Mannum’s River Rides Motorcycle Museum listed on new tourist trail
The 777 Motor Tourism Trail also features Mypolonga's Revolution Motor Museum and the Bend Motorsport Park, among other stops.
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A self-drive tourist trail launched this month has given motor sport enthusiasts and tourists something to get their engines revving over.
The 777 Motor Museum Trail, launched at Tailem Bend’s Supercars race on September 12-14, links classic car and motorcycle museums across South Australia.
The trail takes approximately three days to complete, with stops in seven towns, each with their own scenic views, local treasures and – of course – motoring history.
The trail begins at the Bend Motorsport Park at Tailem Bend and loops through Mypolonga, Mannum, Swan Reach, Truro, Strathalbyn and Birdwood.
Mannum’s stop is the River Rides Motorcycle Museum, a recent addition to the town after owners Belinda and Ian Spooner moved their collection down from Peterborough in January.
The couple have spent years collecting and restoring bikes.
They first opened their museum at Peterborough in 2009 with 23 bikes; they left with 69, and a large collection of antiques.
Mrs Spooner said the move from Peterborough to Mannum had been hard work and had required a lot of travelling over a distance of nearly 300 kilometres.
“It was a big move, around 30 trips,” she said.
The couple now have around 52 bikes on display at their Mannum museum, the eldest of which – a bike called “the Favourite” – was built here at Peterborough in 1914.
It is one of five that still exist in the world.
There's plenty to see at the River Rides Motorcycle Museum at Mannum. Photos: Kate Kinnear.
Mrs Spooner said she and her husband liked to collect rare bikes from all over the world.
“We’ve bought some from a private collection in London, some from Germany, wherever we can, really,” she said.
“At the moment we’re up to 13 countries.”
In time, she said, they had planned an extension into another shed which would hold more than 1000 antiques and potentially another 40 bikes.
Among those with an impressive history are bikes that carry sentimental meaning to the couple.
Mr Spooner’s first bike, an Aeromacchi 350 Sprint that he purchased when he was 16 years old, is included in the collection, along with a Cossack Planeta from 1972 which belonged to his father.
Also in their collection is a Benelli 750 Sport from 1976 that had previously been custom painted for Dave Hill, lead guitarist of the English rock band Slade.
Mrs Spooner said the bikes’ history was a big part of their appeal.
“People love the stories,” she said.
About the 777 Motor Museum Trail
Mrs Spooner hoped the museum’s inclusion on the 777 Motor Museum Trail would get more people coming to see their collection.
From rare cars, racing, muscle and performance cars to Chevrolets and vintage motorcycles, the trail has something for all motor enthusiasts.
The other stops along the trail are:
- The Bend Motorsport Park, Tailem Bend
- Revolution Motor Museum, Mypolonga
- Mid Murray Class Car Gallery, Swan Reach
- Eric Parker Collection, Truro
- National Motor Museum, Birdwood
- Gilbert’s Motor Museum, Strathalbyn
The Murray River Lakes and Coorong Tourism Alliance encouraged drivers to stop and explore the towns along the trail, staying the first night in Mannum or Swan Reach and the second night in Birdwood or Strathalbyn.
- Visit the River Rides Motorcycle Museum: Visit 4 Neil Street, Mannum from 9am-4pm on Monday or Wednesday-Saturday, or 10am-4pm on Sundays, except for the last Sunday of each month; admission is $10 for adults or $5 for children, in cash only.
- More information: www.themurrayriver.com/seven-stops-one-epic-ride-the-777-motor-museum-trail.
