POWERED BY PERVERSITY

Maroubra speedway star Jeff Munro was contemplating a 10,000 mile non-stop ride around the ‘Killer Drome’ in Sydney when it was suggested a complete circumnavigation of Australia might prove a better bet to win the Maudes Trophy – awarded annually by the British Auto Cycle Union for the most outstanding feat of endurance by a motorcycle. No doubt encouraged by his father Fergus – Chairman of Ariel Distributors Limited – the 21-year-old was soon sighted ‘running-in’ a new Ariel Sports Model ‘E’ around his home in the harbourside suburb of Rose Bay.

The Shell Company agreed to lay down petrol and oil supplies at strategic points along the proposed route and, on July 17 1928, Jeff departed the Shell Oil HQ in Bourke Street, Sydney. Only hours later, accompanied by Eric Haines riding an Indian Scout with sidecar, the adventurers rolled on to the Wisemans Ferry looking forward to escaping the mid-winter chill. However Eric made it no further than Singleton. At the time it was reported that he was repatriated to Sydney after an accident, though Jeff admitted many years later that Eric simply ‘couldn’t cut the mustard’.

“The truth is he squibbed it” Jeff told his grandson Thomas. “So we made up the story about an accident to get him off the hook”. Thomas also asked Jeff about his Ariel’s unusual handlebars to which