By JONATHON HOWARD
NOOSAVILLE resident Graeme Osborne may have a few years under his belt, but when he’s gripping his bike at almost 300km/h he’s in his element.
Mr Osborne started riding at the age of 12, and while he did have a brief time off the bike growing up, he can still set a cracking pace to rival even the youngest competitor on the track.
He’s raced such notable tracks as the Tasmanian Lightweight TT, but most of his racing has been in his home state of Victoria.
Now a Noosa resident, he will be testing his nerves of steel in the Shannon’s 2014 Australian Historic Road Race Championships from 25-28 September.
As you would suspect, Mr Osborne comes from a long line of family members who have raced into the history books.
His father won several Australian championships in the 1930s, his brother Alan won a couple of Australian championships in the 1960s and in the 1980s Alan’s son Donnie won three Aussie championships.
Mr Osborne won three Victorian State titles early in his career, stopped racing in 1974 and returned 35 years later at the age of 70.
Ironically, 2013 proved to be the best year in his racing career, netting him four wins.
“I got a bit a bit of a run on,” he smiles.
“For me, it’s never been a matter of fear or worry, I just look forward to the next ride and the next experience tomorrow.”
You won’t find showcases full of trophies and medallions in Mr Osborne’s home, despite a long and noteworthy racing career; it’s the experience that counts for him.
As well as an impressive racing history, Mr Osborne has a musical background.
He played guitar and saxophone and sang in Geelong’s first rock band in the 1950s.
One of his fellow members was Georgie Bracken, former Australian Middleweight champion boxer.
He last played with the group in a revival in 2002, but now gives most of his leisure time to his classic motorcycles, saying that he wants to give what he can to racing before he gets too old.
“When people ask me why I still race I tell them, I do it because I can,” he says.
