Modern Pony Express
MODERN PONY EXPRESS
ROUNDUP
Endurance runs were a popular means of proving the durability of motorcycles back when Wells Bennett and Cannonball Baker were regularly beating each other’s records for crossing the country up and down or cross-ways. In 1922 Bennett broke the transcontinental record with a ride from Los Angeles to New York that took six days and 15 hours. That kind of promotion hasn’t been seen much since motorcycles have become more reliable, but the idea isn’t dead.
Harley-Davidson recently resurrected the long distance ride to promote motorcycles,only with a few new twists. The week before Daytona Bike Week Harley-Davidson picked two new FLT Tour Glides off the end of the assembly line, had them prepped according to dealer instructions for prepping new motorcycles and shipped them to Vancouver, British Columbia. There was one modification made to the bikes at the factory, though. A tab was welded to the oil filler cap so no oil could be added to the bikes without breaking the seal.
On Sunday morning, Feb. 28, the bikes were started in Vancouver and headed south, ridden by Harley-Davidson dealers. Every couple of hundred miles on the prearranged route the bikes would pull into the next Harley dealer, where they would be shut off just long enough to be filled with gas and two new riders from another Harley dealer would get on and continue the ride south. The route took the bikes south on Interstate 5, all that day and through the night, riders changing off at about 200 mi. intervals. When they got to Los Angeles, just over a day after starting, the bikes and more new riders headed east, continuing this Pony Express ride.
The ride continued another two solid days, plus a little more, before arriving at Daytona Beach, Florida. During a press conference held by Harley-Davidson Wednesday morning, March 3, Harley officials announced two bikes had just arrived from Vancouver. The back doors of the room were opened and two red FLTs were ridden by cold, smiling riders.
The ride had taken 78 hours, two less than had been planned. (Originally the company wanted to claim 80 hours on an 80.) The welded-on tabs on the oil tanks were unbroken. The ride was completed without having oil added, or having the chain adjusted, or having any other maintenance done. Only the gas tank was filled and the riders changed.
When the last two riders pulled off their helmets, they turned out to be Charlie Thompson and Vaughn Beals, the president and chairman of the board of Harley-Davidson. They had ridden the last 120 mi. of the trip and were ready to tell about it.
Thompson explained the ride was a result of the company’s efforts to improve quality. It was a way of showing that the efforts have been successful. Beals was happy to report the newly organized company was doing well, selling more bikes, starting new projects. Later, after his speech was over he was chatting about the trip, obviously pleased with the effort.
“We couldn’t have done that a couple of years ago,” he said.
