Ellis, a member of the Yonkers Bicycle Club in March 1903, which consisted of 23 men. Keeping with their Yonkers bicycle traditions, elections were held, and George Ellis became Yonkers Motorcycle Clubs first President. The club quickly established its first endurance run in late March 1903; well before The Motorcycle club de France organized a race called the International Cup in Dordom on Septem
ber 25 1904, and before the formation of the F.I.M. (Federation of International Motorcyclists) on Dec 21, 1904. The clubs first endurance run was a trip from Yonkers to Coney Island and return, a distance of 67 miles. Owning to the uncertain conditions, only about a dozen members participated in the event. No mishaps were reported and the roads were in good condition. Under the leadership of its spirited President, the club quickly began to set historic records that would inspire motorcyclists for years to come. In 1913, Ellis established the first 24-hour mileage record, and a time record from Boston to Chicago, the latter of which he broke the succeeding year. On January 1, 1917, New York State F.A.M. Commissioner George Ellis promoted the first Midnight Run under the auspices of the Crotona Motorcycle Club. The first Midnight Run consisted of 30 motorcyclists competing in a 150-mile endurance run that started from Columbus Circle to Poughkeepsie and return. In 1920 he established the “Two Flag Record” from the U.S. In 1926 he won the Gold Medal Award for the National Six Day Trials. Ellis also took on the role of motorcycle courier from Governor Cox of Massachusetts to Calvin Coolidge, following Coolidge’s election to the Vice Presidency. The Yonkers Motorcycle Club was among the first motorcycle clubs to affiliate with the American Motorcycle Association when the Association was formed in 1924. Numbers were put into a hat, passed around and drawn at the first official meeting of the AMA; Yonkers drew card 6, hence charter number 6. Our brothers at Reading Motorcycle Club drew card 4, hence their low charter number 4..... for a more complete history please check us out on our website www.yonkersmotorcycleclub.net
