AMCA VIKING CHAPTER NEWSLETTER
June 2014 [email protected] PUBLISHED QUARTERLY http://www.vikingmc.org INSIDE THIS ISSUE: AMCA VIKING CHAPTER MAILING ADDRESS: Upcoming Club Events ………... 2 P.O. BOX 18304, MINNEAPOLIS MN 55418-4714
President’s Message, Editor’s Note & Jack Crane Mtg ..…….. 3 OFFICERS
Donnie Smith Show ………....…. 4 PRESIDENT: VICE-PRESIDENT: Ron Spargo Sean O’Neil How We Started (Part II) ……. 5 952-443-2020 612-870-0766 How We Started (cont) …..…..... 6 [email protected] [email protected]
Mid-America & Al Burke .....… 7 DIRECTORS: Extended Version (EV) with extra Roger Rimnac Bob Hopf info, photos & bikes for sale ... 9-16 612-825-2550 612-867-5654 [email protected] [email protected]
Timothy O’Keeffe Craig Kotval 651-675-6560 651-269-1975 [email protected] [email protected]
TREASURER: SECRETARY/MEMBERSHIP: Roy Williams Kathi Rimnac 612-377-6146 612-825-2550 [email protected] [email protected]
CLUB HISTORIAN: DEPUTY JUDGE: Tom Jones Jerry Richards 763-533-9163 651-482-0096 [email protected]
WEB/EMAIL: NEWSLETTER: Doug Nelson Tim Gadban 612-559-9595 651-235-5898 [email protected] [email protected]
Head Chef — Jerry Richards! 18th Annual Richards Sturgis Get-Together & Chili Feed We’ll be having our annual Sturgis Get-Together again this year at the cabin. This is always a good turnout for Viking Chapter and other AMCA members that are in the area for the Black Hills Motor Classic. This year’s date is Monday, August 4 from 12:00 noon until 6:00 p.m. Chili and beverages provided. So motor over to 21432 U.S. Highway 85 South near Lead, SD (605-584-9082). The cabin is .09 of a mile southwest of Cheyenne Crossing Restaurant (intersection of U.S. Highway 85 South in Spearfish Canyon). Look for the slow moving triangle sign at Fire Marker 21432.
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UPCOMING EVENTS
Note: Board of Directors (B.O.D) meetings are open to all members. When held at a chapter member’s home, please notify the host ahead of time.
Wednesday June 4, 7pm Saturday July 26 B. O. D. Meeting Bring Out Your Dead Rally Doug Nelson’s Home, Sir Benedict’s Tavern 9715 Mill Creek Dr, Eden Prairie, MN 55347 805 East Superior St, Duluth, MN 612-559-9595 218-728-1192
Saturday June 7, 10am Saturday August 2 (leaves at 8am) Ride to Hollywood Roadhouse Viking Chapter Ride to Sturgis (Hiway 7 & Co. Rd. 33) Excelsior Grill Meet at Bob Hopf’s.at 10am (ride at 11am) 727 Water St, Excelsior, MN 8784 Knollwood Dr, Eden Prairie, MN 55347 952-470-4592 612-867-5654 Friday August 15, 5-9pm Friday June 13 & Saturday June 14 Victoria Volkfest Ride-In Bike Show AMCA Viking Chapter Main Street, Victoria, MN Antique & Classic Motorcycle Show Contact: Ron Spargo 952-443-2020 Progress Bldg., Minnesota State Fair Grounds Saturday August 16, 8am-6pm Gear-Head Get Together & Swap Meet Sunday June 15, 10am-3pm Maple Lake, MN 612-756-2373 Blind Lizard Rally www.gear-headgettogether.com Nicollet Island, Minneapolis
Monday June 16 Sunday August 17, Noon National Ride Your Chaska BBQ & General Meeting Motorcycle to Work Day!! (Chapter Officers to be nominated) Lion’s Park Wednesday June 18, 7pm 1300 Crosstown Blvd, Chaska, MN 55318 Garage Get-Together (review National Meet) Ivar & Dina Natins Home Wednesday August 27 (leaves at 8am) 7314 Chicago Ave So, Richfield, MN 55423 Ride to Davenport #1 612-866-6069 Little Oscar’s Restaurant 23470 Emery Ave, Hampton, MN Friday July 11 thru Sunday July 13 President’s Ride & Rally Friday August 29 (meet at 6am) Money Creek Campground Ride to Davenport #2 18502 Co. Rd. 26, Houston, MN 55943 Freedom Gas Station, Prescott, WI 507-896-3544 Contact: Tom Jones 763-533-9163
Wednesday July 16, 7pm Saturday September 6 (meet at 8am) B. O. D. Meeting Viking Chapter Ride to Wings & Wheels Kerry & Sue Rasmussen’s Home Kerry & Sue Rasmussen’s Home 9282 Stonebridge Trail No, Stillwater, MN 9282 Stonebridge Trail No, Stillwater, MN 651-492-0735 651-492-0735 Saturday July 19, Noon-2am Bearded Lady Motorcycle Freakshow Sunday September 14, 6am-2pm University & 13th Ave. N.E. Viking Chapter Fall Swap Meet Minneapolis, MN MN State Fair Grounds (No. Parking Lot) Contact: Tom Whittles 651-636-5492 Thursday July 24, 7pm Ice Cream Social Veteran’s Home 5101 Minnehaha Ave. So. Minneapolis MN
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SPARKY’S PLUG By Ron Spargo
In my last column I was complaining that I really wanted to go for a ride but the weather was not going to allow that to happen. So, on Easter Sunday Kath and I headed west with 5 bikes in the van – 2 of my old BSAs and 3 race bikes. The weather was much better in southern California but we still got stuck on the way home almost four weeks later by high wind and snow through Wyoming. More details on the riding and racing in the next issue when there is room. For now, the good riding weather is back in this neck of the woods and I’m sure everyone is happy to see it.
This will be the last newsletter before our National Meet at the MN State Fairgrounds. A lot of people – especially Sean O’Neil - have put a lot of time and effort into this event and it promises to be one of the best yet. Good weather has been ordered so there should be lots of good riding throughout the event. The banquet is on Friday night this year and you can still get tickets by calling Craig Kotval at 651-269-1755. The club is also having a raffle for a new bike lift/bench. Tickets are $2 each and can be purchased at the meet. The drawing will be on Saturday afternoon. There is still a need for volunteers so if you have a couple of hours and would like to help please let Stan Mewhorter know (763-561-3922). I’m sure he has a task you will enjoy!
So, bring your bike to the show and your parts to the swap meet. We need you to be there. It’s your bike club and you are an impor- tant part of it. We’ll see you there.
EDITOR’S NOTE Well so far this season I’ve gotten soaked, numb and sweaty …. but it’s great to be out riding again! After being shut in for that bone cracking winter anything is a good alternative. Now we can turn our attention to a summer full of rides and activities, the ma- jor event (as Sparky says) being our national meet on June 13 &14 at the State Fair grounds.
Several decisions have been made by the Board of Directors: Starting in 2015 our newsletter, Re-Cycle, will be published in digital format only. Any club members who do not own or have access to a computer should contact a board member if they want a printed version.
The Viking Chapter has opened a post office box to receive mail (see the front cover at top of page for new PO box address)
The 2014 Volunteer Appreciation Dinner has been cancelled.
All these decisions will save a chunk of change for the club and /or streamline our operations.
Note: Once again …. wherever “EV” is used indicates a reference to the Electronic (extended) Version. These extra pages contain additional photos or information related to some articles. The hard copy is eight pages, whereas the electronic version is sixteen this time … lots of extra stuff. This includes the April Treasurer’s report (Pg 14), a copy of our Viking Chapter’s bylaws (Pg 15), pics from the Rocker’s Spring Social (Pg 11), the Viking Chapter Spring Ride (Pg 12) and bikes for sale (Pg16).
Meeting at Jack Crane’s Museum, March 19, 2014
This has been one of our best attended general meetings …. the annual treat of seeing Jack’s collection up close and personal. As usual there was much hobnobbing and gearhead wisdom spinning in the midst of one of the most eye-popping arrays of classic Brit- ish motorcycles this side of the Mississippi. Thankyou Jack for your generosity and gracious hosting once again! Oh and did we mention that Bob Hopf (subbing for President Ron Spargo) shattered the record for shortest Viking Chapter general meeting busi- ness spiel ever—17 minutes!
More pics of Jack’s bikes on Pg 9 Of EV 3
CLUB NEWS Viking Chapter Display at the Donnie Smith Show, March 29 & 30, 2014. By Tim O’Keeffe
Dateline: St. Paul, MN. River Center Auditorium.
The 2014 Donnie Smith Show once again asked the Antique Motorcycle Club of America's Viking Chapter to host a club display to spread the word on old bikes along with the fun we have keeping them going on the road.
We used the opportunity to talk about our bikes in the display, and to promote the ownership and use of these great bikes, that are 35 years or older. This year was no different in that we are always looking to show something special, and not just more of what's out in the fully customized bike show area. In our display we had two wheeled treats from manufactures in the United States, Italy, Eng- land and Spain. This eclectic group of unique offerings included, military bikes from the Second World War, a single- owner 25cc trials bike (a gift for the owner’s 5th birthday), a one- family- owned 1942 Harley WD, 2 Aermacchi powered Harley's, a 2 stroke Harley, Indians, Cushman's, and Tritons.. OH MY! It was fun as people connected with different bikes, often recalling memo- ries of good times and friends as they spoke. Many of the conversations started with “I used to have one of those,” or better yet, “I have one of those and want to get it on the road again.” We had many comments about the early ‘70's Harley Sprints and Aermacchi bikes. Lots of people remembered getting their start on one of those.
The mission of the club is to preserve and foster the use of motorcycles (yes,including scooters and motorbikes) that are 35 years or older. But, we love new bikes and customs and one of the bikes that drew attention was a custom build called a Triton, which is the melding of a Triumph engine paired with a world famous Norton Featherbed frame. Owner Mike Black- burn noted one thing: “I should have put discs on it, cuz it's just too damn fast for drum brakes".
One of the most interesting and under-the-radar bikes was an 841 Indian with a chrome tank. Indian built the 841 military model at the request of the U.S. Army during WWII in order to meet the demands of desert warfare. If you've never seen one in person, you're not alone. Lonnie Hannah, Senior Designer at Indian, was on hand and he loved this bike. He'd never seen one in the flesh but had studied pictures as part of his research while designing the new 2014 Indian Chief line. He really spent time looking at all the de- tails and features that were so innovative on this particular bike. The current owner club member Tim Miller says that about 7 years ago while doing repair and maintenance work to plane, the plane's owner saw the Indian logo on his hat and mentioned that one of his employees owned one of those old bikes". Tim thought he knew where every Indian was within 20 miles of his home, but it turned out not to be the case and when he contacted the owner, and he found the owner was willing to part ways with the Indian. To get the bike up and running after all those years, Tim spent about three hours cleaning the carburetor, and setting the points, etc, and the bike fired right up after all those years of sitting silently. He notes: “it has been stroked and she will go faster than the original top speed of 45 mph.” Tim also commented that, when he gives it gas, the torque is so strong that the drive shaft tweaks the bike to the right. He rides it often and has had no issues. Parts are still available, but since this really is a proto- type, some things are different on the production run bikes. More pics from Donnie Smith show and article on Tim Miller’s 841 Indian on Pg 10 Of EV
AMCA Viking Chapter Bikes Displayed: Tim Miller-1941 Indian 841 Military; Rod Peterson-1941 Harley Davidson WD; Stan Mewhorter-1944 BSA WDM20; Kerry Ras- mussen-1947 Indian; Steve Doeden-1952 Cushman Eagle; Mike Blackburn-1966 Triton; Bob Steck-1970 Triumph Bonneville; Roger Rimnac-1973 Harley Davidson SS350; Tom Whittles-1975 Harley Davidson 2 SX 250 Aermacchi Enduro 2 stroke; Tom Whittles-197? Harley Davidson Sprint; Mike Peterson-1975 Montesa Cota 25; Doug Nelson-1975 Moto Guzzi 850 3T
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CLUB NEWS
1954-1974-2014 Anniversaries ….. “Time Flies When You’re Having Fun” (Part II) by Tom Jones
2014 - I’m sitting here planning my 40th trip to Sturgis, my 40th trip to Davenport and my 40th year as a member of the Viking Chapter. I hope I’ll be around 40 years from now (I’ll be 109), planning my 80th year as a Viking! So ... picking up from the March issue of Re-Cycle, let’s break this down chronologically ….
1975 - We had 33 members. Dues were $5. The club ride to Sturgis consisted of 3 bikes – a Velocette, a BMW and a Zundapp. We had our first dinner ride (Ride to Eat – Eat to Ride) and 30 Vikings made it to Davenport.
1976 - 5 bikes rode to Sturgis, where Harvey Berquist won a belt buckle with his BSA. Our first bike show was held at the Minneapolis College of Art & De- sign. 40 Vikings made it to Davenport.
1977 - Club rides included: a poker run, a dinner run and rides to Red Wing hill climb, Sturgis, Chaska and Davenport.
1978 - The Viking Chapter participated in the Great National Motorcycle Rally at the MN State Fairgrounds. We enjoyed ourselves immensely …. then the big fight broke out and we all went home.
1979 - We were paid to display bikes at the Minneapolis Armory. 50 people showed up at the Chaska picnic. Steve McQueen was at Davenport. Roy Egeberg died as he lived, riding his motorcycle.
1980 - The club had settled into a pattern: a dinner run; at least one bike show; corn feed and games at Chaska; Sturgis ride; Davenport ride and monthly club meetings held at various sites.
1981 - We had $118 in savings. It rained all day at Chaska …. could this happen if we had a national meet?
1982 - The last year we camped at the Sturgis City park. Total anarchy closed it forever.
1983 - First Holiday Party. First year at Deadwood KOA. First Viking Chapter Regional Meet at Farmington. 70 bikes at the August First Thursday.
1984 - Classic Plate bill becomes law. Tactful Teddy blew up his Indian (we told him it was going to blow up!)
1985 - Second Viking Regional Meet at Farmington.
1986 - 120 members. $452 in the treasury. 18 bikes rode to Sturgis. First National Meet at Farmington where the featured bike was The Min- neapolis.
1987 - We voted to support the Omaha Club’s National and just have a pic- nic at Chaska. 23 motorcycles on the Sturgis ride. Put on a bike show at Brainerd.
1988 - Second National Meet at Farmington. Wagner was the featured bike. $1 donation charged to offset expenses. 30 vendors. 50 people showed up for the Holiday Party. There were 13 different brands of motorcycles at our KOA campground.
1989 - National AMCA 35 year rule goes into effect. Farmington was a Regional meet with 23 vendors. The “slow bikes” moved to Eagle’s Landing in Sturgis.
1990 - First Thursday moved to Dulono’s. Sturgis had its 50th anniversary. Farmington was a National Meet featuring The Michaelson. We made a profit of $680.
1991 - The K-Model Harley Davidson was the featured bike at Farmington.
1992 - 50 vendors at Farmington. The year of The Old Bike Ride to Sturgis. Tim Cook rode a Whizzer to Sturgis AND Davenport!
1993 - The year of the Whizzer at Farmington where we made a profit of $1600.
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CLUB NEWS 1994 - The “slow group” averaged 19 mph going to Sturgis (we’ve done worse!) Steve Ortell paid the club to display bikes. Dep- uty Judge position created. $2,222 profit at Farmington.
1995 - First appreciation dinner for volunteers. The Davenport riders discovered North Buena Vista.
1996 - Farmington theme was “Flatheads”. We had 77 vendors, Davenport had 560.
1997 - Jerry & Trudi Richards hold their first of many Sturgis open houses. Trudi elected secretary of the National AMCA.
1998 - Farmington theme was scooters. 42 bikes were judged. We had 155 members and winter didn’t start until 1999.
1999 - The Viking Chapter’s 25th anniversary.
2000 - We lost Willie Jensen, club founder and first President. Farmington theme was “Panheads”. Slow riders averaged 18 mph going to Sturgis.
2001 - 100 years of Indian celebrated at Farmington. Gene Hostetler caught the “one and only fish” for the Sturgis fish fry. It snowed the day of the Mystery Ride.
2002 - Dave Rademacher was elected President. We had 155 members and $19,377. President’s Ride was to Nelson. Paul St John rides in the snow!
2003 - We had a sledding party with snow this year. Celebrated 100 years of Harley Davidson at Farmington, with 50 vendors and about 1000 spectators. Harvey Berquist ran out of gas going to Sturgis.
2004 - After being a member since 1985 Keith Peters was elected Presi- dent. 225 members. Tim O’Keeffe was the guest speaker at Farm- ington. 20 motorcycles and one deuce-and-a-half made it to the Veteran’s Home. Century Rider award started.
2005 - “British Invasion” at Farmington. The club ate fish at Sturgis, chicken at Chaska and noodles at North Buena Vista.
2006 - Stan Mewhorter receives a trophy. First garage get-together. 52% of club members surveyed approved the moving of our National Meet to the Minnesota State Fairgrounds.
2007 - First National Meet at the State Fairgrounds. “Re-Cycle the 60’s” was the theme with 160 bikes on display. At the Holiday Party Paul St. John won the riding trophy.
2008 - Celebrated “My First Bike” at the National Meet. Joe Grayden led the Old Bike ride.
2009 - Competition Bikes was our National Meet theme. Roy Williams set a record at Bonneville. Vincent record holder Marty Dickerson was our guest speaker at the National Meet.
2010 - Minnesota Motorcycles & Dealers was our National’s theme. Jack Crane opens his museum. The Holiday Party moves to Roseville where over 100 people attended the get-together. Kerry Rasmussen went to Burt Munro’s homeland and we had an old bike show at Fury Motors.
2011 - New judging guidelines for the National Meets. Viking members helped out at Mid-America Auctions again to help raise money for the club. President’s ride Ah … the Good Ol Days! went to Crystal Cave.
2012 - Ron Spargo elected President. The Viking Chapter partnered with the Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Club (VJMC) for a dual meet at the Fair- grounds. The year’s activities included: 2 winter bike shows, a Barbecue, the President’s ride, a swap meet, club rides to Sturgis and Davenport, a Mystery Ride and more!
2013 - 160 bikes at our Viking/VJMC National Meet; 12 at the Donnie Smith show; 15 at the International Motorcycle Show; 21 at the Vets Home; 8 at Money Creek, 14 on the Mystery Ride and great turnouts for the Sturgis & Davenport rides.
2014 - 60th anniversary of the AMCA. 40th anniversary of the Viking Chapter. Enjoy!.
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CLUB NEWS General Meeting at Mid-America, 23 April, 2014
Our April General Meeting was held at Mid-America Auctions, hosted by Ron Christianson. An Award of Recognition was presented to Ron on behalf of our Viking Chapter by Sean O’Neil. The inscription reads: “The Viking Chapter of the Antique Motorcycle Club of America, Inc. recognizes Ron Christianson of Mid-America Auctions for his years of tireless volunteer service and financial support of our Club.”
After accepting the award Ron gave a very interesting talk, featuring his take on future values and viability for types of classic motorcycles and cars and what turns the market might take in the next ten years. There were quite a few questions and a lively response from those gath- ered.
Our thanks to Jerry Richards and Trudi Johnson-Richards for designing the award and having it made. Sean presents to Ron
IN MEMORIAM Allen C. Burke, December 1933-March 2014
Al grew up at a motorcycle shop during World War II. He was just eight years old when Eske Carlson of Carlson Brothers BSA & Norton Sales in Richfield, Minnesota said: "If you're going to hang around every day, you may as well learn something". He started taking wheels apart, then re-spoking them, then working on engines. When he was nine they sent him to the store on a Harley 45 with an outrigger side- car to pick up some pop. He recalls that he killed the engine three times on glare ice that day. He finally gave it more throttle, dumped the clutch and took off in a full broad-slide out of the driveway. "I have always laughed that I started out in a full slide and never quit."
In 1949 Al rode to Sturgis on a girder fork, ridged frame, 21 cubic inch Velocette and got the award for the youngest rider attending from Pappy Hoel. He rode in his first motorcycle race in 1949 at the age of fifteen, on a BSA single. You couldn’t get into the AMA until you were eighteen in those days, so he rode outlaw every Sunday at Twin City Speedway, in- between the stock car races and through the big holes. He learned quickly how to ride around the holes instead of through them. In ‘52 he turned eighteen and rode his novice year and was one of the top points in the country. In 1953, he started as an Amateur. About half-way through the year he got a letter telling him he had been raised to Expert. He placed in five nationals and got awarded his national #91, in 1954, and was given a factory ride from Harley-Davidson in ‘55, riding for Harley until he retired in 1963. He won the Minnesota State Championship eight times, (they retired the title when he quit); won the National Short Track Championship at Santa Fe in ‘56 and ‘57; won the Canadian National in ‘56; and won the "Black Hills Classic" in ‘57.
In July 1956 Al set an all time record of 37 wins in one week on the short track. They raced what was called the "handicap/scratch program", where you go until there was only one winner. A rider could race seven times a night, if he kept winning. He won the heat and final in Iowa on Sunday, seven times at Milwaukee on Tuesday, seven times at Santa Fe on Wednesday, seven times on Thursday at Flint, Michigan, seven times on Friday and again seven times at Schereville, Indiana, taking 37 first places in a week. Al retired from racing in 1963 after holding his national number for ten years.
My Memories of Al by Mark “Mack” Backlund (AMCA Viking Chapter Member)
I remember the first time I met Al Burke, the greatest motorcycle flat track racer to ever come out of Minnesota. It was the late 1960s and I was about eight or nine years old. It was in a converted Quonset hut next to the garbage burner in St. Louis Park where the city street signs were made.
My father, after a few career twists and turns, found himself in charge of the “Sign Shop”. In fact, he was only in charge of himself as it was a one man operation. This may sound absurd to many younger folks, but until about 1960 or so, St. Louis Park had very few street signs and many dirt roads. As he did with everything in life, my dad jumped in with gusto. It is really amazing what he accom- plished, mostly by telling the pessimists to stay out of the way. Enter Al Burke. Al was already an accomplished motorcycle racer when he applied for a position on the St. Louis Park police force. My dad would take me with him to work sometimes and old #91 would stop by to visit. Two champion storytellers and I got to listen to them!
Al understood people - we could use more of that in this crazy world that is run by numbers. I had the pleasure of running into Al at events over the years and every time he asked me about my dad. What a class act. the Read a comprehensive article about Al on My father passed away in 2003 and Al recently left this world. Godspeed #91. Page 13 of the EV.
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Viking Chapter AMCA Inc. P.O. Box 18304,
Minneapolis, MN 55418
JUNE 2014
FOR SALE: Too much to list - See Page 16 of the Electronic Version
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MORE PICS FROM JACK CRANE MUSEUM
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MORE STUFF FROM DONNIE SMITH SHOW
Tim Millers’ 841 Indian by Sean O’Neil
For anyone who’s fantasized about finding a priceless antique motorcycle in some old barn, here’s the story to top them all. Tim Miller, from the Minneapolis-based Viking Chapter of the Antique Motorcycle Club of America, told the story of how he got his exceedingly rare 1941 Indian while displaying the bike at the Donnie Smith show in St Paul. How rare is his bike? Try “Serial Number Two” out of only 800 ever made. It’s crazy to find such a rare bike, but can you believe that this bike had sat in a barn not two miles from Tim’s house for 20 years? Tim’s story starts one day when some- one noticed his baseball cap with the Indian motorcycle logo on it and said, “You into old Indians? My neighbor has one in his barn and wants to get rid of it. It’s a weird lookin bike, with the cylinders sticking out of the sides”. Well, Tim knew from the description that it was probably an 841 military model made at the start of WWII. Indian only made about 800 of them because they ended up not being popular with the Army. They were strange beasts – looking more like a Moto-Guizi with a transverse V-Twin fed by dual carbs running to a shaft drive. Tim knew that 841’s are rare and are often worth a decent pile of cash. But when he saw the bike, barely visible under piles of crap in the dark corner of the barn, his heart sunk. An exposed corner flashed chrome which told him that some yahoo had probably bobbed, chopped and probably wrecked the thing. Thinking that if he could get it for cheap and flip it for at least a few hundred bucks more to some other guy, he settled on a rather low price with the owner. But as the owner wheeled the bike into the daylight, Tim realized that he had found something special. One look at the serial number said it all: “HDA 2”. In Indian talk, that means it’s a prototype bike, the second one made. After nearly 30 years, Brownie Betar’s bike had been found. Brownie was a famous racer and tuner of Indians back before the war. When Indian wanted to sell the US Army their new military bike, they handed one over to Brownie to give it a performance tune and then demo for the army brass. After flogging the bike at the military proving grounds, they told Brownie he could keep the bike. After war-time restrictions on metal were lifted, Brownie had almost the whole thing cov- ered in chrome. His pimped-out ride was a fixture at hill climbs and races on the east coast from the late ‘40s until he sold it in the ‘70s to a serviceman bound for Hawaii. At that point, the bike disappeared from the public’s eye until Tim found it, only a few miles from his home. The best part of the whole story? Two hours after buying the bike, Tim had it sorted out and riding!
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TON-UP CLUB ROCKER’S SOCIAL - May 17, 2014
Very nice turnout …. similar to Bearded Lady and Blind Lizard rallies …. gorgeous day and a choice collection of antique, classic and customized bikes. The Viking Chapter was well represented …. check out Doug’s Guzzi!
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CLUB NEWS
Spring Ride - May 24, 2014
The Viking Chapter headed over to ride one of the most beautiful stretches in Wisconsin …. WI Hwy 35 between Prescott and Stockholm. The weather was near perfect and the company was in good spirits!
Riders & Machines: Steven Solnitzky = 1947 Indian Chief Stan Mewhorter = 1971 Triumph TR6R Dena Natins = 1975 Honda 400F Doug Nelson = 1975 Moto Guzzi T3 Gary Kloss = 1976 BMW Mark Jilk = 1981 Honda 750 Michael Warner = 1982 Yamaha 650 Maxim Bob Hopf = 1998 Harley Road King Laurie Zick = 2002 Yamaha John Ulrich = 2003 Honda Goldwing Bob Zick = 2004 Triumph Thruxton Allen Bower = 2010 Triumph T100 Jack Engdahl = 2007 Moto Guzzi Griso
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CLUB NEWS
IN MEMORIAM Allen C. Burke, December 1933-March 2014
Al Burke was a leading Midwestern flat-track racer of the 1950s and early 1960s. Burke rode as a Harley-Davidson factory- supported rider from 1954 to 1963, specializing in short-track racing. He was an eight-time Minnesota state champion and won nu- merous regional racing titles. After retiring from professional racing, Burke stayed involved in the sport by announcing races and later came back from a spinal injury to compete in vintage racing.
Burke was born in 1933 and raised in Richfield, Minnesota. His home was close to Carlson Brothers BSA & Norton Sales and as a kid he hung out at the shop. During World War II, the dealership was not very busy. The owners let young Burke learn to work on the bikes from an early age. Co-owner Eske Carlson told Burke, "If you're going to hang around every day, you may as well learn something." He started by having the 9-year-old youngster take wheels apart and re-spoke them. He then gradually taught him to work on engines.
Burke’s first actual ride on a motorcycle is one he will never forget: "When I was 9 years old, on a day when we had a freezing rain, he told me to take a Harley 45, with an outrigger sidecar and go to the store and get some pop," Burke recalls. "I think I killed the engine three times on glare ice. I finally gave it more throttle, dumped the clutch and took off in a full broad-slide out of the drive- way. I’ve always said that I started out in a full slide and never quit."
As a teenager, Burke wanted to learn to race flat track. He spent hours at an old gravel pit doing countless laps, learning to control a bike in a full broad-slide. By the time he started racing local non-sanctioned events at 15, Burke was already one of the fastest riders in his area. Shortly after winning the Minnesota flat-track racing title in 1954 on a BSA, Burke was invited to the Harley-Davidson factory. Grand National racer Leo Anthony, one of Burke’s childhood racing heroes, gave him the tour of the factory and he met Hank Syvertsen, Harley’s head of racing. Burke was given a factory Harley-Davidson WR and a schedule of races they wanted him to attend. That year, he scored enough national points to be given national No. 91. “Old #91” would dominate Midwest short-track racing from 1949 to 1963.
Harley-Davidson used Burke as its short-track and regional race specialist. The factory even made a special custom short-track rac- ing frame for him. With his factory machines, Burke dominated the frequent night racing programs of the Upper Midwest during the mid-to-late 1950s. "I would drive to Milwaukee on a Tuesday, pick up my bike and race the rest of that week and weekend and drop off the bike on my way back to Minnesota," Burke said. "In July of 1956, I set an all-time record of 37 wins in one week. On the short track, we raced what was called the handicap/scratch program, where you go until there was only one winner. We would ride seven times a night, if you kept winning. I won the heat and final on an Iowa half mile on Sunday, seven times at Milwaukee on Tuesday, seven times at Santa Fe on Wednesday, seven times on Thursday at Flint, Michigan, seven times on Friday and again seven times at Schererville, Indiana, taking 37 first places in a single week of racing." While primarily known as a regional racing special- ist, Burke raced AMA Grand Nationals on occasion as well. He scored a number of top-10 national finishes including a career-best fifth in the half-mile in St. Paul, Minnesota, in August of 1957.
Burke became closely associated with the Sturgis Rally in South Dakota. In 1949, he rode to the rally on a Velocette and received an award for the youngest rider attending on his own bike. He later came back as a racer and won the Black Hills Classic. "In 1979, J.C. 'Pappy' Hoel and I were talking about how we could get a reunion of the old motorcycle racers that rode here at Sturgis, back then, together," Burke remembers. "From that conversation was born the White Plate Flat Tracker's Association. Pappy wrote a book called 'Life's Bits and Pieces.' I wrote a chapter in it about dirt-track racing and growing up at Sturgis."
Burke raced full-time until 1963, when he retired to go to work as a motorcycle policeman. He suffered a spinal injury while work- ing as a detective in 1975 in a freak incident, while trying to subdue a professional football player who had been picked up on the street under the influence of narcotics. At first, he was told by doctors that he might never walk again, but after seven operations in 13
CLUB NEWS seven months, Burke made a remarkable recovery and actually later came back to race motorcycles in vintage classes.
Burke stayed active in motorcycle racing by helping to sponsor young racers and being the race announcer and color commentator at many events. He also served as secretary of the "Over the Hill Gang," a group of retired motorcycle racers. When inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1996, Burke still lived in his hometown of Richfield, in the same house he grew up in. He continued to display some of his old racing bikes at shows and races. He rode often on his favorite street bike, a Ducati Monster. He and his wife raised three children.
Reprinted courtesy AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame.
Viking Chapter Treasurer’s Report - 3/27/2014 through 4/27/2014
Income 2014 memberships $15
Expense National Meet State Fair Rental $6000 2015 Holiday party Roseville Skating Center 353 Ron Christianson Recognition Award 72 $6425
Income-Expense - $6410
Beginning Balance 3/27/2014 $16,422 Ending Balance 4/27/2014 $10,012 PayPal balance $5
Checks pending: #5646 raffle tickets $107 #5648 Vendor letters $128 #5649 swap meet State Fair deposit $250 #5653 National meet flyers $150
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CLUB NEWS
VIKING CHAPTER BY-LAWS As approved by the membership at the March 1995 meeting
Section I. Chapter Name The name of this chapter shall be the VIKING CHAPER OF THE ANTIQUE MOTORCYCLE CLUB OF AMERICA (AMCA), INC.
Section II. Chapter Purpose The purpose of the Viking Chapter shall be to seek out antique, post antique and special interest motor- cycles and to promote the preservation and restoration of those motorcycles. The Viking Chapter shall abide by the rules and regulations of the AMCA.
Section III. Chapter Membership All Viking Chapter members are required to be a member of the AMCA. Chapter membership shall include the member’s spouse.
Section IV. Chapter Officers The Viking Chapter shall have a board consisting of eight officers elected from the membership for a period of two years. These officers are: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and four Direc- tors.
Two Officers and two Directors are to be elected each year to provide an “overlap” of service for conti- nuity of direction. In addition, the board shall assign a Newsletter Editor, Web Master and a Deputy Judge who will serve as members of the board and have full voting rights as identical to other officers. In the event a Board Member cannot complete a term, the remaining Board Members will select a re- placement to complete the term.
Section V. Chapter Finances Dues of fifteen dollars shall be paid to finance the operation of the Chapter as a nonprofit organization. Spouse members are not required to pay dues. Dues are based on the calendar year regardless of when a member joins.
Chapter Officers shall require approval of the general membership before making expenditures exceeding $200.00.
Section VI. Chapter Meetings Regular meetings will be held on a monthly basis. The members will be notified of each meeting by the Chapter newsletter. Nominations of Officers and Directors will be held at the August meeting and Elections will be held at the September meeting.
Revision history Amended 09-19-2007 Abridged 10-17-2007
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FOR SALE
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