I have been riding, fixing and collecting motorcycles as a hobby since 1974. Now I am a retired Neurologist living in Vashon, WA. While growing up in New England, I would hear about a relative on my mother’s side of the family named Alan Bedell. Of course, he is famous for breaking “Cannonball” Baker’s cross-country record in 1917 on a 1917 Model G Henderson. It has been my dream to complete a similar trip on a Bedell Tribute Henderson (since the original was turned into scrap for WWII). With the help of the Henderson community (Dave, Frank, 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! Flintworks, LLC is our little company on Vashon Island, WA to support our collection of bikes and entertain visitors. Looking forward to September.

Chris

2018 Motorcycle Cannonball Rider Profile – Jason Wadzinski, Dayton OH
I got a late introduction to the wonders of vintage motorcycles. I rode newer bikes when I was younger, but after laying a bike down shortly after starting my first business when I was 25, I decided that I wanted to see the business succeed and that I wanted to have children some day, so I quit riding for a while.
During what was probably my “mid-life crisis” at 48 years old in 2013, I bought a 2009 HD Road King, and attempted to make up for all the miles I missed over the past 23 years.
Two years later I purchased a bar/restaurant called Jackass Flats that was on 7 acres of land in Dayton Ohio and renamed it Rip Rap Roadhouse (because it’s on Rip Rap Road). The bar is in a barn that was built in 1853 and was known as the premier destination for bikers in the Dayton area. On a typical Wednesday Night in the summer, over 1,000 motorcycles show up for Bike Night. After a year of extensive renovations in both the bar and restaurant, the Rip Rap Roadhouse opened full-time on January 1st, 2016.

Because of the age of the building, the décor for the bar is mostly vintage motorcycle themed. I purchased 3 vintage motorcycles – 2 to put on display behind the bars (a 1920 Indian Powerplus and a 1937 Indian Jr. Scout), and one to ride (a 1947 Indian Chief).

Riding “Jess”, my 1947 Chief got me hooked on vintage motorcycles. Even though Jess caught on fire at a stop light and the tip of my nose and right arm got burned (it’s amazing how fast you can get off a bike when it’s on fire), I couldn’t wait to get her back on the road.

While Jess was being rebuilt, I purchased a 1953 Indian Roadmaster (“Louise”) and a 1964 Harley Panhead Police Special (“Pepper”) so I had a vintage to ride while Jess was being fixed.

For the 2018 Motorcycle Cannonball I acquired a 1924 Indian Big Chief. I still have my 2009 Road King, but “Meg” doesn’t get many miles these days due to incredible experience of riding vintage bikes.

We are very fortunate in Dayton to have a very strong vintage motorcycle group. While I’m still a novice at wrenching on my bikes, there are many people in the area that help each other out. I believe our 3-man team (Rip Rap Riders) will have some of the best bikes, riders, and road crews for the 2018 Motorcycle Cannonball thanks in large part to our local “vintage bike guys”.

Hello, I am Shane Masters one of three riders known as Team Rip Rap Riders. I will be riding a 1925 Indian Big Chief.
My love of antique motorcycles started over 40 years ago, while growing up in a family of motorcycle riders and antique motorcycle enthusiasts. My grandfather rode his motorcycle to every state in the U.S. As long as I can remember my father has owned motorcycles and along with his friend John Steelman, I caught the bug of riding and collecting motorcycles.
In my teens we restored a 1927 Harley Davidson Single, which I still own and ride today. I also have a passion for vintage cars, owning a 1927 Model T roadster. I am a member of The Road Devils Car Club, Ohio Chapter and Vintage Iron Motorcycle Club, Ohio Chapter. People ask me why I would want to attempt to ride an antique motorcycle across the United States from one coast to the next. My reply is always, who wouldn’t want to experience the U.S. on the open road with the wind in your face on an antique motorcycle!
I would like to give thanks to my teammates Brent Mayfield and Jason Wadzinski and extend a special appreciation to John Steelman without all of his contributions to this experience I would not be able to accomplish a lifelong dream.

My name is Brent Mayfield. I have lived most of my life in Dayton, Ohio. I got indoctrinated in to motorcycles at a very young age as my father and several relatives all rode motorcycles. In early 1968, when I was a senior in high school, I started looking for my first bike and a friend of mine said he had won an old motorcycle in a poker game. He said it was all apart and would sell it to me for $80.00. Turned out it was a 1941 FL Knucklehead. Needless to say, once I got it together and started riding it, I was hooked.

From that first Knucklehead until now I have owned, built, restored and sold many motorcycles from Bobbers to Choppers, to high point restorations. While Harleys have been my main focus, I like all motorcycles and have owned many brands from Ariel to Zundapp.

Up until 2010 most of my focus was on 1936 and later Harleys. I did not get interested in the older Harleys until the 2010 Cannonball. After reading about the 2010 C/B and talking to some of the riders, I got the bug for the older Harleys. I signed up for the 2012 C/B and built a 1924 J-Model which I entered in the 2012 C/B (rider #77). I rode from Newburgh, NY. to Milwaukee. The bike was running fine and I was doing good but I dropped out at that point. 3 months prior to the C/B, I had made a career change and moved my office to my home. It was a personal decision, but I decided I should not be away from the office for as long as the C/B would take. While on the 2012 C/B, I met Mike Carson and when the C/B was over, he ended up buying my 24 J.

I decided to enter the 2014 C/B (rider #77) and started looking around for a suitable bike. I built a bike out of parts which included a set of 1934 VL cases, a set of ULH heads & cylinders, a 25 J frame, a 27 J fork and a 28 J transmission. I ended up calling the finished product my 1934 VJH. Mike Carson called me and said he was going to enter the 24 J I had sold him in the 2014 C/B. He was also putting a team together and wanted me to be part of it. I said it sounded good and I became a member of the Carson Classic Motors team. What a great experience and Mike and I both got perfect scores on the 2014 C/B.

I had spent 4 years preparing and participating in 2 Cannonballs. I had got a perfect score in 2014 so I decided not to enter the 2016 C/B.

This brings us up to date and I am entering the 2018 Cannonball. I have 2 project bikes I plan on building, a 1917 J and a 1925 JD. I’ve got a little over a year and a half which you that build bikes know will go fast. At the end, I hope to have 2 road worthy bikes to choose from. One to ride and maybe one to sell.

Life is wonderful and I feel very blessed to be able to participate in this next great adventure with a lot of great and like minded people. See you in Portland.

Brent Mayfield

Hey Cannonball Nation!

This will be my 4th time riding on the Cannonball and the 3rd time on the same bike, my 1915 HD “Effie”. I’ve had an incurable case of Cannonball Fever ever since riding on the first one in 2010. Effie and I came in 20th place out of the 45, mostly male riders and it was a truly epic learning experience that I will never forget. That small group has become family and it’s been amazing how bonded we still are.

While I didn’t ride in 2012, I opted to join the Support Staff in Milwaukee, staying on through the big finish in San Francisco and saw the other side of what hard work it takes to make this ride successful. Many long hours gave me an even greater appreciation for the staff.

In 2014, I rode and finished again, this time on my 1934 HD “Buddy”, from Daytona Beach to Tacoma. This was another incredible ride, even more special because I was riding alongside my husband Pat. I think I finished in the top half after having a few problem days at the start.
Pat and I decided to ride together again in 2016. I rode Effie again and I finished well again, this time in 22nd place.
I was retired for two weeks, then heard that 2018 was to be Portland to Portland. I’ve never ridden in Maine, so here we go again! Effie is a true champion and we are not ready to retire just yet! Pat is riding his 1928 HD and our good friend Dave Minerva is teaming up with us.

Our friend Lonnie Jr. sure changed a lot of lives with his dream of the Cannonball. I am so grateful I had time to get to know him and thank him for coming up with this crazy ride. Challenging myself to learn to ride vintage bikes after over 30 years of riding the “new” stuff has really been fulfilling. The people I have met and the friendships that have been forged on this ride have enriched my life more than there are words for. Jason and Lee Ann Sims are doing a wonderful job of keeping Lonnie’s dream alive and helping it grow even more. The great support staff takes good care of all of us and I love each of these guys (and girls too!).

I can’t wait to see what this new adventure will bring! Thanks to our sponsors and crew for all their hard work…. For without them it would be impossible. Sponsor, the Harley-Davidson Museum; Crew Chief and Driver: Plumber Dave Johnson, Mechanics: Rob Nussbaum and the amazing Steve Huntzinger, who has been the rock behind us for every Cannonball. We are really looking forward to seeing everyone in Portland, Maine!

I am very excited about being accepted to be a participant in the 2018 Motorcycle Cannonball Endurance Run!

Along with my teammates, Arrie (#70) and Skippy (#30) we are team Coventry T3. Coventry since all our bikes were manufactured there and T3 as there are three of us from three continents.

I live in Indianapolis, Indiana, a city with the honorary title of the “Racing Capital of the World”.

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 a 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.

Our team will all ride Triumph singles from the teens and twenty’s. I will be on a 1920 Model H. The model H was used by the British military during World War 1 and earned the nickname “Trusty” for its reliability. It has a 550cc side valve engine and produces a whopping 4 HP!

I imagine somewhere in the Rockies I will be wishing for at least one more cylinder!

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.

My wife and I had a chance to visit the 2016 Cannonball event during the day off in Dodge City. I had a chance to meet a lot of very interesting individuals and became convinced that being part of the Cannonball would be a great adventure.

I am looking forward to seeing everyone in Portland in September 2018!

Best Regards,
Paul

I started riding in 1960 while attending college in Vermont on a 2HP 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 so 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 1953 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, and 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 will return for the 2018 Cannonball. I will be riding the repaired Lake Monster, while the popular but very slow Little Bugger will return, this time ridden by the ace motorcycle mechanic Ben Pierce, with Bob as driver and support.