Duggie has a win!

[alwyn]

I entered 'Duggie' in the local 'Blood 'N Tars' motorcycle club's Annual Bike Show held on this occasion in the Goolwa Town Hall over the weekend of 10-11 January 2004. Goolwa is a neighboring town to the city in which I live on the South coast of the Fleurieu Peninsula in South Australia.

There were between 60 and 70 entries that filled the venue completely. I had nominated 'Duggie' in the 'Best Original Condition' category. However he was knocked off by an immaculate 1924 SW Douglas (Doug Hill, owner) but I'm told that it was only after a great deal of dissension among the judges that the SW won out in the end.

It was said the 'accoutrements' displayed with the SW, which included an old Douglas 'pisspot' helmet, ancient and well-worn leather gauntlets, a plunger hooter that worked and a neat despatch box on the carrier (aka first World War vintage) were the things that won it for the SW.

However, the public got it right even if the judges didn't, (but I respect their decision and their right to make it never-the-less), for 'Duggie' was awarded the 'Peoples' Choice' award for... wait for it... 'Best Bike of the Show'.

The trophy awarded Duggie was made and donated by 'Rosco', a member of Mud 'N Tars. It comprises an electric clock mounted on the face of the drive sprocket (if it's fair to call a serrated belt pulley a sprocket) of a 'Soft-tail' Harley that 'Rosco' had the misfortune to crash some time ago.

Rosco suffered severe injuries in the accident, so there's some symbolism inherent in the trophy from the point of view of its origins. The sprocket is huge - 320 millimetres in diameter (that's over 12 inches!) and perhaps fortunately has circular weight reduction penetrations at 45 degree pitch. The inset clock has brass hands, a sweep second hand and brass numbers at the 3, 6, 9 and 12 o'clock positions. The inscription plate reads...
 
MUD 'N TARS
2004 BIKE SHOW
PEOPLES' CHOICE
Best Bike of Show !  



Larger view here

This is a photo of 'Duggie' at the show with the trophy superimposed.
The centre motif of the trophy is cut from an aluminium drink can which once contained 'Woodstock Premium Reserve Bourbon and Cola'.

The whole lot is mounted on a polished wood base - all pretty cheap junk stuff you may say, but it's well made, novel and "worth a million bucks" to me!

The winning bike in the category of 'Best Original Condition' was this 1924 SW Douglas.



As a point of interest, the specification sheet in respect to the clutch on this bike advised....

Clutch - None - "Run 'n bump or paddle to start"!

A great bike in A1 condition right down to the acetylene lighting. Heartiest congratulations to the owner!


Copyright Alwyn Hunt 2004