Aussie trip and Meeting Dean Hogarth ?

Hendo

Hendo

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Sep 23, 2019
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On a recent trip from NZ to see our Daughter and Partner on the Limestone coast in Australia working on a Sheep and Cattle station we passed through a small town called Murray Bridge due to a wrong turn. As the bridge wasn't to open for an hour due to repairs my wife spotted a Norton for sale sign outside a house so I promptly went in for a look.

Was Greeted by an elderly gentleman , who was more than happy for us to take a look in his shed.
Introducted himself as Dean Hogarth and as he was 92 was selling all his Norton gear along with the two remaining bikes in his shed.

Thank goodness I'm a farmer and know how to cuss with the best of them, but for a 92 year old he threw more F's and C's into a 10 minute conversation than I would in a week 🤣 !
After a bit of history it was plain he raced , restored and rebuilt nortons ( and other bikes/ vehicles) but had a real passion for Norton singles.

Do any of the Aussie Chaps on the forum know Dean and any of his exploits? He seems like a REAL character !

PS , The two bikes for sale, a pre war Norton Manx and a Norton Electra 1963 ?, both beautiful bikes
I've added a couple of photo's

Cheers Hendo

 
Not sure if it is the same guy, but a few years ago I saw a collection of Nortons inside what was previously an old service station. It was located just a short distance uphill from the bridge. I was treated to a good look at his collection which included a couple of Manx Nortons with good race histories. From memory one bike was previously South Australian state title holder. He also had a lot of old newspaper cuttings with race results etc about his bikes. There was also a dohc manx that had been converted to sohc by him? At that time he probably had 20 or so Nortons and he had started to sell them. And his language was as you have said. Then while I was still looking at his bikes a police car pulled up and parked just inside the front of his property and aimed its radar unit back up the road. As soon as he became aware of this he went outside and told the police to “F off, how dare you come onto private property……”. The police obliged although I was certain that he was going to be arrested. The only thing the cop said was watch your tongue, as he drove off. I delayed leaving the premises for some time as I thought the police may be waiting just down the road.
ando
 
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