Eurotune 30-year anniversary ‘The past 30 years have gone by amazingly quickly. We didn’t expect
Three decades of mechanical passion
TO thrive for 30 years in the motorcycle industry requires passion above everything else, says Anders Mykkeltvedt, owner of Eurotune Motorcycles in Queanbeyan.
Aksel Martensen… A passion for European bikes, road racing and performance tuning second to none.
24 CityNews December 20-January 12
“The staff are all here as much for the passion as for the job,” he says. “It’s not just work for any of us. They get the same sort of bug for it as I have.” The business started in 1982 with Aksel Martinsen and Anders. Receptionist Helen Whigham started full time in 1985 and mechanic Robert Douglas joined in 2006 as an apprentice. “After such a long time together we all get on each others’ nerves sometimes, it just goes with the territory. We’re all old enough now that we can cope with it!” A team with such broad-ranging experience, dedication and skill has been invaluable, says Anders, with Aksel’s passion for European bikes, road racing and performance tuning second to none. “Robert, too, has become a very competent mechanic, and it’s great to have some young and enthusiastic blood around here,” says Anders. “And Helen is the first port of call for anyone who comes in. She handles the spare parts, the clothing and all the administration. She should be divided in two really!” Anders came to Canberra to study art at the ANU School of Art, but says finances got in the way and he began working at a motorbike shop to make ends meet. “At the time, no one was really doing European motorcycles so Aksel and myself decided to go into business,” says Anders. The business started out as Eurotune Motorcycle Engineering in Crawford Street, Queanbeyan. “We had a toolbox and a welding torch and a few customers,” he says. “We tried Fyshwick for a few years, which was where we picked up the Triumph dealership, but we moved back to Queanbeyan because of the lower rents, and we’ve been here on Uriarra Road for 26 years now.” Eurotune is the oldest Triumph dealership in Australia, and also sells Ural sidecar outfits