Single Cylinder Tour 2005
By David Royston
The bush wakes. A sudden tremendous bird chorus joins the pre-dawn sounds of cattle, dogs, sheep and roosters to announce sunrise. Its disc still hidden, the sun starts to banish ground-clinging mist as campers emerge to busy themselves with the necessities of the day. The chuck wagon attracts early attention, then the needs of the bikes. In a well-rehearsed plan the camp is struck, tents and gear packed, the chuck wagon battened down and the haulage van filled to bursting with baggage. Here and there distinctive sounds of single cylinder motorcycles mark their presence as if some feel the need to prove bikes have survived the rigors of the night. Eventually all is ready, riders mounted each bike making its individual sound; the chuck wagon is set to haul. A new day begins on the Single Cylinder Tour.

On the first day the tour started up the Mount Lindsay Highway including the delightful twisting climb up through the forest emerging at Woodenbong. Then followed lunch, followed by the fast run over dirt and tarred roads via Stanthorpe to Texas. That evening dinner was beef stew (in two variations) eaten around the huge campfire helped down with beer and wine. Stories of the day's ride and other events filled the night. Then one by one riders, well aware of the early start next day, reluctantly faded into the dark.

The legendary 1250 mile week-long Single Cylinder Tour is famous for covering some of the more spectacular motorcycle runs in Australia. First out of Southern Queensland through the border ranges; later in the week roads that run east-west between the Northern NSW high country and the coastal plain. These twisting challenging roads run down the Dividing Range through thick rain forest. The Single Cylinder Tour also has a Shackleton-like reputation of always getting you home; in 2005 an AJS crashed in the rainforest it was picked up and, with help from the Ulysses Club in Taree, fitted with a set of forks and continued the tour.

The only and strict qualification for entry to the tour is that the bike has to be a Single Cylinder while practicalities limit the entry to 20; no surprise it was over-subscribed this year. Five 500 cc swinger Velocettes participated; two MSS and three Venoms.