

Royce entered the TR in two classes, the Formula 750 Championship and the Unlimited Championship (for bikes up to 1300cc).

The TR is still being developed and we encountered a few issues over the course of the meeting, including clutch and gearbox complications, but we continued on with Royce having to find work arounds for the minor problems.

We were rapt to see him secure second place in the F750 Championship and fifth in the Unlimited Championship – despite giving away more than 50% additional engine capacity.

The TR was a testament to Andrew Burford’s determination, as it has taken him a couple of decades to complete the build and an amount of money we won’t publish in case his wife reads this.

Despite having the reputation as a hard man, Andy admitted to being a bit emotional as Royce crossed the line in his last heat.

After peeling Royce off the TR seat and onto a bar stool, he had this to say:

“I’ve been looking forward to this weekend’s racing! I’ve been working hard in the gym for a while now, so having a good crew by my side, it was set to be a good one.

“A month out from my wedding, I was torn between instructions. An angel and a devil on my shoulders, Beth saying take it easy, I don’t need a matching plaster cast to my wedding dress. In the other ear, Andy saying go hell for leather.

“With both of these thoughts in mind, I built my pace up slowly whilst still getting that adrenaline fix of having a tyre-to-tyre battle with fellow riders – a fix I’ve gone so long without.

“Feeling a bit like Zoolander and not being able to turn left due to ground clearance, plus a bit of a slipping clutch and some creaky bones, the bike was still manageable with each session getting quicker.

“I’ve missed that two-stroke feeling, obviously the 750 has a lot more power than Dad’s TZ125, but the vibrations, noise and smell still gave me those nostalgic feels of when I was younger.

“The meeting itself was jam packed full of riders and bikes. Of all the events to come back to for my first solo race, the historic championship was great. After a big weekend of riding and the ol’ hips getting a bit sore, limping around the pits I felt right at home with all the old codgers hobbling to the bar to reflect on a great weekend.

“Thanks to Andy for the privilege of getting to race the TR and Neil Gross for putting a lot of effort into getting it race ready. Neil gave some great pointers when I first tried taming the beast which really helped and his handy work is nothing short of genius. Also Doxboyz for the help and comradery over the weekend. Also the Pitmans for their help and advice, plus of course Dad for everything he does to enable my racing!

“I can’t wait to get back out on the bike next but first, I’ll go get hitched!”

Rowe Racing stepped back in time at Mallala recently when Andy Burford invited Royce to test his immaculate TR 750cc triple two-stroke replica.

For those too young to remember, the TR was Suzuki’s race bike built for the 750cc world championship class in the early/mid 1970s.

It was only the second time on track since the bike was completed, so there were a number of adjustments needed and still a lot more work to do, but overall the bike performed extremely well.

The plan is to keep developing the bike with an eye on next year’s Australian Historic Championships.

Between stints on the Suzuki, Royce was given the chance to ride a Yamaha TD2 (early 70s 250 racer) prepared by the Doxboyz Racing stable, just to keep sufficient two-stroke exhaust in the atmosphere.

Pausing his Skyhooks cassette, sipping on a Pina Colada, Royce said…

“With my limited classic racing experience, that being dads 125cc TZ and the sidecar in recent times, having a crack on a bigger classic bike sounded like a lot of fun! 

“Hoping not to do the same as Barry Sheene when he rode the thing last, I eased into it slowly picking up the pace as the day went on. 

“The riding position was a little easier on the old hips, so the bike was a hoot to chuck around Mallala.

“We got great weather and had great people there for the historic ride day. Thanks again to Andy for letting me have a ride and looking forward to the next outing on it.”