Ride, Race, Enjoy.
In July 1904, a number of enthusiastic motorcyclists convened a meeting in the Queens Buildings in Perth and formed the Perth Motorcycle club.
The first official run took place in August 1904 and although 11 members started only 3 reached their destination of Mundaring Weir as such was the reliability of the motorcycles of that time. However, the Club did not prosper and gradually ceased to function.
It was not until 1911 that a movement revived the formation of the WA Motorcycle Club at a meeting held in the Olde Narrogin Inne in Armadale.
This club soon became a very lively body conducting annually the West Australian Tourist Trophy Race and a Reliability Trial as well as Speed Trials on the Canning Road in South Perth. Grass Track racing was established and Social Runs were held as memberships grew. Within a few years, the Club was at its zenith and had a large membership. The outbreak of the war in 1914 saw many officials and riders enlist for active service.
Shorn of its enthusiastic workers the Club struggled during the war period, but even with the Declaration of Peace the body did not reach its old popularity and a few years afterwards it declined and became defunct.
Formation of the Western Australian Motor Cycle Association (WAMCA)
By 1923, a large number of motorcycles were on the road and several clubs were established, some of them confined to riders of one make of motorcycle. Recognising the need for cooperation, the clubs arranged a meeting of delegates at the Bohemia Hotel in Perth on the 31 July 1923 the object of forming an association for the control of motorcycling generally and holding and organising competitive runs.
The original clubs were:
- Indian Motor Cycle Club
- Harley Davidson Motor Cycle Club
- Coastal Motor Cycle Club
At the next meeting of the Association, the AJS Motor Cycle Club also became a member.
On the 22 May 1930, the not for profit organization Western Australia Motorcycle Association became an incorporated body under the Associations Incorporated Act 1895.
In 1986, the members then started planning for a total restructuring of the Association. It acknowledged that for the WAMCA to progress into the 90’s, “kitchen table administration” had to be replaced with a more sophisticated method.
An office and headquarters’ were established in East Perth in 1988, and a full time administrator was appointed for the first time. Administrative procedures were further enhanced with the purchase of modern equipment such as computers and a fax machine.
WAMCA hosted the most prestigious international motocross competition, Motocross Des Nations, in September 1992 at the Cosy Creek circuit in Manjimup. This was followed in August 1993 by a round of the 125cc Motocross Grand Prix.
In 1992, the Association changed its name to Motorcycling Australia WA Inc.
In 2003, to recognise the growth as an independent organisation the name was changed to Motorcycling Western Australia (MWA).
In 2007 a new modern Constitution was adopted.
MWA is the recognised state controlling body for all forms of motorcycle sport in Western Australia. It is affiliated with and represents in WA, the national controlling body, Motorcycling Australia (MA) which, in turn, is affiliated with the international controlling body, the Federation Internationale Motorcycliste (FIM).
However there is growing interest from the Northwest with 3 clubs and a growing competition.
Currently there are 40 affiliated clubs, over 2900 licence holders and 2500 registered officials.