El Camino 2011 Part 1 Sportsters Only?

I'm real late in posting anything from this years show.

If you go to the promoters website, it says that this years show was the biggest and best ever!... "Really?"

When I was asked what it was like, my reply was, "it sucked"! ... and think it has been in decline for sometime. My reason... for the last several years there has been a shrinking amount of American bikes entered in the show. Sure, there are always some interesting ones in the vendor's booths or rode in, but actually entered, very few. I do have some ideas why, but won't get in to that.

That's All Folks! This photo shows ALL of the bikes entered in two classes of American bikes, 1936-64 and 1965-89. Way back is Ty's very nice panhead , a K-model (cool, but of not show bike quality), and some sort of modified scooter that was completely out of place. To top it off, I overhead that the show officials had to ask 2 vendors to bring their bikes over to the show. There were 3 or 4 more Harleys in the custom class.


This very nice '72 and the above orange '69 were automatically in contention for 1st and 2nd place in the '65-'89 class. I would have liked to have got the owner's names.


This is definitely the nicest '72 XLCH I've ever seen and makes me question selling mine.


Again this bike, is nice, so don't get me wrong!... For fun and a personal challenge, I like to play judge and see if I can detect anything slightly a miss on bikes like this.

Disclaimer: I realize that many times an owner will make some personal choices which they are fully aware of. That said, I came up with 10 small items that a judge might find plus 2 I'd have to double check.

1. Fork bearing cups should be cad plated not black. 2. Front fender should have rivets not acorn nuts. 3 Inner front fender mounts improperly positioned. 4. Kickstand should be cad not chrome. 5. Kicker should be black not chrome. 6 Battery lid should be chrome not black. 7. Wire loom should be plastic not fabric. 8. Speedo cable routed incorrect. 9. Rocker box plugs should be cad, not chrome. 10. Carb/Air cleaner support should be cad, not black.

Two questionable items. 1. I'm not sure this type of passenger pegs were an option for this year. Most had a mount bolted to the rear engine mount. 2. I don't think the #1 points/timer cover is correct for this year.

I know this post got sort of disjointed, but wtf?... and OK, the show wasn't all bad, so I'll be posting more.

One last thing, Hey Noot, How'd I do?

The El Camino Conundrum

El Camino can be a hard show to completely take in. The show opens at 8 a.m. and is basically over by noon. Yes trophies are announced around 2 p.m., but pretty much everybody else has split. Not a lot of time to fit it all in, especially when you get there around 9:00.

You don't really see things if your busy looking through a camera, so sometimes it 's best to put the camera down and just take in the experience.

Here's the drill. If I'm taking pictures, I'm really not checking out the show bikes. If I'm really checking out the bikes, I'm not taking pictures, or looking for parts. If I'm looking at parts, I don't have time for the first two activities. Then throw into the mix, running into friends every 10-15 minutes or talking with someone who is admiring the same bike you happen to be standing by. The day will race by, and later I'll think, what happened?

So here's my (limited) highlights of what happened.

A well restored early Sportster will always dazzle me. This '61 belongs to Glenn Bator. It started with 3 kicks and sounded real sweet. The overcast skies don't bring out the color quite as good as it really looked.


I didn't get a chance to read the board behind this bike.


The owner of this Super-Glide really wanted to sell it. It has a few incorrect items but is still very nice.


This black VL is refreshing.


Lowrider anyone?


It's nice to see old grubby bikes are still surfacing.


This was the first time I saw Keith Ball's Peashooter.


That tank art looks familiar? The fire extinguisher is actually an oil tank.


Original paint Sprint.


Police bikes shouldn't have whitewalls and look so much better without them.


Some probably hate the green. I like it much more than the typical red Injuns.


Can't go wrong with black.


These might be the best tank emblems HD ever offered.


Didn't see many vintage chops this year.

This sums up how this year went. I didn't take many photos, didn't really see all or check the bikes out that well, bought only one part, talked with several friends and a few other enthusiast.

Still a good time overall.

La Mirada, La Habra, El Camino?

The 35th Annual El Camino Antique Motorcycle Show is this coming Saturday. In some ways that statement isn't true. I don't know how many regular attendees know it, but it wasn't always at El Camino College in Torrance.

I first heard about the show in the Feb. '83 issue of Supercycle magazine (first one I bought), when they did a feature on the '82 show. It seems they usually had the show in La Mirada in those days. The first one I went to was in '84, but was held close by in La Habra. The following year it was again in La Mirada. La Habra, La Mirada... whats the difference?

They used to make some pretty cool posters each year. This one from 82 was printed in the Feb. '83 Supercycle. Check the credits for technical assistance. I have a couple of nice posters from some later years.

Any way, it moved to El Camino in 1986 and has pretty much been there ever since. One year it didn't happen as there wasn't a promoter to pick it up (I don't know the politics or how or if the So. Ca. Chapter of the Antique Motorcycle Club of America works with the promoters these days). It also, sort of got rained out one year (2007).

I do know that Glen Bator kept it going for quite awhile. At one time he was putting on the Del Mar show too, which was some years, only a week apart.


I forgot that '84 was my first year until I dug out this old shirt. Notice it was a two day event. The show bikes were invited to a ride. I only have a few other year's shirts. Most year's designs weren't to my liking.

In those days, it was like Antique M/C Season here in So Cal. Sometimes El Camino was on Saturday, and Sunday was the Long Beach Swap Meet. Other times they were a week apart. Some years all three events were in a week's span.

Two years ago Glen announced at the show, he's moving on and not doing it anymore and the show was going to die if someone didn't step in. It was strange as it had the largest attendance ever. It didn't seem right, everyone was in disbelief and disappointed.

When the current promoter (Classic Cycle Events), took over last year, he stated he's keeping the traditional date in Sept. but up until a few years back it was always on the first Saturday in Oct. Then it crept up to the last Saturday in Sept. Now it's in the middle of the month. So much for tradition.



The old shows were quite different for better or worse. The better, it was a free event held in a shopping center's parking lot and more like a field event with riding games/contests. The worse, the bikes were roped off from spectators. It was still that style of show the first few years at El Camino where they also first began charging admission ($3.00), in '86.

I've never missed a year yet, and don't intend to miss this one.

El Camino 09 Part 2

It took me so long just to do the swap meet, that by the time I made it back to the show area, many of the bikes were loaded and gone. Most of the bikes left belonged to guys waiting to hear if they had won anything.

If your into Antique MC's , you probably know this fella. Mike's done bikes for big shots such as Jay Leno.


This '66 returned but this time with a side hack.


Too flashy for me and likely for the judges as well.


Craig Taylors exceptionally clean '61.


I heard he took it all the way to Davenport.


You had to see this BMW's color in person to really appreciate it.


Nice '51. I love black wheels but not with whites. If your into flash and want to run whites wouldn't it make more sense to have chrome wheels?


Interesting but too much flash (and red), for my taste. All that work, so why the funky and torn '80's Sportster seat?


A simple Chief. It may have been the only Indian in this groups line up.


Pepper Red and Ivory White. Yes, the factory really did this simple form of two tone for '54.


This funny little Powell was the last (scooter class), bike standing when I came back. It appears the seat and rack are sprung by those 3 springs in the back.

An Important Reminder...

El Camino is Back!

The 34th annual El Camino College Classic Cycle Show and Swap Meet is this Saturday Sept.19.

After several years as the host/promoter, Bator International announced last year they were calling it quits. Ironically it was said to be bigger than ever. Thank goodness Classic Cycle Events has stepped up to take it over.

Here's a few shots from some previous years to wet your appetite.




That's your esteemed author (with hat in foreground), refereeing the arguing over some minor detail.

I've been going since '84. It actually wasn't at El Camino back then. I don't recall what they called it, but it was held in the parking lot at a couple of different locations (shopping centers), a bit more of a field event and was free! One year it didn't happen because no one wanted to be the promoter, and in 2007, it sort of sucked as the rain made a poor showing and it ended early.

For me, it's a must attend event. Great bikes, interesting people, and a giant swap meet that draws folks from far far away... and I only live about 4 miles from it.

For more info go to:
http://www.classiccycleevents.com/

El Camino Motorcycle Show 2008

It was one of those great weekends packed full of biking good times. Last Saturday the 33rd Annual Antique Motorcycle Show was held at El Camino College.

Two oldies. Nice but, perfect museum pieces are starting to bore me

It's always one of my favorite events of the year. My brother and I decided to put our bikes in the show at the last minute. We didn't do it cause we thought we'd win but instead for the comradeship with friends, spectators, participants, and to support the event. It's also the best place to park.

The old gal must of been proud, she didn't drip like usual

Cup 'o' second

I was really surprised that my 70 shovel placed 2nd in the American Classic 1965-1988 class. It kind of makes up for when they put me in the wrong (original un-restored), class in 2006.

This very nice fresh restored red 66 took first in the 65-88 class. It had been badly damaged in a fire. Turned out a friend of mine assisted with the restoration.


Paul Wheeler's Cop Bike. Many originally sought Cop bikes and Dressers only for their chopper potential. Funny how later, the "admiration of the potential" becomes the new cool. I think that's one reason why primered rods and bikes have become cool.

I thought for sure Paul Wheeler's 67 Police bike would take first and told him so. For some reason his bike didn't even get third, he did get a Sponsor's Choice Plaque. I didn't feel too bad for him as he built the second place bike in the Bobber class and has won a ton of trophies at this and other prior events.

My score, 96 points. Not bad for a ride in 14 year old restoration

Even though this year's event was the biggest ever , it might die. Glenn Bator of Bator International is weary of throwing it. He's hosted it for the last 9 years. There was one year it didn't happen between him and the previous promoter. Hope someone steps up. It would be a shame to see this traditional event die after 33 years.

Who doesn't like a Knuckle Bobber?


Coolest bike at show? My bro though so


This Salsbury is one Meaty Scooter


Clean Knuck by Paul Wheeler


Nice Captain America replica but, is the fork is too long and raked too much?

This year Indian Lewy was a Happy Loser!

The swap meet was great (I found a nice lower fork tree for my 65), and there was a ton of nice bikes. Like always, they were not just in the show but, in the vendors booths as well. Between hunting for parts, entering the show and talking with friends, I just wasn't up to the chore of taking a bunch of pictures this year. That will do pig.