San Francisco Motorcycle Club - Est. 1904

Hey Vintage Cafe,

In 1904 three out of the twelve original founding members of the
San Francisco Motorcycle Club each owned a different motorcycle
dealership ... Thor, Henderson and Indian ...

That multi-brand foundation makes the SFMC unusual, as does the fact that one of the oldest motorcycle clubs in the world should be found in San Francisco--which in 1904 was still a western-frontier town with mostly dirt streets ...

The San Francisco Motorcycle Club will be celebrated its 112th Anniversary in October of 2017! :party

We generally have two official club rides a month during our riding season. Anyone with an interest in motorcycles is welcome to attend the club's events as a guest ... weekly meetings are held at the clubhouse every Thursday night, and we close each of our business meetings by welcoming any guests in attendance with a round of applause ...

The SFMC has owned its clubhouse since 1947, and it is decorated with lots of vintage photographs and several vintage motorcycles ...

More often than not, there will be a vintage bike in front of the club on Thursday night, or on one of our rides ... Club members love to see a guest's vintage bike! :ride

Hope to see you at the SFMC,
-- SFMCjohn
 
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A pic from the very first "Distinguished Gentleman's Ride!"

Does anyone recognize any of these gents, or the bikes they are on?


SFMC_MISC 067 by San Francisco Motorcycle Club, on Flickr

Always loved this photo ... like to think it was taken on the beach in San Francisco ...
although it may be a studio shot ... there is something strange about the perspective of where people are looking ... may not be a club photo at all ... anyone ever seen it before?
 
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The SFMC is also unusual in that it has admitted women as full voting members since 1910 ... unlike the United States which didn't allow women to vote in federal elections until the passage of the 19th Amendment in 1920 ... ha. :ride


SFMC_MISC 060 by San Francisco Motorcycle Club, on Flickr

In front of the new city hall building ... Rebuilt after 1906 ...
 
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That says 505 mile endurance test, right?

Wow. A different time. :thumbup

Thanks, I never noticed the 505 miles! :laughing
It was a different time ... the club's very first event
(a race to Daly City) ended when everyone got stuck
in the mud on unpaved Mission Street! :ride
 

Marcoose

50-50
That's very nice, John. The folks at the SFMC always treat me like royalty. Everybody is very nice. 10/25 sounds like a good day for a ride. Only 25 miles? Do I get to straddle a vintage and ride it around the block?
 

KazMan

2012 Fifty is Nifty Tour!
Staff member
This is very cool! If I stopped by some Thursday nite, do I need a host John?
 
That's very nice, John. The folks at the SFMC always treat me like royalty. Everybody is very nice. 10/25 sounds like a good day for a ride. Only 25 miles? Do I get to straddle a vintage and ride it around the block?

I'll probably call a BARF Vintage Cafe meet-up or social for that weekend so we all have an excuse to "straddle a vintage!" :teeth

Glad to hear you've had a positive experience as a guest at the club ... all the other members have heard my three motorcycle
stories a million times, ha.

So, we love guests ... New people to tell our old stories to ... :party
 
This is very cool! If I stopped by some Thursday nite, do I need a host John?

Hey Eric,

We'd love to see you! There is a guest book to sign by the front door,
so it is easy to drop by on Thursday on the spur-of-the-moment ...
members are pretty good about sticking out their hand
and introducing themselves to guests who are interested in motorcycles ...

From the FAQ on our website (http://www.sf-mc.org/faq/):

"I’m not a club-type but it sounds like an interesting place. Is it possible to visit?"

"Of course! We have a business meeting which is open to people interested in
motorcycles every Thursday at 8:30 PM. (2194 Folsom Street @ 18th Street).

"We happily extend an invitation to motorcyclists to be our guests for the evening.

"From March to October, we have 2 official rides a month,
and unofficial rides year round. All riders are welcome to come along.

"Our clubhouse is maintained and filled by club members who enjoy motorcycles,
and since you seem inclined that way yourself,
you’re likely to meet people at the clubhouse who share your interests.

"Stop by on a Thursday evening or for a club ride and check us out.
Do not be deterred by the application process, just stop by and hang out awhile as our guest.

"The clubhouse’s walls are covered with over a hundred years worth
of framed photographs, banners, awards, trophies and documents.
It’s a veritable museum to San Francisco motorcycling.

"An invitation to join us for an evening is always free,
and we would love to see you as a guest in our clubhouse!"

Hope your AFM season is going well, Eric!
see you in the pits,
-- Cary and John A
 
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Carlo

Kickstart Enthusiast
Thanks for posting the schedule, John.
I'm talking about possible dates for a trip South with my vintage beemer touring friends, and I hope to be able to settle on a time in June-July which includes one of your events.
 
Thanks for posting the schedule, John.
I'm talking about possible dates for a trip South with my vintage beemer touring friends, and I hope to be able to settle on a time in June-July which includes one of your events.

We hope to cross paths with you at Smiley's on July 4th ... My sister's mother-in-law lives across from the building supply lot ... :thumbup

see you around the campfire,
-- SFMCjohn
 

SFMC_MISC 071 by San Francisco Motorcycle Club, on Flickr

Motorcycle Polo used to be a thing ...

20140430-014150.jpg


From a November, 1922, issue of Motorcycle and Bicycle Illustrated ...

I suspect that back when men-were-men what was considered a "dangerous"
activity was a bit different than today ... :laughing
 
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Motion Pro Industry Party ...

Hey Vintage Cafe,

Motion Pro threw a party for its vendors and motorcycle industry customers
recently, and the San Francisco Motorcycle Club had three members in attendance ... :ride

Kalle snapped a few pics of owner Christopher Carter's cool old motorcycle
collection and some of the other neat bikes on display ... :thumbup

Mr. Carter founded Motion Pro in 1984 and is a Gold Medal winner in
the prestigious six-day ISDE race ...


IMG_20140601_114939712 by San Francisco Motorcycle Club, on Flickr

Motion Pro's collection, displayed on a mezzanine above their huge
warehouse down on the Peninsula ...


IMG_20140601_115459230 by San Francisco Motorcycle Club, on Flickr

Moto Guzzi ...


IMG_20140601_125502104_HDR by San Francisco Motorcycle Club, on Flickr

1936-ish Indian Chief ...


IMG_20140601_125439749 by San Francisco Motorcycle Club, on Flickr


IMG_20140601_125424345 by San Francisco Motorcycle Club, on Flickr


IMG_20140601_125405229 by San Francisco Motorcycle Club, on Flickr

Some detail pics of the Indian ...


IMG_20140601_111819954 by San Francisco Motorcycle Club, on Flickr

Famous Indian guru, Jerry Greer, with Kalle's 1948 Indian Chief ...


IMG_20140601_113757151 by San Francisco Motorcycle Club, on Flickr

A Honda Elsinore ...


IMG_20140601_113751402 by San Francisco Motorcycle Club, on Flickr

... and a Mazzilli ... an Italian motorcycle, generally using a German Sachs engine ...


IMG_20140601_114613990 by San Francisco Motorcycle Club, on Flickr

SFMC member and land-speed record holder Jim Hoogerhyde had his
2008 Suzuki GSX-R 1000-based racebike on display ... built by
Ted Simon, Ralph Hudson and Jim Hoogerhyde, the bike has reached a
top speed of 225 miles per hour and earned Jim the coveted Red Hat
awarded to members of the SCTA's 200 MPH Club, for Bonneville
racers who have set a new speed record over 200 MPH a Bonneville ...

see you around the campfire,
-- SFMCjohn
 
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What are the 3 round chrome thingies on the Indian tank? One is probably petrol.

Hey Marcoose,

Indian divided the right side gas tank and used the front for an oil tank ... You can sort of see the "L" in "OIL" in the pic ... so they have two gas caps and an oil cap on the gas tanks ... The theory was that the gas acted like a heat sink for the oil ...

That's what I hear anyway ... :ride

see you around the campfire,
-- SFMCjohn
 
Marshall Store Run ...

Hey Vintage Cafe,

The San Francisco Motorcycle Club has an official riding season
from March through October, which includes two organized
rides per month ... This Saturday we rode up to the Marshall Store,
and then on for an overnight in Gualala ...

20140609-075418.jpg


Purple Barry rode his 1970 Yamaha R5 ...

20140609-075355.jpg


Barry is shaking the bike down for the Moto Melee later this season,
a three-day, 900 mile ride for vintage bikes made in 1970 and earlier ...
SFMC member Harley W. has been organizing this ride with Jeff G.
for many years now and the popular event is attended every year by about 100 bikes ...

This pic shows the second set of fancy carbs (Lectrons?) that he's
had to put on this bike, the first set having been stolen just before
the NorCalTT a couple of years ago while it was parked on the street
in San Francisco ...:thumbdown

20140609-075332.jpg


Barry's R5 is a rider, having completed multiple Moto Melees
and NorCalTTs over the years ...

The SFMC conducts two riding competitions every season,
awarding members points based on attendance ...

A "Perfect Score" earns a trophy at the club's annual
Awards Banquet for any member who has attended all 16 official club rides.

The "High Points" competition recognizes the first,
second and third place member who has earned the
most attendance points at our weekly meetings as well as the club rides ...

The SFMC has been putting on the PerfectScore and High Points
contests for over a hundred years ...

see you around the campfire, :ride
-- SFMCjohn
 
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