Mr Bayliss has spent most of his life involved with motorcycles, whether that be racing them or repairing them, and he has decided it's time to start easing into retirement.

"I started in 1971 when I left school, I had a few jobs and then went and worked in a motorbike shop," he said.

"It's come time now, the old body's given up. It's about time I give it up and retire."

After moving from Sydney to Bathurst in 1993 and working for a few local motorcycle repair businesses, Mr Bayliss went out on his own.

What he thought would be about a six-month venture turned into 25 years of successful business with Steve Bayliss Motorcycle Repairs.

Over that time Mr Bayliss accumulated a loyal clientele just through word of mouth, and he wouldn't have it any other way.

"I just wanted to thank the people," he said.

"I never advertised ... my dad said the best advertisement of the lot is with the work you do.

"I just want to thank them for keeping me busy for the last 25 years."

In between repairing bikes Mr Bayliss competed in sidecar races which took him to destinations like England and Indonesia.

Following on from his father who was an Australian champion, Mr Bayliss won five Australian championships himself and competed at the last few meetings hosted on Mount Panorama.

"It was good fun, I enjoyed it," he said.

Mr Bayliss still has some of his father's old race bikes, and some of his own, that he plans to restore once he retires.

With a few customer orders to finish off yet, he will be working his way through them before he starts tinkering with his own bikes at his own leisure without the hassle of deadlines.

"I'll still be sitting in here or at home doing things like my own stuff," Mr Bayliss said.

"That's what I'll be doing, just tinkering.

"If I don't want to come into work I don't come in."

Mr Bayliss said he repairs a lot of models made in the 1960's to 1980's which most places shy away from.

Now securing parts for the older models is beginning to prove problematic, which is another reason Mr Bayliss felt it was the right time to begin retirement.

"It's harder to find spare parts for them now, they're not making them," he said.

"I get a lot of stuff out of America but it's getting harder."

As many Australian retirees do, Mr Bayliss purchased a motorhome and hopes to travel around the country.

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