The fifth iteration of the biennial Motorcycle Cannonball Endurance Run is scheduled to kick off on September 8. For 2018 the cross-country route runs through the northern United States, covering 3,400 miles from Portland, Maine, to Portland, Oregon, where the event concludes on September 23. This year’s event is limited to pre-1929 antique motorcycles, and there are 100 riders from 32 states and 10 countries.
“This route is going to be a challenge, we’ve never taken such a northerly route. The terrain combined with the range in ages of the bikes is going to make for an interesting run,” says event owner and organizer Jason Sims. “We’ll cover some of the best riding areas in the country. It’s going to be a difficult trip and we’ll have a lot of long days and hard riding.”
Among the scheduled stops are Anamosa, Iowa, on September 13 for a visit to the National Motorcycle Museum, and Sturgis, North Dakota, where there will be a one-day layover on September 17.
Historic brands that will be represented include BSA, Excelsior, Harley-Davidson, Henderson, Indian, Norton, Thor and Triumph. Notable entries include a Brough Superior, an Ace, an American Single, a Reading Standard and a Rudge. The transcontinental run is a 15-stage timed test of both the rider’s endurance and the roadworthiness of their respective vintage machines as they navigate America’s back roads through some of the most scenic areas of the country.
For more information, visit motorcyclecannonball.com.
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