Don't miss this fun ride!

[OhioTed]

Hey, gang - once again I am advocating for anyone and everyone to attend the Ohio Valley BSA Owners Club's bi-annual meet, which will be held May 31-June 1, at the club's beautiful property near Toronto, Ohio.  

Trust me when I say this event is really worth attending.  Any brand and/or type of motorcycle is welcome.  They've got a picture-postcard-pretty location, with open spaces, trees, a clear-running stream, and easy camping.

The list of activities are long: swap meet, bike show, vintage trials, field events, road rides, and our favorite - the "Reliability Run".  Call it a vintage enduro, or a vintage-friendly dual-sport ride, but it runs you through some of the purtiest country you ever saw, plus a nice bit of great trail, lots o' stream crossings, and is fun, fun, fun.

Past Reliability Runs have featured the following, and may again include:

Paul Danik riding his ISDT Penton Six-Day.
The Amazing Andy Tarnak riding and scoring on a 1918 Indian.
Bruce Williams riding a BMW ISDT-replica bike, or
Bruce riding a Husky Auto!
POG'er Ollie Martin riding his cool, custom Six-Day, and makin' it through the woods like he is trying to escape a forest fire.
Mr. Cool/Mr. Smooth - POG'er Paul Busic, riding a Suzuki PE175, which was formerly owned by Tom Penton.
Friend-of-POG Bob Wark riding a WWII-vintage BSA, and makin' it through the woods like he is trying to outrun Ollie, who is trying to outrun that forest fire.  
Plus, other entries typically include:  sidecar rigs, Zundapps, Bultacos, BSA's (of course), a Rokon, and who knows what all.  Where else can you go riding with such an interesting & diverse group of people and bikes?

It's easy to get to the BSA meet.  Toronto is just north of Steubenville, Ohio, which is right on the Ohio river, in SE Ohio.  Just take Rt 7 to the Costonia Road exit, then follow the signs for about three miles, up the creek valley, and you're there.  It's quite inexpensive, also.  Hope to see you.  It'll be fun!

[dennis brown]

hi, your right it is a fun event,i'll be riding the ahrma cross country in hedgesville ,wv on friday. then dean segman and i will drive back to ride this fun event,i'll be on a 1971 puch enduro

dennis l.brown

[marsattacks]

Looks like fun and is very close to Pittsburgh it seems. Will try to get my bro in law to trailer out my '74 Hare Scrambler and Bultaco Frontera. The HS is running super rich and fouling plugs (32:1).  I'm hoping that can be sorted by fri.

[OhioTed]

Right on, guys.  And, don't let a threat of rain in the forecast deter you.  The course is totally ridable, regardless of a little moisture.      See you all there!

[marsattacks]

No problem. Just confirmed w my bro in law tonight, who got his Ossa Super Pioneer fired up so w/ my Bultaco we will have the Spanish Armada this time and save the Pentons for next!

[marsattacks]

In car on way home so short rpt. Awesome ride! Ossa Supa Pioneer ran grt jst one fouled plug. Bultaco frontera too but GP tank went dry 2/3 way thru. Seen:  Al Buehner JP. An orange Penton looked like a Sachs engine. Possibly a 125. Zundapp 125. A Puch (125)? Hercules 175 Sach-engined 7-speed was for sale. Not running. A bit tired but cool nonetheless. BSA motocrosser. Two more Ossas -- Pioneers. Bultaco Alpina and Pursang. Two Hodaka trials bikes in the trials event I hope to get the JP fired up for next one in August.

[OhioTed]

Hey Mars - is it "John"?  I spoke with you and your brother-in-law before the event, and stopped to check on you down in the creek valley, where he was changing the Pioneer's plug.  I was the guy taking all the pictures.  You guys still hadn't come back when I left.  Glad you got out ok.  I was riding the wife's little Honda XL175, and despite being a handful in the mud, it ran like a champ.  Let's let the rest of our vintage friends know - is the Reliability Run a hoot, or what?  

I had an absolute blast!  The trails were awesome, the road sections scenic and fun, and the back roads crazy.  This run is one of the best kept secrets in the sport.  It's easy and no hassle to enter and participate - just drive in, give 'em ten bucks, and go out and have one of the best times you'll ever experience on two wheels.  Plus the BSA club members on some of the nicest people in the sport, and everyone in attendance is really into vintage bikes.  

Also, as indicated by Mars, the variety of bikes which attend are incredible!  Amazing stuff.  I also saw a Moto Beta 125 Premier Enduro, just like mine - except this one runs!  Bob Wark was there on his 1940 BSA B40 (I think that's the right model #).  Bruce Williams rode a screamin' fast Husky 430XC.  His historical license plate reads "Six-Day".  Can you dig it?  Anything and everything goes.  My buddy Joe Norton (aka Joe Sanders) rode a box-stock '74 Yamaha DT125, and had even more fun that me, if that's possible.  I talked to another fellow who rode a barn-fresh, '69 Yamaha DT1, which still had the original tires on it!  Wow!!!  And, that's not to mention Al Buehner on his 175 Jackpiner, and Ollie and Al Martin on their trick, custom 125 Six-Day bikes.  By the way, I firmly believe that Ollie knows where the Fountain Of Youth is.  Oh yeah, and Paul Busic was there, going very fast as usual, on a Suzuki PE175, which was formerly owned and ridden by Tom Penton!  Awesome!  Plus, there were of course, several BSA and Triumph singles and twins in the event.  Those bikes looked too nice to ride at all, let alone in an off-road event - yet they were out there.  

The BSA meet, and the Reliability Run, will be back in August.  Make your plans now, and ride this thing!  It is too, too much fun to miss.  I'll post some pictures, soon.

                                       Ted

[marsattacks]

Yes, Ted that was me you met and my bro in law Bink on the Ossa.  After Bink's Ossa fired back up the Frontera ran dry.  We took off the tank and scavenged fuel from the Ossa, only to have the Frontera go dry again!  (Fronteras that year came with a 2 gal. GP tank and a 3 gallon enduro tank -- I have both but dumbly left the big tank at home). So Bink found a gas station and borrowed a tow strap from a vol. fireman and the Ossa towed the Bultaco 1/2 mile to a station where I mixed a tank w/ lawnmower oil!  Wish I had a picture of that.  Adding to Ted's comments, a few of the trail passages were gnarly due to thunderstorms, but great, and prob. 6-8 stream crossings.