Bert Kingston now at Cleveland not Hamilton

[DR]

I dropped in and saw Bert yesterday and he's currently in the middle of a shift back over town to Cleveland. The phone and fax remain unchanged for now. The website still has problems but the shift will be complete in week or so I'd guess and after the new site will be up and running. Had a quick look around for old times sake yesterday and my God he has some stuff considering half of it was already at the new place! some of the same stuff he had when I was there in late '78/79 no chrome 70's style BK Honda winged tank stickers though which is what I was chasing for the XR80 project

New address is 8/9-11 Trade Street, Orminston 4106

[Ji Gantor]

My father purchased new 2 XR75's from Bert back in 1976 when he was in the Valley for my brother Di and I. From memory Dad paid $360.00 each. Di received the 76 model while I could not be separated from my 75 model. A few years later Di applied for a job with Bert and has many fond memories of working for the old guy.

How is he?
He must be pretty old now, and I hope in good health.

Ji

[DR]

well I be buggered Ji, I worked for Bert back in 78/79. I do have vague recollections of a girl working there apart from the older lady who looked after Bert's books and accounting. Bert's lady friend of the time was always there also but her name eludes me. It was myself and Matt Brown as juniors, then there was Pat Bradley and Bert and the saleman at the time was a guy named Noel Martin. He ended up ripping Bert off but I won't go into the details. Col Seeds ran the workshop and employed 2 great blokes by the names of Don and John Walker. There was another young guy Shane who worked for Col and there was also Bert's son Gordon. Jeez it was a great place to work and I wish I could once again turn back time  

Bert is lookin pretty good Ji although yes, he is aging like the rest of us. Still the same old unmistakable Bert to talk to and a nicer more fair dinkum bloke you'd be hard pressed to find anywhere. I'm pretty sad he's moving to Cleveland as I may not see him again I have so many sayings I still use day to day as this man was a veritable goldmine of em', couldn't help but make an impression on a young impressionable employee

[JohnnyO]

Doc i raced minibikes against 2 real quick guys on rocketship Bert Kingston XR75's.. Steve Rennie and Robbie Ashton. Do you remember them?

[DR]

Not off hand Johnny no, can't say I do. I wasn't really into the minibikes at the time even though I was 16 going on 17. This is the era when I purchased the RM400 which didn't overly upset Bert as he knew I was Suzuki guy. 'If' Honda had made an open classer back then I would now have a garage chock full of red and not yellow I imagine as I loved the red devil CR Honda's of this era. I remember Bert used to pack up the poor ol' XB van with Gordons XR80 and head out to Blackwater and the minibike titles stopping off at shops and business' along the way selling his bigbore kits and speedway parts. The old van would drag it's arse just ppulling out of the carpark. Seems like it was only a few years ago but heck..this happened over 30 years ago now! the memories haven't faded  

[JohnnyO]

It was about 1975 Doc when XR75's were still winning and Bert built some of the fastest ones around..maybe before your time.

[DR]

yup, '75 I was just in highschool and riding the TS100 or my mates SL70 or MC1-A90 kwack.

[Ji Gantor]

From memory my brother worked there in 1979.

Ji

[STW996]

Hey Johnny O, we also raced XR 75's back then with Fury race kits in them (K2), at North Brisbane (first time it was at Nudgee) and also at Wheelstanders, Trail Blazers and Caboolture speedway. Raced with Stan Bear among others, Brian, Brett and Shane Wilson We also did a day at Lakeside on the bitumen geared up and had a blast!!

Shane

[allan hughes]

I REMEBER XR75'S AT NORTH BRISBANE
SCOTT HAD A SHIT HOT KI OR K2
EVEN THOUGH COL HAD A HONDA SHOP
HE BOUGHT SCOTT AN RM80B
WHEN THE YZ80C BLEW ALL HONDAS AWAY
 

[DR]

when I first bought my RM80B in early '78 I took it to Nth Brisbane for my first ever race meeting when they were still at Carseldine. The little RM cleaned up on the day 6 from 6 but it wasn't in 'A' grade as I was a newby to racing so that helped no end I have some old pics from that track somewhere, mini sidecars an' all.. will hunt them down I also remeber Michael Doohan riding Nudgee on an MR50 on the deco track hence the Mick Doohan Motorcycle Complex name the place now has I guess

[JohnnyO]

Doc do you remember Doohan Honda it was on the northside somewhere? That was mick's old mans shop. I also raced against Col Doohan, Micks oldest brother, he rode a '76 Cr125 with some trick parts on it.

[DR]

I rememeber the shop name but I never went there John. I also met Micks other brother Scott and he was a pretty gun rider also. I met him after the said era though as a mate rented a house from him and he had bike stuff stored there. Mistake also, Mick rode the old shale covered oil track before the deco was spread over

[JohnnyO]

Yeah i know Scott, he was a good road racer through the 90's.

[STW996]

Yes ElsinoreYZ We had at the time pretty quick XR'S and my Brother went to seniors on a brand new 725 dollar RM125S, then Brett got a new YC 80C and that hosed the XR'S, I had to do another season on the XR until Brett went to seniors and I got hold of the YZ, that was the first year that the Carseldine circuit was set up. Geoff Mc Mullen's dad Dick was one of the first to set up the track and has about 2 hours of home movies of the first race meeting held there.

Shane