DANNY Curran was not instantly taken by his mate's idea for a "road trip".
While not a man to back away from a challenge, this one was a doozy: a two-month trip around Australia using 1950s-era motorcycles to ferry them between towns and cities.
But his friend, Craig Birnie, was persistent.
"He kept saying to me, 'We are not getting any younger, so if we are going to do this thing we had better do it soon'," says Danny.
Not that the trip had never been done before, mind you.
In fact, back in 1953 Danny's cousin Vern Train, and Mike Lockyer rode a 1953 500cc Triumph Speed Twin and a 1953 500cc BSA A7 anti-clockwise around the nation's perimeter.
Vern was working as an engineer for Renold Chains in Benalla when they asked him to take up the challenge to prove first-hand the toughness and durability of the Renold product.
Back in the 1950s, unpaved and rocky roads were a common fixture in many cities, and a bike ride around the country seemed a sure-fire way to test the .625in pitch drive chain.
The company placed an ad for a "scrutineer", which is where Mike entered the picture in the role of supervisor for the Auto Cycle Union of Victoria.
Needless to say, the two men - then aged in their late 20s - became close during the tour, with Mike even marrying Vern's sister, Kath, when he returned.
While Mike recorded the journey with pictures, Vern kept a diary during the entire 17,700km trip.
"When I read the entries I was just blown away by what they went through," Danny says.
Danny was so impressed by the diaries that late last year he published the entries in a book, Operation Transmatilda.
His friend Craig was equally enthralled by the entries, which is what gave him the idea to replicate their run.
The pair bought two motorcycles of the same vintage - Renold has lost track of the original bikes - and they worked off old pictures to recreate almost identical replicas, right down to the registration plates.
Craig and Danny will set off this Anzac Day from Danny's home city of Mildura in a journey that will take them to Brisbane, Darwin and over to Perth then Adelaide, and finally to Renold Chains' Melbourne headquarters, with plenty of towns and cities along the way.
Danny says the original riders, Vern and Mike, could not be more thrilled at the prospect of their steps being retraced.
"It has added about 10 years to their life, I reckon," Danny says.
While the roads will be easier to negotiate, it will be far from a breeze run, with the pair aiming to complete between 400km and 500km a day.
"Let's put it this way: back in the day it was two 20-somethings on brand new bikes, and this time it will be two men almost in their sixties on old bikes," Danny says.
