Each year, a small number of the hardest core vintage motorcycling enthusiasts in the world come together in the United States to ride clear across the country on machines that were built (at least) 100 years ago. This is the Motorcycle Cannonball and it is not something that the weak of heart or soft of ass do because it requires the ability to spend long hours on, under, and kneeling next to machinery that was cutting edge right around World War One. In the case of this video we get a look at a 1915 Henderson motorcycle and it is amazing. The thing is one of just a handful left in the world and we’re pretty sure that this is the only one that is going to be ridden over 2,000 miles anytime soon.
The rider of the bikes is Andreas Kaindl and Urban Hillbilly’s Sean Melton caught up with him as he was trundling through the Missouri section of the event. Riders on this epic journey started in Atlantic City, New Jersey and will end their trip in Carlsbad, California. In order to keep pace, they need to ride about 200 miles a day and while that sounds like nothing, understand that we just got back from Drag Week doing about the same thing in cars and it was a level of punishment that is tough to put into words at all. We cannot imagine doing it with something like this Henderson under you.
Along with all of the obvious suffering that the riders endure there’s the mechanical end of things. These guys have to get crafty to keep these old things running. While we do not see Andreas thrashing in this video we’d bet you dollars to donuts that the guy has had that little popping four banger apart more than a time or two on the trip.
If you dig awesome stuff, this is right up your alley.
Every year the Antique Motorcycle Club of America tries to recruit more people to do this. A couple years ago I remember a guy with an irreplaceable 1912 Sears crashed out of the race.
I love riding my old bikes and I love riding cross country, but you probably won’t see me ever doing this.
Another hero!
I sincerely wish him all the luck in the world riding that beauty 2,000 miles and I reckon he must have ass muscles like armour plate as the only form of suspension is that large furry seat. By the way can anyone tell me what those tyres are that seem to have treads that seem to be made up of letters? I seem to remember seeing them before and would be interested to see how they cope taking corners on wet greasy roads. Still this is one of the best looking and certainly best sounding vintage motorcycles I have ever seen!
George Wyman was the first person to drive a motorized vehicle across the United States.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_A._Wyman
Andreas Kaindl, I wish you well during this endeavor.