| Active MotoIntl Member
Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Under a mossy rock
Posts: 249
Rides: Something cheap
| 28th Annual Motorcycle Rally, Marne, Iowa
For an out of the way place, situated in rural Iowa (30 miles from Council Bluffs), they came in droves to partake in Randy Baxter's motorcycle Woodstock.
The Triumph Demo Truck was there, the local Scout Troop served a Pancake Breakfast every morning, there were dinner rides, scenic rides, the shop was open for buyers of trinkets and hard to find stuff, the Marne Tavern was doing a banner business, Randy was everywhere at once.
This place is amazing. Out in the heartland of America is a non-descript motorcycle dealer in a town with a population of 160 people. Marne is all about Baxter Triumph. Randy is all about Marne. He's the Mayor. He owns all the available lots in Marne. Rumor is, if you want to build a house in Marne, Randy will give you a lot. The thing that's really amazing is that when you reach the Marne town limits (a sign welcomes you to Marne and the speed limit drops from 55 to 35), a quick glance to the left reveals a non-descript steel clad building with a Triumph sign out front of a smallish asphalt parking lot. Of course you have no idea what resides inside...
Inside the building (which was added on to as Randy ran out of room), behind the new motorcycle showroom, is the Holy Grail of British Motorcycles. In the buildings behind the showroom/parts area is what has to be the largest collection of early model British motorcycles in North America including Randy's personal Vincent Black Shadow and Velocette Thruxton 500 Club man. There are Brit bikes of every description, from AJS to Norton Manx, rows and rows and parts, Randy has literally buildings of new, never used parts as well as used parts...for any Brit bike. I saw full crates (yes full crates) of Girling Shocks, Norton Featherbed Forks, Triple Clamps, there are literally hundreds of fenders from the Meriden factory, all wrapped in brown paper, with factory paint, never installed. There is even a few 60's Brit Bikes in crates.
Best part, almost everything is for sale (for a price). Randy has a second Vincent Black Shadow in concourse condition for a mere 65K or a mint Matchless G80 Scrambler for 12K or a 1968 Triumph T120 Bonneville, factory correct for $8500.00. The variety is astounding and it's worth the trip just to see the spectacle and walk into a room where time stands still, rolled back to the 60's, when British bikes were accepted as leaders of the world.
Randy's rally is nothing to be scoffed at. The parking lot fills and the lots next to the shop fills (Randy owns those too) and the street fills, actually the whole town fills with bikes and bikers of all descriptions, from British to Japanese to American. Noisy Harley's race up and down the street along with squid bikes. There were even niche European bikes like Bultaco and CZ and Jawa present and they all get ridden. These bikes aren't trailer queens, they are riders.
The bike show has everything. From the accepted British marques to European niche bikes to Japanese brands to HD's. Randy provides free food at the show cooked by the local Jaycees. I said FREE. There were hot dogs, chili, baked beans, salad and even homemade ice cream with the ice cream machines driven by a John Deere hit and miss engine. Nearby is the town of Walnut, the antique capital of Iowa for those who are antique nuts. People come from all over the WORLD to this spectacle. Yes, people even flew in from across the pond to take part. It's something to go to, to experience, to 'kick the tires' and take in.
If motorcycles are in you blood, the Marne Rally in August is a must date on the calender. This was the 28th consecutive year and my first. It won't be my last, just the first of many more times.
Like Randy said to me and I quote "I love all motorcycles no matter where they are manufactured or when. I started collecting motorcycles when I was 16 years old...look at me now."
The rally isn't just about the bikes, it's about Randy and his staff. These people open their business (literally) and their hearts to everyone. Where else can you walk through literally millions of dollars of bikes and parts without hindrance or someone watching you. Where else can you peruse a complete shop with technicians at work either restoring old bikes or working on new ones and ask questions and get answers? Only one place I know of.
On another note, I trailered the Bonneville/Sidecar to Marne along with the wife. We had a fantastic 3 days of motorcycling (wife had 3 days of antiquing). My intent was to enter the outfit in the bike show and I did. I rode the outfit in the rides, to dinner, with friends (on Rockets, I had a hard time keeping up but the outfit will run triple digits...did that too, even Pigger told me my outfit 'scoots'), got tired of cleaning the Iowa bugs off (I ran out of Honda Pro Polish so Randy loaned me an ever present bottle of Meguairs Detail) and entered the outfit in the bike show.
I didn't realize it was so photogenic. I had the bike parked in the lot next to the shop all 3 days and answered lots of questions and of course the outfit posed constantly. The outfit took a First Place in the Triumph 95 and Newer Class at the show. My first show and a First Place (nice trophy too). Hardest part was getting up in front of everyone and telling them (via loudspeaker) about the bike and how it came to be. I'm not a speaker by any means.
Amy and I will be back next August. It's already marked on the calender.
I took over 85 pictures. Here are a few teasers.
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