Lyla Lindsey
Australia has a rich motorcycle history, with several brands designing and manufacturing motorbikes in the country. While modern-day motorcycle manufacturers are not a common sight in Australia, there are still some companies designing and manufacturing motorbikes in the country. These include makers of traditional bikes like Barbarian V8 Motorcycles, Drysdale Motorcycle Company, and high-tech electrically-powered motorcycles like Stealth Electric Bikes. Australia also has a history of early motorcycle manufacturers, including Waratah Motorcycles, which operated from before 1911 to around 1948, and Thumpstar, a pit bike manufacturing company founded by Timothy Hunter in 2004.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Australian Motorcycle Brands | Sol Invictus Motorcycle Company, Thumpstar, Waratah, Hunter Motorcycles, Barbarian V8 Motorcycles, Drysdale Motorcycle Company, Stealth Electric Bikes, Salt Motorcycles |
| Founders of Australian Motorcycle Companies | Timothy Hunter, G.W. Revell, Albert Otto Berkfeld, J Absolom, E. M. Y. Ready, Phil Irving, John Britten, W. O. Bentley, Jack Findlay, Harry Hawker |
| Place of Manufacturing | Sydney, Abbotsford, Victoria, Tasmania, Brisbane |
| Years of Operation | 1905-1906, 1910-1930s, 1911-1920s, 1912-1915, 1915-1917, 2003, 2004-present |
| Motorcycle Models | Mercury 250 Cafe Racer, Mercury 250 Mk2, Nemesis 400 Scrambler, Ares 650 |
| Engine Types | 3½ h.p., 4½ h.p. Fafnir, Precision single-cylinder, two-stroke |
| Other Features | Alloy frame, hand-finished, customised, vintage cafe racer and scrambler styling, modern engineering and design |
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What You'll Learn
Australian motorcycle history
Australia has a rich motorcycle history, with a long tradition of crafting and riding these vehicles. The first motorcycle arrived in Australia in 1896, a Hildebrand and Wolfmuller. Early Australian motorcycle companies were typically founded by craftsmen who wanted to create their "ideal" motorbikes, which meant that these companies tended to be small and often didn't survive beyond their founder's tenure.
One of the earliest Australian motorcycle manufacturers was Mitchell of Blyth, South Australia, which advertised motorcycles built to order in 1905-06. Another early manufacturer was Albert Otto Berkfeld, who opened a bicycle shop in Casterton, Victoria, around 1911, soon assembling A.O.B. motorcycles. These bikes were believed to be fitted with 3½ hp engines and were capable of 45 mph. In 1912, A.O. Vinicombe of St Kilda, Victoria, began manufacturing motorcycles using a Chater Lea frame fitted with a 4½ hp Fafnir engine.
Waratah motorcycles were manufactured in Sydney, Australia, from before 1911 until around 1948, initially using mostly British components. In 1921, they described themselves as the sole importers of Villiers-Waratah Motor-Cycles. Other early Australian motorcycle manufacturers include Abbotsford, founded by G.W. Revell and operated from 1912 to 1913, and Bennett & Barkell Motorcycles, which operated from 1910 to the early 1930s.
In recent years, there has been a resurgence of Australian-made motorcycles, with companies like Barbarian V8 Motorcycles, Drysdale Motorcycle Company, and Stealth Electric Bikes designing and building unique bikes. Sol Invictus Motorcycle Company, founded in 2014, creates modern incarnations of classic motorcycle styles, infusing vintage cafe racer and scrambler styling with 21st-century engineering. Thumpstar, founded by Timothy Hunter in 2004, became the first company to manufacture pit bikes with alloy frames, making their bikes accessible and affordable worldwide.
Despite the relative rarity of Australian motorcycle manufacturers today, the country's rich history and passionate riding community ensure that Australian-made motorbikes continue to hold a unique and patriotic appeal.
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Modern Australian motorcycle brands
Australia has a rich motorcycle history, and while modern Australian motorcycle manufacturers are not a common sight, the industry is far from dead. Many growing businesses are designing and building bikes in Australia, including traditional bikes, muscle bikes, handcrafted superbikes, and high-tech electric motorcycles.
Thumpstar
Thumpstar is an Australian pit bike manufacturing company founded by Timothy Hunter in 2004. They were the first company to manufacture pit bikes with an alloy frame, and their bikes are accessible and affordable, making them popular worldwide.
Sol Invictus Motorcycle Co.
Sol Invictus Motorcycle Company is an Australian brand that builds and designs modern motorcycles with a vintage aesthetic. They offer three models: the Mercury 250 Mk2, the Nemesis 400 Scrambler, and the ARES 650. All their motorcycles are hand-finished and customized in Australia, with a focus on both function and design.
Barbarian V8 Motorcycles
Barbarian V8 Motorcycles is an Australian company that designs and builds traditional hot muscle bikes. Their bikes are known for their powerful performance and unique style.
Drysdale Motorcycle Company
The Drysdale Motorcycle Company crafts hand-crafted V8 Cruiser superbikes. Their bikes are known for their attention to detail and high-quality craftsmanship.
Stealth Electric Bikes
Stealth Electric Bikes is an Australian company specializing in high-tech, electrically-powered motorcycles. Their bikes offer a sustainable and eco-friendly alternative to traditional petrol-powered motorcycles.
While some Australian motorcycle brands from the early 20th century, such as Waratah, Abbotsford, and Bennett & Barkell Motorcycles, are no longer in operation, their legacy continues to inspire modern Australian motorcycle manufacturers.
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Hand-crafted Australian motorcycles
Australia has a rich motorcycle history, and riding an Australian-made motorbike is a unique experience. While present-day motorcycle manufacturers are not a common sight in Australia, the industry is far from dead. There are still many makers of traditional bikes, hand-crafted super-bikes, and high-tech electrically-powered motorcycles being designed and built by growing businesses in Australia.
One such company is the Sol Invictus Motorcycle Company, which was founded to fill a niche in the beginner motorcycle market. The company creates modern incarnations of the 'Golden Age' of motorcycles, infusing vintage cafe racer and scrambler styling with 21st-century engineering and technology. Their motorcycles are hand-finished and customized in Australia, with base manufacturing and engineering provided by a global network of partners. Sol Invictus offers a full service for customizing machines, from bespoke planning to custom paint, exhausts, and fabrication.
Another Australian motorcycle manufacturer is Thumpstar, founded by Timothy Hunter in 2004. Thumpstar was the first company to manufacture pit bikes with an alloy frame, and their bikes are accessible and affordable, making them popular worldwide.
Other notable Australian-made motorcycles include the Waratah, which was manufactured in Sydney, Australia, from before 1911 to around 1948. The Abbottford, manufactured by G.W. Revell in Victoria, Australia, from 1912 to 1913, and the A.O.B., assembled by Albert Otto Berkfeld in Victoria, Australia, from around 1911 onwards.
Today, companies like Salt Motorcycles in Brisbane, Australia, are designing and building Australian-made motorcycles for the country's passionate riders, using modern engineering and design to create an authentic riding experience.
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Australian speedway motorcycles
Australia has a rich motorcycle history, and speedway motorcycle racing is a home-grown sport that celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2023. Motorcycle speedway racing is not for the faint-hearted, as it involves riding a bike without brakes and with hardly any suspension. The sport is full of adrenaline-pumping, explosive action as riders slide around a fully fenced oval circuit.
Speedway racing typically takes place on purpose-built tracks, and in Australia, bikes used to share larger speedways with Sprintcars, Speedcars (Midgets), and saloons. Traditional speedway tracks ranged from 1/3-mile showground tracks, such as the now-closed 520-metre Claremont Speedway in Perth, to smaller, purpose-built 300-metre tracks like the Gillman Speedway in Adelaide. Due to Australia's large size, riders usually race locally, with only the top riders travelling for championships and other high-profile events.
The first Australian Motorcycle Speedway Championship was held at Newcastle Showground in 1926 and was won by American rider Cec Brown. The Newcastle Showground held the championship again in 1927, and in 1928, Johnnie Hoskins introduced speedway solo motorcycle racing to England. The Australian Individual Speedway Championship is the oldest continuously running national speedway championship globally, running since 1926 except for a suspension during World War II and a hiatus from 1955 to 1961. Australia has also had success on the world stage, winning the Speedway World Cup in 2001 and 2002 and the Speedway World Team Cup in 1976 and 1999.
While traditional motorcycle manufacturers are not common in Australia today due to the ease and cost of importing bikes, there are still some companies designing and building unique Australian-made motorcycles. Examples include Barbarian V8 Motorcycles, Drysdale Motorcycle Company, and Stealth Electric Bikes. Australian speedway motorcycle racing has a long history and continues to thrive, with elite riders competing in national and international championships.
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Australian pit bikes
Australia has a rich motorcycle history, and riding an Australian-made motorbike is a source of pride for many. While present-day motorcycle manufacturers are not common in Australia, there are still some companies designing and building motorbikes in the country.
One such company is Thumpstar, an Australian pit bike manufacturing company founded by Timothy Hunter in 2004. Thumpstar was the first company to manufacture pit bikes with an alloy frame, and its success has seen it make over $45 million in its first 13 months of business. Thumpstar sells dirt bikes, pit bikes, and quads ranging from 50cc to 250cc.
Another Australian-owned company, GMX Motorbikes, sells dirt bikes, mini pit bikes, and quad bikes. GMX has over 30 years of combined experience in small engines and offers unrivalled knowledge in petrol dirt bikes. Their bikes are designed for kids to experience off-road adventures, with powerful, lightweight, and agile models that can handle rocky surfaces, muddy tracks, and dirt trails.
Barbarian V8 Motorcycles, Drysdale Motorcycle Company, and Stealth Electric Bikes are some other Australian companies that design and build traditional and high-tech electrically-powered motorcycles.
Classic Australian motorcycle brands are rare and hold a unique and interesting place in the country's culture, often demanding a hefty price and attracting collectors.
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Frequently asked questions
Some Australian motorbike brands include Thumpstar, Waratah, Hunter Motorcycles, Sol Invictus Motorcycle Co., Barbarian V8 Motorcycles, Drysdale Motorcycle Company, and Stealth Electric Bikes.
Yes, motorbikes are manufactured in Australia. However, due to their small size and weight, they are cheaper to import than manufacture, so Australian-made motorbikes are less common.
Some examples of Australian-made motorbikes include the Salt Motorcycle, the Mercury 250 Cafe Racer, and the Nemesis 400 Scrambler.
Some historical examples of Australian-made motorbikes include the Waratah, which was manufactured in Sydney from before 1911 to around 1948, and the A.O.B. motorcycle, believed to be capable of 45 mph, which was manufactured by Albert Otto Berkfeld in the early 1900s.
