old photos

[23JDCA 808]

Nice bike!!

[c.o.]

Here's a shot of Walt Healy with his 101 boardwall crash machine.

[c.o.]

I believe that this is Walt with Art Gavel at the entrance of Banff National Park.

[c.o.]

Here's Walt later on in life with his hot rod Scout at the O'Keefe Rally in Vernon, B.C.

[23JDCA 808]

...for us newer members of motorcycle appreciation:
HEALY, WALT 1913 - 2001
Calgary, Alberta native Walt Healy was actively involved in motorcycling for over 71 years and achieved a great deal. He was an accomplished competitor, and a long time motorcycle dealer. Walt’s’ lifelong involvement in motorcycling began when he had his own delivery service in 1929-30, using a Henderson four motorcycle with a sidecar attached. Needing to buy a better machine, he went to the local motorcycle dealer to order a new Indian 45 and sidecar. The dealer apparently said to Walt, “If you can afford to buy a new Indian and sidecar, why don’t you become the dealer yourself, I sure can’t afford it”! This was not something Walter had planned on, however as fate would have it, it proved to be his destiny. Walt took the man at his word, and went ahead and purchased the machine from the Indian Motor Company, and with that, in 1931 his dealership was basically established. Walt Healy Motorcycles is still in business today, and celebrating it’s 75th Anniversary in 2006.
Over the years, Walt Healy was either organizing, being actively involved in, and or contributed to many organizations connected with motorcycles; and in general being a great ambassador promoting motorcycling in western Canada. From the late 1930’s to the early 1950’s Walt competed very successfully in Hill Climbs and dirt tracks in western Canada, and the north western United States (in those days’ motorcycle hill climbing was very popular and drew huge crowds, the likes of which we would be more than happy to see today).
Walt had the distinction of being the first Albertan rider to earn an AMA number in both Hill Climbs and dirt track. Showing his skill and versatility in riding just about anything in any situation, Walt recorded a top ten finish on Daytona Beach, in the 1940’s, when it was run on the beach course. Regrettably, through an unfortunate chain of circumstances most of Walters’s records and archival materials have been lost, however, it is widely acknowledged that Walt Healy essentially dominated and “owned” the Hill Climbs and flat tracks in the west at that time usually winning the greater percentage of them.
Over time, at his dealership, the Indian brand gave way to the British machines and Walter went on to carry the Ariel, Matchless, Triumph, and BSA machines. In the 1960’s with the arrival of the Japanese motorcycles, (a direct link to the Deeley family) Walt was instrumental in founding the “Learn to Ride” programs and set up a riding school with the Calgary Safety Council--a program still operating today.
During the 1970’s Walter helped establish the Canadian Motorcycle Dealers Association or CMDA, and began lobbying the Alberta Apprenticeship Board to recognize motorcycle mechanics as a legitimate trade. In 1986, after 14 years of persistence, predominantly on Walters’ part, Alberta finally established the Motorcycle Mechanics Apprenticeship Program and fittingly, Walter was awarded the first Journeyman Certificate in that Province.
In later years Walt organized several “charity rides” a tradition which are carried on today at Walt Healy Motorcycles with their annual Toy Runs and the Kids Cancer Care Foundation “Ride For Life”.
Following his semi-retirement in 1985 Walt took to the road, and over the 17 years that followed, amassed over 1 million kilometres on a total of four Yamaha Ventures. He rode as far north in North America as the highways went, and as far south as Panama. He rode the Four Corners Rally – ‘The Rally in The Rockies”, and the Three Flags (Canada / USA / Mexico) Rally a total of seven times! He covered 49 States, all ten Provinces and the Canadian Territories. To celebrate his 75th birthday Walt shipped his bike to Australia and rode around the entire continent. He capped this off by riding the highway that runs through the centre of this massive country, from coast to coast. All this at age 75!
For all his accomplishments, as a competitor and rider, his success as a long time dealer and businessman, and friend to motorcycling in general, Walt Healy unquestionably earned the respect and admiration of the motorcycling community in Canada and beyond. He dedicated his life to his passion of motorcycling, he excelled at what he did, and gave back as much if not more than he took from it. The impact of his contributions will be felt for many years. Walt Healy will long be remembered for who he was, and what he did in and for motorcycling in Canada.
from the Canadian Motorcycle Hall of Fame
http://www.motorcyclehalloffame.ca/h...uctees/gl.html

[Ross]

Hey Co, I think you and I are travelling in the same lanes today. I met Walt Heally everytime he visited my good friend Bert Bentley in Winnipeg when he came to visit Bert. They both rode together in a Calgary motorcycle club in the 30's. Bert was a high ranking officer in WW2 and settled in Winnipeg with a good job as head of the emergency measures for the province. Walt would come for a visit with his friend in a sidecar outfit and was well up in years. In the early 90's my family and I drove to BC to the Cloverdale meet and to my good fortune Walt was the main attraction doing the burning wall trick with that old Indian. By the way he towed it there with the sidecar outfit and had removed the scout front wheel and then attached the Indian. What a guy. The wall was burning furiously and the field was sort of sand and he wiped out right in the middle of the flaming wall. He was rescued , stood up and waved without missing a beat. We had a nice chat after. I miss the old guys. Hey wait a minute ... Now I are one!!!

[23JDCA 808]

Two web links to old pictures of great riders:
Walt Healey
http://www.gregwilliams.ca/?page_id=193

and Nicholson Bros. Motorcycles
http://www.gregwilliams.ca/?page_id=75

[c.o.]

Hey Ross............I believe after the Cloverdale meet, Walt ended up at Don Doody's house. In the middle of the night the smoke alarm went off and Walt ended up with the impression that he was going to burn up twice in one day!!

I can recall him flying past me in a rainstorm on a trip over the Roger's Pass. He passed me and my old BSA chopper like we were standing still! When I ran into him the next day he said that he liked to set the cruise at 85 to make time. He was into his eighties by then!

[Ross]

Walt was well into his 80's the last time I talked to him. In that photo of Banff is a man in uniform with a pipe. If that uniform is an officer's it could very well be my friend Bert as he smoked a pipe and wore his mustache that way. Looks like him but I'm not sure. Apparently Bert was a bit of a hero to Walt as Bert was older and first won the Western Canadian hill climbing championship in Calgary (foothills) in 1931.These guys never let age getin their way I hope I can do the same.I'm still 21 with around 35 years experience.

[Ken Lee]

oh no!!!! where have all those lovely old photo's gone ? will they ever be put back on here ?? hope so , otherwise we'll just have to re-send them all !!!! happy riding everyone and don't forget to take some pics for this site for 50 years time !!! Ken

[Chuggi]

More 40'-50' pictures

Looks like all the pictures didn't make the change over...

If you would like me to post pictures collected for our documentary series I will be happy to do so... otherwise check out our websites:

http://www.indianwreckingcrew.com

http://www.manandmotorcycles.com

Enjoy them and check back often... we keep updating the sites as we go along.

John

[Chuggi]

Looks like all the pictures didn't make the change over...

If you would like me to post pictures collected for our documentary series I will be happy to do so... otherwise check out our websites:

http://www.indianwreckingcrew.com

http://www.manandmotorcycles.com

Enjoy them and check back often... we keep updating the sites as we go along.

John

Here is a picture of Ernie Beckman of the Indian Wrecking Crew at Bay Meadows, CA

[Chris Haynes]

You will find tons of old photos at www.vintageamericanmotorcycles.com In fact i think some of these may have been escapee's from my site.

[Chuggi]

Clarify

You will find tons of old photos at www.vintageamericanmotorcycles.com In fact i think some of these may have been escapee's from my site.

Don't worry... none of your stuff is on either of my sites.

[Michael Wells]

<strike>Photos are finally back</strike>.

Some photos are back. That's all.

- Michael Wells