Photo from 1914 Frank Delandro on Douglas in Australia

[PeterShannon]

Frank Delandro was a member of the 1914-14 Winning team of the Sydney to Melbourne Reliability Trial.

Does this Douglas have any special features when compared with a production Douglas?

Frank was also the Northern Suburbs agent for Douglas from his 374 Lane Cove Rd North Sydney, now known as the Pacific Highway.
Frank was at this address from 1912 after having managed J.W. Epsom's Cycle Works in Falcon St North Sydney making Iris cycles and motorcycles.
Frank served his apprenticeship at Columbia Cycle and Motor Agency.
Frank in 1914 ads referred to his business as the "Douglas Depot".

Frank along with Edgar and Frank Meller raced Douglas machines very successfully in the 1913 to 1915 period.

Frank Delandro I believe is attributed with having the first petrol bowers in North Sydney and went on to become a Ford Dealer, an alderman of North Sydney Council and also President of the Motor Traders Association for many years.
He was appointed a MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) in 1959.
Not bad for the son of an Italian immigrant who farmed oysters at Brooklyn NSW.

[cardan]

Great photo Peter!

The obvious unusual feature of the bike is the way that the handlebars are mounted below the top of the head stem. The best way to see this is to look at the other photo you have just posted. Of the four Douglases, all have flat "TT pattern" handlebars, but only bike 26 has the bars mounted in this position. You can see how it differs from the other three.

Leon

[cardan]

I forgot to ask: Frank Delandro rode Empson's "Iris" motorcycles in a number of events in and around Sydney. Have any photos survived of Frank with an Iris?

Leon

[graeme]

I also noted that the lower fork links are straight and the top ones curved in the usual manner.
I wish that I'd taken a photo of the Iris when I saw it too Leon

[Doug]

Plated rims with a black center; surely that is not standard? Also looks like a push bar over the rear wheel.

-Doug

[Doug]

I have split off the posts about the Mellnor brothers and the photos of their early Australian competitions on Matchless, Iris, ets. to the Kingswood Pub here:

https://www.douglasmotorcycles.net/index.php?topic=5494.msg19896#msg19896

-Doug, Moderator.