Tragic News – Justin Willman

If you are involved with the motorcycle scene in Geelong you would have heard about the tragic incident at Stonehaven that resulted with death of Justin Willman.

Justin wasn’t just an integral part of the Geelong Motorcycling community being one of the best and most renowned motorcycle mechanics, he was also great mates with so many of us.

When people have spoken to me about Justin they have described him as a top guy & a true gentleman. 

On behalf of the Sporting Motorcycle Club Geelong executive committee & members we pass on our deepest condolences & sympathy to Justin’s Family, friends and to the broader motorcycling community in Geelong for this tragic loss. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

SMCC.

photo: Facebook

Looking for ideas, destinations or reasons to go for a ride on the 4th Sunday’s of the month for the 2023 calendar. We have 10 rides scheduled for the coming year but there are always extra dates available to add in. If you hear of anything interesting to attend or an idea for a ride please feel free to suggest it either by e-mail or at any of our Bi-Monthly meetings. In the past we have done rides to Vintage Tractor pulls, Eddington Sprints, The Liberator Bomber Restoration Project in Werribee, Combined dirt and road rides to a common destination, The Beeac Pub for a meal and to see Ians car collection , Lake Goldsmith Steam Rally, etc. too many to recall, some are good to repeat others are a once of only, but fresh input is always welcome and helps us to discover what our members would like to do as a club.

The more suggestions and ideas we get the more rides that can be organised for our members (That’s you) to enjoy.

What a great ride to Gordon to celebrate the end of 2022 with the SMCC, here is a brief video I took, I knew I should have taken the XL instead of the Duke ! Sorry about the poor pict & sound quality & bug!, but you’ll appreciate the road conditions at the moment in Victoria.

The club received the sad news of the Passing of a club Legend – David Jeremiah.

David Jeremiah raced competitly for many years & won the club championship in 1953, At the time he rode a 500cc Ariel with an alloy barrel and shaved head running on Petrol/Benzol mixture, with lots of other mods, it was tuned to be a bit of a rocket ship. David Jeremiah pictured here with his winning sash from 1953.

David raced with other club legends like Allan Wembridge and were known as the “Boundary Rd boys”, Ironically he was born in 1932, the founding year of SMCC. RIP David.

It is with great sadness we hear of the passing of Lyn Powell, partner of Beak and club stalwart for many years. We wish to pass on our deepest sympathy to Beak ( David Murray) and Lyn’s family and close friends. Many of us here at the SMCC will remember her as always a cheerful and happy person who would always help where ever she could.

Rest in peace Lyn

For all the Facebook users we have today launched the clubs new Facebook site, In Facebook’s infinite wisdom they for reasons unknown have turned our old page off and it will soon be removed, sorry for the inconvenience.

So Please head over to https://www.facebook.com/SportingMotorCycleClub/ and follow the new page for club updates, news & events. Please spread the word to other members and friends.

Cheers,

Patrick Middleton – Club Secretary.

Our monthly rides on the second Sunday of the month are still on, and we are looking for someone to put their hand up to do the run on August 14th. If you are thinking of having a go and need a bit of help just ask, there are quite a few members willing to help.

September 11th ride will be the COMBINED DIRT AND ROAD RIDE around Enfield State forest. Dirt ride will be organised by Mark Gross & Phil Nelson and the road ride will be from the clubrooms to meet the dirt riders for lunch. More details will be posted as they come to hand.

It has been suggested to do a POKER RUN on October 9th , so we are looking for helpers to organise and run it. Remembering that if no-one helps on these runs, they don’t happen.

November 13th we will be running the annual SPORTIES T.T. for the tiddlers and old bikes among our ranks. It’s a fun day with the opportunity to bring your smallest or oldest bike out for a run. Starting and Finishing at the club rooms. Gathering around 9.00am for a 10.00 start for about a 60 >80 klm ride around the local area returning to the club rooms for a feed and chat.

First of all, congratulations to the club and thanks all members past and present who have kept the club alive through thick and thin over our 90 years of activity in motor cycle sport. Looking through some of our recorded history we have achieved quite a lot with many members being multiple champions in various facets of motor cycle competition over the years with quite a few Australian Champions among them. But as usual with all clubs, there have been many members who may not be competition winners but who are tireless workers for the club organising the events and day to day business of running a club over so many years.

The 90th Birthday ride went off without too many hitches with around 115 riders participating over the course that was used for the first event SMCC ran in 1932 which was run as a Reliability Trial (remembering all roads would have been unsealed and most competitors would have been on 1920’s machines). Covering around 130klms with a loop through Lara, around the back of the You Yangs to Anakie, the on the Durdiwarrah for a coffee stop. Then it was onto Meredith with a return back to the clubrooms via Steiglitz and Southerlands Creek, some riders took various detours whether they were intended or not, but all back safely for a feed and a chat over some refreshments at the clubrooms.

We would like to compile an album and a photo board for the clubrooms and are asking all who attended to send in their photo memories to the club e-mail enquiries@smcc.com.au We will select some of them to compile a fitting reminder of the event for display.

Below is a Youtube clip of the day recorded by a Member, Thanks Vio – Much appreciated