Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1960's

1st ANNUAL CLASSIC & ANTIQUE M-C RALLY Story and Photos by Gearge Hays The weekend of April 6 and 7, over 25 rare old motorcycles went on display In Vlsalla, Calif., maldng the first Rally of. the Classic and Antique Association a smashing success. The fascinating old beauties, many restored and polished to like-new condition, were displayed in the aisles of a huge indoor shopping center known as the Visalia Fair . For anyone hooked on old bik es , thethrlllandexcltement of seeing all tho se beautitul old machines was almost too uch, Kind of. made you feel ltke a kid on Christmas morning. On display In the west aisle of the Visalia Fair Mall were a '48 500Cc Nor ton single, ' 17 Harley 74, ' 55 Zundapp KS 601, ' 09 Excelsior, ' 36 Crocker, '43 Harley 74, and a '5 1 Vincent Rapide. The east aisle contained a '48 Vincent Raplde, '38 Indian 4, ' 17 Indian Twin, '56 Ariel Square 4 , ' 17 Harley single, ' 26 Harley JD , and a '48 Sunbeam. Lined up in the north corridor were a ' 37 Excel s ior 350cc single, '56 Numbus 4, and two BMW sidecar outfits . The display In the South aisle Inc l uded a ' 31 Ariel Square 4, '5 7 Ar iel Red Hunter, and a '56 Ariel Squar e 4. Most of the rare old jewels were hauled to the Rlllly in trucks or trailers, but about halt-a-dozen owners rode the ir macblnes to the Rally.At sign-in, owners picked up a package containing directions for setting up their macblnes for display, for riding Sunday's Poker Run, large printed cards to place on their macblnes (one reading " P LEASE DON'T TOUCH MOTORCYCLE, " ) the other listing the year and model), a newspaper to put under the bike to catch 011 drips, a beautitul wall plaque reading " 1s t CAMA RALLY APRIL 6-7 1968," a street map of Visalia, and a map of the Poker Run . The bikes were set up for display between 8 a.m , and 10 a .m , It was i nter es tIng to listen to the comments of shoppers as they walked by. One said, "I don't even ltke to look at them, they scare me to death." Another, a gr an dmother ly type, felt a nearly overpowering ur ge to r ide again aiter seeing the old models . Seems she had toured the world years ago, r iding In a motordrome show. For proof s he produced a picture of herselt on an old Indian Scout, and a membership card In the "Motorcycltst' s Protective League, " signed by Speedy Babbs . A group of teenagers were astounded to learn tha t s ome of the bikes had been r idden in all the way from th e Los Angele s area, an unbelteveable distance of ove r 200 miles. Frank Conley, Secretary and lounder 01 CAMA, lound his '37 Excelslor Manxman 350cc OHC in complete state 01 decay, restored It to mlnt·new condition, won display awards In World 01 Wheels Show and Winter Nationals. wish I could ltsten to that man talk for The judges went to work at 11:00 a.m ., another 3 hours." The food was exceland atte r many difficult decisions , tlni shed a t 1:00 p .m , Then the bikes were lent, and following the dinner, tropbles moved out to a large roped-oU area In were awarded. the parking lot. Each owner took a coup le At 10:00 a.m. Sunday morning, the of. turns around the lot on his rare one , crowd gathered at the Ramblers Club House for the Poker Run. Many r iders while the announcer supplled descriptive lntormation . Those old bikes ran as well showed up on modern bikes to r ldealong as they looked . with the rare ones. Among the classics A swap meet followed , ",1.th members on the run were 3 Vlncents, a Zundapp swapping yarns about the good old days, KS 601, and a Nimbus 4. The route was as well as parts. One of the goodi es of- so well ltmed that r iders didn't evern fered was a complete Indian Scout 45 need th eir detailed maps. The 70-mile run through the Sier ra foothills led cu . in . engine for $40. After a thoroughly en joyable day , the through small villages along streams vintage cycle buffs enjoyed the dinner through wooded pastur~ land cloaked ~ and trophy presentation a t Big John's the vivid gr een of spring, then snaked up Smorgasbord, located directly a cross the mountain passes on a road fUled with street from the Vlsalla Fair . Members hairpin curves. who had ridden their bikes to the Rally The run ended at 3:30 p.m., allowing returned to the Visalia Ramblers Cl ub 5-1/2 hours to cover the route and riders made long leisurely stops ~t the House, where they spent the night. The Ramblers have the kind of club house chec k poi nts, chatung and Inspecting the every motorcycle club dreams of - a rare bikes. A truck was ready to pick large mee.ting room, wails ltned with up anyone who had trouble, butallrtders sofas, a kitchen, and a bathroom commade It back to the club house with no plete .with s hower . Riders rolled out their problems. s leeping bags on the couches, agreeing . During the entire Rally, your reporter that It sure beat spending 10 or 12 bucks was impressed by the friendly vibr a ti ons at a motel . in the air, as kindred spirits got toDinner started at 8:00 p.m, with a talk gether to s hare a common interest. People at the Ra ll y s eemed to be mature by Mr . Dave Kinnie , Mayor of the neighboring ci ty of Hanford, an d am ember of riders with no a xes to gr ind, an d nothing the Indian Ra cing Team from 1912 to to prove The total atmosphere was 1918. Mr. Kinnie set many r ecords on calm rel~xed an d friendly a welcome the 8-valve raci ng Indians , s ome of contrast to me motorcycle ev ents wblch still s tand . For example , in 1915 where squabbles deve lop, particu!arlyat trophy award ti me. he r ode 15 miles at an average of over 100 mph on a di rt track. He r ode many The Rally was a gr ea t s ucc ess an d races OIT the old board tra.cJ.cs, an d took the CAMA ma y well be co me one ~f the bls s hare of spil ls, s pllnters, and tronation' s larges t motorcycle or gani za phies. He says racers di dn' t hotshoe li ons, with local chapters throughout the around curves in thos e day s, but r od e country. Anyone in te r es ted in joining feet-up, European s tyle. the group may obtain an applicati on blank After Mayor Kinni e ' s brief talk, the by wr iting to F rank Conley , CAl\1A crowd lined up at the smor gasbord table, Secretary, 808 S. Chur ch St., Visalia, pillng their plates high With goodie s, an d calli. 93277. (Resul ts on page 20) com menting, as one membe r put it, " I ;0 i; , -f Winner 01 tile Best Pr...1920 Restoration award was this 1917 Indian Power P lus, owned by Kine links. Belore restoration tile old bl~.e was little more tIlan a rusted pile 01 scrap tren,

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