The Bonneville Norton team, left to right: Jerry Augusto, Matt Capri, Alan Cathcart, Roger Russell (Photo courtesy Norton Motorcycles)

Racers in the American Historic Racing Motorcycle Assoc. (AHRMA) series are on their way to Utah for rounds 16 and 17 of the AHRMA Michigan Engineering/RaceTech Historic Cup Roadrace Series at the 5th Annual Bonneville Vintage GP Presented by Motorcycle Classics. They’ll be descending on Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, west of Salt Lake City, just as other riders finish up the BUB Motorcycle Speed Trials at the famed Bonneville Salt Flats, where a new Norton 961 Commando SE broke the land speed record in the 1,000cc Production Push-rod class, recording an average top speed of 129.191mph.

It was a big day for Stuart Garner’s new Norton Motorcycles, as moto-journalist Alan Cathcart, a former racer and a regular contributor to Motorcycle Classics, took a box-stock Norton 961 Commando SE to the new record Monday, August 30. The record was previously held by a Buell, which hit a two-way average of 126.398mph last year. I spoke with Cathcart briefly prior to the run, and he was confident that he and the Norton team, led by Norton importer/distributor Matt Capri of South Bay Norton in Lomita, Calif., would break the Buell’s record.

While 129mph doesn’t sound especially fast, keep in mind that power output drops as elevation increases. The flats sit at 4,219ft above sea level. And running on the salt isn’t like running on pavement; there’s a lot more wheel spin as tires try to find grip in the hard-packed salt. Congratulations to Cathcart, Capri and Norton Motorcycles. We hope to post more on the effort after we’ve had a chance to speak with Cathcart directly.

Meanwhile, racers in the vintage scene are busily preparing for the 5^th Annual Bonneville Vintage GP Presented by Motorcycle Classics down the road in Tooele, Utah, at Miller Motorsports Park. Racer preregistration for Miller has been impressive, with 470 spots already filled, making the Bonneville Vintage GP the third most popular event for the 2010 AHRMA season. Only Daytona and Portland have exceeded those numbers this year, further proof, we’d say, of how much the vintage crowd loves racing at Miller, even if it is off the beaten track. Racers and attendees rave about Miller. Racers love the excellent surface of the 2.2-mile circuit run on the east half of the Miller track and the superlative pit facilities, and attendees get to take it all in from the impressive grand stands, the surrounding mountains providing an impressive backdrop to the racing going on below them.

Motorcycle Classics will be there as we are every year, supporting the racers and holding our annual Motorcycle Classics Vintage Motorcycle Show. This year’s featured marque is BSA, and we’ll be giving out trophies in 10 categories, including Best BSA, British, American, Offroad and People’s Choice. Preregistration for the show is closed, but you can register at the event starting at 8 a.m. on Saturday, September 4. The show begins at 10 a.m., judging is at 3 p.m. and we’ll host our awards ceremony at 4:30 p.m. See you there! – Richard Backus 

 
John Surtees in the Barber Museum workshop with one of the MV Agustas he rode to successive world championships in 1958-1960.

John Surtees, the only man ever to win world championships on two wheels and four, has been named Grand Marshal for the 6th Annual Barber Vintage Festival. No stranger to the Barber event, Surtees was on hand for the 2^nd Annual Barber Vintage Festival in 2006, greeting fans and signing autographs, and getting in a few hot laps of the Barber track in the very Ferrari 158 F1 he took to a world championship in 1964. He also put in laps riding one of the 500cc 4-cylinder MV Agustas he rode to world championships in 1958-1960.

Surtees keeps his eye on the temperature gauge as he warms up the Ferrari 158 F1 he drove to a world championship in 1964 before heading out on the Barber race track in 2006.

I had the privilege of talking with Surtees during his 2006 visit, a few moments in time I’ll never forget. Although I’m not anyone of any note in the category, Surtees happily agreed to an interview with me, which we conducted in the Barber workshop located in the basement of the museum, the MV Agusta he would ride later that day sitting in the shop as a backdrop. Surtees was kind and gracious, putting me completely at ease as I, utterly awe-struck to be speaking with one of the greatest figures in motorcycle history of all time, groped for words. Click on the video below to get a look at John Surtees when he visited Barber in 2006.

The addition of Surtees to the list of great people and things to see and do during the Barber Festival simply sweetens the pot of what’s become, in my mind, the single greatest vintage motorcycle event in the country. Started almost on a whim and fed by the undying passion and enthusiasm of the staff at Barber – not to mention us lay folk, the bread and butter of the vintage bike scene – the Barber Festival pulls together a unique mix of location, facilities, events and people that’s unrivaled by any show.

Motorcycle Classics will be there as we are every year, and really, if you’ve been promising yourself a trip to Barber, do it during the Vintage Festival. The vintage racing is excellent, the museum is to die for, and the swap meet, although hardly the size of, say, VMD, keeps getting better and better, and the quality of items on hand is excellent. Barber’s Brian Slark is dead set on keeping non-motorcycle crap out of the swap area, something we wish more shows would do. Also, the Bator International Bator Auction returns for its second year, and given Glenn Bator’s enthusiasm for old bikes in general and this show in particular it’ll likely be another excellent auction. Last year’s Bator Auction saw a 68 percent sales ratio, quite good for an inaugural auction. Be there, or be square. – Richard Backus 

Click on the video below to see footage of racing legend John Surtees at the 2006 Barber Vintage Festival.

The "Munro Special" won top honors at the 2010 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. New Zealander Burt Munro rode this 1920 Indian Scout-based streamliner (our understanding is that this bike has the original 1920 Indian frame and shell no.3) to a record 183.586mph at Bonneville in 1967. (Photo courtesy Corey Levenson.)

The “Munro Special,” the 1920 Indian Scout piloted by New Zealander Burt Munro to 183.586mph at the Bonneville Salt Flats in 1967, won top honors for prewar American racing motorcycles at the Aug. 15, 2010, Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. A car-only show since its founding in 1950, the prestigious Pebble Beach event opened its doors to motorcycles for the first time in 2009. The Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum won top honors in 2009 for its 1954 AJS E95. One of four claimed built, that machine is featured in the September/October 2010 issue of Motorcycle Classics.

Munro’s quest to ride his Indian into the history books started in 1926, when he began a decades-long process of modifying his 1920 Indian Scout, a bike he bought new, to become the fastest Indian in the world. It took Munro 41 years to achieve his dream, and his exploits became legendary in the motorcycling world, ultimately inspiring Indian motorcycle rider and movie producer Roger Donaldson to release The World’s Fastest Indian in 2005. The film starred Anthony Hopkins as Munro, a role Hopkins played with relish and which he took on for a fraction of his normal fee because he was so drawn to Munro’s character. If you haven’t seen the movie yet, rent or buy it now; it’s one of the greatest motorcycle movies of all time. (Check out our review of The World’s Fastest Indian.)

Munro’s devotion to his quest bordered on the pathological, a single-minded obsession with wringing every ounce of performance – and then some – he could out of his ancient Indian, years after anyone might have considered such a machine competitive. It was a life of both privation and celebration. While Munro often barely scratched out a living, his life was clearly rich, as his quest found him racing and becoming good friends with some of the most famous riders of the day, including the likes of famed Vincent drag racer Marty Dickerson, a highly successful rider in the 1950s and 1960s who set a new vintage record of 150.685mph aboard a Vincent at Bonneville in 2007 – at the age of 80. Munro was 68 when he set his record, and Dickerson was one of his big supporters.

Burt Munro with his Munro Special at Bonneville in the 1960s.

Munro died in 1978, and one of his streamlined racers (he built at least two) sat forgotten at Indian expert Sammy Pierce’s shop in California, where Munro left it, sans engine (Sept. 1, 2010, update: We've recently learned that the machine did in fact have an engine when found, complete with AJS-inspired cylinder heads made by Burt Munro, but it was not necessarily the engine used in the 1967 run), following a final Bonneville attempt. As I understand it, Dean Hensley in California purchased the bike in the mid-1980s, and then had it restored by American motorcycle restoration specialist Steve Huntzinger. Dean passed away following an accident, but his brother, Tom Hensley, has shown the Munro Special several times over the ensuing years; its win at Pebble Beach is a fitting honor for such a historic machine. – Richard Backus 

1909 Wagner to be auction by MidAmerica Auctions at Pebble Beach Aug. 13-15, 2010.

Here’s something you don’t –and won’t – see every day; a 1909 Wagner. Built by the Wagner Motorcycle Co. in Saint Paul, Minn., it’s a 442cc belt-drive single and likely one of only a handful in existence. The bike, an unrestored original that’s been in the same family since the teens, will be auctioned this year by MidAmerica Auctions August 13-15 during the annual Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

This is the second year for motorcycles at Pebble Beach, and the second year for MidAmerica to hold a motorcycle auction at the prestigious event, a previously car-centric celebration of vintage machinery. Last year’s MidAmerica auction (go here to see our story on the 2009 event) featured 84 motorcycles, of which 44, or 54 percent, sold. So far, MidAmerica has 81 bikes consigned, almost even with last year’s offering. Although last year’s performance was considered acceptable for a first-time auction, it was hardly a home run, so it’ll be interesting to see what the action’s like this year. Overall, the auction scene has been pretty lively this year. Although average bikes are somewhat cheap, good bikes are still getting top dollar, belying the seemingly depressed economy.

The Wagner is a particularly rare machine as Minnesota-based Wagner supposedly built few motorcycles during its 1901-1914 production. Motorcycle historian Jerry Hatfield’s Standard Catalog of American Motorcycles, 1898-1981, says an estimated 8,500 single-cylinder machines rolled out of the factory. Although Wagner motorcycles were fairly typical of the time with inlet-over-exhaust engines featuring splash lubrication and, mostly, belt drive (there were some chain-drive models), they did produce a few real oddities, such as single- and twin-engined tandems.

The Wagner on offer is claimed original, purchased in the teens by the grandfather of the current owner; the grandfather is said to have used it riding around the family vineyards in California’s Rancho Cucamonga area. It’s been stored inside since the 1950s, and nothing’s been done to it since, which means it may still be wearing it’s original dirt! We’ll keep you posted on auction results following the Pebble Beach event, which happens August 13,-15. – Richard Backus

This year's raffle bike was built by Vicious Cycle in Portland, Ore. Make it yours!

We all missed it last year, but thanks to major support from the folks at the American Historic Racing Motorcycle Assoc. (AHRMA), Vicious Cycle in Portland and Bonneville event organizer Tom Kullen, the Honda CB160 Bonneville Vintage GP Raffle Bike is back for 2010, and it could be yours on September 5 if you have the winning ticket!

Blame it on a bum economy, but it just wasn’t possible to pull together a raffle bike for last year’s Bonneville Vintage GP. Held in 2007 and again in 2008, the raffle has always featured a Honda and it’s always been a CB160, the lovely little twins that have become immensely popular in West Coast vintage racing, and that have been a regular at the Bonneville Vintage GP, which every year features the Battle of the CB160s LeMans Start. A fantastic exhibition race featuring upwards of 30 CB160s, the race has riders run across the track LeMans-style to their waiting machines, where they grab their machines from a waiting helper, bump start them and then roar of down the track as quickly as they can.

Four-time world champ Doug Polen played along last year – and won – and he’ll be back again this year, too, racing in Saturday’s CB160 race. It seems like the lion’s share of the really competitive CB160s come from Joe Pethoud at Vicious Cycle, and if you win this year’s bike that’s what you’ll be getting, a custom, Vicious-built CB160, completely rebuilt and ready for the track. Tickets are only $5 each, or your can get 5 for $20 – definitely the way to go. And your money supports a good cause, helping defray the cost of staging the popular Bonneville Vintage GP, a hugely popular but also hugely expensive endeavor. Nobody gets rich on vintage racing events like this. At best, they break even and get paid for their time. But everyone has fun, and that’s why we, they and everyone else involved keep doing it year after year. So pony up and bike that ticket, and support great vintage racing!

Get your raffle tickets ($5 each or 5 for $20) by sending a check made out to AHRMA/Bonneville Vintage GP and sending it to:

Dave Lambreth
AHRMA
309 Buffalo Run
Goodlettsville, TN 37072

Questions about the raffle bike? Just contact Dave Lambreth at AHRMA:

Phone: 615.420.6435
Fax 615.420.6438
dwlamberth@comcast.net

The drawing for the winner will be held after Saturday’s CB160 race, and you don’t have to be present to win. Then again, we don’t know why you wouldn’t be, because if you’re not there you’ll miss two days of great racing including AHRMA racing, sidecar racing and of course the annual Motorcycle Classics Bonneville Vintage GP Motorcycle Show. Last year’s show drew a record 68 entries, ranging from classic Ducatis and Nortons to Velocettes and Triumphs. We’ll have the Motorcycle Classics/Dairyland Cycle Insurance Triumph Bonneville on hand – a bike you could win by signing up here – and BSA is the featured bike for this year’s show. So shine up that Rocket III or Hornet and bring it to Utah for the 5^th Annual Bonneville Vintage GP. See you there! – Richard Backus 

Sylvester Roper built this steam-powered "motorcycle" about 1869. (Image courtesy the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History)

Remember the circa 1895 Hildebrand & Wolfmüller that Bonham’s auctioned last April for $132,000? Considered the oldest production motorcycle in the world, the Hildebrand & Wolfmuller was also the first machine to be described as a “motorrad,” German for motorcycle. Recently, we were reminded of what we think was surely the worlds first true motorcycle, the circa-1869 Roper Steam Velocipede, built by Sylvester Roper, Roxburry, Mass.

That reminder came by way of the latest eNewsletter from sister publications Farm Collector and Gas Engine Magazine, which published a reprint of an article that ran in the May/June issue of the now-defunct Iron-Men Album, a magazine we used to produce for collectors and restorers of steam-powered tractors, generally referred to as steam traction engines. We still publish an online version, SteamTraction.com, where you can find information on these leviathans of the prairie.

While there are various claims to the first true motorcycle, including Gottlieb Daimler’s 1885 gas-powered machine, Roper’s “steam velocipede” was the first powered two-wheeler to include elements that still define motorcycles today, including equal-sized wheels front and rear and a twist grip to control acceleration and braking. Power for Roper’s machine came from a two-cylinder oscillating steam engine with a 2.5 inch by 5 inch bore and stroke. (Also called a “wobbler” in some circles. The cylinders were bolted to the frame and the piston connecting rods ran to a lever or crank pin on the rear wheel. There was no intermediate point of articulation, so the cylinders and rose and fell lightly with the motion of the rear wheel.) And while critics say this feature denies the machine’s status as a motorcycle, it’s clear that’s precisely what Roper was constructing. Nicolaus Otto didn’t perfect his 4-stroke engine until 1876, so it’s hardly surprising that Roper turned to steam to power his invention.

A fascinating bit of motorcycling history, Roper’s contribution to motorcycling is often forgotten or simply ignored. Go here to read the rest of our story on Roper’s machine. For further discussion on the subject of the earliest motorcycles, check out Jeffry Tank’s article at virginiawind.com 

Roper, a relative of Dave Roper, currently the man to beat in vintage motorcycle road racing (and the only American ever to win at the Isle of Man TT, taking first in the Senior TT in 1984), continued developing his steam-powered machine. He died in 1896 while testing a newer version of his steam-powered motorcycle. His original 1869 machine is tucked away somewhere in the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. – Richard Backus.

The AMA is promoting Ride to Work day, June 21, 2010. Read more below!

Consider this our Public Service Announcement of the week, a reminder to everyone in the motorcyling community that this coming Monday, June 21, is national Ride to Work Day.

Okay, so this isn't much of a blog and definately more of a PSA, but I won't apologize for that because Ride to Work day is our day to show the rest of the country just how many motorcyclists there really are among our citizenry and the impact - or lack thereof - motorcycles have on our public roadways. To that end, I encourage everyone who rides to make sure and ride this Monday, June 21. And to learn more about Ride to Work day and its history and impact, read the official press release from the AMA below. Ride safe! - Richard Backus

PICKERINGTON, Ohio --  The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) is encouraging all motorcyclists to help demonstrate the tangible benefits of commuting to work on a motorcycle on Monday, June 21, in celebration of national Ride to Work Day -- and to be safe while doing it.

"Ride to Work Day is a great way to show that motorcycles are fun to ride as well as an economical way to transport yourself from one point to another," said AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman. "With so many more riders on the road at this time of year, it's also a good opportunity to extend a note of caution to riders and motorists alike as part of the I AMAware campaign, which emphasizes safety on the road through enhanced awareness of fellow road users.

"I AMAware is a national program that encourages both defensive riding by motorcyclists and alertness by fellow road users," Dingman said. "In most car-motorcycle crashes, the driver claims he or she never saw the motorcyclist. By increasing awareness of motorcyclists on the road, crashes can be avoided, and lives can be saved."

Since its inception in 1992 by Aerostich/RiderWearHouse's Andy Goldfine, who also sits on the AMA's Board of Directors, Ride to Work Day has become an international event, with participation in cities around the world and recognition by the U.S. government. In the United States in recent years, both U.S. Reps. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) and Michael Burgess (R-Texas), co-chairs of the Congressional Motorcycle Safety Caucus and longtime supporters of motorcyclists' rights, have recognized the day on the floor of the House of Representatives.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Transportation, more than 80 million cars and light trucks are used for daily commuting on American roads, and about 200,000 motorcycles and scooters are a regular part of this mix. On Ride To Work Day, the practical side of riding becomes more visible as a larger number of America's motorcycles and scooters are ridden to work.

"Ride to Work Day is one of our best advertisements for the motorcycling lifestyle," said AMA Senior Vice President for Government Relations Ed Moreland. "With more riders on the road during rush hour, these benefits become even clearer. Motorcycles and scooters are a socially responsible form of transportation that reduce fuel consumption and wear and tear on roads, ease congestion, make parking easier and exponentially increase the fun of your commute."
 
This year will be the 19th annual Ride to Work Day. More information about Ride to Work Day can be found at RideToWork.org.