Motorcycle Cannonball-Daytona Beach to Tacoma on pre-'37 motorcycles

[jordy]

Have a friend involved with this run so I checked it out last night. Started with over 100 bikes making the almost 4,000 mile run in 2 weeks time. Works out to around 300 miles per day. The bikes are all pre-1937, and one of my favorites was an Indian from 1915. They've got a support crew who can only work on the bikes in the evening after the "race" is done for the day. They're on their own during the day, and if they can't get their bike up and running, the Shame Bus shows up, picks them and their bike up, and they have points deducted from the total. Same thing for getting into the evening stop after the allotted time is up.

Some very cool rigs, and a bunch of really cool guys running them. The website is: http://www.motorcyclecannonball.com/

[jordy]

More pics...

[jordy]

This is a 1915 Indian. I can't imagine riding 4,000 miles in 2 weeks on this thing, but it's a beautiful bike!

[jordy]

There were some international teams running this deal, as well as a handful of BMW bikes with inline engines and shaft drive propulsion dating back to the mid-20's and 30's...

Oh, and the "GPS" consists of scrolled paper that they have mounted up and roll down for turn by turn directions. High tech shit there!

[jordy]

This is the team support area back at the hotel. One of the pics is of a honing machine they had and were running cylinders on right there. Gotta be pretty self sufficient as you're not going to hit the local shop and find parts for an 80 year old bike.

[Stainless]

Damn Jordy that's a helluva trip for those old machines.


CH3NO2

[jordy]

Damn Jordy that's a helluva trip for those old machines.


CH3NO2

That's a hell of a trip for a new machine... they crossed the Continental Divide 3 times yesterday and there are some serious passes, like in the 11K+ foot elevation range. Ended up with 9 bikes on the rescue trailer. I know I'm not tough enough to jump on an 80 year old bike and ride cross country like this... hell, I'm not sure I'd want to do this on a newer bike. 300 miles day in and day out is hardcore.

[HB Vic]

I'll bet those old bikes are more reliable than the new ones

[jordy]

I'll bet those old bikes are more reliable than the new ones

May be onto something there. You know when to add oil as that's when the dripping stops. ;-)

They craftsmanship on some of these bikes that are nearing 100 years old is amazing. The simplicity and ingenuity combined. The older ones ran external pushrods and rockers which were cool to watch function. Definitely need to know your way around a toolbox to ride one around though.