Australian Motocross Championships Adelaide
22 AUGUST 1959, ROYAL PARK, ADELAIDE - SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Photos: [Left and centre] Western Australian rider Charlie West won his sixth Australian Motocross title in the premiere Unlimited (All-powers) class at Royal Park, Adelaide in 1959; and [Right] 1959 Roy East won the 350cc title to become the first National Motocross Champion from New South Wales.
Charlie West wins his sixth Australian Motocross title with a broken foot
Western Australian rider Charlie West retained his Unlimited (All-powers) Australian Motocross (Scrambles) Championship at Royal Park, near Adelaide (SA) on 22 August 1959 with a rare display of courage.
Although the three-time Australian motocross champion at the time took only one title on the day, the twenty-one-year old was acclaimed the best in the land by the AMCN report of that meeting – “None would deny that the young WA rider is without doubt the foremost scramble exponent in the country today and but all for early mishaps would have scored early victories in the 350 and 500 title races run earlier in the day.”
After West won the 8-lap Australian All-Powers (Unlimited) race – to retain his title in the premier class – officials had to lift him off his B.S.A. machine and carry him to the first aid centre where, after inspection, the first-aid officers told him he had ridden with a broken bone in his foot – referring him to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Ray Fisher (VIC) and Roy East (NSW) were second and third also on B.S.A. machines in the Unlimited class.
West broke his foot earlier in the day while leading the 350cc Championship after slipping off his bike on a muddy comer. He quickly remounted and began chasing the field and within a few laps was up into third place. But his race ended with a broken chain before he could put pressure on Roy East (NSW, BSA) and Fisher, who finished first and second in this class, respectively.
West was also favourite to win the 500 event, but he fell during his heat, breaking his throttle and failed to qualify for the final. Victorian Ray Fisher (the ex-Ken Rumble protégé) got his first dose of luck at the expense of West, with reigning champion Jim Silvy’s being excluded. Due to his home state’s ruling on capacity classes (351 -500c), he was not allowed to ride his 350cc B.S.A. in this class. Also, early leader Alan Nicol came down in a big crash.
It was noted in the race report that West and the other West Australians were competent in this terrain, “executing spectacular jumps” with race officials considering banning these more experienced riders for jumping over the heads of the other riders.
Both Fisher and West were the unluckiest riders at the titles, with Fisher also losing two certain titles to Lady Luck. He had a comfortable lead in the 125 final with one lap to go when his frame broke in two, giving the title to fellow Victorian Stan Jones. Fisher would end the championships with one title (500cc class), two second places and two DNF’s.
Click above to contribute results or content to the Australian Motocross History website, or email:
amxhistory@outlook.com
SUBSCRIBE HERE
To receive FREE Australian Motocross Championship list updates, eNews and new video releases.
Coin Migro interviewing Charlie West at the 2025 Harley Scramble celebration.
WA rider Alan Nicol wins the 250cc title on a two-stroke Maico
WA riders Bill Watson (1) and 1959 Australian 250cc Champion Alan Nicol were early Aussie pioneers of the Maico two-stoke motocross bike, with Nicol purchasing his from Blair Harvey in NSW’s.
In the 250 event, after winning the fastest heat, easily the most competent in this terrain, Fisher was again the favourite, but an engine mainshaft collapsed with him cruising on the leader’s rear wheel in the final. The event was won by WA rider Alan Nicol on the German two-stroke Maico and for the first time, it was becoming obvious that two-strokes had a big role to play in classes other than 125 events.
Nicol’s Maico had been obtained from Blair Harvey of NSW, who had returned from European competition with the bike. After finding racing in NSW strangled by the Speedway Act, Harley sold the Maico 250 Blizzard to Nicol, having only raced it twice.
The 250 was a far cry from the machines of today, having BSA Bantam style forks, “wrong side” controls, etc. Handling was improved greatly with the addition of a Greeves Earles-style front end and a pair of Girling shocks. The four-speed machine was fast. That left the two Fishers to fight out the race and although Les was obviously the faster of the two, two step-offs and a stalled motor soon slowed his challenge
Royal Park follows leaf from the WA Harley Scramble Rope Works circuit
There is little doubt that the South Australian organisers decided to take a leaf from the Harley Scramble Rope Works circuit (WA-style) book and the 7/10-mile-long circuit featured a twisting tortuous track with several large jumps, pride of place going to a 12 ft-high hump.
Charlie West would go on to win six Australian Motocross Championships, winning the 250cc and 350cc titles in 1961 at the Moorebank Army Camp in Sydney. He also finished second in the 500cc class, which would be his last Australia National Championship race.
At just 23-years-of-age, West had won almost every major Australian motocross event in Australia before he moved to England in 1962.
Two-time Harley Scramble winner and six-time Australian Champion Charlie West’s last National Championships were in 1959 before moving to Europe to race.
Murphy wins his first National sidecar title and May wins unique double
1959 Australian Junior (500cc) Sidecar Champions George Murphy and Frank Goodwin from Victoria on their Ariel outfit.
In the sidecar events, Victorian George Murphy, after trying nearly every year since the inaugural National titles in Daylesford (VIC), finally won his first title in the Junior event for engines up to 500cc. Murphy and his passenger won aboard an Ariel, ahead of W. McGaffin (SA, Ariel) and R. Collins (VIC, Norton).
A re-run was required in the Senior (1000cc) Sidecar class after the track became blocked with machines, injured riders and ambulancemen. The outfits ridden by South Australian’s J. Smith and J. Scholz touched each other and skidded around a bend, with both machines crashing.
Victorian Charlie May scored a clear win to complete a unique double for himself. May won the senior solo title at the previous Adelaide Australian title meeting in 1954. May won on a Vincent over Don Willison (SA, Ariel) and R. Shepherd (VIC, Norton).
1959 Australian Motocross Championship Results
Royal Park, Adelaide (South Australia)
125cc
1 Stan Jones (VIC, B.S.A.)
2 Jim Silvy (SA, B.S.A.)
No Other Finishers
250cc
1 Alan Nicol (WA, Maico)
2 Ron Shand (VIC, Greeves)
3 H. Miller (SA, Triumph)
350cc
1 Roy East (NSW, B.S.A.)
2 Ray Fisher (VIC, B.S.A.)
3 K. Almond (SA, B.S.A)
500cc
1 Ray Fisher (VIC, B.S.A.)
2 John Mitchell (WA, Triumph)
3 Les Fisher (NSW, A.J.S)
Unlimited
1 Charlie West (WA, B.S.A.)
2 Ray Fisher (VIC, B.S.A.)
3 Roy East (NSW, B.S.A.)
500cc Sidecars
1 George Murphy (VIC, Ariel)
2 W. McGaffin (SA, Ariel)
3 R. Collins (VIC, Norton)
Unlimited Sidecars
1 Charlie May (VIC, Vincent)
2 Don Willison (SA, Ariel)
3 R. Shepherd (VIC, Norton)
