Justin Rinker from Findlay, OH (originally from Romney, WV) is rider number 6. He is riding a 1929 Indian
101 Scout like his twin brother Jared (#37). Justin and his wife, Melody, have three kids; Karson, Landon,
and Isabella. After being taught by his father and grandfather, Justin has been riding Indian motorcycles
since he was nine years old. At the age of 16, Justin obtained his motorcycle license on a 1941 Indian
741 custom. Over the years, Justin's passion for adventures on the Indian motorcycle has continued to
grow. He has successfully competed in two past Cannonballs (2016 & 2018), a Great Race, and The Race
of Gentlemen. Now at age 33, Justin prepares for his third Cannonball adventure. He looks to improve
his performance in 2020 by taking his Indian 101 Scout coast to coast again, while striving for a perfect
score each day. Feel free to come meet Justin in September during his adventure to check in on his performance or following along at www.bucksindian.com
Steve Rinker (#7) of Buck’s Indian, located in Romney, WV, Is returning for his fourth Motorcycle Cannonball. Participation in the Cannonball to me is much more than just man versus machine, it’s making the imagination of a 12 year old boy come true. It all started with my dad, Buck, who had his first motorcycle at the age of 12. My dad always tells about when he and his buddies were 12 and they had an old Indian, with no motor, which they would take turns pushing to the top of the hill, climb on and ride it to the bottom pretending to be on some grand motorcycle adventure. Wonder if they ever had visions of crossing the Mississippi River, riding through the fields of the Midwest, or riding up and over the Rocky Mountains?
When the Cannonball was first born in 2010, Lonnie Jr. invited us to participate, but we had no bike to compete with. I’ve always wanted to do something rare and unique with our bikes, so when the 2012 Run came around and the cut-off was 1929, it was time. It would be a once in a lifetime event to complete with my father. I ran my 29 Indian Scout and after 3 days of breakdowns, I learned that old bikes, no matter how much love you have for them, they will not always perform to our hearts desire. Having packed up and headed home 83 miles from the finish on the last day, I made a promise to my dad to attempt it again more prepared to be successful.
In 2014, I ran a 36 Chief, and successfully completed the Endurance Run with a perfect score completing every mile with no penalties! Greeting each other at the finish line, it was more than father and son, it was the culmination of making a 12 year olds adventures become a reality.
In the spring of 2014, we had purchased a 1916 Indian Power Plus at the Oley swapmeet and I can remember Lonnie Jr. admiring the bike and telling my dad how much he would love to see us get the bike up and running and compete in the Cannonball with it. For me, something that early was going to be a whole new learning curve. A new challenge! During the prep for the 2016 Cannonball, as I started gathering as many parts as I could, I found that I ended up buying basket cases to get the parts that I felt we might need for spares. In the spring of 2015, I got the idea of really trying to do something big to make it a 3 generation challenge for our family. Justin and Jared knew we had enough parts to build a second bike and they contacted Lonnie Jr. and secured a spot for the second bike for them to share and ride. They were excited! Well, we all were!!! As building progressed, and we continued to acquire spare parts, a third bike was born. Once again, Justin and Jared contacted Lonnie Jr. to let them put the third bike in. It ended up that Buck’s Indian had three 1916 Indian Power Plus bikes starting on the boardwalk in Atlantic City, NJ and crossing the finish line in Carlsbad, CA. Two of the three bikes completed every mile and finished with a perfect score while the third only lost a few miles on the first and second day and completed every mile thereafter. What a ride! This time, at the finish line, father, son and grandsons hugged. And as my father said with a proud voice, “We did it,” it was at that moment that the dreams of a 12 year old came true.
At Bloomington, Indiana, we even had a 4th generation, my grandson, Karson, pitch in and do his part on the nightly maintenance. So, as he learns to ride his bikes, we will only wonder where his imagination takes him. As a 4th generation Indian enthusiast, hopefully one day it will take him on a great Cannonball adventure.
I have been an active motorcycle enthusiast since 1978. Since then I have racked up over 500,000 miles on two wheels and have owned 50+ motorcycles. I have been lucky enough to have ridden on some awesome trips: Alaska, Mexico, Australia, and extensively in Europe. I am by nature a competitive person and have enjoyed competing in some motorcycle events from Field Games to long distance endurance rides. From the first Cannonball in 2010 I have keenly followed along as a spectator. In 2012 when the Cannonball route came through Milwaukee and stopped at the H-D Museum I was there to welcome the riders to Milwaukee. Goosebumps the entire night as I mingled with the riders and their machines. Fast forward to 2016 I made it to the stops in Bloomington, IN and Cape Girardeau, MO to support the riders.
In 2018 I rode my 1911 Excelsior single belt drive Model K. The 2018 Cannonball event was the hardest thing I have ever attempted. Proud to have finished the event with 2857 miles. So many memories and friends made that will live with me forever. Now with the 2020 Event we will be attempting a new challenge on these old bikes; riding north to south. I will be riding my 1923 model J this time. I hope to have fun and not push and pedal up hills. It will be great to have a transmission, chain drive, and a real brake this time!
Follow along on my blog: https://christribbeyblog.com/
Click Here to Watch Rider Video
The 2016 cannonball from Atlantic City to Carlsbad was one of the most challenging motorcycle journey’s I have been blessed to be a part of. I thought that there was no way this adventure could be topped, challenging not only myself, but my 100 year old 1915 single cylinder Harley Davidson. The friends that I met, bikes that I got to run with, people I met along the way, as well as the staff, were just off the charts to the good). Well, I got to tell you that the 2018 Journey from Portland to Portland was even better. I have been involved with motorcycling most of my life, and I got my son involved in it since he was about 4 years old. Billy and I were lucky enough to get to ride across the country side by side with 1916 twin Harley-Davidsons, and that topped the 1916 adventure hands down. I am looking forward to competing in the 2020 North/ South adventure, with my son again, this time on 2–1915 Harley single cylinder motorcycles. We will be competing under the Team name of The Barn Guys, and hope that everyone follows along with us, as we will post pictures every day, and look forward to meeting new folks along the way.
Click Here to Watch Rider Video
Motorcycles have literally played some sort of role throughout my entire life, thanks to my dad. When I
was four years old he bought me my very first one and I’ve been hooked ever since. In the 2016
Cannonball I rode along as my dad’s pit crew, and in 2018 I rode along beside him on a 1916 twin Harley
Davidson. It was the adventure of a lifetime but also one of the most physically and mentally
challenging things I’ve ever done. I’m looking forward to riding along beside him again in 2020 on 1915
single cylinder Harley’s. We hope that everyone follows along with us as we post pictures and updates
every day and I’m looking forward to meeting new friends along the way.
Loring Hill #14 of 4th Coast Fours, Waddington, New York: I have been involved with the Motorcycle Cannonball since the inaugural endurance run in 2010 when I was 13 years old. Before I was old enough to ride my own bike in the run, I wrenched on Wolf Pack bikes from 2010-2016. Even though I rode my first Henderson at age 12, I didn’t get to ride in the Cannonball until 2018, when I was the youngest rider to finish the Cannonball with a perfect score, taking 7th place overall. In 2020, I plan to ride a 1928 Indian ACE. I am looking forward to seeing many of the friends I have made over the years in 2020. I am graduating from Morrisville State this year, and I plan to continue to build for 4th Coast Fours. Good luck to everyone and see you in 2020.