Roster Full and Route Set for Transcontinental Motorcycle Cannonball Run II

The Motorcycle Cannonball Run II, a historic transcontinental event scheduled for 17 days in September, has its roster full and the route is set. Though held on U.S soil, the 2012 iteration is for all intents and purposes, a worldwide event.

According to Lonnie Isam, Jr., owner of Jurassic Racing in Sturgis, South Dakota, and promoter of the event, the endurance ride for pre-1930 antique motorcycles will get underway in Newburgh, New York, on Friday, September 7, and will include riders from across the globe. With 77 entries from 24 states, 11 countries and 4 continents, this historic run will indeed be watched by the world as motorcycles of all marquis tackle an arduous route across America.  A week into travel, riders will have a day of rest, repairs, and some festivities in the well-known town of Sturgis, SD, on September 14. After a total of some 4,000 miles, the ride is slated to conclude on Sunday, September 23, in San Francisco, California.

During the MCR event, participants will ride vintage pre-1930 motorcycles such as Henderson, Indian, Triumph, Harley-Davidson, Rudge, JAP, Excelsior, BSA, Sunbeam and others. According to Isam, the event is not a race but will be a timed test of both the riders’ endurance and the roadworthiness of their respective machines as they navigate non-Interstate roads across the United States.

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“This route is going to be a challenge, and the bikes from the 1920s really don’t get ridden that much so there will still be some rebuilding going on along the run,” Isam said. “We’ll cover some of the best riding areas in the country. We’ll have long days and tough terrain, I suspect that even the most seasoned rider will find this run challenging.

While organizers and MCR Course Master John Classen are still working out the final details of some of the stops, the first week of the event will be grueling as riders make their way along the initial miles from New York to Sturgis.

Four museums are on the route and will be visited as well. The Motorcyclepedia Museum in Newburgh, New York, the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the National Motorcycle Museum in Anamosa, Iowa, and the Pioneer Auto Show in Murdo, South Dakota, will all play host to the riders as they wind their way towards the Golden State.

The 2012 Motorcycle Cannonball Run’s roster includes several notable faces such as artist Scott Jacobs, writer Paul d’Orleans and world traveling rider personality Doug Wothke. The field will also include 16 past participants. Each has their own amazing story to tell and is anxious to tackle this year’s route through 11 states to finish by crossing the Golden Gate Bridge.

Complete information about the Motorcycle Cannonball Run, including route details and rider profiles, is available at www.motorcyclecannonball.com.

2 COMMENTS

  1. I love riding the old ones, but never got lucky enough to latch on to one of my own pre-60, much less pre-30 example. What a hoot it would be to cross the continent on one of these jewels.

  2. I watched them come into Chattanooga in MCR I and rode with them thru a portion of Tennessee on Hwy 41 the following day. Never rode behind a total oil loss motorcycle before, but my ’73 Triumph Tiger was coated with a fine sheen of oil when I got home. Not to mention my helmet & face shield!! It was thrilling to be around and able to talk to the riders of such fascinating machines.
    Too bad I won’t be on the route to experience it again this year.

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