At 84 years old, Brenthurst resident Stuart Farquharson is still doing what he has loved since his school days – riding motorbikes.

A resident of the Cosy Corner Moth Cottages for the past three years, this enthusiastic biker originally hails from Zimbabwe.

He moved to South Africa in 1971, and has lived all over the country, including Bloemfontein, Cape Town and different suburbs around Johannesburg.

Stuart told the Brakpan Herald his passion for anything with two wheels started as a schoolboy, where he spent time on his cousin’s farm and got his first taste of riding motorbikes on a Corgi.

This type of motorcycle originated from a small, folding bike designed for paratroopers during the Second World War.

“I used to ride all over the farm on that bike,” he recalled with a smile

His cousin also owned an engineering shop where bikes and race cars were built, and this is where Stuart’s fascination really took hold.

Over the years, he became deeply involved in the biking community, becoming a founding member of the Ulysses Motorcycle Association of South Africa, where he remains a life member.

The club caters for riders aged 40 and over. While he is still a member of the Joburg South chapter, he has been joining up with members closer to home at the Far East chapter (Brakpan and Benoni).

Stuart has owned a range of bikes over the years, starting with a Kawasaki, then a Suzuki, and later a Honda Gold Wing that he owned for 33 years before passing it on to his son. He currently rides a BMW R1150GS, which he has owned for many years.

Biking is not just a personal passion, but a family affair. His wife Elaine (76), to whom he has been married for 56 years, and their children, Barry and Lara, have all shared in the love of motorbikes.

Even the next generation has carried the torch, with Stuart’s grandson Zane proving to be a talented motocross rider, winning his first championship at eight years old and later earning SA colours.

Stuart raced competitively for about three years, often placing on the podium.

“I used to do quite well,” he noted.

He competed on a Honda 250 with a full race conversion and raced against well-known names at the time such as Jim Redman, Gary Hocking and the Peterson brothers.

“I bought my first leather suit from their dad (the Peterson brothers),” recalled Stuart.

Redman, Hocking, and Keith, Robbie and Dave Peterson are significant figures in the history of Southern African motorcycle racing, with Redman and Hocking achieving legendary status on the world stage during the 1960s, while the Peterson brothers dominated South African racing in the 1980s.

After moving to South Africa, Stuart went without a motorbike until the early 1980s. Elaine remembers the day he broke the news to her.

“We had left home in the morning for work, in separate cars, with me following when he suddenly stopped the car in the street and got out,” she explained.

“I stopped behind him and he got out and I saw him with a rose he had picked from our garden. He gave it to me and said, ‘Don’t be cross, I bought a motorbike.’ And that was that.”

Over the decades, Stuart has attended countless rallies, collecting jackets covered in badges, patches and pins, and boxes full of memorabilia.

One of his most memorable journeys was a 3 500km multi-country Delta trip through Southern Africa in 2009, where he visited sites such as Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe and the Chobe National Park in Botswana.

For many years, he had a loyal companion on these adventures, a spoodle (a cocker spaniel and poodle mix) named Monty. Stuart and Monty became a legendary duo.

Monty rode along comfortably on the bike, and over 14 years, he clocked an incredible 75 000km with Stuart.

“He would just sleep as we rode,” said Stuart.

Monty even had his own biker cut, and Stuart made him a custom helmet. Stuart also owned a Scottish terrier named Scottie, who would also accompany him on rides.

“I miss them terribly” said Stuart of his pets.

Despite the risks often associated with motorcycling, Stuart has only ever been involved in one accident, which occurred while he was still living in Zimbabwe, and resulted in a concussion and a broken toe.

“The driver of a Morris Minor hit me on the side. The woman was apparently coming back from church. I woke up in hospital, and I remember a policeman came to visit me and asked if I was okay.

“I told him about the broken toe and he told me I was lucky because the bike looked like a steamroller had gone over it.”

While Elaine has no concerns about Stuart still riding, he no longer attends rallies. Beyond biking, he enjoys keeping himself busy.

He spent much of his working life in the office machine trade, repairing typewriters and bookkeeping machines.

As technology evolved, he had to learn about electronics to work on machines used in the printing trade, data capturing systems and similar machines. He commented it is sad that so many of these once-essential machines are now obsolete.

After retiring, he remained active in the repair trade, and still likes to tinker in his garage, where he enjoys fixing and building things.

The garage is also a treasure trove of memories, filled with caps, jackets, photographs and memorabilia from his decades of biking.

Stuart and Elaine have five grandchildren, all of whom live abroad. The couple is looking forward to becoming great-grandparents in August.

While on the road, Stuart likes to bring a touch of comfort with him. His bike is fitted with CDs so he can listen to music, and, as a devoted tea lover, he has converted a compartment to carry a stool and all the essentials needed to make a proper brew.

He is a familiar face at the monthly open days at the Just Wheel’s Club, and continues to be a proud and active part of the biking community.

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