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

Ton Up NC Membership Info.

Ton Up NC is always looking for new members. 

To be considered for membership you MUST: 1- currently own a vintage British motorcycle 2- live in the great north state 3- be willing to participate in the planning and execution of the annual Bull City Rumble every Labor Day weekend 4- have an interest in vintage motorcycle racing. 

If you can check ALL of those boxes and would like to be considered for membership in Ton Up NC, please send us an email at TonUpNC@gmail.com

Ton Up NC: 10 Years of Vintage Speed Demonology 2003-2013

Ton Up NC founding fathers in 2006: Patman and Marcus

Ton Up NC was founded in 2003 by one Marcus Rogers and Patrick “Patman” McGraw after a chance meet-up in Raleigh, NC. The story goes: Patman, then astride his Triumph Triple, was sitting at a local pizza joint (Lilly’s to be exact) enjoying a cold one and a hot slice, meanwhile Marcus rolls by on his angry Norton Commando (sure to cause a commotion wherever it is). Patman, recognizing the sweet tune of the Birmingham twin, chases down the Marcus and wallah, several beers later, Ton Up NC was born. 

Well, that was ten years ago and a lot has changed: unlike in 2003, cafe racers are currently the bike de jour, the Bull City Rumble Vintage Rally has taken on a life of its own and we’re not as young as we used to be. Meanwhile, a lot has stayed the same: Ton Up NC’s mission continues to be the riding, racing and restoration of vintage motorcycles, members continue to compete nationally in the American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (AHRMA) series in vintage road, motocross, cross-country and trials, the annual Bull City Rumble continues to be a major focus of the organization and much time and care is spent maintaining and riding our vintage machines. So with this blog post we raise a toast to all Ton Up NC members, supporters, family, friends and you. Here’s to another decade of vintage speed demonology!

Ton Up NC 2013: L-R Chad, Jim, Eric P, Marcus, Brian (Eric G absent)

Ton Up Highlands 2013: L-R Doug, Patman, Daniel

Ton Up N⋆C est. 2003

10 Years of Speed Demonology

You can help support the Bull City Rumble and Ton Up NC by purchasing something at our webstore here.

-Brian

2013 International Motorcycle Shows: Atlanta Recap.

Ahhh… the final event of the motorcycle calendar year, The International Motorcycle Shows Atlanta edition, is now just a bittersweet memory. We'd like to thank those of you stopped by to check out our exhibit, chatted with us about our bikes and/or the Bull City Rumble, financially supported us by buying some Ton Up NC/Bull City Rumble merchandise, to Ton Up Highlands for bringing some bikes for the display, to Combustion Cycles for lending us a trailer and motorcycle and an extra big thanks to the staff at Progressive International Motorcycle Shows for inviting us to participate again this year. I hope you all had as much fun as we did.

For those of you who missed it or just had questions about the bikes in the display, below is a L-R list of the bikes that we brought (feel free to email us with specific questions at tonupnc@gmail.com):

1951 Vincent Black Shadow Series C

1961 Triumph 5TA Speed Twin "Bathtub Bike"

1964 Triton

1966 Norton Atlas

1962 Triton (not pictured)

1966 Triumph T120 "Big D" TT Special

1973 Bultaco Pursang 350

If you missed this stop in the IMS tour, there are still a several left to check out and likely one that is close to your neck of the woods if you are in the North, Midwest, or Left Coast. Click for a complete International Motorcycle Shows tour listing.

We hope to see you all next year at the races, shows and on the streets of NC and beyond… for a complete schedule of upcoming races and events you might see us at click here. To help support our mission and help us fund upcoming events please purchase something from our online store by clicking here.

Duc girls Ton Up in Atlanta.

Jenna Pye on the Atlas. 

L-R: Marcus, Brian, Chad, Fletch (Ton Up Chicago)

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