MOTORCYCLING AUSTRALIA:

Ken Blake on the ECCO Engineering BMW Superbike.

The 2010 Honda Broadford Bike Bonanza (HBBB) at Broadford next Easter will see a colourful tribute to one of Australia’s racing greats – the late Ken Blake.

The immensely popular South Australian, winner of 11 National Championships and three Castrol Six Hour races, lost his life at the Isle of Man in 1981.

Organiser of the Broadford event, Motorcycling Australia (MA), is hopeful of assembling as many as 12 of Blake’s former racing machines, including the famous Coca Cola Yamaha TZ350 now owned by MA.

Invitations have been extended to the owners of many of the other bikes bearing Blake’s number 6, such as the ECCO Engineering BMW Superbikes, the Jessor Triumph Bonneville on which Blake began his career and twice won the Australian TT, and several Yamahas ranging in capacity from 250 cc to 750 cc.

Some of these bikes will take to the track for demonstration runs, while others will form a static display.

There will also be a reunion with Kenny Blake’s former tuner and sponsor Ron Angel and some of the bikes he tuned for Kenny.

Angel is the founder of Ron Angel Holdings; the accessory house and Nolan Helmet importers, and now living in Victoria is semi-retired and concentrates on restoring his bikes like the Matchless G50 he rode at the last HBBB.

Angel plans to take the spanners to the MA Museum’s TZ 350 Kenny raced in the early 1970s and giving it its first taste of tar for some time.

The 2010 HBBB will continue the successful format created at Easter 2009, when thousands of spectators converged on the State Motorcycling Complex at Broadford Victoria, to see a full two days of non-competitive action over the Road Race, Motocross, Speedway, Dirt Track, Trials and Enduro courses.

In addition, the event will showcase numerous trade and club stands, a Show ‘N Shine, Swap Meet, and a Gala Dinner on the Saturday evening.

More information about the 2010 HBBB can be found by contacting Event Organiser Peter Drakeford by emailing: [email protected] or by phoning: 0422 299 003.

Remember to check out the event website at www.ma.org.au/hbbb for all the latest news on the 2010 HBBB.