Slimey Crud Motorcycle Gang Café Racer Run Spring 2017: Top 10 Sights

Top Ten Sights & Fun in the sun for thousands of riders at Slimey Crud Motorcycle Gang Café Racer Run Spring 2017

The forecast was for severe clear and cool conditions over southern Wisconsin for Sunday, May 7, so riders came out in droves for the spring running of the Slimey Crud Motorcycle Gang Café Racer Run.

As is our custom, we’d like to share some of the best (in our humble opinion) sights, bikes, trikes and sidehacks from that event. For background, visit our other story on the Slimey Crud Motorcycle Gang Café Racer Run.

There are no rewards for those we choose to feature here, unless one deems the recognition reward enough. Our selections are really arbitrary and capricious based on criteria that are inconsistent and totally subjective.

But, we know what we like—at any given moment—and that’s really how we picked this crop. Disclaimers completed, we give you the top 10 sights of the spring 2017 Slimey Crud Motorcycle Gang Café Racer Run.

1—Best turn-out ever: Cloudless skies and cool temperatures brought thousands of riders to both Pine Bluff and Leland resulting in bikes parked well outside the downtown areas of both. There was a consensus of SCR regulars that this was the mother of all crowds. Despite the mammoth turn-out, there were no traffic jams because the riders don’t move as a group—it’s all up to the individual rider when and which way to go.

2—Best American Classic: This 1927 Indian Scout 45 had people stopping in their tracks. In its day, it was one of the fastest motorcycles money could buy. Prior to 1927, the Scout displaced 37 cu. in. but displacement was bumped up to 45 cu. in. in 1927 to make the Scout a viable competitor with Harley-Davidson and Excelsior-Henderson in both the showroom and the track.

3—Best non-original Kawasaki: This ain’t your Grand-daddy’s Kwaker. With a chromed-up super swingarm and rigid struts in place of rear shocks, this green meanie is purpose-built for touring America a quarter mile at a time.

4—Best adapted Sportster: The passion for the open road can overcome major obstacles and this Sportster is powerful proof. Adapted to overcome disability, this Sportster epitomizes the Harley-Davidson marketing slogan from the early seventies, “The Great American Freedom Machine.”

5—Best Sidehack: This Electra-Glide sidecar rig caught the attention of a lot of riders thanks to its striking crimson and white livery. Ural sidecars were in evidence in larger number than in the past, as well, but this rig was hard to top.

6—Best vintage Triumph: This beautiful 1970 Triumph Bonneville has its origins with Lyall Sharer’s Triumph dealership. Sharer’s is no longer in the business, but was one of the first Triumph dealerships in Wisconsin. Lyall was a very successful tuner and racer and though this example looks innocently stock, it is bored, ported, cammed and balanced. It was also for sale!

7—Best vintage BSA: As in the past, a number of BSA faithful showed up in the mass of riders, but this 650 Lightning had that original feel and class.

8—Best Beemer Toaster: This 1972 R75/5 wasn’t the only toaster tank BMW to show up for the Crud Run, but it was the best. The chrome-plated panels on the tank and chromed side covers were only offered in ’72 and some say not to the taste of some riders, but as this example shows, the design is striking.

9—Best Classic Euro Singles: In the true spirit of the café racer run, these two single-cylinder Europeans set a very high standard for café racer lean functionality and classic, simple beauty. A Ducati four stroke and Bultaco two stroke, they reflect the state of the art in their respective engine type for their day.

10—Best Ducati Drag Bike: Ok, we realize this was the only true, full-on, all-out drag machine of any brand, let alone Ducati. Land speed and drag racing master, Bill Whisenant, also owner of Motorcycle Performance in Madison, Wisc., was on hand with this land-based quarter mile missile and fired it up; this also fired up the crowd.

The next running of the Crud Run happens on the first Sunday in October (Oct. 1), so if you’d like a chance to pick out your own top ten best sights at the run, save the date!

For more of our coverage of Slimey Crud Run events, check out:

• Top 10 highlights of the Fall 2016 Slimey Crud Run
• 2016 Slimey Crud Run-Top Ten Bikes, Trikes & Sidehacks
• 2014 Spring Slimey Crud Run Recap