A Rare Motorcycle

This is Harry Hales on his ‘Mona’ motorcycle on Lugarno Hill, circa mid-1920s.  Harry, who was employed as a railway guard, was a son of Alfred Hales, a caterer who built the St Georges Hall, also known as Hales’ Hall in Mortdale.  He was born in c1891, so would be in his early thirties when this photo was taken. 

The Mona was an Australian-made motorbike, built at a works in Alexandria, Quirk’s Lighting and Engineering Ltd.  An article in Australian Town and Country Journal 28 April 1915, shows interior photos of the factory shortly after production began, and states that the Mona was the only Australian-made motorcycle.  The company hoped to sell to shearers and squatters who had long distances to cover over rough ground.  However it is thought that fewer than a hundred were ever made.  It could be that the name ‘Mona’ was chosen in reference to the Isle of Man, where the Tourist Trophy motorbike races have been running since 1907.  It ran on a 4½hp 496cc flat-twin engine, described as ‘the acme of perfection’. 

Not many outlets in Sydney sold them, but one which did was the Reliance Works in Carrington Avenue, Hurstville, which may be where Harry picked his up.  Back then, a new one would set you back £60, about $5,500 in today’s money, and twice what you might pay for an imported BSA 3½hp model.  Are there any still in existence?  One sold to a New Zealand enthusiast in 2012 for a reported $15,000.

It doesn’t look as if Harry had his long.  In August 1926 he and a friend, Syd Dowling were in a crash when his motorbike collided with a car on Canterbury Road, Punchbowl, and both men were taken to hospital.  Harry sustained broken ankle, broken wrist, concussion, cuts and bruises. The motorcycle, alas, was reported to be severely damaged.