Mid_Ohio Vintage Bike Weekend

[Dean Hess]

I'm riding over to Mid-Ohio Raceway for vintage bike weekend.  Last time I was there it was for superbikes.  Guess the FJ and I are getting old... classics anyway. Anyone else heading that way?

[FJ1100mjk]

Anyone else heading that way?

Wished I was, I'd join you.

When I lived in northern OH, I went to it a few times. Great event. Loaded with interesting machines, good racing (vintage motocross too), helluva swap meet, and wild times.

[the fan]

I might try to get up there. I have been going for years and even raced my YZF600 there a few times, but this year I don't have any friends running in the events and after racing it something just isn't the same.

Still have the YZF but health issues have kept me off the track, at least in race mode. Maybe next year...

[cyclenutk75]

I wish I would have read this yesterday, Dean.  I'm only about 10 minutes south of US 30 and about 45 minutes from Mid Ohio. I could have offered you a place to bed down.  Still can if you need it.  I used to go every year.  I'd ride over to the ticket office and get a weekend pass for $35.  It's $40 a day now if you didn't get tickets in advance.  I'd go two days and give the third ticket to a friend in need.  Not going this year due to a KLR project in the garage that I can't keep my mind off of.  The swap meet is still as big as ever but the number of racers has dropped dramatically since the spat between the AMA and AHRMA.  I didn't go last year, but two years ago the paddock/pit area wasn't even half full.  It used to be packed to overflowing.  The vendor area is going to pot, too - Iron Pony trailer and some dude selling sun glasses.  Demo rides - used to be every major manufacturer was there.  Two years ago it was just Kawasaki, Kymco and CanAm.  However, the biggest draw for me was the swap meet.  And there's still races to watch - just not as many racers.  The side hack guys still show - there's only so many places they can race in a year and they aren't going to let a little spat spoil their fun.  And of course there's the bikes to look at.  Not just the ones on display, but the thousands of bikes people ride to the event.  Hope you get to take in the flat track races at Ashland Saturday night if you're in town.  I usually pit for a buddy that races a '42 Sport Scout in the brakeless handshift class.  Unfortunately, I'll be at a wedding.  Anyhoo, let me know if there's anything I can do for you - meal, bed, work space, tools (hopefully you won't need either of the last two) - to make your trip more enjoyable and maybe less expensive.  If it's not too late I can pm my phone number to you.  The weather forecast is pretty much perfect.
Have a safe trip.

GT
 

[FJ1100mjk]

Hmm. Didn't know that the event was in decline. Cost increases don't surprise me though.

Glad that I was able to experience it in its heyday. Still, its a great event to attend.

[Dean Hess]

Thanks for the offer, we camped near Butler, OH.

I enjoyed the weekend - after working like a maniac to get out of here and on the road.  Rode over with a friend and his Harley buddies, but they're swift riders and we had a nice ride on Rt. 39.  I'll ride around Berlin next time and all of the Amish tourism traffic.  I've never been to the Vintage Weekend before so I couldn't compare it to previous years, but my friend said he thought that attendance was down.  Saw 3 other FJs there, all in very good condition.  It was fun to see folks just riding around on the largest collection of tiny pit bikes I've ever seen.  Lots of old 2-strokes.  We left early Sunday morning to beat the rain and just encountered some sprinkles around Akron.  Riding the slab back at high speed makes me want to update the suspension on my FJ, the road had a lot of rough patches and some really annoying slab bumps.  At 80-85mph it was pretty harsh.  Otherwise the bike was perfect.  It was fun teaching the Harley guys about non-Harley motorcycles.  One of them asked me if my FJ was a 2-stroke!