Classic bikes cross Australia from West to East

The 4,100km, 20-day "Veteran Motors Across Australia" expedition was organised by the Veteran Car Club of NSW, Inc., to mark the centenary of the first cross-continental motor vehicle expedition undertaken by Sid Ferguson and Francis Birtles in 1912.

The 2012 recreation kicked off in Perth on March 16, and featured 37 vehicles (all Veteran cars and Veteran motorcycles) aged between 94 and 111 years young! Entrants from New Zealand, France, Germany and the UK joined the Aussie contingent, with pre-World War I Triumphs, BSAs, a J.A.P., Royal Enfield and a number of Indians, including a stunning 1910 sidecar outfit, featuring amongst the motorcycles campaigned.

While the roads have improved immeasurably in 100 years, the vehicles aren't any younger, so there was some attrition along the way, but despite the distance and some cyclonic weather in the early part of the event, 19 of the 20 bikes made it to the finish line at Penrith on April 3 - and some even risked Sydney's traffic and traffic lights to make the official Governor's welcome and display at Sydney's Martin Place on April 4.

The Veteran Car Club of NSW, Inc., have a detailed log of the journey, which raised funds for the McGrath Foundation and Prostate Cancer Foundation, at www.vccansw.org/2012/vcca_2012.htm.

Images: courtesy of VCCA NSW