Southeast Missouri State University student publication

Motorcycle rally travels through Cape

Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Photo by Doc Fiandaca

The Motorcycle Cannonball Run made a stop in Cape Girardeau on Tuesday, Sept. 9, bringing food, music and a festive atmosphere to Spanish Street. Riders from around the world motored their vintage bikes, ranging in year from 1912 to 1937, to the riverfront for a few hours of fun and relaxation. Motorcycle enthusiasts and curious onlookers packed the street taking pictures and talking with the riders about the trip.

The run is a 4,150 mile endurance rally that started in Daytona Beach, Florida, and ends 17 days later in Tacoma, Washington. The Day 5 finish line for the event was Spanish Street in Cape Girardeau. The trip takes the riders through Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, Idaho and Washington on smaller scenic roadways. Of the 4,000-plus mile trip, only 250 miles of it is on the Interstate highway system.

Southeast Missouri State University facilities employee Rick Gill has been riding since he was 17. He was on hand admiring the bikes, snapping photos and talking to riders. Gill admitted he has a keen interest in motorcycles.

"I rode here today, mine is just around the corner. It's a 1991 Heritage [Harley Davidson]," he said.

Riders from all over the world entered in the third Cannonball Run, which has run every other year since 2010. Thomas Trapp from Germany is riding the second oldest motorcycle in the rally. Nicknamed "Frankfurter," his 1916 Harley Davidson Model F uses only original parts.

"Almost everybody has about three hours of maintenance to do every night and that's if nothing has gone wrong," Trapp said with a wide smile while wrenching on his machine. "But it's worth it."

In addition to Germany, the nations of Italy, Ireland, Japan, England, France, Spain, South Africa, Canada and Poland were also represented.

"I love the diversity in the crowd. I love that the riders from different parts of the country and different parts of the world can get together and share their passion for these antique bikes," Southeast senior Adam Metelski said when asked what brought him to the rally.

Among the riders was Patrick Simmons, guitarist and one of the founding members of The Doobie Brothers.

"I've been riding since the '70s," Simmons said. "My first bike was an old BSA that I used for just transportation."

Simmons' ride for the event is a 1929 Harley Davidson that arrived on a trailer due to mechanical problems. He planned to make repairs to his ignition system and be back on the road Wednesday morning.

The trip includes a stop at the historic Bonneville Salt Flats of Utah and a 12,000 foot climb up Loveland Pass in Colorado.

"At 12,000 feet I'll be at about 60 to 70 percent of the air the bike truly needs. I'm wondering what 12 horsepower will be like at 12,000 feet," Darryl Richman, the rider of bike No. 52, said.

Richman became interested in vintage motorcycles 20 years ago and is an avid BMW rider.

"I have been riding BMWs exclusively since 1981," Richman said. "My first new motorcycle was a BMW, and I now have eight of them."

The bike he is riding in the event is a 1928 BMW R52. It has a 500cc side valve engine with a three-speed hand-shifted gear box. Spark plug advance, air and throttle mixtures are three key elements to any engine performing efficiently. In today's engines, these mixtures are usually computer controlled, however on the R52 they are managed by levers and knobs on the handlebars. There is no twist throttle like a modern motorcycle. On the second to last day of the 2012 run, he suffered mechanical failure that resulted in a crash. The bike had only minor damage, but Richman broke three bones in his foot.

The riders traveled about 200 miles from their last stop to reach Cape Girardeau, but the average miles being driven per day will end up being about 250, according to riders. The trip includes a rest day in Junction City, Kansas, which most riders said would be spent working on the bikes. The trip also includes stops at motorcycle museums, lunch receptions and several towns that have planned special receptions for the riders.

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