Motorcycle history comes alive in Maryland

The Nuts About Bikes crew spent a fabulously enjoyable Sunday at the annual British & European Classic Motorcycle Day, Butler’s Orchard, Germantown, Md.

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This show is surely among the best vintage bike events on the East Coast – perhaps nationwide – showcasing a staggering variety of English and European vintage motorcycles in every stripe and variety.

The rolling hills around Germantown make for an enjoyable ride to the event on a spring weekend. Really pretty countryside dotted with farms and enormous estates.

First stop – bike parking. The parking lot is as interesting as the main show grounds, as it turns out. Not all the bikes are eligible for the Concours and you are as likely to find a few treasures in bike parking as you are in the main event, like this crisp little Honda Superhawk, more Kawasaki W650s than we've seen in one place – and this well-ridden Harley.

Once inside, it’s a birds-of-a-feather arrangement with BMWs in one area, Urals in another, Triumphs there, Hinckley Triumphs here and areas for Norton, BSA, Ducati and assorted Brit iron.

Most of the bikes represented were worthy of the Guggenheim – either lovingly restored to chrome-and-color glory or preserved in near-showroom condition.

How a forty-something motorcycle ends up mothballedwith almost no miles on it is beyond our imagination, but quite a few fit in this category, like this amazing unrestored 1966 BMW R69S. My 2001 has more scratches than this beauty.

Rare rides are everywhere, including a 1934 Coventry Eagle and a 1929 Brough Superior – one of the world’s most collectible and valuable antique motorcycles.

When you’ve had your fill of chrome and steel (not that we think that’s likely) you can mosey over to the Trials Demo, courtesy of the vintage enthusiasts from Potomac Vintage Riders.

Here we heard a nice history of the trials competition as members put antique wheels through their paces, taking 180-degree turns, log piles and miscellaneous other obstacles in seemingly impossible slow-motion. Very enjoyable to watch – and the two-cycle sound and castor oil aroma bring back memories for many in the crowd.

The swap meet was a walk through history – with more than a few examples of the “before” bikes, awaiting their turn to get buffed back to former glory.

During a break for a sausage sandwich drippy with sauce and fried peppers, we overhead a spectator say that he had been to Vintage Days in Ohio but that the motorcycles at Butler’s Orchard were better!

You be the judge. Check out the gallery. One thing’s for certain, this show will definitely be a regular stop for us in the future.

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– Sal Emma, Editor, May 2007