Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/125616
Ihdlpn's 192• •ater-cooled O...s Jesse Ja s' 1956 lIus· k anr lIelllllan? t• • ~ : 6 ~ b By Eric Raits ~~ H~ VISALIA, CAL., May 10 - More than sixty proud owners of the West's finest vintage motorcycles gathered In the heat at VIsalia, Call1ornia to show their machines, swap parts and stories, and compete in judging. The second Annual Classic and Antique Motorcycle Rally attracted twice as many entrants as last year. The two-dayevent brought almost forgotten brand names such as Pope, Henderson, Rudge, Cleveland, Scott, and others to the San Joaquin Valley. Many of the bikes are museum pieces, restored to concours condition, looldtlg perhaps better than they did when new. Quite a few were ridden to Visalia and most were in running condition. Bob Ross, owner of Motorcycles Only rode a 1928 Harley-Davidson from San Pedro, starting out at three a.m. saturday. A friend riding a 1926 Harley was not so lucky, his engine seized a few miles out <:ft /<:'fiF~, ~ ~ ,<:ft ,('_~ ,'('~ ,(',,::;,; ostalgia ~~ At Visalia' ~h~sth~:i~: ::~~e :~k~~ ~k:~~~ Ross'S ride was not without incident. The battery began spewing acid all over the rear of the motorcycle. Ross stopped and threw buckets of water on the fender in time to avoid damage to the paint. He took the award for the antique ridden the greatest distance. In most cases the bikes had been fomld in barns or hidden away in back corners of garages. Some were in deplorable condition. Parts were missing, glass was broken, tires'were rotting off the wheels. L.W. Parker's 1911 Indian was little more than a rusted frame before its loving restoration. The belt drive machine is now original with the exception of tires and the pulley attached to the rear wheel. The wooden pulley was hand made and Parker deserves a medal for his solution to the lack of 1911 Indian tires. It seems that Dunlop broke their mold for IS-inch tireS of the type needed SO Parker stretched 16 inch tires to fit the rim. A 16-inch tire is not the easiest tb1ng to tit on an IS-inch rim, but 16-inch tires on IS-inch rims are a tribute to Parker's perseverance. Tl!e work and trouble paid off: Parker ran away with best antique honors. Judges named Jim Davis'S 1940Ind1an four cylinder best classic,Most Unusual class was taken by Paul Madigan's 1928 water cooled Scott. The two-cycle, three speed machine was rated at 30 h.p. John Coursey took the Harley-Davidson award on a 1938 H-DULonlyto have the engine seize coming uP the Grapevine on his way back to Los Angeles. John was accompanIed by Rob Robbins who won the award for best German Classic with a 1955 Zundapp. The Harley-Davidsonwas left in a gas station and the hefty Coursey doubled uP with Robbins for the ride back to Los Angeles. A totaJ of twenty-six awards were given to particIpants in the concours. Frank Conley, secretary and founder of the Classic and Antique Motorcycle Association put it tb1s way, "We want to encourage healthy competition and give out a lot of trophies. Dog-eat-dog rivalry where one hlg trophy is handed to the man who spent the most money is not our aim.." The saturday nigbt steak dinner was praised but the poker run Sunday lacked a little lime. A vee in the road was unmarked and most of the riders got lost. The Visalia Ramblers M.C furnished their clubhouse for entrants who were unable to get motel rooms. The old ones are still very much allve and doing well. The C.A.M.A. Rally Was a golden opPOrtunity for people to not only see these beautiful classics and antiques but to watch them being ridden. It was a living, breathing museum. Ailoye, 192. Do &las owned II)' Hulll D.br, In Box, L.•• Par er's 1911 Indio III, BelOW, '51 IIolJ)oGuzzl belOllClnC to Clift Hills. RIChl, Keanr and Daver • te enlor a ride in Dar- br's 1925 H'D chair. ,('-*, ~"I'('~'