Motorcycle Cannonball 2023: the winner is a 114 years old motorcycle
Motorcycle Cannonball is the most difficult antique endurance run in the world. The winner of this year edition rides a 114 years old Indian. Let’s talk about it!
Motorcycle Cannonball history
It all started back in 2009 when Motorcycle Cannonball founding father – Lonnie Isam, Jr. – first started daydreaming about cruising America’s back roads with his antique riding friends.
All he wanted to do was to see the scenic Americana landscape one mile at a time from the saddle of historical motorcycles with his riding buddies. Lonnie believed that old motorcycles deserved to be tended and ridden. Our forefathers took a great deal of time and ingenuity to build these great machines and they should be respected for their abilities. He wanted to pay homage to the long distance pioneer, Erwin “Cannonball” Baker, and other historical figures that literally paved the way across the country in the early 1900s. His logic was that if the motorcycle greats could make those miles on the early machines, many with no roads whatsoever, certainly modern riders could do the same.
In 2010, Lonnie gathered a group of riders who shared his motorcycling passion. So, in the month of September of the same year, 45 like-minded riders left the historically celebrated city of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina for a transcontinental journey to the shores of the Pacific Ocean.
In 2012, the second edition of the run found 77 riders lined up at the starting line in Newburg, New York. During the almost 4,000 mile long ride to San Francisco the riders became very close as they struggled to get their ancient motorcycle across the nation. The Motorcycle Cannonball Run drew passionate riders who respected their machines as well as their fellow adventurists. Racers pulled together to support each other every day for more than two weeks. An adventure that led to the creation of lasting friendships and deep bonds. Of course a third edition was planned.
The years went by and the Cannonball kept catching the interest of motorcycle enthusiasts from allover the globe.
2023 Cannonball winner
The winner of this year edition of the Motorcycle Cannonball is the 56 years old mechanical engineer Todd Cameron.
His grandfather John “J.D.” Cameron raced old Harley-Davidsons.for those who do not know, J.D was one of the first members of a motorcycle club called the Boozefighters, and he was at the famous 1947 Hollister, Calif., rally where bikers allegedly tore up the town. The media blew it out of proportion and turned it into the Marlon Brando movie “The Wild One.”
When John Cameron Died, Todd inherited a twin-cylinder 1916 Harley-Davidson which he restored and raced it in the 2018 Motorcycle Cannonball. Unfortunately the motorcycle broke down and did not finish the event. That was the day in which Todd decided he wanted to compete in the Elite Class and Win the Cannonball.
He decided to purchase a 1909 Indian Single, which thanks to its engine and set-up qualified for the right class. Unfortunately on the 2021 Cannonball the motorcycle broke a camshaft and Todd had to abandon the race.
To get ready for the 2023 edition he took the motorcycle apart, checked every piece that could brake and did some modifications that he thought could help him win.
Choices that paid off well, since he took the crown this year!
You have an Indian and want to go on a road trip?
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