1927 Gypsy Tour
The Best Early Indian Photo Ever!
Written on the back of this photo:
"Do you know who this is? Why it's Ivor Dennis after the ground came up and hit him at Sale"
He hit a red gum fence post knocking the top right off it, during a circuit race in Sale, Victoria, and came out of it with scars on the back of his neck and suffering from permanent stiffness of the neck from that day on. On impact his leather helmet was spotted flying through the air. One spectator yelled out "there goes his head!" His mother who was in the crowd nearby, almost collapsed when she heard this.
He returned to the track a week later to collect the lump of red gum as a souvinir. While he was there he commented to another racer that he thought his racing days were over. The other rider handed over his bike and insisted that he at least ride slowly around the track a couple of times to get back on the proverbial horse. It worked and his racing days continued.
He returned to the track a week later to collect the lump of red gum as a souvinir. While he was there he commented to another racer that he thought his racing days were over. The other rider handed over his bike and insisted that he at least ride slowly around the track a couple of times to get back on the proverbial horse. It worked and his racing days continued.
Ivor and and his brother Gaunsen, read all the literature they could get their hands on (from the Indian Motorcycle company and elsewhere) about improving performance to gain more speed. They even removed the butterfly from the carby to allow a clear passage for air intake. The only method Ivor had for slowing down on the corners, was to kill the engine using the horn button which he converted to a kill switch.
An old bloke came visiting in 2004 and told us he had been digging around in an old tip site at the back of the property where Ivor lived. He reached into his bag and gave us these mangled Indian motorcycle con rods. He had known Ivor, and immediately knew what they were about. They are a good example of the extent of the modifications Ivor and Gaunsen made to these racing bikes. Obviously they took just a little too much metal out of these. I never heard the story behind them but it would have been an interesting way to stop. Dad found a rough old hunk of wood to mount them on and they look fantastic.
Wanting to measure how much extra he was getting out of his 1917 Powerplus, Ivor saved up and purchased a speedometer. Much to his mum’s astonishment, It cost about a month’s wages. Unfortunately he never found a stretch of road good enough to open it up to full speed. Our roads were unsealed and very rough in those days. Even a standard Powerplus was advertised as being capable of over 100 mph.
An old bloke came visiting in 2004 and told us he had been digging around in an old tip site at the back of the property where Ivor lived. He reached into his bag and gave us these mangled Indian motorcycle con rods. He had known Ivor, and immediately knew what they were about. They are a good example of the extent of the modifications Ivor and Gaunsen made to these racing bikes. Obviously they took just a little too much metal out of these. I never heard the story behind them but it would have been an interesting way to stop. Dad found a rough old hunk of wood to mount them on and they look fantastic.
Wanting to measure how much extra he was getting out of his 1917 Powerplus, Ivor saved up and purchased a speedometer. Much to his mum’s astonishment, It cost about a month’s wages. Unfortunately he never found a stretch of road good enough to open it up to full speed. Our roads were unsealed and very rough in those days. Even a standard Powerplus was advertised as being capable of over 100 mph.
Tuesday April 7 1920
Ivor Dennis takes 3rd place riding a 1917 Indian Powerplus in 200 mile Australian Classic at SaleNote the proximity of the spectators and the complete lack of safety fencing as the bobby on the right waves him through.
