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Enthusiast punches up vintage motorcycling The Oregon club was founded in 1979 and encourages preservation, maintenance and enjoyment of motorcycles more than 20 years old By GREG STILES Mail Tribune Mike Roberts grew up riding motorcycles with his family and friends in Medford. The enjoyment turned into a passion that he now shares with others throughout the state. "Those motorcycles we rode are now vintage motorcycles," says Roberts, a 1958 Medford High graduate who lives in Vancouver, Wash. Roberts was back in town Saturday to drum up interest in the Oregon Vintage Motorcyclists club, of which he is a former board member. "I have a soft spot for British motorcycles like BSA, Triumph, Norton, Ariel," says Roberts, who owns five vintage machines and rides each of them about 200 miles a year. "Of course, you always have to think about Harley-Davidson." OVM is the oldest club of its kind on the West Coast and has roughly 350 members, about 300 of whom live in the Portland area. The club, founded in 1979, encourages preservation, maintenance and enjoyment of motorcycles more than 20 years old. The club has its own Web site (www.oregonvintage.org) and e-mail newsletter. (To subscribe, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/OregonVintageMotorcyclists.) The annual dues are $10. Roberts owned Rose's Restaurant on Glisan Avenue and Old Town Cafe and Saloon in Portland before selling two years ago, giving him more time to pursue his two-wheeled passion. It was through his e-mail contacts with current and former OVM members that the former club treasurer attracted about 30 like-minded enthusiasts for lunch Saturday at Abby's Pizza to launch a Southern Oregon chapter of the vintage club. "I've been looking for friends in the area to share my interest in the world of vintage motorcycles," says Jim Baltusnik, a former National Park Service finance officer from Ashland. He owns five Triumphs and two Vincents, but prefers riding the Vincents and operates TheVincent.com Web site. "Five Triumphs are not as satisfying as one Vincent," he asserts, noting Triumphs are relatively common and inexpensive compared to the Vincent, which went out of production in 1955. Dennis Ryan of Gold Hill has been in the motorcycle repair business for 24 years. "I bought a Harley in 1967 and still have it," Ryan says. "I drink Harley oil for breakfast." Ron Glenn of Grants Pass rides his '72 Norton and '70 Triumph between 8,000 and 10,000 miles annually. "I like to go to shows, but I prefer riding," says the ECS Composites production engineer. "I like to loop through Williams, Jacksonville, along the Rogue River and then on to Grave Creek Road. But most of my friends ride strictly in the summertime." So what's the difference between new machines and those that remind bikers of their youth? "Norton is no slouch, but it's not as fast as they are now," Glenn says. "The new ones are like an appliance - you turn the key and go. With Norton and Triumph, you have to mess with them regularly, give them tune-ups and preventative maintenance. But I like the feeling of the older bikes and their character. "Plus, you can't go anywhere without someone saying, 'I used to have one of those,' or 'I haven't seen one of those in ages.' " Reach reporter Greg Stiles at 776-4463 or e-mail [email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.