Cross Country Adventures on Vintage Harley-Davidsons
It’s not about the bike–it’s about the ride.
In a previous post we discussed one man’s views on why you DON’T take Vintage Harleys on Road Trips. In this feature we’re going to propose some counter arguments to that belief. We opened this feature with an exquisite photograph of the sun setting over the Arizona desert. Let’s get right to the point, shall we? Mother Nature doesn’t care what bike you’re riding. Therefore she’ll put on her magnificent displays of beauty regardless of what machine happens to be beneath you as you journey cross country. Above all…and it’s been said so many times in the past that it has almost become a cliché: “It’s not about the bike, it’s about the ride.”
As motorcyclists today we are blessed with the finest two-wheeled machines to ever roll off an assembly line. They feature electronic fuel injection, proportional ABS brakes, traction control, on-the-fly electronic suspension adjustment and multi-compound tires. These are just a handful of the luxuries that modern bikers enjoy. Why then would anyone in their right mind consider riding a primitive, vintage motorcycle cross country? A couple of great explanations actually exist. Read on.
1. It’s What We Do. Every Year
That’s right. There are folks that climb aboard motorcycles that are close to 100 years old and ride them coast-to-coast every single year. It’s an event known as The Motorcycle Cannonball. It draws up to 120 participants annually. Billed as “The most difficult antique endurance run in the world”, The Cannonball is the brainchild of founder, Lonnie Isam, Jr.
The perennial event saw its launch in September of 2010 when Lonnie assembled a group of 45 antique motorcycle enthusiasts. They set out from The Atlantic shore in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina for The Pacific Ocean. Since then the event has grown every year attracting riders of vintage Harley-Davidsons, as well as pilots of Excelsior, Indian, Henderson, and BMW motorcycles. Some of these machines are more than 100 Years old!
As you can well imagine with bikes of this vintage, this is not an all-out speed contest. For example, the 2021 event spanned 15 days, with stops at numerous Harley-Davidson dealerships from Michigan to Texas. Registration is already open for the 2023 running of The Cannonball which will roll from Virginia Beach, Virginia to Huntington Beach, California. If you’re interested in participating you can find more details at motorcyclecannonball.com.
2. It’s What We Do–Until We Can Do Better.
Let’s face it. Not everybody who wants to own one has the strong five figure$ needed to plunk down on a brand new Harley. That doesn’t preclude them from being able to cross this country in the saddle of a Hog. Used motorcycles abound and the older iron can be found for relatively moderate prices.
The bike you see pictured here belonged to one of the dearest friends, and most righteous bikers, I’ve ever had the privilege of knowing. This is personal. It’s a 1972 H-D FLH Police Special that has seen more miles than the average rider will ever accumulate in a lifetime. This bike had logged well in excess of 1/2 million miles while it was owned by my dear friend, Lenny. He was a man who truly lived up to the creed that it’s not about the bike…it’s about the ride.
This bike crossed the United States and Canada, from coast-to-coast, on numerous occasions; including a marathon 1,800 mile burn from Long Island, NY to Sturgis, SD in 28 hours! Not too shabby for a four speed Shovelhead that was almost 40 years old at the time. Sure, the saddlebags were full of tools, oil and spare parts, and Lenny was armed with more than a casual knowledge of how to keep this thing running when mechanical issues arose. His reward: being able to explore and experience virtually every square mile of The North American Continent from the saddle of a vintage Harley-Davidson.
Get Out and Ride!
These early examples of Harley-Davidson motorcycles can’t hold a candle in performance or comfort to the offerings leaving the assembly line in York, PA these days. However they were extraordinary machines in their time. More importantly they are still, to this day, being piloted by extraordinary men and women that live up to the conviction that “It’s not about the bike, it’s about the ride!”
Photos: Michael ONeill, Harley-Davidson, motorcyclecannonball.com