AHRMA Racing: McKee's Sky Ranch WV 2013

Chad's Penton.

The AHRMA race at McKee's Sky Ranch has been an annual favorite for the past two years. In July, the cool mountain air of West Virginia is a welcome change from the heat and humidity that North Carolina is experiencing at the same time 400 miles south. But thats not all, the folks at McKee's Sky Ranch have put together a total package of amazing terrain for vintage dirt enthusiasts. The yearly two day race includes vintage/post vintage cross country, vintage/post vintage trials, vintage/post vintage motocross as well as a vintage bike show/swap meet. For those of you who are not vintage racers, the event also includes a dual sport ride for motorcycles of all ages. The 5 mile cross country course has it all: fast service roads, stream crossings, hill climbs and some challenging tight woods sections. The crown jewel of the event is the motocross course, designed by the legendary Dick Mann in 2012, the natural terrain track is a vintage speed demon's dream with naturally banked turns, humps, bumps and did I mention its fast? This year's event is scheduled for July 24-27, and you can be sure you'll see us all there. Jack Penton of Penton Motorcycles and Ken Smith from the Australia based VMX magazine are scheduled to make appearances this year. If you decide to roll on up, down or across to the event, be sure to look for the Ton Up NC banner and stop by and say, "howdy." Until then, check out these pics from 2013...

Tech time at camp (Brian's XR200, Chad's BSA 441 and Patman's Yammer).

Ton Up Indy's Rich and Pops race ready on the Maico.

Marcus on his Bultaco 350 Pursang awaits his MX heat.

Chad on the BSA 441.

The legendary Beno Rodi on his Indian.

Chad.

Marcus takes an inside lane on the MX course.

Rich.

Ton Up NC/Indy (L-R top: Brian, Marcus, Patman, Jason, Jim; bottom: Chad, Rich and Guthrie)

Wood.

For more information on the McKee's Sky Ranch complex go to www.mckeeskyranch.com

For more info. on AHRMA vintage racing go to www.ahrma.org

To support Ton Up NC racing and the Bull City Rumble by a shirt, patch, poster or decal from the Ton Up NC webstore: http://tonup.bigcartel.com

See you at the races!

-Brian

Ton Up NC Tech Daze...

A lot of people ask us whether we can build a bike for them, if we're motorcycle dealership, a custom build shop or a repair station. The answer is "no." But within that "no" answer lies a bit of "yes." We do build, repair and maintain all of the bikes that we use for riding and racing and its no small task. Collectively the club has well over 100 vintage bikes of all nationalities: British, Spanish, Japanese, Indian, German, Italian, Ohian as well as a few modern machines. Three cylinder, two cylinder, single cylinder; two-stroke, four-stroke, you name it... we love them all. 

Keeping all of these bikes road worthy is a year-round collective effort and a challenge that is not for the faint of heart (ask anyone who has owned and/or raced a Bultaco). Be it in the garage, the shed, roadside in the pouring rain, on the patio with the boys sweating over an old repair manual (wrench in one hand and a beer in the other) or trackside moments before the race; its a labor of love. Its one that pays off in spades when you finish that long ride or grueling race error free. Its also the smile on the old timers face who lovingly reminisces with you about their old Triumph that makes all the time and energy worth it.

What follows are some pictures of Ton Up NC tech days/moments from the past...

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

You can support our mission and the Bull City Rumble by purchasing something from our webstore here.

If you have a pre 1969 machine you'd like to put to the test, make plans to participate in the SE Rochelle Reliability Run. More information here.

-Brian

Wild & Wonderful [Trail] Riding in West Virginia - Hatfield McCoy Spring Ride

Last weekend I returned to the mountains of West Virginia to ride the famous Hatfield McCoy Trails (HMT). For those of you that don't know about HMT and love off-road trail riding, find yourself in the know.

For southern trail riders that love Brushy Mountain and Durhamtown you will be blown away by the HMT.  Imagine the organization or Durhamtown and the elevation of Brushy and then imagine both with no red clay and the ability to absorb and drain rain water. If you are still on the fence allow me to add that all HMT participating towns allow you to ride on the roads (without plates/lights) and patronize their businesses with muddy gear. A $50 bill gets you a pass you can use on any of the 8 trail systems, 365 days of the year. I will also add that many (not all) of the trails are vintage friendly.

I pulled up to our posh rental cabin where I met a dozen buddies from my hometown that have been meeting and riding HMT for 7 years straight now.  The Hillbilly Hilton was fully equipped with a loaded game room, hot-tubs, multiple flat screens, cable, sound-system, in-deck grill and fire pit. First class digs for a low brow boys weekend.

The guys had already logged of day of soggy riding in the rain on Friday at the Bear Wallow trail which presented the weekend's first casualty.  A 1000cc Can-Am ran off the trail and came to an abrupt stop when it quickly found a tree.  Fortunately the only injury was the riders ego and wallet.

The lovely town of Logan, WV has a magnificent downtown with plenty of extracurricular activities for riders, but to protect the innocent and for the sake of keeping this post 'SFW I will leave you with the following pics and the assurance we had a great time.

On Saturday we loaded up the rigs and drove to the Little Coal River trail which is one of the oldest trail systems and historically the most rider friendly. 

About one hour into the ride, the group was quickly descending a ridge when the lead Can-Am launched into the air and smacked a tree ending it's weekend.  Rider and wallet were both shaken but fine.

With 2 Can-Ams on the trailer and later 2 Honda's having a rear luggage rack wardrobe malfunction, the rest of the group consisting mostly of Team Polaris and Team Motorcycle put the hammer down and logged around 100 miles making it back just before sunset.

Sunday morning I said farewell to my 4-wheel buddies and headed southward for some 2-Wheel-Me-Time passing through Gilbert, WV to the trial head of Pocahontas which is the newest trail of the HMT system and only 3 hours from Durham, NC right off I-77, North of Bluefield, WV

 Some of the the Pocahontas trails are amazing and some are still in development with gravel connectors and semi-paved shared use roads. Fortunately one of the connectors led me into the Indian Ridge trail system  where I was tempted by some of the famous unofficial "Outlaw Trails" but since I was riding alone I decided not to tempt fate. After 140 miles and the gas tank on reserve I headed back to the truck with plans for summer and fall trips in the works.
 
 -Chad

For more information on the Hatfield McCoy Trails go to: http://www.trailsheaven.com/

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

New Season Dawning: AHRMA Racing

Chad on his BSA 441 in WV.

Vintage motorcycle racing is a disease. It comes on innocent enough, disguised as an opportunity to spend the weekend with old and new friends in a sea of rusty motorcycles, pop-up tents and pickup trucks. ...nights spent sitting around  the campfire, cold beer in hand, sharing stories of broken bikes, past races and secret formulas for mechanical success. Then it happens, race morning dawns, your number is up, the flag drops and you're a goner, sucked in by the adrenaline rush, hypnotized by the engine roar and consumed by the smell of race fuel. The disease begins to take hold. You push yourself each weekend to to catch that elusive point leader, best your last lap time or just get a little closer to the finish line before you or your bike break. Then there's no turning back, there's nothing but the next race. What follows are some musings from TUNC members as the AHRMA vintage race season lingers off in the not too distant future. Race #1 for most of us is White Lightening Cross Country March 12-13 in Chester, SC. For more info. on our racing schedule click here.

Eric on his 2012 XC racer, the Hondapatomus

You know I was trying to be calm about racing this year.  Spend more time with the family, try and make it to more bike rally's, race a few races and not get so consumed with the whole thing.

All was good until I started registering for races and realized it was only two weeks away...  Now I got the f'n DT's, can't think straight, worried about getting the bike right, worried about points, how many races can I possibly make it to, and how the hell am I going to afford it...

If they let me loose right now I'd smoke a tree with the throttle pinned before the first 100 feet.

IT'S A F'N DISEASE!!!!!!!!!   LET'S GO RACING BOY'S!!!!!!!!!   HHHAAAWWWWW!!!!!!!!!

-Eric

1974 Honda Elsinore 250

Jim and the Field Pig in Chester, SC 2012.

...while doing the pre-registration this AM for White Lightening....I started gettin all twitchy wound up - nerves on edge - thinking about season 2.    

Last year...I was a wreck at Gatorback...the tension nearly drained me, the partial lap I could muster took what was left.    But things got a lot less taxing as the season went on.   White Lightening was a milestone - completed many (for me) laps...had a blast doing it...felt confident and the bike did what I needed it to.   But...at all races...lining up at the start, watching each wave go....disappearing into the wooded unknown....then off with my wave....hoping not to kill myself, or someone else....make it out as unscathed as possible - lap after lap...managing the muddy climbs..over the slick roots trying to guide the bike over the edge, or into the trees...the narrow rock littered descents that want to launch you off trail...the long stretches of tight tree slaloms that want to bust your knuckles, the grassy open runs wet with dew that want to spill your ass in front of everyone....and the finish - the relief, the sense of accomplishment...the exhaustion, the exuberance.....then later...when we're all in....the stories, the hanging out with my boys, grillin', smokin' & beveraging up...and looking forward to the next race...

Can't wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-Jim

1971 Triumph T25T Field Pig

Marcus feeds his Bultaco MX racer.

Me (Brian) on my XR200 PV XR bike in WV 2012.

Patman road racing.

Hope to see you all out on the track this season.

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