Back in September of 2010, I sponsored and participated in the first Motorcycle Cannonball Endurance
Race which was the brainchild of Lonnie Isam Jr. I had great hopes and expectations that my entry, a 1911
Flying Merkel Single, would have a good run and would be in the winner's circle at the end of the 15-day
endurance test.
1911 Flying Merkel Single
If you read "Motorcycle Cannonball
Conclusion", posted on this site in December 2010, you will see
that I was not very happy with the outcome of the race and I reported that I was embarrassed by our poor
performance. Two years ago, I decided to, once again, give it a go and my expectations are now running very
high with the team I have in place for this year's Motorcycle Cannonball Endurance Race.
Our rider, Steve MacDonald, on the 1911 Flying Merkel Single
On September 10, 2016, approximately 90 motorcycles and riders will leave Atlantic City, New Jersey
with intentions of competing in a more than 3,300 mile run to the Pacific Ocean ending in Carlsbad,
California. This year's event, however, will be extra special since every motorcycle in the race will be at
least one hundred years old. My entry this year is a 1912 Henderson 4 (bike #64 in the race) which was built
and constructed by Henderson 4-Cylinder guru, Mark Hill, in upstate New York. Our rider, Steven MacDonald,
has been very successful in previous Cannonball experiences, and we are feeling very good about our chances
on winning this thing and coming home with the Jeff Decker Trophy.
Mark Hill, Dick Shappy, Steve MacDonald (l-r)
Engine Failure On Day 5
At about mile 102 of Stage 5 on September 14th, our rider, Steve MacDonald, heard a noise in the engine and
immediately pulled off the road to inspect. Tanner, the rider mechanic, was right behind him and he pulled
off too. They tightened a loose tappet and thought they had solved the problem. Steve resumed the race, but
at mile 107, the engine had damaged itself irreparably for this race. The engine will be thoroughly
inspected in the shop after the race to determine the cause of failure.
You can follow the rest of the race on the internet by tuning in to Bill Wood's reporting at www.antiquemotorcycle.org or see Motorcycle Cannonball 2016 for the route,
riders, rules, sponsors, and other information.
