• Welcome to the Two Wheeled Texans community! Feel free to hang out and lurk as long as you like. However, we would like to encourage you to register so that you can join the community and use the numerous features on the site. After registering, don't forget to post up an introduction!

Old motorcycle race

L

lonestarrider

Guest
Last Sunday, I took a short trip over to Ada, OK to get a glimpse of the participants of the Cannonball motorcycle race. Thiis is a race across the USA on pre-1916 motorcycles. They started in Kitty Hawk, NC and will end up in Santa Monica, CA.
As they make their way across the country on Americas' byways the racers have pre planned stops along the way and Ada, OK was a lunch stop on the way to Lawton from Hot Springs, ARK.
I was fortunate enough to be at a gas station where a few of the riders stopped for fuel. I was in awe of these 95 year old plus machinces as they can rolling in and the riders that piloted them. Here is a short video and a few pictures of this event. Oh yeah my ride to Ada and back was :yawn: all right.
th_CannonballRally005.jpg

CannonballRally018.jpg

CannonballRally014.jpg

CannonballRally003.jpg

CannonballRally020.jpg


For more about this race, the riders and the bike checkout www.motorcyclecannonball.com
 
Super! Great old bikes. Very interesting them oiling the rockers(?) at the pumps and starting the old indian.
 
Yesterday I rode out to see them as the stopped for the day in Clovis, NM. It really was quite the sight to see!
 

Attachments

  • P9200011.jpg
    P9200011.jpg
    57.8 KB · Views: 146
  • P9200005.jpg
    P9200005.jpg
    59.6 KB · Views: 158
  • P9200013.jpg
    P9200013.jpg
    57.4 KB · Views: 148
Thanks Texas riders out west for getting the video and pics of some of the Cannonball historical bikes. It'd been nice to take a boring ride to witness the event racing through Oklahoma.
 
Rode up to the Hot Springs lay-over on Friday and caught them working on the bikes inside the HS covention center.

Then up early Sat to watch the re-start from the hotel.

And then followed some of the bikes up scenic Ark7 and Magazine Mountain.

Spent the night in Mena and home on Sunday morning.

Fun bikes!
 

Attachments

  • Cannonball 5a.jpg
    Cannonball 5a.jpg
    49.9 KB · Views: 143
  • Cannonball 4a.jpg
    Cannonball 4a.jpg
    76.8 KB · Views: 141
  • Cannonball 3a.jpg
    Cannonball 3a.jpg
    71.3 KB · Views: 152
  • Cannonball 2a.jpg
    Cannonball 2a.jpg
    79.7 KB · Views: 139
  • Cannonball 1a.jpg
    Cannonball 1a.jpg
    55.6 KB · Views: 140
If you followed them up Magazine Mtn we saw you go by , didn't take your picture though . SEYA
 
We actually got ahead of the first three bikes up Mt Magazine and hung out at the first scenic pull-out below (South) of the lodge.

I'm really kinda bummed... My camera decided to crap out on this trip. I took 160+ shots of the bikes and less than 50 were usable. Most were out of focus. I guess the vibration from carrying it on the bike all the time, finally did it in.

Attached and example of what happend to most of my shots... Waaaaaaaaaaa!!!
 

Attachments

  • Cannon Balla.jpg
    Cannon Balla.jpg
    43.9 KB · Views: 140
Think Corbin seats are stiff!

And check out the front tire and brake upgrade.


.
 

Attachments

  • Cannonball 6a.jpg
    Cannonball 6a.jpg
    64 KB · Views: 143
We were headed for Danville when we started meeting them , spent too much time having breakfast at Oark but it was worth it . when we started meeting the ride we pulled off in a nice shady grassy place with a great view and watched them go by . I would have liked to see them closeup but watching them climb the hill was great . Four of us , My old brown Wing , A black 1800 Wing hack , a 1800 VTX and a yellow CBR . The guy on the Wing hack lost use of his legs 30 years ago , he rode his hack down from Illinois .
 
Slow & Steady Wins The (Class I) Race Written by Felicia Morgan Thursday,
30 September 2010 10:52

There’s something to be said for consistency. The old adage of “Slow and
steady wins the race” has proven especially true in the case of the
Motorcycle Cannonball. Katrin Boehner, the German entrant who, along with
her husband, Dieter Eckel, arrived on American soil and proceeded to wow her
fellow riders with her quiet grace and positive attitude. This couple came
prepared to do the distance, and they did it with true elegance and style.



Katrin took home the custom bronze trophy made by Jeff Decker, himself a
rider on a 1915 H-D in the Cannonball, and her fellow competitors could not
have been happier for her. The incredible journey across the States was
itself a great feat, the way Katrin did it was even more amazing and the
whole world watched as she racked up the miles.

katrin4.jpg


Her motorcycle of choice for the ride was the oldest bike in the
competition, a 1907 JAP, 250 cc single. The machine is single speed and gear
driven with no clutch, which meant that each time she stopped, so did the
engine. Starting the bike back up was a sight to behold. The very graceful,
petite blonde would have to get off the motorcycle, run along beside it
until the engine caught, then sling her leg over the seat and motor on
towards the finish line. She repeated this ballet each time she stopped or
started for the entire distance ridden, which was a total of 3,002 miles.

katrin5.jpg


Meals were sometimes sponsored as riders made their way across 11 States,
and often the German couple could be seen napping under a shady tree,
resting up for the next leg of the journey. It was difficult for the
vegetarian pair to find suitable food while on the road, but they never
complained. As a matter of fact, the two never complained about anything.
Gracious and charming, Katrin and Dieter simply enjoyed themselves and their
fellow riders every step of the way. By Sunday, as the Motorcycle Cannonball
crew enjoyed their final meal together and handed out awards in Santa
Monica, it was with great pride that Dieter stood applauding his wife’s
courageous accomplishment. As she hoisted the bronze statue over her head,
Dieter silently wiped a tear from his cheek, and beamed his delight from the
audience. A perfect end to a perfect ride.

IMG_0712a.jpg
 
Last edited:
Missed the old bikes. We got there late after all the good stuff was done.

Sad, I live in Ada and heard nothing about this event!:doh:

A buddy called me and told me what was going on and asked if we wanted to go. Pulled out the bikes and off to ECU we went. That seems to happen a lot with bike events in general. Advertizing seems spotty at best. And most of it is of the freebie vatiety.
 
Back
Top