The 2021 Fritzie Baer trophy for above and beyond service to Laconia Motorcycle Week Motorcycle Rally has been awarded to Don Hamme of Erie, PA.
For the past fifteen years, Hamme has been a promoter of Motorcycle Week throughout the Western PA, Western New York and Eastern Ohio region giving talks, making calls and distributing the Rally News to motorcycle enthusiasts. Hamme is a tireless booster for the rally. At times, showing his dedication through acts such as meeting a train at 4:30am and lugging hundreds of pounds of magazines through the train station.
Recently, Charlie St. Clair, Executive of the Laconia Motorcycle Week Association, drove 1,000 miles round-trip to Erie, PA to surprise Hamme with the trophy as Hamme was unable to attend this year’s rally. St. Clair commented, “It was the least we could do for Hamme because of the dedication he has shown to the Rally.”
The Fritzie Baer Trophy was first awarded in 1996 and has been received by the likes of Governor John Lynch, Peter Makris of the Naswa Resort, Laconia Mayor Ed Engler and Laconia Police Chief Matt Canfield over the past 20 years, just to name a few.
Fritzie Baer was a true booster for the Rally leading the Red Hat Brigade, a group of supporters who raised funds to put on the Rally. Baer was the lead charge for the Rally and is credited with bringing the AMA Road Champion Races to Laconia in 1938.
At the beginning of last week, bike maker Harley-Davidson announced it is holding a special online event dedicated to all those bike builders who were robbed by the health crisis of the chance of showing their creations in live motorcycle shows.
Called The No Show, the Harley event brought together on Youtube and Instagram around 60 bike builders across the U.S., each showing and advertising their bikes the best they could. Of the 60, Harley chose three to be named winners in various categories – Media Choice Award, H-D Styling & Design Award, and Harley-Davidson Museum Award.
As far as Styling & Design, the bike was selected and the crown was handed by Brad Richards, the man in charge of design at Harley, to a build called 2-Cam Banjo Board Track Racer.
The bike is the work of a man from Wisconsin named Michael Lange. Describing himself as a bike builder for 50 years and a self-employed man for the past 30, Lange decided to bring to The No Show a motorcycle he built way back in 1996, one he was supposed to show at this year’s Mama Tried.
The man’s confidence in the bike paid off, given his build won one of the three awards, but perhaps for him that’s just a small achievement.
Running on massive wheels and packing a host of custom-made parts, from the engine itself to the fuel tank and the frame, the Banjo is of course an odd sight on the roads today, but it is a common one at various racing events still paying tribute to the racing bikes of old.
Lange says he originally built the bike to race it as a privateer, and race it he did for the past 24 years without many major issues. You can watch he has to say about the motorcycle in the short video attached below this text.
TOKYO, Mar 30, 2020 – – Honda announced that the all-new Honda e electric vehicle and the CBR1000RR-R FIREBLADE supersport bike won product design awards in one of the most respected awards in the world, the Red Dot Award(1).
Honda e
Honda e won “Red Dot: Best of the Best 2020” in the automobile category, and also received “Red Dot 2020” in the meta category of “Smart Products”.
Honda e is a new-generation electric vehicle focused on a simple design and ease of use built upon Honda’s philosophy of human-centric design, while bringing new values to customers that meet the needs of modern urban life through seamlessly connected technology and outstanding driving dynamics. Honda e’s dashboard features two large touchscreens which display a wide range of applications and connected infotainment services in a lounge-like atmosphere, seamlessly integrating with the occupants’ urban lifestyle. By accessing various connected services displayed on these large touchscreens, the driver and occupants can enjoy the same connectivity and comfort while driving, stationary or charging. The battery is situated under the floor, realizing a low center of gravity and a firm footing despite its small size, and contributes to an optimum balance between stability and handling.
CBR1000RR-R FIREBLADE
CBR1000RR-R FIREBLADE received “Red Dot 2020” in the motorcycle category.
The CBR1000RR-R FIREBLADE was announced at EICMA 2019 in Milan, Italy in November 2019, with sales soon beginning in Europe.
Positioned as the top flagship of CBR series, the CBR1000RR-R FIREBLADE was developed with the concept, “TOTAL CONTROL for the Track”, pursuing high performance on the track and in races. Its engine was designed with technologies from the RC213V MotoGP machine which continues to win world titles, resulting in the most powerful engine for a CBR yet. The frame has enhanced stability under acceleration and braking, and with the help of advanced electronic control system supporting sport riding, its potential has been further enhanced. Honda believes CBR1000RR-R FIREBLADE won the award in part due to its functional beauty honed through pursuing the limits of high-performance and radical new form to achieve uncompromising function not only in the public roads, but also in the circuit.
(1) The Red Dot Award was founded in 1955, and has since become one of the most respected design awards worldwide. 49 categories of industrial products are judged on nine criteria including degree of innovation, functionality, durability and ergonomics. Outstanding designs are awarded by three awards, “Red Dot: Best of the Best”, “Red Dot” and “Honourable Mention”. “Red Dot: Best of the Best” is the most prestigious award among them.
The Antique Motorcycle Club of America, Legends Chapter, has announced that Dale Walksler, founder and curator of Dale’s Wheels Through Time Museum has been chosen as the recipient of their 2019 “Legends Award.”
Founded in 2016, the Legends Chapter, based in South Carolina, is committed to the love and collection of antique motorcycles. The “Legends Award” was developed to be given away each year to a different person or organization as a way to honor those who have made significant impacts on motorcycle history. The recipient of the award is recognized at a special ceremony and receives the “Legends Trophy,” a perpetual award to be kept for a year.
The trophy is a tribute in and of itself, containing the names of all the previous winners, as well as honoring legendary motorcycle world-record holder Burt Monroe. The trophy is topped with a copy of Monroe’s connecting rods and a hand-crafted replica of his world-famous streamliner motorcycle.
Walksler was selected for this year’s award because of his over 52-year commitment to preserving, collecting, and sharing the history of American motorcycles and American transportation history.
The result of this decade’s long passion is evidenced in Walksler’s Wheels Through Time Museum, recognized by many as the world’s premier collection of rare and vintage motorcycles. The museum displays over 350 all-American made machines and welcomes over 100,000 visitors annually.
In addition to his countless hours committed to preservation, Walksler has dedicated his life to educating future generations on the history, beauty, and craftsmanship of the American motorcycle and to increase awareness of the sport of motorcycling.
The award ceremony will be on Saturday, May 25, 2019, at 1:00 pm at Dale’s Wheels Through Time Museum in Maggie Valley, NC. The ceremony will coincide with the museum’s special Memorial Day weekend celebration featuring The American Motor Drome Company’s “Wall of Death,” a motorcycle thrill show featuring motorcycles driven on a 15-foot vertical wall, who will be performing free hourly shows all weekend long.
The Final Chapter of Re-Birth of a Shovelhead By the Stealth
There were bikes from all over the country, California, Texas, Michigan, New York, Virginia just to name a few. There was serious competition here! Every style bike was represented, early style choppers, antiques, club style, baggers, drag and retro stock, they were all here!
I think there were eight bikes that won the Peoples’ Choice vote, and they were moved into the Invitational class.
I love the Shovelhead, the bike is named GLORY DAYS because it takes me back to some of my GLORY DAYS!
TMFF Talk – Racing Dakar 55 minutes – Free to watch
Lawrence Hacking has been a motorcycle racer since 1971, he has raced the 21-day long 2001 Paris Dakar Rally and was the first ever Canadian to complete the toughest off-road race on earth. Since then, Lawrence has written a book “To Dakar and Back” and manages Overland Adventure Rally held each year in Ontario, Canada.
Christophe Barriere-Varju started racing motocross at the age of 14 and lifelong motocross racer, he has competed in the Dakar Rally 4 times, twice in Africa and twice in South America. His last Dakar Rally race has been captured in 10x Award Winning Film, Dream Racer — the timeless story true to all of us, one’s pursuit of lifelong dreams, whatever those dreams might be.
Lawrence and Christophe were interviewed by Toronto Motorcycle Film Festival Director, Caius Tenche in a fascinating 55-min video interview.
This interview is for all of you wondering what it takes, and what it feels like — to race the almighty Dakar Rally, and how this event can alter the course of one person’s life.
Sit back, and enjoy great life insights and personal stories from these two racers whose lives changed course after racing the world’s toughest motorsport race, the Dakar Rally as privateers.
An Interview with Lawrence Hacking, Dakar Rally Racer
DR. How did it feel racing that last stage on Lac Rose and crossing the same podium as these legends?
LH. That day was a highlight of my life, it was January 21, 2001, we rode from the hotel on a liaison to the beach where the special stage started. Hubert Auriol made an emotional speech, we the riders talked while we waited. That moment was what I worked an entire year for and crossing over the podium was pure euphoria. That feeling is so addictive and so difficult to achieve that the quest to relive that feeling is life changing. You start dreaming about ways to recapture that feeling and it is nearly impossible. It is almost dangerous.
DR. Ok, time to reflect now…what would you tell or recommend to anyone wanting to race the almighty race?
Many think in their own mind they have what it takes but soon find out they don’t. It is a hard pill to swallow. In the Dakar there is no hiding in the shadows, everyone in the World is watching how you perform under the most difficult conditions, you have to be prepared to accept whatever happens. One of the most important things to remember is that it is far less difficult to live with 2 or 3 weeks of extreme hardship than a lifetime of disappointment.
Some of the most inspirational films are available on Dream Racer TV.
Our films serve a purpose that go beyond entertainment — they are truly inspirational, show ordinary people can achieve extraordinary feats – and inspire others to achieve their own dreams and life aspirations.
The motorcycle appeared in America with its new element, a fully tattooed sidecar. The Recidivist’s sidecar was created in 2017 and had its world premiere at the Sturgis 2017 rally at the Buffalo Chip. The sidecar is fully tattooed, both outside and inside.
The Recidivist – a unique custom bike, which is characteristic of light colored leather – similar to the color of human skin – being engineered onto the bike and actually tattooed.
During the 77th Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, the biggest motorcycle rally in the world organized in the American city of Sturgis, The Reciivist – world’s first tattooed motorcycle built by Game Over Cycles company won 1st place in the “Most Unusual” class in the Rat’s Hole Custom Bike Show, the oldest and most prestigious custom bike show in the world.