Vintage Motorcycle Show at Gilmore Car Museum, Hickory Corners, MI

June 8, 2008
Vintage Motorcycle Show at Gilmore Car Museum, Hickory Corners, MI
This is the 13th annual vintage motorcycle show
that has been put on by Gilmore Car Museum with the
help of the BMW club of Battle Creek, MI and it just
keeps getting bigger and better every year. Although the
number of show bikes may have been down a little from
last year due to the weather forecast, the motorcycles
were still a site to see.
The host groups added two new items to the
itinerary and they were both a huge success. First, a
vintage motorcycle ride and lunch was organized for
Saturday which left from the museum and toured 68
miles of paved country roads to Historic Charlton Park
in Hastings, MI. Approximately 20 bikes rode this
vent and enjoyed lunch and camaraderie talking about
old motorcycles during lunch. Triumph, BSA, Harley,
BMW, Honda and others were all represented during the
tour with all bikes being over 20 years old.
Thanks to all of the VJMC members for
bringing bikes to show and for stopping by the VJMC
booth to talk about our shared passion. Many regular
members helped out with the honorable past President
Jim Townsend and his buddy Gary Rhodes helping man
the booth so I could wander. Steve Passwater (new VP)
was there but was very tired from the previous day at
the Hall of Fame Museum. Scott VanLeuwen is also a
member of the BMW club and did an outstanding job
organizing the show. We signed up 8 new members and
2 of those placed in the show. Well done! But I have
realized that winning a trophy is not the “real” reason to
bring and show vintage motorcycles. It is the sharing of
information, restoration or stories about the bikes that is
the real treasure. Like the guy who bought his Yamaha
RZ350 brand new and still has it or the person who got
an old Yamaha from a neighbor or a guy who made a
replica racer from a CB400F. That is the stuff this club is
made of!
Well, do you remember th at weather forecast?
For once, the weatherman got it right. Just as the
trophies were being presented, the skies opened up and
it rained, thundered and lightning like it has all spring.
A tree fell over the entrance to the museum and chaos
followed. Another exciting adventure with motorcycles.
One couldn’t ask for anything more and so we will make
sure to do it again next year.
The second new item introduced this year was a
points judged masters class which highlighted the best of
the best in the motorcycle show. These bikes were all in
pristine condition and drew a lot of attention all day. No
Japanese placed in this category but the competition was
fierce.
Tom Sanecki
with his X-6
The Japanese class had many club winners
including but not limited to:
1st Tom Sanecki
1967 Suzuki X-6 Hustler Elburn, IL
3rd Greg Karbowski
1968 Yamaha YAS-1 Holland, MI
2nd Lou Craighead
1976 Honda Goldwing Lawton, MI
3rd Roger Smith
1980 Honda CBX Clarkston, MI
(Peoples Choice)
Greg Karbowski
with his YAS-1
1st Charles Tackett
1964 Honda RC172Replica Kalamazoo, MI
Written by: Steve Searles, Western Michigan VJMC Field Rep
Tom Sanecki with his X-6
Greg Karbowski with his YAS-1