LEGEND OF THE MOTORCYCLE (long.. dialup beware)

[m0t0-ryder]

The first ever…
LEGEND OF THE MOTORCYCLE
International Concours D’Elegance

Held on May 6’th 2006 at the Half Moon Bay Ritz-Carlton.

When I first heard about this event I knew that I really wanted to go.
I have been fascinated by the history and variety of motorcycles from their beginning.
When I heard that the ticket price for this show was $50, the frugal person in me (read -cheap), decided to pass on the show and just go for a ride instead.
However, Brian Halton of CityBike was kind enough to give me a ticket to get into the show.



Thanks Brian! I owe ya!

When I arrived at the access road to the Ritz-Carlton, about 2 miles south of Half Moon Bay, security was turning cars away from the access road and guiding them to outside parking lots. They were however letting the motorcycles down the street until about a block before the hotel entrance.
The motorcyclists were guided to park along the road in what would usually be a no parking, bicycle type area along the sidewalk.
I could only see the top of the Ritz-Carlton from where I parked around the corner.
I must have been about the 150-200’th bike to park, nose out, along the sidewalk.
Myself and a lot of other riders, as well as folks who had walked a little further from their cage parking lots walked to the Ritz Carlton entrance.

The first bike I saw as I approached the ticket area, set up in front of the Ritz-Carlton, had landing gears on it.



It also had seatbelts for rider and passenger … would that still be called a pillion? Guess so.


I then proceeded up the path around the south side of the Ritz, walking along the sidewalk next to the rooms and noticing that each of the ground floor rooms has a gas fire pit on their ocean facing patio area.
I continued on and walked around the corner of the ocean end of the Ritz and snapped this picture …


The two featured marquees of the show were the Crocker and the Brough Superior.
These two marquee brands took up most of the area closest to where I’m standing here.
That would be the upper level just to the right of the gazebo.
The row of people, down a little lower but still in front of the building, were near where the really old bikes were on display. By old I mean 1903 and later.
Further down, beyond the gazebo, were the more modern bikes as well as choppers.

Somehow I resisted the urge to rush down to the bikes and instead took a right and went down the path into the Cigars and Spirits area.
Here I met Leo Peraza, a Cuban cigar roller, who told me he has been riding for 37 years. I let him know he had me beat there by 5 or 6 years there.


It was interesting to watch him take his pre-made cores (not it’s “official name, I forget what that was) and finish them up by rolling it with a piece of fresh trimmed tobacco. He would then use the cutter seen in front of the rolling stone to snip off one end. He was giving these fresh, hand rolled, Cohiba cigars out… for free!


I was then pushed/guided (yeah, sure) into the line of folks getting a grapple beverage. (Yeah, OK, I didn’t resist the “guidance”) Grapple is fresh smashed green grapes shaken with Hennessy Cognac. (I got a chuckle from the gal squishing them when I asked her where her blender was)

Still inside I walked around the corner and checked out the historic board tracker they had on exhibit there.
This is a 1915 cyclone.




There was also some art depicting the riders/racers of the early era.




Also in this room was a 1920 Indian Powerplus with “Daytona” frame that once belonged to Steve McQueen and was provided by Barbara McQueen Brunsvold.


Leaving this room I walked a ways down the hall and by another conference type room and was drawn inside when I saw this…



This is a bike that Mert Lawwill is building and selling to any buyers.
The cost is about $32,000. Only thing keeping this one from being fully street legal is a missing front fender.
He said he has taken orders for 17 so far and has 4 backordered.
He also said most will probably be in museums or collectors stable’s.
Here’s the builder of this fine motorcycle, Mert Lawwill, himself.

(sorry about the poor photo quality. I still had the camera set up for sunlight)

OK… enough inside stuff.
Let’s get out and see those bikes!

[m0t0-ryder]

Heading into the Marqee area.


Displayed next to the building near the marqee bikes were these “moderns”…

A 1992 Honda NR750.



I believe only 4 of these were made. (or was that brought into the US).

Behind that NR is a Bimoto 500cc V twin 2 stroke


Also in this area was a 2003 Mondial Piege 999cc


As well as a 2002 850cc Morbidelli V8



OK… now let’s check out the Marqee bikes.

First the Brough Superior’s.

In front of this row of Broughs’ is a 1923 SS80.



Gotta love these valve springs!


Check out those saddlebags.


A 1934 SS 100, 1000cc



How many levers do ya need per side?


Sweet old engine though!


One with factory forks.


And one with the upgraded Castle forks.

[m0t0-ryder]

Now to check out the other Marqee bike’s, the Crocker.
It was said that this was the largest gathered bunch of Crocker bikes ever displayed.
There were some very nice examples here today!

A nice 1936 single!




Most all of them had been restored to a near new condition.


There were some “originals” as well.



There was a police model.




I liked the tank emblem


More Crockers...

A 1938 1000cc “small tank”

the other side

from behind


A dirt track single

check out the leg grab bar (taped up).

Overhead bevel gear, exposed spring valve drive.


Another dirt tracker.


Check out that cockpit view!

Look at all those oil lines

And the other side.


The builder of these wonderful bikes, Al Crocker, was in attendance at this event, as was his wife and many of his family members.
(more on the Crocker here… http://www.crockermotorcycleco.com/ )

Here’s a picture of Al Crocker and his wife (in the wheelchairs) with a bunch of their family gathered around.


Hey… isn’t that Peter Fonda from “Easyrider” (the movie) fame standing there chatting with the family?
Yup… it sure is!

(I’m sorry I caught you with your eyes closed, Al)

Peter said that he had ridden his R100RT up from his place in LA with a friend who was on riding his own Brough Superior. He was also talking about how he loved to ride his MV Augusta (notice the hat). I asked him if that bike is what melted the nice sized divit in his riding boots to which he replied (smiling) no, his Harley had done that.
When an owner of one of the Brough’s asked him to, Peter had no hesitation sitting on the guys Brough.


Peter was very sociable and willing to talk with anybody.
He told some pretty interesting as well as some funny stories as he socialized with the crowd.
He also signed autographs and posed with folks for pictures.
I have a new friend!


OK, enough of the Marquee bikes and movie stars.
Let’s move onto the rest of the show!

[m0t0-ryder]

First, a couple more “moderns” before descending the steps to the land of the ancients.

This 1970 Kawasaki 100 cc Centurion looks like it just came out of the box.


A Honda Dream owned by Elvis Presley.


Now we are looking down at some of the oldest bikes at the show!
As you can see a lot of folks were checking these out.


This 1915 Pope was fun to look at!






An old Harley.


An old Henderson inline 4.




A Cyclone.



A 1930 Excelsior Super X Hill climber.
(this was a factory competition bike)



I believe the gentleman to the right owns most of the bikes behind him here.
He was being interviewed (I believe by Speed TV) when I took this shot.

[m0t0-ryder]

How about a 1903 Indian 213cc Single.



Incredible engineering!
Not sure what it is or what year either (forgot to photo the plaque)


Check out it’s speedo drive!

One more of this one.


A couple of early Norton’s



Check out the belt drive on this old Harley Single.
(the chain on the other side was driven my the pedals)


How about an older trike?



A 1905 Racycle Single.

Like the 1903 Indian above, I find it interesting that the seat tube (frame) is connected to the cylinder head.

Look at that spark plug.


A 1919 Indian 1000 CC Daytona Racer.




Another nice Cyclone.




A nicely restored 1913 Sears 1180cc 9 horsepower twin.

[m0t0-ryder]

A 1923 BMW R32 500cc

The headtube badge reads… BMW = Bayer Motoren Werke (?)




A 1929 Henderson 4 cylinder racer.




A 1929 Excelsior with hillclimber engine and sidecar.




A 1904 Thor single.



A 1911 Reading delivery trike.



As you can see by this sign on it’s cooler lid, it has some “history”. (hope it can be read)
(but then, all these bikes so far “are” history)


Another nice Excelsior and a Harley.


A 1909 Curtiss


I found this Militaire very unusual.



The front wheel slid across the front axle when the handlebars were turned.
(of course, you can’t hardly miss the wooden wheels)


And please do notice that these are NON SKID tires.


What a powerplant .



Or the drive shaft (and training wheels)

[m0t0-ryder]

This 1921 MA21 Mars motorcycle from Germany was also pretty unusual.


It’s a 1000cc 12 HP side valve flat twin. The engine was called a Mayback.
It also has a “special” 2 speed gearbox with no teeth. It has two speeds with a chain for each speed.
You may have also noticed that the sparkplugs are over the intake valve chamber on the head and not above the piston itself.
I asked Mike Kron, the owner who was very happy to talk about his classic, about the sparkplug placement and he said something like it was to help for a longer and more uniform “burn” of the incoming fuel/air mixture on this longer stroker motor.


The tube beneath the float bowl can be slid forward (closed) and back (open) by twistingteh lock knowb and sliding it to allow preheated air from the cone scoop that you can see over the rear cylinder exhaust cooling fins.

First one old Indian.


Then two old Indians… in one frame.
It’s a 1916 1999cc called the Twindian.
It was created by the late Bill Arnold for the Emeryville Board track races.




Again on this bike, notice that the spark plug is over the intake valve and not the piston.


Check out the pillion pad on this one.


OK… now to see something even more unusual than most of the others.
This is a Steam driven cycle called a Roper .
He was using charcoal briquettes to heat the water to make steam.

Here it is running and driving the rear wheel.

This cycle was built on a Columbia bicycle frame.



Here’s where you add the charcoal.

Blowing off some steam.


Here’s a motorcycle built for two.
So is the person on the back a pillion (motorcycle), or a stoker (tandem bicycle) ?




This 1911 Pierce inline four is pretty sweet.




Look at the Speedo cable (from the rear wheel) on this Harley.


And behind that is a 1928 4 cylinder Cleveland racer.


A 1909, 1000cc, V- twin, belt drive Curtiss


A 1928 500cc K10 AJS


A 1928 R57 BMW.

[m0t0-ryder]

OK… now some choppers before getting back into some newer old bikes.

The choppers on display were from three builders. Jesse James, Arlen Ness and Shinya Kimura.

The red one, believe it or not, is the more conventional/conservative of the choppers you are about to see.


If you look behind the previous bike picture you will see a Jesse James creation using a radial 7 cylinder aircraft engine.






Do you wonder why that hole is in the saddle?



Now for some Arlen Ness imagination.


A little turbine power? Mach Ness.

With the man himself, Arlen Ness.



Top Banana.



Here’s three bikes by Shinya Kimura.

(That’s Shinya with his arms crossed behind the bikes.)
Here’s Shinya’s idea of what to do with a 1057 triumph.








OK… enough Choppers.

[m0t0-ryder]

Now for some more oldies.

There was a lineup of older dirt bikes following one walkway.…






Hey, wait a minute.
What is that up behind that Maico in the last shot?
Why, it’s a 1930 Morgan Super Aero 1084cc JAP V twin!





The cockpit.


Looks like he’s been around!


The Morgan has a single rear tire.

If someone would just move that MV Augusta 750 Sport out of the way you could see the Morgan better.

HUH, Wait a minute now…
Move that what?

Check out that distributer!
And those carbs.

[m0t0-ryder]

OK, where were we?
Oh yeah, old bikes. Turn around. There’s more everywhere.

Here’s a couple owned by David Manthey of Wisconsin.
A 1968, 750cc V-twin “Clymer Scout” prototype


According to the plaque, this Indian is in reality, a Munch commissioned by Freidl Munch and was the only one ever built.
(more info here)

Here’s an example of a 1967 1100cc Mammoth Munch that Freidl Munch was building.

Nice hammered dimple finish on the tank.


A very nice 1960 500cc Velocette Thruxton.



Just looking around is awe inspiring!
With an incredible variety of bike.
Nice old Norton!

Oh, and check out that Honda behind it. And another MV. Oh look at those Beemers to the left.
Hey, what’s that past those Beemers to the right there? Over by the sidewalk?
Why, it’s the latest incarnation of the Vincent Black Lightening and the Vincent Black Shadow.


These bikes are built by Bernard Li and use the venerable Honda RC51 V-twin engines.




There was some old Bonneville Land Speed record holder bikes there too.
From the Motorcycle Hall of Fame this 1938 1000cc (61 c.i.) V twin Indian called The Indian Arrow.
(more info here)






And here’s another Bonneville Record Holder.
It is probably a much more recognizable one. This is due in most part by the movie about Burt Munro, “Worlds Fastest Indian” with Anthony Hopkins doing a wonderful job as the main character.
If you haven’t seen the movie… do it!
What you see here is a duplicate (sort of) of Burt’s original Munro Special made up for the movie. It has been cut open to show the inside.
(More about this here)
Built from a 1920 Indian Scout Special.