DJ Run riders only get better with age
Gavin Walton leads trio of former winners in 2019 Dj rally for classic motorcycles.
Experience was certainly a telling factor in the 2019 DJ Run for classic motorcycles, staged for the 106th time between Durban and Johannesburg on March 15 to 16.
Former winners took the top three places and there were another two ex-winners in the top 10. Gavin Walton notched up his fourth overall win, while three-time winner Martin Davis was second and Kevin Robertson, a seven-time victor, was third.
There were 54 finishers from an original field of 79, although, in true DJ spirit, several riders who suffered mechanical mishaps repaired their bikes and rode to the finish at the Classic Motorcycle Club’s clubhouse in Germiston.
This historic event commemorates the annual motorcycle road race between Durban and Johannesburg which took place from 1913 to 1936 before the authorities banned racing on public roads. Since 1971 the DJ Run has been staged as a regular event between the two cities, usually following closely to the original route, with competitors now having to ride at set average speeds instead of racing.
Qualifying motorcycles must have been manufactured before 1937. Gavin Walton, who had previously won in 2009, 2017 and 2018, and has now completed a hat-trick of wins, once again rode his reliable 1936 500cc AJS.
He had the lowest score of 179 points on the first day and second lowest error at control points on the second day with 71 points, for a total of 250 points. Walton, who rode his first DJ in 2005, also won the 2019 preliminary DJ Run, the precursor to the main event, held a few weeks earlier.
Martin Davis, who had a total of 352 points and the lowest score of 53 points on the second day, was mounted on a 1930 500cc Sunbeam, while Velocette enthusiast Kevin Robertson rode a 1936 MSS model and had a score of 395 points.
Robertson, who is now 82 years old collected the award for competing in the most DJ Runs, with a total of 29 since he took part in his first DJ in 1985.
The first of his seven DJ wins came in 1990. Robertson also organised the DJ as clerk of the course for five years in addition to competing, so has been actively involved with this event for 34 years consecutively!
An amazing record. Nine of the 16 first-time riders qualified as official finishers. Peter Gillespie, who provided bikes for his two sons and two visitors from the United States, finished 28th overall on his 1920 ABC Sopwith, and won the award for the oldest motorcycle to complete the course.
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His two sons, Tim and Alex were not qualified as finishers, but enjoyed their first attempt at this famous event and rode into the finish, as did the two Americans, Mark Ward and Houston patrolman Gary Gilmore, who placed 49th and 50th respectively.
Generally, there was satisfaction from competitors regarding the organisation of the event, headed up by clerk of the course, Larina MacGregor, who was filling this demanding post for the second year and has already agreed to organise the 2020 event.
The winner, Gavin Walton, was particularly praising of her efforts. He said that she had a consultative meeting with several of the experienced riders after last year’s event and was able to make a number of important improvements for the running of the 2019 event.
RESULTS:
1. Gavin Walton (1936 500cc AJS) – 250 points
2. Martin Davis (1930 500cc Sunbeam) – 352
3. Kevin Robertson (1936 500cc Velocette MSS) – 395
4. Jaycee van Rooyen (1936 350cc Ariel Red Hunter) – 439
5. Geoff Johnson (1928 500cc Sunbeam) – 457.
Other results:
Best performance by a woman rider: Samantha Anderson (1929 500cc AJS) who placed 33rd overall.
Best performance by a first-time rider: Derek Marsden (1930 500cc BSA Sloper) who placed 25th overall.
Oldest motorcycle to complete the course: 1920 400cc ABC Sopwith ridden by Peter Gillespie.
Oldest rider to complete the course: Neville Smith (1935 250cc Triumph Tiger) who is 83 years old and placed 52nd overall.
Youngest rider to compete the course: Martin Kaiser (1935 500cc Sunbeam M9), who is 28 years old and placed 10th overall.
Club Team: Vintage Motorcycle Club. Nominated team: Van Confused (Geoff Johnson, Martin Davis, and Mike Ward).
Most DJs competed: Kevin Robertson (1935 500cc Velocette MSS),
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