Shannons Insurance Broadford Bike Bonanza
With Shaun Lennard – Images RbMotoLens
The Easter weekend saw the return of the Shannons Insurance Broadford Bike Bonanza for the first time since 2019, after Covid-forced cancellations of the 2020 and 2021 events.
The annual Broadford Bike Bonanza is a festival of pre-1995 motorcycling, covering a wide range of motorcycle racing disciplines – road racing, motocross, vinduro, dirt track and speedway.
Spectators were treated to the presence of former and current champions and race winners, including Cameron Donald, Mike Dowson, Shawn Giles and current Australian Superbike champion Wayne Maxwell. The list wasn’t confined to the road race circuit, with 1978 Australasian Speedway champion Mitch Shirra again thrilling the crowd at Saturday afternoon’s Speedway Spectacular.
The K-Tech Suspension Irving Vincent team was again popular with spectators both on the track and in pit lane.
In addition to on-track activities, the 2022 Shannons Insurance Broadford Bike Bonanza was also part of the Z 50th official celebrations, marking the 50th anniversary of the launch of the Kawasaki Z1 in 1972. Kawasaki Motors Australia threw its support behind the event, with almost 100 “Zeds” in attendance on Saturday, ranging from one-owner, 50-year-old Z1s through to all models of early 1980s Z1000s, including two US police bikes. The Kawasaki Z Owners Club of Victoria underpinned the Z1 display both days. Classic Kawasakis also featured in a two Parade Laps in the lunch break each day.
There were a number of grand prix bikes from the Ron Angel Collection on display. Continuing the Kawasaki theme, this included the twin-cylinder Kawasaki 125 that took Dave Simmonds to the 1969 World 125cc Championship – Kawasaki’s first world championship.
This was followed by the Gala Dinner, with race stories recounted back as far as the late 1950s. Former Tasmanian superbike racer Scott Stephens was interviewed by past Motorcycling Tasmania president Shaun Lennard on the early days of Australian superbike racing, and on the racing career of Scott’s late father, Max Stephens.
‘Sir’ Alan Cathcart interviewed Wayne Maxwell, Mal Pitman, Mike Dowson and Shawn Giles. Mal Pitman’s interview detailed the development of the Arai 500-winning Yamaha XS1100, and the Swann Series TZ750 that had returned to the circuit for the Bonanza to again be ridden by Mike Dowson. Dowson spoke of his successes of the 1980s including in the Castrol 6 Hour and at Bathurst.
Two ‘Motorcycling Legend Awards’ were made on the night, the first to former Motorcycling New South Wales and former Motorcycling Australia president Ron Kivovitch. Ron’s motorcycle sport CV warrants a story of its own, and includes a key role in every Castrol 6 Hour event since its inception in 1970 through until 1987.
The second award was to Ron Angel, whose CV as a racer, mechanic, business owner and supporter of many others dates back to the 1960s. Ron established his motorcycle business in 1965, and it is the oldest family-held motorcycle importer/distributor business in the country. Angel was also the owner and/or tuner of many of the bikes raced by the late Ken Blake. Bikes from the Ron Angel Collection have featured at the Bonanza for many years.
Organising committee convenor David White was pleased with the overall event.
“After an enforced Covid absence for two years, the Shannons Insurance Broadford Bike Bonanza returned to the Broadford State Motorcycle Sport Complex. It was always going to be a tough exercise, but I think it’s fair to say the organising committee got the job done with aplomb. We had budgeted for lower numbers from both a participant and spectator aspect, and that was the case. On top of Covid, the past summer of floods and rains in New South Wales no doubt had some impact on numbers. However, overall we were pleased with the attendance,” David said.
“The financial support from Kawasaki Motors Australia and K-Tech Suspension was fantastic and we cannot overstate the importance of the continued naming rights sponsorship from Shannons Insurance – without their ongoing assistance, we could not stage the event. Bring on 2023!”
The Shannons Insurance Broadford Bike Bonanza is hosted by the Museum and Heritage Committee of Motorcycling Australia.
