Legend Of The Motorcycle

The annual "Legend of the Motorcycle International Concours d’Elegance" is a competitive event held on a 44-mile (72 km) scenic loop that begins at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Half Moon Bay, California and follows the coast down, along, and back up the mountain ridge-top that overlooks the Pacific Ocean. It is the only world-class concours d’elegance exclusively for motorcycles. [http://www.legendofthemotorcycle.com/ Legend of the Motorcycle International Concours d’Elegance] ]

This atypical concours d’elegance was established to create a competitive event for motorcycles that previously, only had been associated with fine automobiles. [http://thekneeslider.com/archives/2005/07/05/legend-of-the-motorcycle-international-concours-delegance/ Archives] ] It was planned to include exhibits of up to two hundred motorcycles that represent almost a century of motorcycle history and three featured brands—Vincent, Henderson, and Excelsior.

Historic motorcycles also will be on display, such as Rollie Free’s Vincent HRD Black Lightning, which he rode across Utah’s Bonneville Salt Flats in September 1948, exceeding 150-miles-per-hour and breaking a decade-old speed record. [http://www.examiner.com/a-691204~Concours_d_Elegance__The_making_of_a_legend.html Examiner] ]

A few motorcycles whose significance is rooted in the present and, perhaps in the distant future may turn up in vintage shows and motorcycle museums, also will be showcased at the concours every year—such as motorcycles built by legendary motorcycle builders who include Japanese minimalist master, Shinya Kimura, and the noted bike builder, stuntman, and innovator, Indian Larry. In 2008 the founder of the West Coast Choppers, Jesse James, showed his "Radial Hell aero bike", [http://www.pe.com/wow/motorcycle/stories/PE_News_Local_D_wow_0213_aerobike.22cb220.html Aero] ] which is powered by a 7-cylinder Rotec radial aircraft engine. West Coast Choppers will be unveiling the Airstream Bike which cost over $300,000 and was made for Airstream CEO, Bob Wheeler. [http://www.westcoastchoppers.com/ West Coast Choppers] ]

"Legend" announced that Ian Barry at Falcon Motorcycles would unveil his most recent motorcycle, "The Bullet Falcon," at its concours on May 3, 2008. [http://legendofthemotorcycle.com/pdf/pressrelease/LeeRibisElvis.pdf Legend Of The Motorcycle Press Release] ] The board-track racer inspired, "Bullet Falcon Motorcycle", started life as a pre-unit post-war-Triumph Thunderbird, and took over eight hundred hours to fabricate. It was custom-created by commission, for the skateboarder and actor Jason Lee. [http://www.falconmotorcycles.com Falcon Motorcycles] ]

The one-day-event is run by a selection committee made up of vintage motorcycle experts, who scour the world for the best in unique, rare, or accurately-restored running specimens. Over 10,000 entries are submitted for consideration in this concours per year, [http://www.kiehls.com/_us/_en/about/index.aspx?TopicCode=About%5EGoings_On%5ELegends_Motorcycle Kiehls] ] and finalists are established by the prior autumn.

On average, 6,000 visitors attend the event, including motorcycle luminaries such as Peter Fonda, the son of Steve McQueen, Chad McQueen, Ewan McGregor, and the famed stuntman and racer, Bud Ekins. [http://www.cycleworld.com/article.asp?section_id=3&article_id=342 Motorcycle World] ]

Auction house Bonhams & Butterfields holds an annual sale of motorcycles in conjunction with this concours.

References

External links

* [http://www.legendofthemotorcycle.com/ Legend of the Motorcycle International Concours d’Elegance]
* [http://legendofthemotorcycle.com/pdf/pressrelease/LeeRibisElvis.pdf Legend Of The Motorcycle Press Release]
* [http://www.bonhams.com/legend Bonhams & Butterfields Legend of the Motorcycle Sale]
Concours d'Elegance