The 2014 Motorcycle Cannonball Run, a transcontinental ride scheduled for 17 days in September, will be a worldwide affair. The coast-to-coast run on antique motorcycles has its roster full and the route set.
According to Lonnie Isam, Jr., owner of Jurassic Racing in Sturgis, South Dakota, and promoter of the Cannonball Run, the endurance ride for pre-1937 motorcycles will get underway from the sands of Daytona Beach in Florida on Friday, September 5, and will include 115 entries from 32 states, 12 countries and 3 continents. A week into travel, riders will have a day of rest, repairs, and some festivities in the hospitable town of Junction City, Kansas, on September 12.
Included in the lineup of antique bikes will be some lesser-known marques such a 1923 Ner-a-car, a Sokol 1000, and a Sunbeam m9. As predicted, the field will be dominated by a remarkable 67 Harley-Davidsons, followed by 19 Indians, 16 Hendersons, six BMWs, two Moto Guzzis, two Moto Freras, a Rudge, BSA Sloper and Brough Superior.
The continent-wide 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 10 of America’s States. After a total of some 3,944 miles, the ride will conclude on Sunday, September 21, in Tacoma, Washington.
Organizers are still working out the final details of some of the stops, but there will be several opportunities for the public to meet the Motorcycle Cannonball riders during one of the 19 hosted events along the journey.
Five museums are on the route and will be visited as well. The Coker Tire Museum in Chattanooga, Tennessee, the Cyclemos Motorcycle Museum in Red Boiling Spring, Tennessee, the Rocky Mountain Motorcycle Museum in Colorado Springs, Colorado, the Legends Motorcycle Museum in Springville, Utah, and the LeMay Museum in Tacoma, Washington will all play host to the riders as they wind their way toward the Northwest.
Complete information about the Motorcycle Cannonball Run, including route details and promoted events, is available at motorcyclecannonball.com.