Blog - Motorcycle Cannonball

Prologue: Virginia Beach, VA

32 Miles

September 6, 2023

Today, riders participated in the preliminary activities in preparation for the launch of the 2023 edition of the Motorcycle Cannonball. After completing their onsite registration, riders rolled their bikes onto the Virginia Beach boardwalk just behind the Holiday Inn & Suites North Beach, our host hotel, for technical inspection.

Those riders and staff who arrived a day or two early, though, were able to participate in partnership with the nonprofit All Kids Bike organization to start a new bicycling program at College Park Elementary School, where kindergarteners were surprised by a presentation of 24 new bicycles. This program will help kids learn to ride during their physical education classes. Last year, the Motorcycle Cannonball’s sister event, the Cross Country Chase, participated in a similar program in Springfield, Illinois, and plans to continue the program in the future.

Tech inspection, a critical component of the Cannonball, continued throughout most of the day, with staff thoroughly checking each motorcycle to help ensure safe operation on the 3,800 mile cross-country trek. Riders were also provided with an optional 22-mile course map to help familiarize them with the turn-by-turn direction sheets that will be used throughout their 17 days on the road to the West Coast.

The evening concluded with a short staff meeting, where assignments were discussed, and medical staffer Vicki Sanfelipo provided medical kits and performed several demonstrations as a follow-up to the prerequisite Accident Scene Management Course that each staff member had previously completed.

Tomorrow’s Prologue of 32.5 miles will mark the official start of the Cannonball, with riders departing the Virginia Beach Fishing Pier shortly after 3:00 p.m. This is where the rubber meets the road; several riders have already experienced some problems with their antique iron. Let’s see how many riders make it to the starting line!

Exciting Motorcycle Cannonball News!!

Here is a list and dates of the overnight cities that we will be visiting for this years Motorcycle Cannonball. We will be listing exact locations and times of where you can come witness the riders and the machines of the Motorcycle Cannonball on the website and on our social media channels. Not only will we be visiting these cities but have a host of many other cities and venues that will be hosting us for lunch stops also. Keep checking back for updates as we will be updating regularly.

Prologue – Thursday September 7^th – Virginia Beach, VA

Stage #1 – Friday, September 8^th – Greenville, NC

Stage #2 – Saturday, September 9^th – Concord, NC

Stage #3 – Sunday, September 10^th – Marysville, TN

Stage #4 – Monday, September 11^th – Clarksville, TN

Stage #5 – Tuesday, September 12^th – Cape Girardeau, MO

Stage #6 – Wednesday, September 13^th – Branson, MO

Stage #7 – Thursday, September 14^th – Augusta, KS

Day Off – Friday, September 15^th – Wichita, KS

Stage #8 – Saturday, September 16^th – Garden City, KS

Stage #9 – Sunday, September 17^th – Colorado Springs, CO

Stage #10 – Monday, September 18^th – Montrose, CO

Stage #11 – Tuesday, September 19^th – Green River, UT

Stage #12 – Wednesday, September 20^th – Kanab, UT

Stage #13 – Thursday, September 21^st – Las Vegas, NV

Stage #14 – Friday, September 22^nd – Lake Havasu, AZ

Stage #15 – Saturday, September 23^rd – Palm Desert, CA

Grand Finale – Sunday, September 24^th – Oceanside, CA

2023 Motorcycle Cannonball Location Announcement!

Stage #5

Cape Girardeau, MO

Motorcycle Cannonball is proud to announce that on Tuesday, September 12th, 2023 the Motorcycle Cannonball will be back in Cape Girardeau, MO which is one of our favorite cities to visit, we will have a hosted promotion open to the public in the historic downtown of the Cape. Make plans to come see the riders and the machines of the Motorcycle Cannonball. To learn more about Cape Girardeau visit www.visitcape.com

2023 Motorcycle Cannonball Location Announcement!

Motorcycle Cannonball is proud to announce that on Sunday, September 17th, 2023 the Motorcycle Cannonball will have a overnight stop in Colorado Springs, CO and will have a hosted promotion open to the public at the Rocky Mountain Motorcycle Museum located on Historic Tejon St in Downtown Colorado Springs. Make plans to come see the riders and the machines of the Motorcycle Cannonball and the Rocky Mountain Motorcycle Museum

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On Sunday, September 17th, in conjunction with the 2023 “Cannonball” stop-over in Colorado Springs, the Museum will be hosting their 30th anniversary OPEN HOUSE CELEBRATION and the public is invited to attend! We will be inducting 6 new members into the “HALL of FAME” and we will have snacks and soft drinks. Food vendors will be on hand and Cowboys Nightclub will be open right next door providing libations.

This is a great opportunity to not only see the Museums new home and collection, but more importantly to meet current and new Hall of Fame members, as well as the 2023 Cannonball riders and get an up-close look at their machines.

The Rocky Mountain Motorcycle Museum is located in downtown Colorado Springs, at 19 North Tejon St. The Museum’s Board of Directors invites you, your families and your friends to experience what has become one of the most popular free attractions in Southern Colorado. For more information, check out the website at themotorcyclemuseum.com

HIT READ MORE TO GET LINK………Are you interested in participating in this years Motorcycle Cannonball? We have immediate openings for this years event. The event is open to any one that has a motorcycle that is 1933 or older.

Here is the link to the 2023 Motorcycle Cannonball. Registration is open to the first 100 people that successfully complete registration requirements. You can see more about registration requirements in the Apply page, Click this link below to apply: Once information is filled in and you hit submit you will get an onscreen notification and a email to confirm we received your application. If you do not get, please reach out to Jason @ 605-484-8576

https://motorcyclecannonball.com/apply/

Starting on May 31, 2022. The 2021 Motorcycle Cannonball Video series will start releasing on the Motorcycle Cannonball YouTube Channel. The first episode will air at 8:00pm EST with a live premier and chat and will proceed weekly every Tuesday at the same time dropping a new video!!

You can find the videos here:

https://www.youtube.com/motorcyclecannonball

After successfully sending 3 next generation riders on the 2021 Cross Country Chase “Secrets of the Ozarks” the “Love of Old Motorcycles” organization of Motorcycle Mentors is giving the opportunity to a next generation rider to take part in the next Cross Country Chase September 15th thru the 25th where riders will endure Route 66.

A minimum of 2 riders will be selected 1 Male and 1 Female to participate in the 2022 Cross Country Chase “Route 66” that takes place September 15th – 25th starting in Springfield, IL and ending in Santa Monica, CA. The event is open to motorcycles between the ages of 1930 and 1960.

Want to donate, get involved, please click the link below for further information.

Program Specifics:

Award an Entry Spot in the 2022 Cross Country Chase to at least one female and one male under the age of 40.
Award would provide a donated motorcycle for the Young Rider(s) to participate in the 2022 Cross Country Chase.
The award would also fund the participant(s) registration fee.
Award participant(s) would be responsible for their hotel expenses (unless the donations would also cover these expenses).
Award winner(s) would be determined through a voting system after those wishing to be considered submit a bio and story on themselves expressing their desire and reasons to be considered. The people who have donated financial support would then vote on their selection(s) to be considered.
After all donors have voted a winner will be selected.
This program totally funded through donations.

To apply entrants will need to provide the following: (Link at Bottom of Page)

Online Application
Biography
Picture

To apply click the link below:

https://www.loveofmotorcycles.com/

The Motorcycle Cannonball will return in September of 2023 and as in previous events it will be traveling Coast-to-Coast, from the Atlantic Ocean to Pacific Ocean; starting on the beach in Virginia Beach, Virginia, approximately one hundred riders will make their way over sixteen days to the Grand Finale destination of Huntington Beach, California.

Just like all the historic past events, Motorcycle Cannonball has researched and chosen the best route that we have ever put together and undoubtedly some of the best host cities along the way. It will be the most testing event as far as navigation and terrain are involved. No matter what class riders are in, this will be challenging and rewarding at the same time, pushing riders and their 90+ year old motorcycles to the limit.

Highlights of the event will include, the Official Start on the sandy beaches in Virginia Beach, traversing the Smoky Mountains, navigating the Appalachians, revealing the secret of the Ozarks, having a day of rest in Augusta, Kansas at the “Twisted Oz” Museum, rolling across the cornfields of Kansas, climbing over the Rocky Mountains (a few times), visiting two of the best National Parks in the United States (Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park), seeing the glow of the Vegas lights, crossing Hoover Dam, facing the heat of the Mojave Desert, and just when they think they are on the homestretch to the Grand Finale on the Pier of Huntington Beach, California, we will challenge riders with one more mountain pass. Plus, much more………

This event will be open to any motorcycle that is 90 years or older. This means that if you have a motorcycle that is pre-1933 it will be eligible for the event.

If you are interested in participating in the next challenge of Man/Woman vs. Machine, please click the apply tab at the top of the page to request an application.

Stay tuned for a recap of the Grand Finale. We are busy celebrating the win of #64 Dave Currier!