Graham Felton
Graham grew up in Sydney and bought his first motorcycle, a BSA Bantam, in 1954. This was followed by a Triumph Thunderbird and then a 1942 1200cc side valve Harley Davidson. This became the ultimate motorcycle for Graham. He also rode a WLA Harley Davidson in the Army National Service. It was during this time soon after working as an apprentice shipwright he and his family moved into their new home in the Sydney Suburb of Eastwood. It was here he came in contact with John Sinclair, an apprentice toolmaker. Both had a sense of adventure. Graham who previously hitch-hiked all over Australia in his holidays asked John to join him on his Harley and box outfit for a ride around Australia. There was no turning back. John rebuilt the motor and gearbox while Graham rebuilt the box.
This led the pair to ride to Cairns leaving Boxing Day 1957. Then west to Mt Isa and Tennant Creek. From here they rode north to Darwin and back through the centre to Alice Springs and Adelaide. They followed the inland road to Melbourne and back to Sydney. All in six weeks.
It was soon after this when they both had finished their apprenticeships that Graham took off to work and travel (riding a 350cc Velocette motorcycle) in New Zealand. John stayed home to save his money and travel the world, and so their paths took different directions.
Graham came home to study and became a school teacher. He started teaching in 1964 and traveled overseas as often as possible in the summer school holidays. Although motorcycling was now a thing of the past, he always knew he would one day get back on a Harley Davidson. His interest in travel continued and in 1977 he went on a teacher exchange to the United Kingdom, "The best year of my life". Life was busy and somehow marriage and a family eluded him.
From 1992 until her death in 2000 Graham with the help of his sister Glenda, looked after their mother who had Alzheimer's disease. It was during this time Graham retired from teaching to be a full time carer. The trauma of such a disease affected him such that when he saw an opportunity to raise money for research into this disease which has no known cause or cure he took it. This was when he found out about Jack Bowers and Frank Smiths epic journey in the Power House museum Sydney. It was part of a Harley Davidson display in 2002. Their journey finished in Sydney on 21st September, World Alzheimer's Day. The rest, as they say is history...
John Sinclair
John grew up in the Sydney suburb of Eastwood and first met Graham in 1955 while completing his tool-making apprenticeship. John who previously spent much time camping, bushwalking and caving teamed with Graham to rebuild the Harley Davidson before venturing around Australia.
After completing this trip John had the desire to travel further and spent 1959 travelling New Zealand on an Indian Motorcycle. This trip was promptly followed by a further two years travelling around Europe on a Lambretta motor scooter, then another two years travelling North America (America, Canada, Alaska) before coming home via Mexico and Japan in 1964.
Upon returning to Australia John started his own engineering business in 1966 and met Wendy who he later married in 1969. Together they had three boys and much time was spent between business and family. Slowly the business changed direction and by 1982 won a National Small Business Award for "outstanding achievements". By this time the family was old enough to travel and many school holidays were spent on four wheel drive camping trips around Australia.
John sold the engineering company in 1992 and purchased fifty percent of a company that sold insulating foam until retiring in 2000. During the last year John has rebuilt the 1940 Harley Davidson in preparation for the Anniversary Ride around Australia.