My name is Larry Butts from Minneapolis, MN. I am currently preparing a 1929 Harley Davidson Model JD to join my brother, Mike (2018 CB), to compete in my first Motorcycle Cannonball Endurance Run.
My motorcycle passion began at a very young age witnessing my father, a lifelong HD rider, and joining my 3 older brothers riding in the 70’s and 80’s during the “golden age of motorcycling”. My first bike was a 1972 Yamaha AT-1 Enduro which at 12 years old, I needed to pool my money together with my brother, Rick, to purchase. I quickly moved beyond the trail bike, purchased my own bike, and began competing in AMA District 23 motocross. Following several years of motocross racing, I began competing in other off-road events such as Enduro, Hare Scrambles, and Ice Racing. I have put many miles on touring Bikes as well as Dual Sport rides throughout the USA and Mexico. I have never been able to quit the off-road motorcycles as I still find time for rides in the Colorado and Utah mountains. I take great joy in sharing with my family and friends, who I always encourage to join in my passion for riding. I love motorcycling!
I became aware of the Motorcycle Cannonball last year when my brother, Mike, was preparing for the 2018 run. I attended a few legs of the 2018 Cannonball Run and was hooked. What a great concept the CB founder Lonnie Isam Jr. had to get out and ride these machines that some owners have had hidden away in a shed or museum for 100 years. With every additional Cannonball Run this event is taken to the next level, including adding the “Chase” to involve more bikes and riders of a different vintage. I cannot tell you how excited (and nervous) I am to join all these other riders and see if I can get my bike and myself from the start at the Canadian Border to the finish line on South Padre Island, TX.
I have been riding, fixing and collecting motorcycles as a hobby since 1974. Now I am a retired Neurologist living in Vashon, WA. The 2018 Motorcycle Cannonball was about as much fun as someone can have on a old bike. For us, this was special as the “Blue Bird” is a tribute to my relative, Alan Bedell. His 1917 transcontinental record inspired the Bedell Tribute Henderson (since the original was turned into scrap for WWII). With the help of the Henderson community (Dave, Frank, Matt, Mark, Matthew, Pat, etc), an original engine, frame, forks, tank and wheels were located and the 4th Coast Fours team brought this smooth-riding beast to life! Now we are ready to bring out our 1928 Henderson Deluxe and get her ready for some Deluxe motoring in 2020. Time to start on that motor!
Flintworks, LLC is our little company on Vashon Island, WA to support our collection of bikes and entertain visitors. Looking forward to September 2020.
This is my 1929 Indian Four Cylinder 402 that I am running on my third Cannonball. I have had this bike for several years and it was owned previously by a man from Connecticut then when he passed his family sold it to a friend that lived a few towns north of me in New Jersey, my home state. I bought it from my friend and it has been my daily rider since then!
I rode in the very first Cannonball in 2010 on a 1911 Harley-Davidson belt drive single and also rode in the 2016 Cannonball on a 1913 Thor. I’m looking forward to riding a different motorcycle on this cannonball!
My heart pumps 60 wt. I’m George (G-MAN) Banks, I’ve been around motorcycles my entire life.
Hello, I am Shane Masters, Team Rip Rap Riders. I am a member of the Dayton, Ohio Chapter of The Vintage Iron Motorcycle Club and Road Devils Car Club. I will be again riding a 1925 Indian Big Chief. I call the Smoking Indian. It started off as a dream to just be accepted and ride in this prestigious endurance ride, but I exceeded my goals and got a perfect score in the 2018 (The Coast to Coast Challenge) Portland, Maine to Portland, Oregon. The motorcycle was prepped by me and my two mentors The Johns’, Big John Steelman and Little John Basham. The bike did so well that I want to come back and give it some more hell and push it and my own limits. During the off seasons when I am not participating in vintage motorcycle events, I restore vintage motorcycles specializing in Indians with The Johns.
As a new Motorcycle Cannonball rider participant in 2018, I met a lot of friendly rider and chase crew people that I cannot wait to see again in 2020. Every night at each stop many stories are told and helpful tips given. All riders have their own goals that they strive to reach during the ride and everyone is willing to help one another with useful information/resources and any last minute repairs when needed. This event becomes a part of your motorcycle family where everyone lends a helping hand.
Click Here to Watch Cris’ Rider Video
Cris has enjoyed a lifetime love affair with two wheels. An eager passenger on her stepfather’s motorcycle at age 9, she got her first motorcycle at 14, her first Harley at age 19 and has been riding ever since. She was a longtime member of the Women’s International Motorcycle Association and in 1984, co-founded the 2nd Chapter of Women in the Wind. In 1985 Cris co-founded the world’s first motorcycle magazine for women called Harley Women. For over 5 years she acted as co-publisher and editor, often riding her motorcycle across the country to find the stories. On one such ride in 1989 she met her husband-to-be, rocker and fellow motorcycle enthusiast, Doobie Brother Patrick Simmons at the Sturgis Rally.
For several years starting in the late 80’s Cris appeared in countless national newspaper articles, radio and television talk shows as a representative and advocate of the growing number of women who rode their own motorcycles. In 1988, she was awarded an Honorary Lifetime membership to Women in The Wind. Cris is a Lifetime AMA member, a Lifetime HOG member as well as a Motor Maid and a member of the Antique Motorcycle Club of America. In 1990, she was honored as a pioneering woman motorcyclist in the American Motorcycle Associations’ Women In Motorcycling exhibit. In 2017 she was appointed to the Board of Directors for the AMA Hall of Fame American Motorcycle Heritage Foundation.
After selling her interest in Harley Women, Cris began a 15-year stint as a freelance motorcycle journalist, writing extensively for several magazines in the U.S., including American Iron, Motorcycle Collector, Iron Works, Easyriders, V-Twin, as well as magazines in Japan, Spain and in Australia. Cris penned her own column for over 12 years in the popular Japanese Harley magazine Hot Bike Japan and is currently the women’s editor for American Iron magazine. She is also a sought after speaker about women in motorcycling at events around the country.
In 1994, Cris wrote and self-published the award winning children’s motorcycle book Patrick Wants to Ride, for which she was honored with the AMA’s Brighter Image MVP Award.
Then, in 1995, Cris was one of 4 women featured in an original documentary on women motorcyclists for Turner Broadcasting called Biker Women.
In 2003, she was proud to be inducted into the National Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Anamosa Iowa and the American Motorcycle Heritage Foundation Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Westerville, Ohio. In 2008 she was inducted into the Sturgis Motorcycle Hall of Fame.
In July of 2009, she released the popular book ‘The American Motorcycle Girls 1900-1950” (which is still one of the top selling motorcycle history books.). Later that year Cycle Source Magazine named Cris the “Motorcycling Woman of the Year” for 2009.
In Sept. of 2010, Cris rode her 1915 Harley-Davidson, Effie, 3,200 miles in the pre-1916 motorcycle cross country Motorcycle Cannonball. The grueling 16-day endurance ride started in Kitty Hawk, NC and ended up in Santa Monica, CA. Out of the 45 riders entered, she was one of only two women registered, and the only American woman rider. She made it all the way to Santa Monica and took 20th place.
In March of 2011, Cris released The Cannonball Diary, a book about her journey riding Effie across the country.
In the Fall of 2013 Cris and her husband Pat rode their 1914 and 1915 Harley-Davidsons 1,000 miles from Sturgis, SD to Milwaukee, WI to celebrate the 110th Anniversary of Harley-Davidson.
In 2014 the pair also rode the 4,100 mile pre-1937 Motorcycle Cannonball on their 1934 and 1929 Harley-Davidsons.
Again in 2016, they both rode the Motorcycle Cannonball again, on their 1914 and 1915 H-Ds from Atlantic City, NJ to San Diego, CA.
Cris tackled the 2018 Motorcycle Cannonball, riding from Portland, Maine to Portland, Oregon once again on Effie, making Effie one of only a handful of motorcycles to complete 3 Cannonballs rides
In 2020, the pair will be at it again… how can they not?
Hello, I am Mark Coyne from Mt. Pleasant, Michigan.
My first bike was a 1971 H-D Baja 100, that I bought new when I was 14 years old. I still own my mother’s 1964 BMW R-60 and my father’s 1968 H-D XLCH (family heirlooms). My brother David and I are 3rd generation owners of a fuel/propane distributorship that was started by our grandfather in 1930 as a Standard Oil Agent. We now have a 4th generation running the business. I am a vintage motorcycle enthusiast who is looking forward to participating with other enthusiasts in the Cannonball.
My name is Paul Warrenfelt and I will be riding a 1910 Triumph TT motorcycle in the 2020 Cannonball. This will be my second Cannonball. For the 2018 event I rode a “newer” 1920 Triumph Model H. At the end I was honored to be in the group that made all the miles every day. The Model H had a 3-speed gearbox, but the TT has none. As the saying goes… This is going to be interesting.
Regarding my background, I live in Indianapolis, Indiana, a city with the honorary title of the “Racing Capital of the World” and was the long-time home of Erwin “Cannonball” Baker.
I am formally trained in both Engineering and Business and have worked in both fields throughout my career. I currently work in the IT field.
My first motorcycle was an Italian made Harley Davidson Leggero. I had an incredible 65cc engine! This was well before I had my driver’s license. My first “real” motorcycle was a Triumph Tiger Cub with a 200cc engine. That was the one that really got me hooked on motorcycles and Triumph.
I became interested in very old, vintage, motorcycles through a friend who inherited a 1914 Indian. He mentioned to me one day that it had not run in 50+ years. Never want to shy away from a mechanical challenge, I asked him to bring it over. To make a long story short, we got it running and I became very interested in bikes of that era. The mechanical complexity and craftsmanship is fascinating.
My 1910 TT motorcycle has a 499cc single cylinder side valve engine. The output is a whopping 3 ½ horsepower.
I enjoy doing all the mechanical work on my bikes myself. I worked in a couple of motorcycle shops as a mechanic during high school and college.
The 2018 Cannonball was an amazing event. Along with my teammates that year, Arrie and Skippy we had the experience of a lifetime and made many new friends along the way!
I am looking forward to seeing those new friends in Sault Ste. Marie in September 2020!