Motorcycle Cannonball Miscellany

[MJW]

Sounds like buzz was experiencing a knock and some performance loss so he opted to trailer his bike to the hotel instead of riding in the rain. That way he would have time to tear the motor down for inspection. Dale Walksler was helping to clean the carbon off the pistons and re-assemble for tomorrow's ride...

[Tom Lovejoy]

Awesome reading tonight on the Cannonbal updates. Really inspiring stuff, I think everyone who participated in this event should be able to wear a badge of honor or something like that. Some gutsy folks, really giving it their all. The husband and wife team with the little belt drive single's are having real difficulties today. But their attitudes are awesome and their spirit's are strong, like many other"s in this event. All the four's had another good day and several of the Indians are back up and at it, right on! Even some of the top contenders on those awesome JD's are having real issues. Yet working through the night, with many really skilled folk"s they will probably be right back at it tomorrow, awesome stuff ! Go Cannonballer's !!!

[wlwood]

Dramatic developments today:

--Katrin Boehner is back in the ride after a mag replacement that took till 2 a.m.

--Dieter Eckel went out when the fork on his '13 BSA snapped(!) on a smooth, level road. He wasn't badly injured, but the bike was.

--Buzz Kanter, one of the 11 riders who finished yesterday on perfect points, had to put his bike on the truck today because of a bad knocking sound.

--And in spite of some torrential rain, not one bike watered out! Take that, Jupiter Pluvius!

Check out the latest here: http://www.antiquemotorcycle.org/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=2&cntnt01origid=15&cntnt01returnid=97

Bill Wood

[Rubone]

Dieter and Katrin yesterday crossing the high lonesome New Mexico prairie west of Clovis!
Robbie

[c.o.]

Awesome reading tonight on the Cannonbal updates. Really inspiring stuff, I think everyone who participated in this event should be able to wear a badge of honor or something like that. Some gutsy folks, really giving it their all. The husband and wife team with the little belt drive single's are having real difficulties today. But their attitudes are awesome and their spirit's are strong, like many other"s in this event. All the four's had another good day and several of the Indians are back up and at it, right on! Even some of the top contenders on those awesome JD's are having real issues. Yet working through the night, with many really skilled folk"s they will probably be right back at it tomorrow, awesome stuff ! Go Cannonballer's !!!

Well said Tom.... I agree with every word!

Great pic Robbie!!! You can't help but root for them!!!

[c.o.]

Some of the Class 1 Riders .... You get an idea how Katrin gets going... what a gal!!!

[petri]

This is truly a fascinating event. Day to day I can't wait for the next reports to come in. To me it seems the fun is just being part of such an event, being together and helping each other fix the bikes and get them out the next day for another run. The camaraderie fostered by the group effort is where the memories will come from. I think winning is secondary. Life today doesn't present one with many challenges of this nature. This is the attraction of those pioneering days, why I like old machines and the challenges they provide. They are truly time machines.

Howard

[fillibuster]

Woodsie, you have redeemed yourself.
You ruined my night's sleep with the angel-of-death report. You, Grim Reaper, hauled in my little darling, and I had no interest in reading anything new this mourning (yes, mourning), .... But am now elated to read that she rode the entire route again!
Let's hope the best for Dieter. Wish I had my tool van there.

[Tom Lovejoy]

The four cylinder machines are still running :-) Shinya's Indian made the whole day after being rebuilt, did'nt git done till 4am! Fantastic stuff! It's going to be terrible boring around here when this thing's done;-( Go Cannonoballers !

[Chris Haynes]

What time will the riders be leaving Victorville for Santa Monica?

[Rubone]

Chris,
The rider are generally leaving by around 7:00 AM. They leave in groups based on class. The smaller singles and belt drives first. Be there early as lots of activity is going on before they leave!
Robbie

[wlwood]

New post up now at: http://www.antiquemotorcycle.org/ind...t01returnid=97

The big news is that Dieter and Katrin both had to miss the day when Katrin's engine lost compression. But it looks like they'll be back in for Friday. Vince Martinico closed the gap on the German couple for first place in Class I, but he had to survive a broken rear axle.

It was a gorgeous day, but now we head from 36-degree weather in Flagstaff in the morning to high 90s in Laughlin in the afternoon.

Chris: Starting times in Victorville Sunday are 7 a.m. for Class I, 7:30 for Class II and 8 a.m. for Class III. We're leaving from the Quality Inn and Suites Green Tree. There's usually a lot of fun spectating in the parking lot the evening before and early in the morning before departure.

Bill Wood

[HarleyCreation]

The report about Buzz's twin Harley all coked up sounds like too much oil pumped into the motor. Harley always warned about overuse of the handpump. Of course maybe other factors were involved.

Sure are a lot of dramatic developments if you miss a day like I did. Hope the little J A P can get back into the game.

Event makes it easy to see why Harley had such a well-oiled dealer network and reliable spare parts dept at an early date and likened the H-D Motor Co. to a big friendly happy family -- factory, dealers, and riders.

Anybody motoring long distances in the teens needed a dealer or agent in the next town who could instantly send a telegram to Milwaukee for replacement parts and who would probably put the rider up for the night as well. It was the Enthusiast mag that tied it all together.

I suppose modern HOG is a remnant of that then necessary institution. This big run tells a lot...

[Bills37]

This has been a great read. I have to check in daily to find ot what's going on. I'm impressed with these guys and gals stamina not to mention their efforts too keep the machines running. hats off to all the contestants.

[aka HAWG]

here is vince's pope on the pier in kitty hawk