Rev up your engines, it’s another title for Lake Orion’s resident motorcycle restorer, Roger Smith.
On Sunday, July 20, Smith brought his restored 1966 Suzuki X-6 Hustler to the Antique Motorcycle Club of America’s 2008 National competition in Wauseon, Ohio.
The AMCA is the oldest vintage motorcycle group in America and they feature the most stringent judging procedures in the sport, Smith noted. Motorcycles entered must be 35-years-old, with many of the competing bikes? manufacture dates going back to the 1920s-1960s.
‘The AMCA judging procedure includes several required steps, including competing in the Junior and Senior divisions, that must be won before an antique motorcycle can be considered for the ultimate award: The Winners Circle Preservation Award,? Smith said.
The 1966 Suzuki X-6 Hustler was restored by Smith and Matt Tate, also of Lake Orion. Their motorcycle placed first in the Junior division at the 2007 AMCA National Wauseon event, then it scored high enough to receive first place in the Senior division at the 2007 AMCA National in Davenport, Iowa.
A team of expert judges, Jan Ringnalda from Holland and Gregory Reed, a Honda dealer in Ohio, spent an hour-and-a-half going over the Suzuki from top to bottom, according to Smith. Their inspection included the frame, engine, instruments, wiring, wheels, seat, brakes, fenders, exhaust system and all nuts and bolts, along with the plating and overall paint finish.
After the exhaustive review, Smith’s Suzuki was awarded the AMCA National Winners Circle Preservation Award, presented in front of the attendees by Kevin Valentine, the AMCA’s chief judge.
‘To win the highest award from the prestigious AMCA makes all the work that goes into restoring and showing a vintage vehicle worthwhile,? Smith said.
The Wauseon event had 4,000 spectators, hundreds of exhibitors and 67 vintage motorcycles were brought from across the country for the Sunday morning competition.
The vehicles were judged in categories that were divided by the year that the motorcycle was manufactured.
At all future AMCA national events, the Suzuki will be placed in the Winners Circle area, for spectators to view and ask Smith questions about his champion bike.