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Vintage/Classic Only Rally anyone?

ricochetrider

Out There Somewhere
Not sure if this is the right place for this, but I'm wondering- with all the rallies each summer, does anyone hold a classic or vintage only rally anywhere?

I know lots of MOA members own older BMWs, but tend to ride the wheels off their newer bikes. OK, I can understand that, but them I saw the RR from a a guy who rode his R100RT from Florida to California and back.... And it got me thinking. Oops.

The BSA owners club has annual international rallies that are well attended. Folks either ship or ride their bikes from far & wide to attend (a couple years back it was in New Zealand). I was at the 45th annual rally on the Isle of Man in 2008- 500 or so people rode in from all over Europe- some folks shipped thei bikes over from the U.S.!
Why not do the same with BMWs?

What does everyone think? Does such a rally already exist? WOULD you ride your airhead or vintage BMW any distance to participate in a vintage ONLY rally?
 
Vech has his annual get together/open house in Sturgis MS in April. There are the local gatherings, such as the California Central Coast BBQ and Camp out every October. That one has been going on for 20 something years. February is the Death Valley Rendezvous XXI for Airheads.

Check out http://www.vintagebmw.org/v7/events for current info.
 

That events listing, which I maintain, only shows the events from today forward. During the course of a year, there are easily over 80 events that are listed, some in Europe and other countries. We're into a period of the year where there's not much going on for the next couple of months. But I'll be updating the vintage events list over time...usually some of these events are only announced a couple of months out, although there are some long-standing events and it's only a matter of exactly which weekend it will be held - Death Valley, Barber Motorsports, Vintage Ohio Days, Veterama, etc.
 
Thanks!

I'll be taking a look at these events. I'm not sure exactly what I was thinking of, but some of the above listed events are more obvious, such as Barber, & VMD in Ohio, which I've been to before. Both are massive, with almost too much to absorb in a weekend.
I like a regional "camp" kind of thing, that's a bit more intimate. Of course this ground is covered pretty well by local clubs, definitely across the U.S., if not everywhere- tho not necessarily in strictly Vintage class. The only meet of this variety I've ever attended was the Finger Lakes Rally, held on Labor Day each year, at Watkins Glen- quite delightful for sure.
 
The Canadian Vintage Motorcycle Group has their national rally on Father's day weekend every year at the Paris Fairgrounds in Paris, Ontario. I've only missed it a couple of times since 1979 and won a few trophies for my '56 R50 over the years.

I's a nice low-key event that draws a lot of really interesting machinery out of the woodwork. A 1903 Kerry? 1922 Ner-a-car? Nimbus, anyone? Last year the featured marque was Vincent and there was a spectacular assemblage, including the original Gunga Din.
 
There are a handful (or more) single day or weekend Vintage/Classic events such as the AMCA events ot Oley PA, and Rhinebeck NY, and the British & European Classic Day at Clarksburg, MD- the Triumph Come Home Rally, recently moved to Oley PA, but nothing that I know of that is BMW specific- unless maybe Bob's in Maryland has some ride-in days for BMWs. Up in Ny state, in the Finger Lakes region, there are one or two vintage events also that I know of.
I get to some, or all of these each year. I usually rotate around doing some one year, and some the next- as I find it difficult to get to all events every year.

But I don't know of any event specifically targeted at classic or vintage BMWs.
 
+ on the AMCA rallies. I've gone to the one in Wauseon, Ohio for many years. Haven't been to the Oley, PA rally, but will attend this year. This year will be the 4th Annual National Rally for the Southern chapter at Denton Farm Park, NC, which is not that far for you, but a nice distance. You'll see all kinds of bikes at these rallies. Nice folks, too! The one in Denton is held the weekend of May 18th. Great camping, there!
 
+ on the AMCA rallies. I've gone to the one in Wauseon, Ohio for many years. Haven't been to the Oley, PA rally, but will attend this year. This year will be the 4th Annual National Rally for the Southern chapter at Denton Farm Park, NC, which is not that far for you, but a nice distance. You'll see all kinds of bikes at these rallies. Nice folks, too! The one in Denton is held the weekend of May 18th. Great camping, there!

I try to get to Oley each year, as I figure it's a great way to kick off the "summer"- even tho it's scheduled in April... Taking the back (crooked) way, it's a little under 100 miles from the house. I actually rode through Rhinebeck last summer on the weekend of that AMCA rally- but we were passing through, on our way to southern Vermont, then on up into Nova Scotia and beyond. I haven't made an effort to get to Rhinebeck for their rally, because I feel like I'd see many of the exact same bikes as I do at Oley- many of which are there year after year.
 
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