First it was the sound, then the sight, and finally the smell. I stepped into the 1970s.
BRAPP!, the sound of twisting the throttle on a 1970s two stroke motocross engine.
RING, DING, Ding, ding, ding. The sound 1970s two-stroke Yamaha enduro engine when releasing the throttle.
Then it was the gleam of gas tanks from bikes long gone - vivid colors illustrating memories stored 50 years ago.
Bultaco - deep red and silver two-tone,
Maico - school bus yellow,
CZ - silver, almost chrome
Montesa - bright red with black and orange wrap-around stripes.
But oh, the smell. The smell of two-stroke engine exhaust. Not the nauseating smell of a car burning oil. Not the stale smell of a marijuana joint. A sweeter burning smell you don’t turn away from. A smell like… riding.
These sights, sounds, and smells create Vintage Motorcycle Days (VMD) at Mid-Ohio Raceway. Every July roughly 40,000 motorcycle fanatics attend the largest motorcycle swap meet in the country.
What is a vintage motorcycle? Basically, at VMD, a bike built in the 1970s, when baby boomers were kids.
VMD is Woodstock for motorcyclists. Though not 3 Days of Peace and Music - 3 days of no peace, and the music of motorcycle engines. 3 days spent back in the 1970s - without bad hair (mullets and afros), bad clothing (bell bottoms and leisure suits), and bad music (arena rock and easy listening).
VMD is not a pristine motorcycle restoration show with judges in straw hats and seersucker suits. This is a swap meet - one rider’s trash is another rider’s treasure. If you rode it in the 1970s, it is at VMD in the form of a pile of rust to a fully intact original. Bikes stand in various states of (dis)repair, parts are piled in plastic containers or spread out on tarps. Many prove Neil Young was right - rust never sleeps.
Signs declare:
Anything on tarp for $1.00.
No reasonable offer refused.
Even the local animal shelter offered “Free Toys for a Donation.”
Signs on bikes – a paper plate taped to the headlight - declare the bike’s status:
$1,000 OBO – $1,000 asking price or best offer (please buy this).
$1,000 Firm – asking price is non-negotiable (at least for the 1st day of VMD).
NFS – not for sale (just showing off).
Boomers bring their kids, grandkids, and yes, great grandkids for a weekend of camping and literally freewheeling. Humans, ages 4 to 84, literally ride mopeds, mini-bikes, electric motorcycles, motorcycles, ATVs, side by sides, electric bicycles, bicycles, and golf carts anywhere and everywhere.
God bless the young man the directing traffic at a T-intersection of this cornucopia of transportation - he directed all day and had the sunburn to prove it.
VMD is for everyone, a chance:
For boomers to wax nostalgic
To fan the flame of motorcycle enthusiasts.
To introduce wide-eyed kids to motorcycles
To race your vintage motorcycle.
To search for that elusive bike or part
Demo ride that new bike.
To simply ride
When the body is on fire we are taught to stop, drop, and roll. When the soul is on fire we absorb sounds, sights, and smells.
How about you? What do you hear, see, or smell? Share a story!
2nd Helping
AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days – next VMD is July 26-28, 2024
