Class for Period Bobbers/Modifieds

[Don P]

modified rides

I own and ride a 51 pan. It was copped when purchased 28 years ago. Through the years it has had many styles all of which suited me at the time and what I invisioned as my personal statement in what I built. In 1989 I did a restoration back to what the factory produced. In my first show I was placed in a hot stock class because of chrome and paint choice. A valueable experience in that show, enter no more shows. Here it is some 13 or 14 years later and the 51 would be considered a mongral because I elected to trade off a pristine 48 frame with all the tabs still in tac for a swing arm frame for the comfort angle of things. As we all know how much comfort is in riding 2 up on a buddy seat from the peiod, no matter how small the passenger is. It's the only ride I have and connot afford a second ride and very thankfull for the one I do have. Just curious where this 51 would fit in in one of your meets. I deffinately agree with a class for us people with a out of place machine. Nothing to be taken away from the restoreation machines and there importance. But also important are the old bikes that are built to suit there owners use and still on the road being used on a daily basis. Just my opinion, Don P. Sorry for the poor spelling, it's bin a longgggg day.

[61 panman]

Don,
This righteous ride of yours that has served you well all of these years will be perfect to take you to and from the meets to bring you into contact with others who also dig the old machinery. You can also ride it around from vendor to vender if you prefer.
Having a bike judged seems to me to only be a part of the experience this club offers, for some a large part for other very active members no part. It has been my somewhat limited experience that most people do not stay around for the judging on Sunday morning anyway. The first meet I attended I got up early and rode over 2 hours each way only to find a few stragglers and some incredibly beautiful bikes parked in a corral.
I never went on a Sunday again. I always figure I will participate in the judging when I get older and have a bit more time.
I hope you enjoy the club. I am off to the garage to do what I can to ensure my bike makes it to Harmony with a hitch.
Doug

[Don P]

modified

You hit right on the head. I am enjoying the club and unfortunately due to the rain week that replaced bike week the Eustis meet was a wash. Seems when we arrived most all were packed up and ready to leave. For now I'll look forward to next year at Eustis. Doesn't look like we could make the other meets due to there locations and a ungodly work schedule I have. Most of what I've bin reading here seems quite interesting and a wide asortment of veiwpoints. To all who visit the forum ride safe and hope to meet a few of you along the way.

[Hrdly-Dangrs]

Period Modified.....Official

Looks like we may have successfully lobbied our cause! See 'Judging' Post by Kevin Valentine from June 8th. Don't now how I missed that Post this last week? Must have been lack of sleep. Anyway, as I read Kevin's post it sounds as if there will be two 'Period Modified Awards' given out at all the National Meets. I've asked him to let us have some more specifics on it and hopefully Kevin will get back to us on them via this Forum. In any case, if you attended the Harmony show this past month in New Jersey, you'd have seen a nice turnout of 'Bobbers' and other 'Period Modifieds', my own 74' Sportster included, (course' this particular Sporty will not be eligible for a few years yet and by that time, hopefully it will have made many successful runs down the 1/4 mile and be totally set-up for the AMCA 'Competition Class'.....'Period Correct' of course! Later... Hrdly-Dangrs

[Pete Gagan]

Hi All:
For those of you who are interested in "period modified", I have gone against tradition somewhat in my "Antiques Rode Show" article in the next magazine- the Fall Issue, which will be out in Sept in full color. The test machine is a California Chopper based on a '56 pan. I had a lot of fun with this one.
Pete Gagan

[T. Cotten]

Period Modified at D-port...??

I figured I shouldn't be such a stick-in-the-mud after I saw in my Vendors packet that the 'modifieds' were to be separated from ligitimate judging by showing on Saturday at D-port (see attachment). And 'rules" were suspended as well. (Were there rules when they were modified??)

So I hauled my milwaukie Fossil over just to prove how un-judgeable Period-Modified would be,... but the Chapter volunteers looked at me like they never heard of such a thing. So I looked up Mr. Long who was in charge,... and he gave me the same deer-in-the-headlights look. He decided it would be Sunday. Everybody's gone by then.....Nevermind.

[Hrdly-Dangrs]

T. Cotten, From what I can gather from your post, you brought your 'Bobber'/'Modified' to be 'Judged' in this new 'Class', but for some reason(s) the Davenport Chapter was not ready or set-up to participate. I wasn't there, so I cannot say what actually took place. Did the Chapter eventually present the Awards on Sunday?? Did all the participating Members like yourself leave before getting an answer?? This new class was formed by a concensus of Judges/Member/Chapters. If there were no interest in this Class, it wouldn't have made it past them. It may take a little time to get it set-up and going without any hitches. The possible failure (for whatever reasons) of one Chapters ability to include or conclude this new 'Judging' Class shouldn't automatically render the 'Class' itself as "unjudgeable". The 'Bobber/Modified' Class will succeed or fail strickly on Chapter/Club participation. Again, I do not know the circumstances of this particular show. I would be interested in learning about what problems arose and what the Chapter has done to satisfy the 'Class' and any recommendations/observations they have with regard to Judging it. Maybe they'll post their experience with the new 'Class' on their web site page or thru The Antique Motorcycle pages. I am glad to see that you attempted to participate, but are you actually dissappointed or is this an "I TOLD YOU SO' lecture??.....Later.... ..Hrdly-Dangrs

[T. Cotten]

My contention in my earlier post was that it compromises the esteem of National Awards. AMCA awards have never been passed out as a competition among entrants. Each machine is critiqued upon its own merits of correctly representing the factory production of that model and marque.
The notion of Period Modified has no defineable criteria to go by. It is un-judgeable, except for personal taste, or by comparing entrants to each other.

AMCA judging has never been a contest, but an ambiguous class makes it just another "people's choice" event.

I suspect that the Chapter felt this way also, as my participation was benignly neglected/rejected. The fellow at the building entrance for bikes just kept shaking his head sideways. Show registrar Millie Baird (wife of Hall of Famer Bill Baird) asserted that she "knew nothing about it".
(Please note that I have been a Chapter member for many years.)

Apparently the prime motivator of the class dropped the ball, as the Deputy Judge took over judging on Sunday. It would have hardly have been fair for my machine to to be judged anyway, as he lives across the street from me.

If the intent of this new class was to open participation to a wider scope of enthusiasts (like the radical new 25 instead of 35 year proposition), then a separate Saturday judging was appropriate. But the Meet clears out on Saturday afternoon, as most vendors have many miles to travel to get home. When the vendors leave, so do most enthusiasts. Right or wrong, the class was doomed to limited local participation.

So I must repeat my earlier contention that non-concours classes should remain informal Chapter awards, such as Most Unique, Farthest Ridden, etc.

[rousseau]

period modified @ davenport

Hello everyone
I would like to use this forum to thank the A.M.C.A. and all the members of the Blackhawk chapter. Everyone I met from the chapter was very helpful and accommodating.I want to give a special thanks to all the members involved in creating the new period modified class. I see by reading some of these post that some members feel this class will somehow dilute the organization. Being a relatively new member, I am reluctant to give any opinion on what seems is a controversial issue. I will however say that regardless of some opposition to this "new" class , I am very proud to be the first winner of "Period Modified" at Davenport.
Dennis Rousseau
Knoxville,TN.
AMCA#11302

[Hrdly-Dangrs]

Wow, talk about two different results! On one hand we have a Member of the very Chapter thats Judging and presenting the Award for this new 'Period Modified Class' unable to get his 'Modified/Bobber' motorcycle Officially 'Judged', and another Member from clear across the country showing up and entering his 'Modified/Bobber' in the same new Class and walking away with the First Place Award!! What happened here at Davenport that caused such a different result in obviously two eligible participants?? Can someone from the Davenport Chapter or Official Judge let us know?? When did the Judging actually take place?? How many Members participated in the new 'Modified/Bobber' Class?? What problems presented themselves in 'Judging'?? I think this is great!! I'm anxious to hear about it! Dennis, could you tell us more about the events leading up to your bike being Judged? In any event, Congrads to Dennis Rousseau on his Win! But even more then that....Congrads to both Dennis and T. Cotton for taking the time to participate in the new 'Period Modified Class'!! (Even though one was pessimistic and the other optimistic) Ha ha!.... ...Hrdly-Dangrs

[AdminGuy]

You will be reading THE MOST UNIQUE review of a chopper, most likely OF YOUR LIFE- in the up coming issue of The Antique Motorcycle. All in good fun, and truely halarious!!!!

I think I'm going to have to borrow some ape hangers for a quick kruze. Livin' large!

[T. Cotten]

Congratulations Dennis!

Dennis!
Could you share a picture of your winning machine with us?

And even though I protest the new rules, "Period Modifieds" are certainly dear to me, as the attached pic of my Fossil shows.

The intent of the Founding Fathers of the AMCA was to preserve history. They hoped to keep the "bloodlines" pure by demanding strict adherence to factory concours.
I do believe that there is important history to be preserved with modified machines as well, as personalizing was always very much a part of motorcycling.
(You do not preserve motorcycling by preserving motorcycles; You preserve motorcycling by destroying motorcycles, mile by mile by mile!)

My concerns center around the obvious fact that since there can be no defined criteria, it makes the existing judging agenda impossible, without making it a competition. If you have been declared "the winner", then we have already fallen into the trap.

[AdminGuy]

Very nice Mr. Cotten. The AMCA judges look forward to, and welcome -your volunteer participation.

Dennis- if you need a hand with the photo -I'd be happy to help.

[val]

class for period bobbers/modified

Cotton
nice bike, this is exactly what I had in mind when I started all this. the history of american motorcycling is NOT just correct restorations, it is what we did/do with the bikes that makes the history. as the Yankee boys/girls say
"ride em dont hide em"
Kevin

[LouieMCman]

I agree, nice bike Cotton. I think that if we are going to have these bikes show up on Sunday, which I think we should. Then we need something besides two period modified trophies from the local chapter. Why don't the national come up with something for this catagory? And what if 25 period modifieds show up and you have only two prizes? Just some thoughts to think about as the class grows.
Louie