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December Newsletter 2018

Greetings!

This newsletter represents a new change in the formatting in hopes of making this a better experience for you the member. Please if there is anything you don't like about the mechanics of how this works, please reply and let me know. In all the previous newsletters, there was a link to read "the rest of a story." I'm going against Millennial's advice and making each story continuous. I think this works best for us old people. If not, let me know and I'll go back.

Also, remember this newsletter is by and about our members. There is a section for Chapters, Members, Racers, Technical Articles and Sponsors. I need more stories from you the members. Show the world your bike(s) and tell us a little about yourself. You can email stories and photos to AMCA Newsletter.

Any feed back is welcome. - Keith Kizer

November in Savannah, GA means it is time for the annual Victory Moto Show. This year's event was held at Service Brewing Company on Indian Street in historic downtown Savannah. 

This regional show is fast gaining national attention, and this year featured new retro-vintage bikes on display by Janus Motorcycles of Goshen, Indiana. The show is promoted by Anna Heritage and her staff; and Anna comes from a family of bike riders. Her immaculate red and white Honda CL350 was displayed, and her dad Kevin and uncle Rich also ride and race vintage bikes.

Upon arriving I found close to 100 bikes parked outside, including vintage Indian, Triumph, Honda, and Harleys of various years. Across the street I spotted a few vintage flat track racers mingled in with an assortment of street bikes. A large crowd of spectators were admiring the parked bikes outside while enjoying gourmet pizza cooked on a wood fire stove by Anna's mom, Kay and her crew from Big Bon Pizza! Stepping inside, there were several vendors displaying an assortment of motorcycle related products and services. I suspect our LowCountry Chapter 77 of the AMCA will be one of these vendors next year!

Continuing further inside to the auditorium size brewing floor, a stunning array of artistically presented bikes were placed next to the large stainless steel vats used for brewing craft beer. On display were over 50 assorted vintage, café, custom, and stock motorcycles showing the diversity clearly present in current motorcycling. The high quality of restoration, preservation, modification, was evident, and the custom creativity was remarkable. There were 3 Kawasaki 2-stroke triples in preserved state, nicely hot-rodded Hondas, rare bikes like the clean Laverda triple and barn-find Norton P11, Harley customs and dual sport BMWs, as well as assorted vintage and modern Triumphs.

The show winner was an early Honda CL350 owned by local Savannah College of Art and Design graduate Julia Wheatley . The bike has an interesting history. Once owned by a young girl back in the early 1970s, it got stolen and given up as dead until recovered just a few years back in typical dilapidated state (crusty, rusty, and corroded). 

Sold to one of our chapter members who passed it over to local vintage bike shop Coastal Empire Moto, they worked magic by giving it a second life. The stunning paint work on the tank and headlight ears was all done by the new owner. This CL scrambler was truly deserving of "Best of Show". Not bad for a 50 year old motorcycle.

LowCountry chapter 77 participated in the event by awarding the "Spirit of Preservation" award to a bike we felt represented the goals of the AMCA. Meeting with several members in attendance, after much debate, we unanimously selected the 1970 Triumph TR6R as the award winner. Owned by Chad Faries of Thunderbolt, GA it has original parts and paint, and only minor few deviations for stock. Nicely preserved and presented, it also won the "People's Choice" award.

You might want to plan a 2019 vacation visit to Savannah next November to attend the annual Victory Moto Show. You will also enjoy the scenic history and beauty of this southern town, where preservation of buildings, landscapes, and motorcycles is a way of life.

Photos by Dillon Fields

Support the companies that support you and our industry. Click on SPONSORS LINK for details listed on AMCA Website.

2019 AMCA Schedule

February 22-23

Fremont, Nebraska

Omaha Chapter National Meet       

March 8-9 


New Smyrna Beach, Florida

Sunshine Chapter National Meet   

April 8-10

Kerrville, Texas

Cherokee Chapter National Road Run

April 26-27                                    

Oley, Pennsylvania

Perkiomen Chapter National Meet                                 

May 17-19 


Denton, North Carolina

Southern National Meet                  

May 24-25

Raalte, Netherlands

European Chapter National Meet 

June 9-12

Ligonier, Pennsylvania

Allegheny Chapter National Road Run

June 14-15

St. Paul, Minnesota Ÿ

Viking Chapter National Meet                   

               

June 14-15

Dixon, California

Fort Sutter Chapter National Meet 

        

July 5-7

Trumansburg, New York

Empire Chapter National Meet

July 19-21                    

Wauseon, Ohio

Wauseon National Meet    

August 2-3                           

Terryville, Connecticut

Yankee Chapter National Meet

August 24-25                       

Bulli, AUSTRALIA

Australia Chapter National Meet              

BULLI Show Grounds

September 4-6

Nashville, Tennessee

Music City Chapter National Road Run

September 23-25       

Monterey, California

Yerba Buena Chapter National Road Run

September 27-28                

Jefferson, Pennsylvania

Chesapeake Chapter National Meet  

Cannonball Support Crew

Wes Baker, Lower Lake, CA

A separate run on a different set of wheels.

My wife Jill and I flew (drove fast) all day, 14.5 hours across the country from Sacramento, CA to Portland, Maine arriving Friday 1:30 AM.  With little rest, out at 11:00 AM meet, greet and find all the riders and bikes (5 total) we were there to support them and their dream of Cannonballing the USA. That first day went by fast with the added 3 hour time zone difference. We were lacking sleep on day one of a non-stop 16 days of Cannonball.

{Official Start, Portland Maine, 100+ bikes and riders lined up in semi-circle for long narrow, must have photo.}

Our riders too were tired as they spent the week prior trailering their bikes across the country from California. Anxiety and pressure was on and a very different kind of mood was very obvious just hanging around in the pits. We were assigned a vehicle with a trailer and in combination we could transport 5-6 bikes if needed. Pretty simple was our thoughts, get up in AM and follow bikes to party at a different Harley Shop or Museum at the end of each day, what fun.  

 

Friday was the official start on the coast of Maine, with celebrations and nice photo opp of all bikes and riders in a long semi-circle arc, the picture was one of the long narrow shots, just like we have all seen of the old timers, in the day, lined up in front of dealerships, circa 1920’s. A must have photo this one is. We found some good lobster and crab rolls at tourist prices, but with little time to look around, we were satisfied.

{Saturday Sept 8 ^th , The Stage 1 start. Doug Feinsod is off from Big Moose Harley, Portland, Maine to Portland, Oregon, 16 days, 3,441 miles on a road that goes on forever. The crowds of enthusiast were overwhelming and cheering all on each and every day.}

The unofficial start, the next day, the true run: up at 5 AM unload bikes, most do not have front brakes, and even though the look like light weights to some they are still heavy to roll down a ramp, the tiller bars are very hard to control on the brakeless roll down.  We put gas in all, a quart of 50 weight in the saddle bags and had tools ready just in case of any last minute adjustments. The riders then show up with roll charts of today’s route, no one knows the days route until about ½ hour before start, when a 10 foot long roll chart is given out.  This roil chart method I recalled using in the 70’s competing in AMA dirt bike Enduro’s. One very huge improvement in the charts now vs 70’s, the ink does not run or wash away in the rain, and rain we had on more than one occasion over the next weeks.

 

We found out we were not allowed to follow the bikes on the route, for traffic safety reasons and we were not allowed to provide tools, parts or needed fluids to the bikes when riding on the course (between daily start and daily finish). If our support vehicle was found within 2 city blocks of our 5 bikes, or any Cannonballer’s, the riders would be subject to penalty loss of points, not good.  

Our daily plans were changed to provide support to all, before the start and end of the day only. Avoid the bikes during the route at all cost. The bikes were to travel the US on mostly two lane country roads, very little 4 lane and limited to 1 mile of freeway, entering several National Parks along the way. Our support route, also very planned out,

{After about 1,200 miles a few gremlins appeared. Bret Yeager’s Silent Gray Fellow was silent due to valve stem

wear and crossed the day’s finish line on the sweep wagon. Late night at the motel pits, the Steve Gonzales Harley #59 avoided the sweep, but needed clutch adjustments and in Sturgis replacement. Aaron Loveless’s “rod bender” HD, also arrived on the sweep rig, gets a quick rebuild and bore from +50 to +60 using only a battery operated drill with just a ball hone (hours of dedicated work). All were at the starting line the next day without needed rest.}

was mostly 80 mph Interstates and toll roads to avoid the riders and decided to detour the National Parks as we would be late at that nights motel pit stop. “Where is the support van?” was not an option.

…”the road goes on forever and the party never ends.”

 

Our motel barn consisted of an Indian 4, (note, this bike was a last minute replacement for a 1909 Excelsior , The Antique Motorcycle Magazines September/October issue, pick to win the overall event ). There were Harley JD’s (three of them) and a Harley 10b single. Their conditions ranged from “unrestored running” to fully restored. When we finally reached Portland, Oregon, the “unrestored running” were the only ones to complete the entire journey and their riders each received Cannonball Medals at the award ceremony there.

{Dan Kraft’s Indian 4 melted a hole in alloy exhaust manifold two times, the 2nd time the bike caught fire at the rear cylinder, laid it down in a corn field and Dan and other riders who stopped, put it out laying leather jackets on it and tossing dirt at it by hand saving this historic bike. The “4” was back in the run 2 days later, all the way to the finish line.}

In the pits (before the start and after the finish) was best opportunity for fellow enthusiast and my wife and I, to enjoy the rolling museum.  The run would also stop at times during lunch at dealerships and museums for 1-2 hour public viewing of the bikes and riders. Support was allowed at some of these afternoon displays but not really advised as parts could move from trucks to riders, we made the choice not to be at these in support of our rider’s dream of clean points and clean finish. 

There was a second Cannonball race going on and that was the 50 or more support vehicles rushing from last night’s motel to tonight’s motel pit. A race to finding parking space for the trucks, trailers, motorhomes and bikes. Getting the space at the motels took determination and courage at times as not all motel folks were understanding and some and were saying no-way to taking up 7-8 parking spaces needed for the night’s racers soon to arrive. Park, unhook trailer, set out cones, have oil and gas for next day, tools, lights, chairs all ready and set up.

Text or calls would come in at random from riders, get more 50 weight, and get some multi-viscosity too, and more spark plugs.  We bought out all the 50 wt. oil from no less than 3 parts houses along the way, went through about 12 cases total for all the bikes. One of the JD’s bent a rod and blew out the bottom of the piston wrist pin slot. A parts hunt was

{The fire bike and Dan Kraft at the finish in Portland Oregon, displaying some Iowa corn (on the headlight) from the fire in the corn field a week ago.}

on and the next day and a museum stop just happened to have the 1918 piston and pin, but this part was later found out to be incorrect. The call out in the pits was “+50 JD piston anyone?” The rider finally found one in our own band of support crews and after late night fixing, the JD was running again the next day.  In Sturgis more JD pistons were found from a local vendor and keep in reserve, just in case. A few days later the same JD suffered a broken rod, a used crank with rods were again found in the motel lot and the pistons from Sturgis used. To all our amazement this rod bender JD made it across the finish line in Oregon, the sole mechanic / rider was only 23 years old.

…”the road goes on forever and the party never ends.”

A squeak was found in the front wheel of the 4 cylinder and everyone’s hope was “just needs grease.” Not the case as a quick inspection found disintegrated and ground away metal at the axel shims making quick fix impossible for the daily 300 mile ride set to start in 30 minutes.  We were still in process of removing the wheel when we heard “STOP take it off the jack and roll it around the other side of the motel”, (time 7:35 AM with 8 am start).

{Never give up, Aaron Loveless, 23 years old and the second all night rebuild of the JD motor on the “rod bender.”  I don’t think these two rebuilds could be called restoration on this beautiful 1918 JD, original unrestored running [racing] bike. ... And the party never ends.}

We rolled her around the lot, grabbed the tools and jack we had out, we parked in in front of another crews trailer and then heard “1927 Indian front wheel assembly”, within seconds the wheel appeared all rebuilt, brakes hub and all in tack and held together with a large zip tie through the axel hole to keep it all together. Two guys worked on each side of the bike while one fetched and handed out tools. When it was done there was 10 minutes to spare.  “Air?” The new tire was low, an air tank and gauge came out of the trailer and soon this cannonballer was off to the start; 5 min remaining to official daily start. 

Others we were tending with issues were one JD required a clutch rebuild, another a mag repair and tow two complete motor rebuilds mentioned above. Front wheel and carb repair on the Indian,

{Bret Yeager on his 1914 Silent Gray Fellow, wide open all 4.5 HP, after valve stem and two speed rear end issues, arrives in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, day 6, hoping for at least one night of rest.} 

and 2 speed rear end and pedal starting system reconstruction on the 10b single.  Other mid-night repairs near us were main Bearing failures, sprocket side crank failures, clutch drive shaft and one bike caught fire in a corn field. The fire was put out using riders leathers and dirt tossed over the flame to smother the burning bike (the fire bike was back on the road in 2 days, one day for parts delivery to the next motel and two half days to prepare it for the parts and then install them.)

The fleet was loaded up late each night and unloaded early each AM for the day’s endurance run. The van at all times smelled of leaky fuel and after a few days into the 16 day trip, my wife could tell you the octane rating and ethanol content of the leaky gas in the bikes which were stored in the van the night before and she could visually age date rust by the end of this event.  

To be part of this event was a lifetime experience, it was however a lot of work and not a vacation, there was a lot stress on all involved, lack of sleep and poor diet, too many motels, gas stations and truck stops. This was not a sightseeing trip for any of the support teams who worked day in and day out, traveling a fever pace to the next motel to keep this rolling museum on time for the days planned public viewing, at the correct times, each and every day for 16 in a row.  It was a commitment by all involved. 

The best rewards to my wife and I were the thanks we got from fellow enthusiast, each night in the motel pits, thanks from private collectors of antique motorcycles who kept theirs in hiding in the living room of their house. These guys would thank us, the support crews, for “helping the riders do this.” More than one told me that walking the night time pits was “the best thing in

{We got lost a few times in the van as our route instruction book was 43 pages total, but sight to behold, yes a 1926 Brough Superior with “Smiling” Paul d ’Orleans in the saddle, a 4 time Cannonballer."

motorcycling they have ever seen.”  As a lifelong motorcyclist and dirt racer until I was 53 years old, I must agree with that, the motels at night were amazing each and every night. My uncle “Indian Marv Baker, Fort Sutter Chapter AMCA,” for judging, he restored the early ones for thirty years of his retirement, but we never really rode these on the street.  Here the rider’s commitment and unique endurance was that of which I have never seen before.  The motorcycle entries, even with the mandatory safety modifications (improved brakes, lights etc.) all are top shelf museum quality high dollar 90 plus year old collector items.

 2020 Cannonball comes soon and I can only say “plan to travel to see the displays, the daily starts, the daily finish but, my tip, go to the motel pits at night.” I may not be a part of the 2020 USA event but I will be sure to travel to at least one of the motel stops in 2020 to walk these pits once again. 

A week after return to the other life, Jill and I purchased a ’23 JD basket case, our first early one. None of us really know the future, Cannonball is a fever, a DNA mutation of what we all have known and called “motorcycle fever,” but the future has always been a party that never ends and Jill and I have a JD, soon to be a rider bike not a living room hider.