Motorcycle Cannonball Miscellany

[MJW]

That works out nice for Matt, having Wheels Thru Time's shop available right on the course. I hope he gets that Sears going, wait, aren't Sears bikes guaranteed for life?...Mike

[Tommo]

The little 250cc *** that Katrin is riding is, as far as I'm aware, a fixed engine machine, no clutch, to stop, you stop the engine and to get going again it's run and jump on or maybe pedal and go.
As far as belts go remember that the English/European bikes used "Vee belts" that are much more effecient than "Flat belts"
Generally when riding a bike like Katrin's you would lower the gear ratio at the bottom of a hill by opening up the front pulley sheaves to allow the belt to run as low as possible in the pulley thus lowering the gear ratio.
To keep belt tension you would have a small detachable section of belt that you removed.
When you're good at it this whole process takes less than two minutes and at the top of the hill you revese the process and you're away with your higher gear ratio.
She's a very gutsy lady and to ride hills that guys with gearboxes opted out of just shows you how determined she is. Hats off to you Katrin.

[Eddie G]

Cannonball Pictures

Here's a link to my wife's pictures starting with Kitty Hawk then Concord NC first arriving then Leaving Wolf Bay lodge Sunday morning then arriving at Wheels Through Time.

http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/...hotos-_-Sharee

[marsh1915hd]

Thank you the slide show it's great. The best so far. Keep it up PLEASE. Nice pictures. Good job.

[Lonnie]

This Run has generated the most excitement in the antique motorcycle community I can recall! And that interest goes beyond just the antique crowd as can be seen at each of the stops by the multitude of newer bike riders assembled to view the Cannonball riders arrive. I was amazed by the spectacle!

And it certainly gives pause to those among us (and I am including myself) that hesitate to ride our newer antiques such long distances.

[LouieMCman]

I had the pleasure of assisting some of the riders working on their bikes at Wheels Through Time, especially a motor build on a really nice 13 X. Check out the picture, when's the last time you saw three Excelsior twins getting ready to ride a couple hundred miles? I think there is another X twin in the mix also. The work going on in the shop Sunday night was beyond belief, there was the riders, their mechanics, and volunteers assisting where ever needed.

[HarleyCreation]

Nuts & bolts!

There are four belt drives still in it. With the leader being a belt drive, Diet Eckel, 1913 BSA, Katrin Boehner , 1907 ***, Dave Kafton ,1913 HD, Jon Szalay, 1911.
Dave Kafton was seen in Wal Mart buying a new vest and he will be on the road this afternoon. Them belts just don't do hill. As soon as the 3 speed came out they junked them belts drives. We are gearheads and need the nitty gritty of what broke. How it broke and how it was fixed. Get in there and give us the good stuff. The fastest and the slowest.

Yes, yes, and yes!

FINALLY we learn how many belts are left in this contest -- not many.

The trials and tribulations of these machines under actual road and weather conditions is #1 importance. Not fluffy descriptions of partying and feel-good cameraderie stuff.

[HarleyCreation]

Hello from Germany,

just a few words to the german couple. They have the advantage that their bikes hv already survived the German Rally North to South (abt 1000 miles) last year. And believe it or not: They do not have any support crew, just a few spares and tools. They are really tough guys. They will make it to the end. And no road will be too steep. ;-))

Thomas

That Katrin & Dieter have no support crew blows my mind.

That's like Walter Davidson in 1908 when he won the 1000+5 Diamond Award. George Hendee was following in a touring car full of spare parts, tools, cigars and refreshments for the Indians, while Walter and the other Harley riders had only their bikes and what they could carry -- or so goes the story!

Viel Gluck nach Dieter & Katrin!

PS: Tommo -- the belt info on the J.A.P. was useful. Early vintage U.S. bikes were mostly flat belt or twisted rawhide.

[HarleyCreation]

Bill Wood's update for Monday Sept 13 was fine reporting about what's going on out there plus additional rider background info.

I'm surprised how few 1915 Indians are there considering how many were built. I always thought the early Harley rep for ruggedness was somewhat overblown -- but maybe not.

Good detail about Dieter & Katrin getting towed!

Every day Slojo and the Gray Ghost move closer to the top. The 3-way contest between the Class II single-speed chain doubles may end up being the most gritty thing about the entire cross-continent trek. Only it's too bad there isn't an Indian in that elite group, not just the one Harley and two Excelsiors -- one X being a board track racer. Wow!

By comparison to Class I & II, the guys on the 3-speeds are on a pleasure cruise...

More mechanical, breakdown & repair details -- plus road events and photos please!

[Greg H]

Nice write-up Bill,
Take it riders with 15`s on max points are already ranked by rider age ?

[Eddie G]

Cannonball Picts

Here's a link to some pictures by one of the Blue Ridge members from Pat Rodgers HD in Concord NC at the end of day 2.

[url]http://picasaweb.google.com/110922678689975654430/Email03?feat=email#[/url

Excellent picts. You can see the belt drive on the BSA up close & a good shot of the ***.

[wlwood]

Here are a few updates, with more in the latest news post at: http://www.antiquemotorcycle.org/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=2&cntnt01origid=15&cntnt01returnid=97

First, and most important, Matt Olsen crashed today. Fortunately, there was no other vehicle involved, but he did go to the hospital with a broken arm and some pretty significant cuts and abrasions. I haven't spoken to him, but his dad, Carl, was with him at the hospital this afternoon, and it sounded like things were doing pretty well. I'll try to find out more tomorrow.

Regarding belt-drive machines, Herbert, here's what I know. Jon Szalay is running a standard leather belt that he cut himself from stock. He broke one yesterday, and it cost him a lot of miles. He's got more belt stock here, but he'll also having some higher-tech material sent ahead.

Paul Ousey is running Larry Wood's 1913 Harley single with belt drive. They're using a composite belt with a Teflon inner layer and a leather coating. They were doing great, and then something happened to the bike yesterday and they didn't run today. I haven't seen them so I don't know the status of the machine, but the count we were given tonight for starters tomorrow appeared to include Paul.

The V-belt on Katrin's machine looks like a very high-tech material--much more sophisticated than anything on the American bikes. And yes, they did adjust the spacing on the front pulley to essentially lower the gearing for the mountains the past two days. Last night, they returned to their higher gearing, not realizing that the course today would include a three-mile section of a switchback road that's used for an automobile hillclimb competition. Both she and Dieter lost 10 miles today when they needed assistance to get through that section.

GregH: Yes, the points listings factor in all of the tiebreakers, and the final one of those is the age of the rider.

We went over the first 1,000 miles today--check it out in the News section.

Bill Wood

[aka HAWG]

just got in from chattanga - 12 1/2 driveI took a few hundred pics from kitty hawk the day before starting, friday morning leaving, and arriving in greensville nc
will try to post a few good pics tomorrow

sorry to hear matt crashed today - I saw him this morning before he headed out - hope he recovers fast

aka HAWG

[Dkgoz]

How come Joe's miles for Stage 4 dropped from 194 to 186 as shown on table for Stage 5 on the Cannonball website: http://www.motorcyclecannonball.com/

Say it ain't so, Joe!

Despite that, I think both the AMCA and Cannonball websites are doing a nice job of sumarizing the action. I wish I could see even a little part of it.

Dave Goesling
AMCA 9757

[Tom Lovejoy]

Very good, keep it coming - fantastic stuff!!! Sorry to hear of the crash, hope it's the only one. Wish Matt a speedy recovery. I am really excited to git home and check on how things are going on the run after work. Thanks much for all the updates, hang in there guy's! Can't imagine riding all that way with those racing handlebars, they look awesome - but it would kill me.