The Raz Report:
FAST IRON IN DIXON
13th Annual
National Antique Motorcycle Show & Swap Meet
Dixon May Fair Grounds ~ 20,21 June 2014
Prepared for publication in the August 2014 issue of
Thunder Roads Magazine NorCal
This year was yet another outstanding show and swap meet put together by the
Antique Motorcycle Club of America, Fort Sutter Chapter ( amcafortsutter.org )
This year's featured model honored vintage racers - dragsters, flat trackers, hill climbers, speedway, stream liners,
cross country, and, any vintage bike that satisfies the need for speed.
My personal favorite model of all motorcycles, above all others made in the past, present and future is...
the KNUCKLEHEAD, and this year 'THE THING' was in Dixon for all to get close to but not personal with.
It is interesting to recall that the rivalry between motorcycles versus cars was a pretty big deal in the early 1950s
and it was at this time that John Bozzie and Walter Ross built 'THE THING' at the Oakland Harley-Davidson dealership.
'THE THING' has wild visual impact with its two knucklehead motors lined up end to end and it became the terror
of the drag strips in Tracy and Lodi running high 8-second runs at over 140 mph in the
quarter-mile. Nothing on the strip could touch it; the big shots in their hot rod cars refused to race it.
And, reportedly, the bike ran 200 mph on dry lake runs made in the Reno area and in the Mojave desert.
'THE THING' was rebuilt a few years back by John's son Dave of Bozzie Custom Performance who machined many of
the parts that had either fallen off or worn out; Dave also built his own twin EVO-powered drag bike called 'WILD THING.'
Would you like to know more?...
go to the web page:
Motorcycle-USA.com - 'THE THING': 1954 Twin Knucklehead Drag Bike
link: http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/294/7338/Motorcycle-Article/The-Thing---1954-Twin-Knucklehead-Drag-Bike.aspx
also see bozziecustomperformance.com
There were plenty of bikes to add to your wish list... Harley-Davidson, Crocker, Indian, Vincent, Vindian, Royal Enfield,
Triumph, BSA, Ariel (I've heard that if you ride one of these to a social event that you will have good reception),
Matchless, AJS, Yale, Excelsior, Bauer, Villiers, etc., etc., etc...
Need some good old stuff?... there was a lot of it still around in the swap meet... rigid frames, old air cleaners,
sthmorthner tanks, springer front ends, dog bone risers, cam covers, primary covers, mouse traps, hell... there were entire bikes, and, as for side
hacks - I only saw one side hack (without frame) for $2.5K.
Next... the 14th Annual National Antique Motorcycle Show & Swap Meet - in June, 2015 - don't miss it...
just 25 miles west of Sacramento...the cost is a bargain... (a donation - let your conscience be your guide)...
Would you like to see more?... go to the photos page at www.russellrazholder.com for about 200 photos of this event.
Article and Photographs by Russell "Raz" Holder
KNUCKLEHEADS FOREVER! KNUCKLEHEADS FOREVER!
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