Thomas and Eric Trapp: Riding historic Harleys in the Cannonball Run in the USA

Harley-Factory Frankfurt took part in the American „Cannonball“ on historic Harleys - Photo credit: Vanessa Themann

Harleysite
Oct, Thu, 2016
Dealer News

When father and son

Thomas and Eric Trapp from Harley-Factory Frankfurt took part in the American „Cannonball“ on historic Harleys.

• 5,500 km coast to coast on motorcycles that are at least 100 years old.
• Thomas and Eric Trapp reach the finish line on a 10-E and a 16-F.

(Neu-Isenburg, October 20, 2016) If you drive from Sagres, Europe's southwesternmost tip, to Moscow, you'll rack up fewer miles on the odometer than Frankfurt-based Harley-Davidson dealers Thomas and Eric Trapp did in two weeks—on historic Harleys. Because at least
Anyone who wanted to compete in the 2016 edition of the „Motorcycle Cannonball“ had to bring along a 100-year-old two-wheeler – an adventure that pays homage to the racer Erwin „Cannonball“ Baker, who crossed the USA on a motorcycle in just eleven days in 1914.

Thomas Trapp, senior manager of the Harley-Factory dealership, knew exactly what he was getting himself into, as this was his second time participating in the Cannonball. While he himself rode a 1914 Model 10-E without gears this year, which only uses a hub gear in the rear wheel as a starting aid, his son, junior boss Eric Trapp, competed on a 1916 Model 16-F with a three-speed gearbox.

Thomas and Eric Trapp: Riding historic Harleys in the Cannonball Run in the USA

On September 10, the two Germans set off from Atlantic City, New Jersey, together with 93 other cyclists on a 16-day journey westward. They had to cover 3,400 miles (approx. 5,500 km) to reach their destination, Carlsbad in California. Every day, father and son spent eight to nine hours on their old bikes. Stages with hours of continuous rain, morning temperatures around freezing, heat waves of up to 45 degrees, fog, sleet, a desert storm, and two 3,600-meter peaks characterized the hellish ride. Instead of GPS and maps, they had to navigate using the odometer and pictograms. If technical problems arose, they had to fix them themselves, so they had to carry all spare parts and tools on the bike.

After 35 bikes had already dropped out on the first day, the starting field had been decimated by a good half after eight days. Eric, on the other hand, was delighted day after day with the unconditional reliability of his 100-year-old Milwaukee Iron, and Thomas's 102-year-old Harley also withstood the rigors of the ride unscathed, apart from a defect in the ignition magnet. ’The only part of this machine that isn't from Harley-Davidson caused problems – but of course I still made it to the finish line,„ grins the Harley dealer from Frankfurt. He was all the more delighted for Eric, the youngest “Cannonballer„ at 28, who, thanks to a trouble-free ride, reached the finish line on time and within the mileage limit along with only 20 other riders.

If you want to meet the venerable iron ladies and their riders, just drop by the Harley Factory at Wächtersbacher Str. 83 in Frankfurt.
Harley-Davidson Germany congratulates the Trapps and looks forward to more historic trips from the Frankfurt duo.

Image credit: Vanessa Themann / Text: Harley-Davidson