The 2019 Deus Swank Rally was a vintage off-road motorcycle event, held at the Dargle motocross track. As with all Deus events, riding was just one of the day’s enjoyments, with a vintage style dress encouraged to go with the pre-1990’s bikes and good cooking from the Deus Kitchen. Waking to a crisp 11-degree morning, I set off in my early 20th-century attire; 3/4 lederhosen, leather jacket and a newsboy cap. I felt a small amount of anxiety about participating in an off-road event as it is not my regular style of riding. However, our recent muddy adventures in Vietnam helped to maintain my confidence as we rode north of Sydney into the Hawkesbury.
My ride for the day was my Deus ex Machina custom motorcycle. Based on a Yamaha TW200, it undoubtedly looks the part with its big knobby tyres and an overall air of something that can take you anywhere. The bike performed well, throwing up big arcs of dirt as I raced around the track. The circuit was a mixture of motocross, trials—technical riding done on narrow trails through trees—and enduro riding. My first lap was a woeful 13.36 as I got lost twice. Fortunately, as confidence and knowledge of the track grew, the times kept coming down; 11.15, 10.11, 9.50 and finally 9.06 on my fifth run.
The Deus Swank Rally was a great event with food was from the Deus Kitchen being both delicious and well priced. There was a friendly atmosphere, combining serious racing with a relaxed vibe; you can watch the Deus video here. Congratulations to the organisers and sponsors. I am already planning alterations to my motorcycle for next year’s event.
