Motorcyclism

10/03/2026

Riders Rescue: Submitted photo..

10/03/2026

𝐎𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐎𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟑, 𝟏𝟖𝟗𝟒, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 "𝐌𝐨𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐂𝐲𝐜𝐥𝐞" 𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝..
Edward Joel Pennington was born in Moore’s Hill, Indiana in 1858. Although he didn’t stay in Indiana for very long, his early years in the state shaped him to automobile and motorcycle fame as well as equal infamy.

Pennington submitted two documents detailing his versions of early motorcycles. The most interesting note is the fact that the term “motor cycle” is traced to these documents and exact year. Both documents declared Pennington as the assignor for the "Motor Cycle Company of Chicago.”

Edward J Pennington
https://www.imchs.net/2021/10/Edward-J-Pennington.html

09/30/2026

We miss television shows like this..

𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐂𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐁𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐧....
Considered a cult classic, "𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘊𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘉𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘰𝘯" starred Michael Parks as Jim Bronson and in the pilot movie, Bonnie Bedeila as Temple Brooks. This was meaningful series for teenagers that loved motorcycles and it changed the lives of many, us included.

In the film and the television show, Jim Bronson rode a 1969 XLH 900cc Harley-Davidson Sportster and the fuel tank is illustrated with the Eye of Providence. Sadly, the show lasted only 26 episodes following the pilot movie. It ran from September 17, 1969, to April 1, 1970.

Born April 24, 1940, Michael Parks died on May 9, 2017 in his Los Angeles home at the age of 77 from undisclosed causes. As of this writing, Bonnie Bedeila is still alive at 78. ~JD

Pictured: (L) Bonnie Bedelia and (R) Michael Parks
Photo attribution: Public Domain
🎥 Then Came Bronson - "Well, hang in there"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIjJB9qVORc

09/13/2026

𝐑𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐚𝐭 𝐁𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟑, 𝟏𝟗𝟒𝟖..
On this day, September 13, 1948, Roland Robert "Rollie" Free broke the US national motorcycle speed record at Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah riding the first Vincent Black Lightning. During test runs Free reached average speeds of 148.6 mph.

To reduce drag, Free stripped to his swimming shorts for the final run, which he made lying flat with his legs stretched out and his head low, guiding the Vincent by following a black stripe painted on the salt bed. The stunt worked as Free covered the mile in 23.9 seconds, passing the 150 mph barrier and on the return run he reached a record average speed of 150.313 mph.

This led to one of the most famous photographs in motorcycle history, known as the "bathing suit bike". The American Motorcyclist Association certified Free's record. Innovative features of the bike included the first-ever Vincent rear shock absorber, the first Mk II racing cams and horizontally mounted racing carburetors.

Rollie Free became an Indian motorcycle dealer in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1927. While living in Indianapolis, his reputation as an top-notch racer earned him a ride in the 1930 Indianapolis 500. His car blew a motor after 172 miles of racing. Rollie Free raced one more time in the May classic, again ending the race early with mechanical problems.

After the record run, Free joked about making the run in his swimming trunks. "𝘐 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘸𝘪𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘢 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘌𝘥 𝘒𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘻, 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘯 𝘊𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘢 𝘥𝘳𝘺 𝘭𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴."

During World War II, Free entered the Air Force and was stationed at Hill Field in Utah. While in Utah, Free got his first chance to see the famous Bonneville Salt Flats.

A few years after the war, a Hollywood sportsman named John Edgar asked Free to come to the Bonneville to make a motorcycle speed record attempt on a Vincent. The team was sponsored by Mobil Oil.

In 1950, Rollie Free returned to the Bonneville Salt Flats and broke his own record, averaging speeds of 156.58 mph on the Vincent despite a high-speed crash during those speed trials.

He died, October 11, 1984 in Los Angeles, California at the age of 83. He was posthumously inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1998.

Pictured:
Rollie Free, laying horizontally on his bike to reduce wind resistance on September 13, 1948. ~JD

Sources:
Indiana Motorcycle Historical Society
National Motorcycle Museum

Photo attribution:
Wikipedia

09/12/2026

𝐄𝐫𝐰𝐢𝐧 𝐁𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝟏𝟕,𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟐, 𝟏𝟗𝟏𝟖..
On this day, September 12, 1918, Erwin George "Cannonball" Baker, completed his most extensive motorcycle tour - a 17,000 mile, 77-day trip to all 48 US state capitals - yet another testament to his legendary endurance.

Baker began his public career as a vaudeville performer, but turned to driving and racing after winning a dirt-track motorcycle race in Crawfordsville, Indiana in about 1904. Baker was also famous for his record-setting point-to-point drives, in which he was paid to promote the products of various motorcycle and automobile manufacturers.

In all, he made 143 cross-country motorcycle speed runs totaling about 550,000 miles. In 1908, Baker purchased an Indian motorcycle and began entering and winning local races. His most famous victory came in 1909 at the first race ever held at the newly built Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Baker also raced at the 1922 Indianapolis 500, placing 11th in a Frontenac.

He later became the first commissioner of NASCAR. Baker was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1989 and the American Motorcyclist Association Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1998.

Source: IMCHS.net
Photo: Motorcyclism

09/08/2026

𝐌𝐨𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐲𝐜𝐥𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐄𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐞 𝐇𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐚 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟖, 𝟏𝟗𝟏𝟐..
On this day, September 8, 1912, motorcycle rider Eddie Hasha was killed while racing at the New Jersey Motordome near Atlantic City, New Jersey, he was 19. Originally from Waco, Texas, William Edward Hasha gained a reputation as a talented young racer on the dirt tracks of his state and Louisiana.

After the feature event was completed, he competed in a five-mile handicap race against five other riders. Among them was Ray Seymour, who held the world record. Hasha and Seymour were the only two riders to race without a handicap; the other four were given a one-lap handicap. Hasha held a slight lead at the end of the first lap.

While leading on the third lap, Hasha's motorcycle began to misfire badly. He reached his hand down to make an adjustment, and was overtaken by Seymour. Hasha accelerated, picking up enough speed to close on Seymour. Traveling at 92 miles per hour, Hasha's motorcycle suddenly turned sharply into the rail surrounding the track. The bike rode the rail for around 100 feet, killing a boy who had put his head over the rail to watch the race.

The machine then struck a large post and Hasha flew out of the racing area into the grandstands, and was killed instantly. Three other boys and a young man were also killed. The now-riderless motorcycle dropped back onto the racing surface into the path of last place rider Johnny Albright. The motorcycle hit the Denver rider in the shoulder and he slid down the track between the two machines. Albright died four hours later without regaining consciousness.

Spectators panicked at the sight of a spinning motorcycle heading their way. Several people had broken bones and flesh wounds as they fought and trampled each other in the rush to get out of the way. It took over an hour to clear the grandstands. Medics came from all parts of the city to attend to the injured and those who had fainted.

Board tracks lost their popularity with the general public, due to the fatalities and media attention tarnished their reputation, sparking national outrage. By the early 1920s the board track races became unfashionable, crowd declined and board track racing came to an end.

Historical source: MotorsportMemorial.org

09/05/2026

𝐉𝐨𝐞 𝐃𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐱 𝐬𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐚𝐭 𝐁𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟓, 𝟏𝟗𝟔𝟐..
On this day, September 5, 1962, Aircraft mechanic Joe Dudek brought his 17-foot-long, 667.25-cc Triumph Bonneville T120 streamliner to the Utah salt. Inspired by an X-15 rocket plane and powered by a bored out T120 Bonneville engine, rider Bill Johnson piloted Dudek’s machine to a gasoline-powered record of 205 mph.

The team then drained the gas from the bike, changed the carburetor jets and refueled with nitro methane and proceeded to set a new world motorcycle speed record of 224.57 mph, a record that stood (in the Streamlined, Altered Frame/Fuel class) until 1992.

The Dudek streamliner was destroyed in a fire in 1974.

Photo attribution: News Atlas
Source: https://www.bennetts.co.uk/bikesocial/news-and-views/features/bikes/top-10-land-speed-records

09/02/2026

Motorcyclism: Life on a Motorcycle