44th Annual Great Midwest British Motorcycle Rally & Show Report

Spanning the years since its founding in 1977, the British Biker Cooperative (BBC, for short) has kept the classic British motorcycle an active part of the motorcycle scene across the upper Midwest. With the rebirth of some of those classic brands such as Triumph, BSA, and Norton, as well as the growing presence in the United States of the long-lived Royal Enfield brand, the BBC isn’t limited to members riding vintage bikes.

The mix now includes the latest modern examples alongside some models cleverly crafted to closely resemble their vintage forebears while retaining the most modern bells and whistles.

That combination was on display at the group’s 44^th Annual Great Midwest British Motorcycle Rally and Show held at the Eagle Cave Resort in the highlands overlooking the Wisconsin River near Blue River, Wisconsin, July 18-20. Run by the BBC membership, the event is open to non-members and non-Britbike riders. The motorcycle show even includes a non-British bike class among the 11 classes.

All rally participants are free to enter their rides in the Saturday show and vote for the best bike in each class. The winners in each class are determined by a popular vote on paper ballots.

The Rally kicked off on Friday with the ever-entertaining Bike Games, which included the appearance of what came to be known as the Most Entertaining Sidecar, with Bill Pluess as pilot and Dan Kasper shoehorned into the tiny sidecar. The evening wound up with an informal gathering under the big BBC tent that included music and movies.

Saturday included a guided group ride in the morning through Wisconsin’s stunning Driftless Area, followed by the bike show in the afternoon. The BBC Tent Party is in the evening, featuring music, door prizes, and awards for the bike show and games.

The British Biker Cooperative Rally and Show is a tiny event compared to enormous events like Daytona Bike Week and Sturgis, and that’s the way the event planners and participants like it. It is well-organized, laid back, and easy-going with no traffic jams, no crowd control problems, and no tensions—just motorcycles and friendly people.

British Bike Bike Cooperative 44th Annual Great Midwest British Motorcycle Rally Show Winners

Best of Show

Scott Hermann, 1956 Triumph T110 

Competition/Racer 

1. Dave Spanjar, 1968 Triumph Bonneville

 Custom 

1. Kevin Morgan, 1998 Triumph Legend
2. Tom Schaper, 2023 Triumph Bonneville 

Late Stock 1960-1989) 

1. Jason Kesting, 1972 Triumph Trident
2. Kyle Winkels, 1974 Norton Commando

Modern Retro Stock (1990-Present) 

1. Martin Wesemann, 2012 Triumph Thruxton
2. Rudy Wheeler, 2020 Triumph T120 Bonneville

Modern Stock (1990-Present) 

1. Kyle Winkels, 2009 Triumph Bonneville America
2. Patrick Remis, 2012 Triumph Rocket III

Modern Cruiser (2017-Present) 

1. Dan Kasper, 2022 Triumph Speedmaster

Old Stock (1948-1959) 

1. Scott Hermann, 1956 Triumph T110

Radical 

1. Joe Schertzl, 1973 Triumph Tiger
2. Ted Kukla, 1971 Triumph Bonneville

Rat Class British MC’s 

1. Kyle Winkels, 2002 Triumph Bonneville America

Non-British 

1. Joe Schertzl, 1976 Harley-Davidson Shovelhead
2. Mark Reisen, 2020 Kawasaki W800

Long Distance Award

Gavin “Yogi” Blair, Triumph Rocket III, 1411 miles 

British Bike Bike Cooperative 44th Annual Great Midwest British Motorcycle Rally Bike Games Winners

• Balloon Toss – Kim & Kyle Winkels
• Wienie Bite – Kim & Kyle Winkels
• Slow Race – Logan Harden
• Keg Roll – Jason Kesting
• Sidecar Event – Jeff Harden & Taylor Chamberlin
• Most entertaining in the sidecar event – Bill Pluess & Dan Kasper

Results by Peggy Kasper
Photography by Gary Ilminen and Peggy Kasper