Close X
Monday, January 13, 2025
ADVT 
Interesting

100 Years, 3,300 Miles: Vintage Motorcycles Hitting The Road

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 09 Sep, 2016 11:17 AM
  • 100 Years, 3,300 Miles: Vintage Motorcycles Hitting The Road
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — Thomas Trapp sells new Harley-Davidson motorcycles in Germany, but for the next two weeks he'll be riding 3,300 miles coast to coast in the United States, aboard one made 102 years ago.
 
He's one of about 100 riders set to straddle century-old machines as part of the Motorcycle Cannonball, a biennial run for vintage motorcycles starting from Atlantic City on Saturday.
 
"There's nothing else like this ride," said Trapp, of Frankfurt, Germany, who will be joined on the run to Carlsbad, California, near San Diego, by his son, Eric, who will ride a 1916 Harley. "It's a special experience. People come from all over the world. We're like brothers and sisters, with everybody helping each other."
 
This marks the fourth Motorcycle Cannonball race since 2010. The first ride required pre-1915 cycles; in 2012 the cutoff was 1929, while the 2014 ride called for pre-1936 cycles.
 
Century-old machines are not only hard to find but are extremely expensive to buy, regardless of condition, said Keith Kizer, executive director of the Antique Motorcycle Club of America. They can cost as much as $250,000, he said, and there will be at least two perfectly restored machines on this year's ride.
 
While throughout the year the bikes are basically museum pieces, for the next two weeks each of the 100 teams will travel the country with a rider, crew and a truck and trailer. The winner gets a trophy and bragging rights, but the riders say the camaraderie among vintage motorcycle enthusiasts is just as big a reason to ride.
 
Bob Wooldridge and Bill Kurtz, of Marietta, Georgia, worked for a year to bring their 1913 Sears Dreadnought up to speed.
 
"It's time consuming," Wooldridge said. "We have to make a lot of the parts ourselves because you can't find them anymore."
 
The pair, who will share driving duties, replaced everything on the bike except the engine, the original of which is required for the bike to be used in the race.
 
Many competitors bought their machines just for the Cannonball. Kevin Waters, of Norfolk, England, bought a 1915 Sunbeam two years ago for $17,000 after competing in the 2014 run from Daytona Beach, Florida, to Tacoma, Washington, on a 1931 Sunbeam.
 
"They're known for their high-quality machines," he said. "But I stripped it down and did a major rebuild. ... The 1915 cycle is more difficult to care for because the technology changed so much in 16 years."
 
Riders and their crews do their own mechanical repairs, often at nightly hotel stops.
 
"Some are minor and can be fixed on the side of the road. Some have quite a major repair that requires heroic efforts that may take several days," said Bill Wood, editor of Antique Motorcycle Club of America magazine.
 
He said the challenge of riding a 100 year-old motorcycle coast to coast is remarkable. Endurance on a single or twin cylinder motorcycle is difficult, especially on uphill stretches of road. Even while running as fast as they can, most of the bikes will still travel below posted speed limits.
 
The riders will mostly stick to two-lane back roads, with less than 100 miles of the trip done on interstate highways.
 
"Even when these were new, roads were primitive at that time," Wood said. "Few made it across the country. Some were experimental, a first effort to build something motorized as transport for people. They were literally learning how to make a motorcycle."

MORE Interesting ARTICLES

Selfies Reveal If You Are Going Through Romantic Crisis

Are you going through a rocky and failed romantic relationship? Check if you have suddenly started uploading more selfies on the social media.

Selfies Reveal If You Are Going Through Romantic Crisis

'Scotch Whisky The Best Gift A Man Can Get'

'Scotch Whisky The Best Gift A Man Can Get'
Growing up, the strongest memory that I have when I think of parties, or a celebration, is my father pulling out a bottle of whisky, a Scotch whisky, for his friends

'Scotch Whisky The Best Gift A Man Can Get'

'Ready To Retire?' Book By Lyndsay Green Looks At Retirement Issues Facing Men

'Ready To Retire?' Book By Lyndsay Green Looks At Retirement Issues Facing Men
Many issues surrounding retirement are universal, but there are some that are unique to men, says sociologist Lyndsay Green.

'Ready To Retire?' Book By Lyndsay Green Looks At Retirement Issues Facing Men

Why No Alien Is Calling Us From Space, Explains Indian-Origin Scientist

Why No Alien Is Calling Us From Space, Explains Indian-Origin Scientist
The universe is probably filled with habitable planets, so many scientists think it should be teeming with aliens

Why No Alien Is Calling Us From Space, Explains Indian-Origin Scientist

Playboy Suing Two Canadian Web Publications Over Kate Moss Nude Spread

The copyright suit against Toronto-based Contempo Media and Montreal's Indecent Xposure seeks up to $50,000 in damages from each outlet.

Playboy Suing Two Canadian Web Publications Over Kate Moss Nude Spread

Apps Take Planning On Road For Tasks From Finding Best Hotel Deals To Translation

Apps Take Planning On Road For Tasks From Finding Best Hotel Deals To Translation
When looking for help communicating with locals during a recent trip that took her to remote regions of Central America, she turned to a Spanish dictionary app on her phone.

Apps Take Planning On Road For Tasks From Finding Best Hotel Deals To Translation