IT IS A FAIRLY SAFE BET THAT WHEN YOU OPENED these pages and first set eyes on this svelte yet muscular racing machine, your immediate thought was: “Wow, I’d love a blast on that!” No ordinary motorcycle, this 1937 Sunbeam Model 9A 599cc racer was made to out-gun the competition back in the pioneering days of grasstrack racing and hill climb competition. Built in the 1950s by Perth racer Bob Andrews, it is a powerful and lightweight competition machine... now it is an extremely elegant classic motorcycle, as I’m sure our readers will agree.
With its heavily modified engine, uprated brakes and lightweight 350cc frame, this Sunbeam was created to compete at the top level of club racing.
Known as The Gentleman’s Motorcycle, the Sunbeam was a quality machine that has become a rare sight today – how often do you encounter a Sunbeam on the road, or even at a classic gathering?
What follows is another extraordinary story from the classic vaults of Sandy Bloy Motorcycles in Perth. This lovely example of a competition Sunbeam Hill Sprinter has been in Sandy’s hands for many years, bought from his old friend and long-term motorcycle restorer John Lamb. Pictured here in trim racing form, it is a very rare and historically important motorcycle. And if, like me, you’re a fan of its lean and racy looks, this feature should appeal. I first set eyes on Sandy’s Sunbeam while recording his International Norton’s story for and knew then that
