S.E. Rochelle Reliability Run -March 30th, 2019, Durham NC

Saturday March 30th 2019

All bikes are welcome but the oldest bike to start and finish wins the prize. 

SCHEDULE:

WHEN: Saturday March 30th, 2019

WHERE: James Joyce Irish Pub

                912 W Main St 

                Durham, NC 27701

Noon - 1PM

Registration (FREE)

1 PM - 2PM

Reliability Run (40 mi) and Duke Campus Photo

3PM - Till 

Award to the Oldest Bike to Complete Run

Facebook event link: https://www.facebook.com/events/589235178258323/

1913 & 2013 Reliability Run Vintage Motorbikes from all over the world will started and finished in Durham, NC. A low speed round-trip ride through the Carolina countryside. The ultimate two-wheel attrition test of mechanic and machine. Awards were given to the oldest motorbike successfully completing the ride.  RULES and REGULATIONS: 1) Motorbike must start and finish under own power. 2) Motorbike age determined by manufacturer year, month and serial number. 3) Mechanical stops are allowed but tools an supplies must be stowed on motorbike. 4) This is NOT a race and all local, State and Federal laws must be followed.

Inside Rochelle's Durham shop (photo courtesy of Durham Library).

Sidney Edgar Rochelle (1878-1960) was a veteran, a business man and most importantly to us, a motorcycle enthusiast from Durham, NC, the place a handful of us Ton Up NC boys call home. From 1910 to 1954, SE Rochelle owned and operated the local Harley Davidson/Henderson/Indian dealership formerly located on the corner of Parrish and Corcoran St (and later on Mangum St.) in Durham. This was North Carolina's first Harley Davidson Dealership.

Rochelle not only provided the Durham motorcyclists with bikes, he created a motorcycle community in ways ranging from his promotion of motorcycle related attractions at the local amusement park, to the organization of a riding club and many local versions of the AMA sanctioned Gypsy Day Tour rides. Rochelle's Gypsy Day rides consisted of a round trip from Durham to Greensboro and back. Rochelle's club also traveled all over the USA.

Outside the old shop on Parrish Street, SE Rochelle is 2nd from right. (photo courtesy Durham Library).

Chad and I outside the old 208 Parrish Street location of Rochelle's old shop. It is Dos Perros restaurant now.

Whirl of Death motordome at Lakewood Park in Durham (photo courtesy of Durham Library).

Rochelle's Durham Gypsy Day Tour ride circa 1923  at Trinity College now Duke University.
(photo courtesy of Durham Library)

Durham motorcyclists band together (photo courtesy of Durham Library).

SE Rochelle and his motorcycle club circa 1910 (photo courtesy of Durham Library).

For more information on SE Rochelle, visit the Endangered Durham website, to which I am indebted for much of my knowledge about Mr. Rochelle.

Ton Up NC = Riding, Restoration and Racing of Vintage Motorcycles

-Brian/Chad

Norton Commando Raffle Bike

The Norton Commando raffle will held at the 2019 Bull City Rumble.

Tickets can be purched from any TUNC member or online at:

https://nortoncommandoraffle.bigcartel.com/

SE Rochelle Ride-In, April 15, 2018

What: SE Rochelle Ride-In

When: Sunday, April 15,2018 1:30pm est

Where: Central Park Tavern

704 Rigsbee Ave., Durham, NC 27701

Join us for the 3rd edition of the SE Rochelle “Ride-In” on April 15, 2018 at Durham’s Central Park Tavern to honor one of NC’s legendary motorcyclists, Sydney Edgar Rochelle.

In 1910, during motorcycling’s infancy, Mr.  Rochelle became North Carolina’s first Harley Davidson dealer. In the early 1900’s, a Durhamite could waltz into Sydney’s Radio and Accessories shop at 405 Mangum Street, plop down $300 in cash and roll out on a brand new Harley for “Health, Life and Sport,” as Rochelle’s newspaper ad read. It was a new dawn in transportation and Sydney was ahead of his time. In addition to selling the dream, he lived it. He started a local motorcycle club that took cross country tours, added motorcycling’s legendary wall of death to the festival at Lakewood Park and organized the local AMA Gypsy tour down Route 10 to Greensboro.

A century later in April 2012, with twenty other vintage motorcyclists, we resurrected the historic reliability ride to Greensboro, NC. On old Route 10, we followed in the tiretracks of our two-wheeled forefathers and-in the end- raised a pint to honor our local hero’s contribution to our southern motorcycle heritage. 

While we are not sponsoring a ride this year, we hope that on April 15 you join us at Central Park Tavern to pay homage to SE Rochelle and the legacy of all motorcyclists that preceded us. We suggest riding the oldest bike you own, but bikes of all ages are welcome and if you’re coming from Greensboro we suggest dipping your wheels in RT 10.

Until then, keep the rubber side down and keep your head in the wind.

PRE-REGISTER NOW FOR THE 2017 BULL CITY RUMBLE

PRE-REGISTER NOW FOR THE 

2017 BULL CITY RUMBLE

(LIMITED NUMBER OF PRE-EGISTRATIONS AVAILABLE)

CLICK HERE TO PRE-REGISTER

$30 PRE-REGISTRATION FEE INCLUDES:

• 1 RUMBLE T-SHIRT OR RALLY PATCH
• 1 MOTORCYCLE ENTRY INTO THE BIKE SHOW 
• 1 ENTRY INTO BANDS & BURLESQUE
• 1 RAFFLE TICKET

Ton Up NC Snow Day: BSA 4x41