Vintage Bikes Gather For Hebron Meet

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com

Today was a nice day for a ride, and the Yankee Chapter of the Antique Motorcycle Club of America supplied a great destination with its annual Antique Motorcycle Meet at the Hebron Fairgrounds.

Riders came from across Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and beyond to shop for vintage parts and admire vintage machines from the U.S. and everywhere else.

There were a surprising number (at least to RIDE-CT) of AMF Harley-Davidsons, including a 1976 Super Glide and 1974 Sportster, both owned by Ron Dickson of Westerly, R.I. They grabbed preferential parking out of the sun.

While the years that AMF owned Harley are not looked back upon fondly by Harley lovers, Dickson noted that without AMF, “there would be no Harley. They saved the company.” There were also a handful of used AMF Harleys for sale.

Besides loads of old Harleys and Indians, there were lots of other brands present. BMW was well represented, including a just rebuilt R69S. RIDE-CT rode in on a 1982 BMW R65LS and the bike got quite a few compliments. Thanks.

A pair of Yamaha XS Eleven Specials looked good occupying space at the start of the parking area. Would have liked to have talked with their owner(s), but no luck. In fact, that’s the only downside to meets such as this – no easy way to meet the owners of specific bikes to ask questions.

Perhaps the two standout bikes at the meet were a Velocette and 500cc Norton International that were parked side by side. Just gorgeous.

The Norton, I’m told, was bought at auction in Las Vegas. Whatever the owner paid, it was worth it.

RIDE-CT will have more on the Hebron meet next Saturday in “The Republican-American.”

BTW, a quick thanks to the two anonymous guys who helped out with a push at a gas station between Portland and Glastonbury after the R65LS refused to start after getting a fill-up on the way home.