TeamBoxer rides to AMA Vintage Motorcycle Race Days in Mid-Ohio
What better way to burn a Saturday then with a high-speed, low-drag fly-by of the AMA's Vintage Motorcycle Days with a couple of n00bs in tow?
Couldn't make it? Never fear, TeamBoxer was there, and we've got the pics to prove it.
If you haven't been, VMD is likely the largest midwestern gathering of motorcycling treasures and trash in the summer. Our merry band — which has owned both — was strung together from along the I-75/U.S. 23 corridor.
Sas and Ohno went two-up on the KTM. They met up with RNR on his '08 Uly and Motormaniac on his new HD Ultraglide. (Ohno and Sas were two-up because Ohno was curious how Sas would have done riding back from Phoenix two-up on the KTM as was originally planned. See thread here.)
Not a lot of space on that KTM plank ... er ... seat.
Ohno didn't have to wait long to know it would have been a looooong trip. Sas made it to Sylvania, at the Michigan-Ohio border, before begging for the comfort of the Uly. There we picked up a n00b on a Ninja.
Giving him the shake down.
Would you be scared?
Ready to roll.
Grooving down the highway.
RNR's get-out-of-jail free card.
The n00b peeled off in Findlay and we continued on.
Sas went back and forth between the Uly's level of incitement and the HD Ultraglide's queenly repose, avoiding the pirate's plank at all costs.
The Uly has an incredible pillion position for riding. You look over the rider's shoulder and you are right over the road with him.
*
The Ultraglide is good for kicking back and ... um ... napping, as the music in the CD player wafts over the pillion's barcalounger.
Ohno called Sas a "bike tramp." :lol3
RNR waiting for a train.
Sas reflected in Motormaniac's helmet.
Fields of corn line the secondary roads.
Off the slab and almost there ...
Eye Candy galore
Once at VMD, we were nearly overwhelmed. There is so much stuff going on, it's hard to know where to park, let alone look.
Inside the flapping white tents and the hot, dusty stone of Mid-Ohio near Mansfield, you couldn't swing a wore-out bungee cord without hitting a thing of beauty or an actual historical motorcycle artifact.
And out in the grassy swap meet areas, you couldn't swing an actual historical motorcycle artifact without hitting a worn out bungee.
A unique twin engine dragster called The Parasite. Designed by John Melniczuk, Sr. in the late 50s, he tried running the engines as a single four cylinder, but timing both engines was difficult and he kept snapping chains. He then decided to time both engines as one. It worked. The bike was successfully raced by Tom Grazias.
Inside treasures
And outside trinkets
Monikers galore
What use a stunning display of old, bold motorcycles, without a walking, talking encyclopedic database covering each and every one?
Enter the man we shall call S, stage right.
S, a fellow rider with an engaging, lilting accent, is the sort of voice and authority you find on the Discovery Channel. He likes his motorbikes with a certain patina of use and history. Not to mention a splatter of oil from actual usage.
Without a pretentious bone in his friendly, smiling body, S's*all-encompassing, easy-going knowledge of old bikes is a rare pleasure in a hurry-up, sound-bite world.
Jumping nimbly from old Triumphs to Nortons to Moto Guzzis and back again, S knew a little something about each bike that was unique. His tidbits would invariably lead to a fascinating dialogue — that often tied into the next bike in line.
He could pick out his favorites as they motored by at warp speeds, and tell you what did — or didn't — make them an interesting bike.
A Munch Mammoth makes for an interesting discussion. A very rare production motorcycle with an automotive double inline four cylinder engine.
Back to the show ...
Snoopy doesn't look like he's doing so well. Curse you, Red Baron!
Mr. Horsepower
"I see angels and Ariels comin' forth to carry me home..."
A couple of names you might recognize from your motorcycling past: Vetter and Springsteen. In their own different ways, both left indelible marks on our sport — and made our sport better.
But the real reason to come here is not to see cool iron parked, but to see vintage bikes tearing up the track ...
At the races
Then there is the racing. Oh my, the racing. Manx Nortons in full war cry. Big singles scratching for power. Ring-ding two strokes buzzing the infield. Breathed-on Buells and Harleys, making their special V-twin music. And a splatter of rain sending a baker's dozen into the hay bales, sand traps and run-off areas.
80°F day plus asphalt makes for some really hot racing.
Old iron gets ready.
Racers set.
The third wave waits for the go.
In action:
Manx Norton
Old Boxer drags her jugs
Yah Me Ha!
Harleys and their pipes :rolleyes
Triumph. Ah Hell Yes!
Newer bikes got to show too, like this '02 Suzy.
Ohno was tickled with the images he got. For more racing action pictures check out the slideshow at here.
Behind the scenes
But it's not all racing. Sometimes its the paddock peculiarities.
Hondas in the paddock.
Parts is parts.
Innovative engineering.
Last minute tweaking.
'Seminars' sometimes have a personal touch. An inquisitive distaff rider — who always wanted to be a sidecar "monkey," or co-rider — can also draw in spectators and commentary.
Here, the lady gets a hands-on lesson ("With your permission, sir") on how best to bring body english to bear on sidecar rig as it circulates a track.
Of course, the sidecar team members were good sports (who wouldn't be?) when the sprightly redhead requested instruction.
Step 1: "Get on your knees, girl."
Step 2: Behind the driver on right turns.
Step 3: Lean for your life over the track on left turns.
Step 4: Clap for the "monkey."
Twas great fun.
We ended the day with dinner in downtown Perrysburg at a nice Mexican place with live music.
Where the salsa was hot and the beer cold.
Was there a single, big mistake TeamBoxer made at VMD?
Indeed.
We only went for one day.
But there's always next year!
[I]Race pics by ohno
Road pics by sas
Grout by rnr
Special guest photographer motormaniac[/I]