I started riding in 1960 while attending college in Vermont on a 2 HP Montgomery Ward Scooter. I progressed up to an old BSA Super Rocket before reverting back to 250cc bikes. Armed with an EE degree, and a job in Connecticut, I dabbled in small sports cars for a few years before returning to motorcycles. A Honda CX500 gave way to a GL1100 Gold Wing followed by a Valkyrie, which was nice but sooo heavy! After retiring back to Vermont, I acquired my first antique bike, a beautifully restored 1928 101 Scout that I still own. The Valkyrie gave way to an original paint 1975 GL1000 Gold Wing, starting my passion for 4-cylinder antique machines. Along the way I imported a 1952 inline 4-cylinder Nimbus from Denmark. After co-riding a 1923 Neracar, the Little Bugger, for Team Arcane in the 1914 Cannonball owned by Bob Addis, Mark Hill persuaded me to have him start building a 1916 Henderson single-speed, which became the Lake Monster, which I entered in the 2016 Cannonball, this time with Bob as co-rider. We were forced out of the run near the Mississippi following Bob’s unfortunate “wardrobe malfunction” when his chaps got caught in the alternator belt, snapping the front end off the crankshaft.
Team Arcane returned for the 2018 Cannonball, this time with a proper belt guard on the Lake Monster. The popular but very slow Little Bugger also returned, this time ridden by the ace motorcycle mechanic Ben Pierce, with Bob as vehicle driver and support. I rode the Lake Monster to sixth place overall out of 107 who started. I also did all of my own maintenance and wrenching except for a precautionary tire change. Riding a 102 year old motorcycle over Logan Pass on the Going to the Sun Highway on a fine day was awesome!
Meanwhile, Ben wrung as many miles out of the Little Bugger as possible each day. One day he caught a wheel on the edge of the pavement and crashed, seriously bending the frame. The next morning, Ben & Bob found a body shop that was able to straighten it in 3 hours, at no charge. Ben was back on the road the next day.
Team Arcane will return for the 2020 Cannonball. I will be riding a 1917 Henderson 3-speed called the Eclipse while Ben will be riding a souped-up British version of the Neracar, a 1926 Model C, with a 350cc Blackburne 4-stroke engine and 3-speed transmission straight from Brooklands called the British Bugger, with Bob once again as driver and support.
I was given a ride in 1962 at age 5 on my uncles new Triumph, started dirt track racing (limited) in 1969 the riding continues…..I will be 64 in 2020, Retired from Construction in 2019
One day in 1970, when I was an 11 year old boy at Papillion Junior High School, the teachers herded all us kids into the gymnasium for a special presentation. It turns out they’d brought in a man named Danny Liska to talk to us about his motorcycle ride from northern Alaska to the tip of South America. He had a slide show with pictures of his BMW R60/2, and he had a snake skin that unrolled almost to the full width of our stage. He told us that when he got to the edge of the jungle he stuck his arm in and the jungle was so thick that he had trouble getting it back out. I went straight home that night and told my mom that I was going to get a motorcycle. She was against it of course, but after a short time she let me get a Honda Z50A. That was it. I haven’t been without a bike since. My dad taught me how to spin wrenches and troubleshoot circuits on old Japanese dirt bikes. It’s one of the reasons that I am who I am.
We ride for the love of the ride, and for the love of the machine. You can’t chose to stop loving it, so you think of more ways to enjoy it. In my life there have been many motorcycles and many miles. Big bikes and little bikes. Many different brands and nationalities, no favoritism. I’ve ridden track days, trips to Central America, Alaska, fly and rides to Europe, the Continental Divide, the Trans America Trail, and so on. I’ve ridden a motorcycle in all 50 states, about half of the Canadian provinces, Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Germany, Switzerland, and Viet Nam.
I read an article about the 2010 Motorcycle Cannonball some time after it was done. It spoke to me. I like old things, especially old machines. I drive a beat up old truck. Our house is full of antiques. Right now I’m sitting at an old wooden desk that was salvaged from the old Denver court house. The room I’m in is filled with old books, old guns, parts from old machines, old memorabilia. At times I have spent more than something is worth on the parts to fix it. Old things, in general, are better than new things. The Motorcycle Cannonball is just the ride for me. Not just the ride, but the build, the preparation for the ride, and the people who are dedicated to it.
My Cannonball mount is a 1916 Indian PowerPlus. She has a 61 c.i. V-Twin engine and a three speed transmission. She has grace, beauty, elegance, and old paint. Her name is Patience, and that is what she teaches me. She doesn’t go anywhere fast, and she is high maintenance. I am not just her rider, but also her custodian, conservator, and mechanic. I look forward to taking her on our third Motorcycle Cannonball in 2020.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH KEVIN’S RIDER VIDEO
I got my first taste of motorcycles when I was about 8 years old and I wanted to keep up with my big brother and the other boys in the neighborhood. My bike was a 1975 Honda MR-50 which my husband restored and is still in our possession today. I don’t think any of those boys are still riding?
My husband, Bob, and I met during the 2001 Daytona Beach Bike week and motorcycles have remained a large part of our lives. Partners in everything we do, we set out to join the Cannonball in 2016 and just couldn’t get things to work in our favor. Settling for a poster and a dream, we set our sights on 2018. With a lot of help and direction from our friend Dave McGraw putting us in touch with Mark Hill and the Wolf Pack, I competed riding a 1913 Henderson, and making all the miles.
Bob and I competed in the first Cross Country Chase making all the miles. We are now teamed up for the 2020 Motorcycle Cannonball where I will be riding a 1913 Henderson B and Bob riding a 1925 Harley-Davidson JE
I want to thank the friends and family who have come together to support me in this voyage, I have been truly touched by all the well wishes and words of encouragement. Go Team American-Anchor, #98!
Hi, My name is Jon Neuman and I am a part of TEAM WHITE TRASH. I was raised in Texas and began motorcycling as a boy, buying my first bike with my own money at age 13. Cycling and building bikes has always part of my life, even as I pursued a career, married and raised kids and started my own business. In 2010, I started Sagebrush Cycles with the plan to specialize in antique motorcycle parts supply, specifically the Harley Davidson 1915 to 1936 era. Though the era of bikes has remained the same, Sagebrush has not only been supplying parts, but also for rebuilding, refurbishing and even, when necessary, fabricating parts for many Cannonballers.
From the sidelines, I supported several teams and riders of the 2010 and 2012 Motorcycle Cannonballs with technical support by phone, loaned parts and shipped-to-site parts. I road in the 2014, 2016 and 2018 Cannonballs, each time achieving a perfect score. I am eagerly looking forward to riding in the 2020 Cannonball to see if I can keep the streak alive.
I will be returning to ride my 1928 JDH an second time. It’s a fun bike to ride and has proven to be durable enough to put up with my riding habits. Team White Trash will be made up of three riders this year. I will be teamed up with riders Scott Byrd #25, and Joe Burch #28. Jesse Law, Doc and Karen McCormick will also be returning as support, with special support coming from my family and friends. Thank You.
Riding in the Cannonball with all of the people, friends both old and new, is like a dream come true for me. Here is wishing everyone good luck in your preparation and the 2020 Motorcycle Cannonball adventure. Special thanks to the Motorcycle Cannonball staff.
My name is Terry Richardson, I live in Pratt, Kansas. I work for my wife, I do this by staying out of her way. I am also held hostage by three extremely capable tool pushers and one grouchy shop manager in our oilfield and equipment fabrication side, and I am blessed to have a millennial and a very good friend that helps him tirelessly to keep up the motorcycle side of my operation.
I, like most of us, started with a bicycle. My first came by way of saving dimes and quarters and purchasing a used balloon tired bicycle and immediately after getting it home I set about trying to “improve” it. I continued that pattern on up to my early teens , then me and a buddy bought an old Cushman. I HATED that thing, it was so hard to start but when we could get it going we rode it up and down an old shale road in the country till it ran out of gas or tossed us off. From then until I was in my late teens , like most, it was dirt bikes, and the likes. I bought a 350 Honda on payments and rode it. It vibrated so bad it mede my legs numb in 20 miles but I was riding and I was hot shit!!! In the mid 70’s my brother bought a sportster, I thought that thing was the fastest machine I had ever ridden. Again, when we could get it started!! We rode it all over. That ordeal ended in tragedy and bikes kinda went away for a while.
Enter drag racing and cars. I and a buddy built and drove Pontiacs and raced them for ten years or so till we lost interest. In the late 80’s I saw an old super glide sitting in a Harley shop, it had been for sale for quite a while. Me and the owner made a deal and stupidity ensued. By 1991 the demand was so high for Harleys I mede it a business. I traveled the midwest buying and selling bikes. Eventually I opened an independent shop and ran that until 96 and got back into the oil business. I still bought and sold a few bikes but as time went on I dedicated more time to the oilfield.
I started my current business in 2000, in a shed by a carwash in a one horse town on the Ks. Ok. state line. I got some financial help from a couple of friends and a banker Id known believed in me, and with their help I succeeded in building a good business.
In 2012 one of my friends entered the Cannonball and I met up with him in Anamosa Iowa, I followed along for a few days and was hooked. The riders, the crews, the bikes…..WOW I had to be a part of it. I was lucky enough to make it in 2014 CB as an alternate when someone dropped out. I didn’t have much time so I went to work on a ride.
I chose a 1928 BMW and started to work. It didn’t take long to figure out I couldn’t ride that bike, much less keep it running. (Shout out to Daryl, and Norm, and Joe) Those guys can do it……me? No way….
I stumbled onto my 1932 VL that was restored by Historic HD in Topeka. The guy recently moved to Florida, but the bike was in Topeka. I drove up and test rode it. I talked with the guy that did the work on it. He assured me it was good to go so a deal was made and I brought it home. I rode it the entire way to a perfect score in the 2014 CB. It was pure luck, If something broke it was easily remedied or it failed right when I pulled into the trailer at the end of the day.
Then came the huge failure that was 2016 CB for me. I bought a 1916 F model and had three engines readied. EVERYTHING that could go wrong, DID……after the 2014 cakewalk I had, I was simply Ill prepared to ride the 2016. I’d expired all parts, patience and purpose by the Colo./ Ks state line and we threw in the towel. Coming home with my head held low.
In 2018 we readied the 1916 for a second try and had a better plan with help from several others that successfully campaigned the old F/J machines. We had over 2000 break in miles on it and it ran flawlessly. We arrived in Portland Maine ready, confident, and willing. The day of the practice run, while inspecting the bike and readying it for the race we discovered a cracked cylinder. Franticly we made a decision to take our backup bike a 1928 JD I’d purchased a few years back from the family of the original owner. It wasn’t ready for the chore but did quite well. I didn’t get a perfect score, but I finished thanks to help from many individuals, with most of the miles. On the return trip home I called the guy Id purchased it from to share the story with him. Sadly he had passed earlier in the month. He would have been delighted his old JD, that his family had owned since new, got the call, and had a good showing. RIP Thor.
I should get to work, I have my permission slip from my bosses, I think Im paid up, so I should start coming up with excuses just in case this deal doesn’t turn out like I want it to. TR #101
When I was a little kid, every summer the motorcycles would go past my house along South Dakota Highway 18 heading to Sturgis. When they started their annual migration to the Black Hills, I knew it was only a matter of time before my Uncle Pat would be showing up on his Harley. He’d work a few days for my Dad then off to the Rally. That was my first experience with motorcycles. I am not a collector or the type of guy who really enjoys restoring old vintage cars and or motorcycles. I am a solid mechanic who can hold his own around the shop and at one time turned wrenches for a living.
I truly love operating old machines. Ones that require a partnership between man and machine. Machines that make you work as hard as they do. I don’t need a check engine light and an OBDII port to tell me something is not running right. Give me a vague sense of where we are heading, a pair of pliers, a flat blade and a pint and I will get there.
I want to do the Cannonball because of the uniqueness of the event. The distance traveled, the type of machines competing, and just the disconnect from the digital leash is what makes this so appealing. This being my first Cannonball I am not sure what to expect. But you take good people, fun bikes, sprinkle in some hardships and a history lesson, this is my kind of event.