An honest question about new bikes on national road runs - what do you think?

[droptopford]

As has been stated in other threads; what it seems the AMCA needs is a chapter devoted to truly "veteran" motorcycles of the pre-1953 period.

Just wondering about the reason for the seemingly random cut-off date at pre-1953.?. Can't be the tank-shift thing as foot-shift became officially available in '52. Why wouldn't that chapter be either pre-1952 or pre-1958 and just include any rigid Pan?

I guess my real question is... what features make a '52 Panhead more suitable as an 'antique' than a '57 (besides actual age)? And why are they trying to exclude me and my '57 dammit?!?

Edit: Sorry... I know my last two posts have strayed from the '65 rule subject.

[tfburke3]

In believe 1953 suggested cutoff was due to it being Indians last year.
I rember when some members, way back when, wanted a pre ww2 cut off so the meets wouldnt be overwelmed with "modern"bikes like skirted chiefs and panheads.
Tom

[Skirted]

All it took to have the 65 year rule put in place was to have a member[s] complain to someone at the National level about how hard it was to ride an old bike on a Road Run. The national has an aversion to offending members for any reason and has for a long time.

The 65 year rule should be raised to 75 years at least, if not done away with entirely, as it offends more members than it accomodates.
vph-d

I have been pondering what the reason was for doing this. How the conversation went to arrive at 65? Why the subject even materialized and was put on the table at a meeting? I can only think the goal was getting more people to come to National Road Runs. This is one time I hope I am wrong. Someone tell me I'm wrong.
More people riding modern bikes will only serve to water down the whole experience for the majority. Gain some on the modern end, lose some on the bottom end. More is not always better. Maintaining the feel and experience of a nostaligic, authentic event should be priority.
Maybe we need different NRRs for old bikes and new bikes.

[chuckthebeatertruck]

I can only think the goal was getting more people to come to National Road Runs. This is one time I hope I am wrong. Someone tell me I'm wrong.

Unless someone is fibbing; we have ZERO issue with getting people to road runs -- and in recent years, road runs often have ample waiting lists. Several road runs have exceeded 200 riders and needed more than one hotel to hold the whole group! Basically, when AMCA releases the sign up date, you have about 24-48 hours to get booked in or you're likely to be on the waiting list - same thing with hotel rooms. So, you have to do a LOT of preplanning . . .and this tells you there's a strong contingent of people doing just that.

That's why I keep bringing this subject up -- we don't have an issue selling out road runs and we likely could add one or two extra runs IF we had the chapter structure and volunteers to do so.

I suspect this 65 and older rule got put in for the reasons others are stating -- no one wanted to tell a long time member or members they were stretching things; so suddenly a rule popped up.

For my part, I should see two national directors on Saturday afternoon at the Badger autumn meeting. I plan to ask at least one of them to examine this rule.

I strongly doubt anything will happen - but at least I'll feel better after saying something and can point to this thread as a bit of evidence it touches a nerve.

As of me hitting post -- this thread has been seen a couple of thousand times. Normally our parking lot chatter rarely gets above the low 100s in views . . .

[chuckthebeatertruck]

Just wondering about the reason for the seemingly random cut-off date at pre-1953.?. Can't be the tank-shift thing as foot-shift became officially available in '52. Why wouldn't that chapter be either pre-1952 or pre-1958 and just include any rigid Pan?

I guess my real question is... what features make a '52 Panhead more suitable as an 'antique' than a '57 (besides actual age)? And why are they trying to exclude me and my '57 dammit?!?

Edit: Sorry... I know my last two posts have strayed from the '65 rule subject.

All of these are totally subjective things, Droptop.

Indeed, there is no real reason for these "cut offs" beyond our personal preferences in motorbikes.

[Architect]

I suggested on a previous discussion that the Road Run riding groups be setup by classes and have differing departure times to allow class 2, 3 and 4 bikes more time as they would be traveling slower. Plus this tries to keep bikes with similar capabilities together. No one wants to ride a pre-war bike near an 80's Goldwing, for a lot of reasons. Classes could be year, transmission, CC's or whatever makes sense to keep 45 MPH bikes with 45 MPH bikes, and 65 MPH bikes away form them. Good luck.