Hodaka Days News

The Hodaka Club

Bob Whitman 541-954-0101

bob@bobwhitman.com

WE’RE BACK - HODAKA DAYS IS ON JUNE 23-26, 2022!

Celebrating “Fun in the Dirt Since 1964” with more fun than anything else you can do with your britches on, we’ll be again holding the communities of Athena and Weston, Oregon hostage.

Thursday, 6/23 – Umatilla County TT and Poker Run

A fifty-mile poker run over the winding back roads of Eastern Oregon for street legal, vintage bikes (twin shock, air cooled, drum brakes), 250cc and less (not restricted to Hodakas). We’ll visit the historic towns of Adams, Helix and Holdman.elix and HoldmanH Bring your camera.

This ride will be on state highways and other county roads, so bikes must be licensed and riders must have a valid motorcycle endorsement. Trophies for best poker hands, 1st through 5th. Passengers that meet all legal requirements are allowed. Registration fee $30 or $25 for club members.

 Friday 6/24 – Bad Rock Reunion Trail Ride  

This is your chance to ride through some of the back country and the actual trails used during the famous Bad Rock ISDT qualifiers of the 1970's. This is where Hodaka motorcycles were designed, developed and put to the ultimate test.

 The event takes off from the historic town of Weston Oregon, approximately four miles east of Athena. It's about a 50-mile course, designed to be an easy ride for someone who has not been riding regularly or who wants to protect their investment in some of those hard-to-find Hodaka parts. The club will provide a “sag wagon” at several points along the route to transport bikes with mechanical problems or bikes from riders who, for whatever reason, just don't wish to finish the course.

 The course does include several sections where the route uses county roads. Special arrangements have been made with the local authorities to allow trail bikes to use these sections during the event. Other than county roads, all the off-road sections are on private property and will not require an ORV permit. Not restricted to Hodakas, we welcome all vintage (twin shock, drum brake, air cooled) bikes. All bikes will be inspected and must have a USFS approved spark arrestor. Registration fee pre-paid is $30 for nonmembers or $25 for club members. All riders must wear a helmet and are encouraged to carry their own toolkit. Participants will ride in groups for safety and to make sure there is at least one tool kit in each group. Sorry, riders only. No passengers.

 This event is an AMA sanctioned recreational event. You do not need to be an AMA member to participate. However, without the help of the AMA, we could not afford to put on events like this and we encourage you to consider joining. Their web site is www.americanmotorcyclist.com .

 You must pre-register. This ride is limited to 150 entries and will be open to all makes of vintage (twin shock, drum brakes, air cooled) bikes.

 Swap Meet

Beginning Friday, and continuing through Saturday, a motorcycle swap meet will be held in the Athena city park, the center of organization for the weekend events. Participants including commercial vendors are welcome – without fee – to display and market Hodaka and other motorcycle parts and accessories. 

 Saturday 6/25 – Community Breakfast, Parade, Observed Trials, Bike Show and more!

Saturday includes a full schedule of activities for participants or observers. Highlights include:

• Community Pancake Breakfastoffered by the Athena Chapter of the American Legion, a fundraiser for the local American Legion Chapter. Pancakes, ham, scrambled eggs, coffee and orange
• Observed Trials - Novice, Intermediate, Expert and Trail Bike (stock) classes. “No stop” scoring. Hodakas and  Club members only. Due to insurance regulations, you must be an AMA member, sign a liability waiver,and get a wrist band.

• Swap Meet and Hodaka Club Booth in the City Park
• ·Bike Show  - Sixteen classes for Hodaka or Yamaguchi powered motorcycles only. Special awards for the best original Hodaka and best technical engineering on a Hodaka powered bike
• Silent Auction and Sale - Includes Hodaka parts, sponsor services, tools, riding gear, as well as some unique historic and one-of-a-kind items
• Main Street Parade – Approximately 100 Hodakas, of various models and modifications,  parade through downtown Athena, led by a deputy sheriff riding a special Hodaka Police bike! Sorry, no riders under 13. Passengers under 13 are okay with parental consent.
• Banquet Dinner, Awards Presentation & Auction - $15 gets you dinner, drinks & desert, no alcohol please. Awards presentation for the TT and bike show, and club service awards. Followed by a short auction of a few selected items by our auctioneers.

 Sunday 6/26 - Hodaka Only MX Racing – Classic scrambles-style racing in downtown Athena on the world-famous Diamond Eye track designed by Harry Taylor. Amateurs and experts welcome. Must have racing muffler or spark arrestor. Due to insurance regulations, AMA membership is required and you must sign a liability waiver and get a wrist band. Single event and full AMA memberships will be available at the track. Racing is $25 for non-members or $20 for Hodaka Club members. $5 if you just want to ride the practice.

We have procured a limited number of rooms at the Red Lion Hotel in Pendleton for Hodaka Days attendees.

The rooms are $106 for a single King and $116 for a double queen + taxes ,etc.

The hotel is located at 304 SE Nye Ave, Pendleton, OR 97801 and their phone number is (541) 276-6111 .

There is a restaurant on site and they have a pool.

There are a limited number of rooms and the last weekend in June is apparently a busy one in the area.  Book now and be sure to ask for the "Special Hodaka Days" rate.

If they are booked, please send an email to info@hodakadays.org and we'll see if it's possible to arrange for additional rooms.

Good news for Hodaka fans!

Hodaka Days is a “GO!”  During a recent Zoom meeting, the “movers and shakers” who provide the “people power” to put on Hodaka Days decided that it appears that it can be put together again!

While there ARE complications, as a group, we think we can make it happen again!  While exact details are still in development, some over-all plans can be reported at this time.

We will be working to provide venues which are outdoors for virtually all activities - including the banquet/auction.  We are exploring renting a towable stage to be installed in the Athena City Park for the duration of the event.  We are shooting for the “normal” full slate of activities with additions such as a Celebration of the Life of Chuck Swanson (former General Manager at PABATCO), and remembrances of other notable Hodaka supporters tied to specific Hodaka Days events.  Activities planned include the Bad Rock Trail Ride, Umatilla County TT(road ride/poker run), Bike Show, Swap Meet, Scrambles, Observed Trial, Seminar, Parade, Ice Cream Social (possibly at the Gem Theater – future home of the Hodaka Museum) etc., etc.

Just so you’ll know, some of the complications are potentially quite serious – such as:  There is a large music festival (many thousands of attendees) scheduled in the area for our “standard” Hodaka Days dates of the last full weekend in June which has nearly tripled room rates compared to our last gathering in 2019.  We’re in the process of negotiating discounted group rates at a local hotel and hope to have an announcement shortly.

NOTE:  All “official” Hodaka Days 2022 announcements and updates be posted in our blog on the club web site www.hodakaclub.org.  They may be reposted elsewhere, but we intend to use this blog as our primary tool to keep folks informed and up to date.

SUMMARY

• 1.        “Hodaka Days” is ON in Athena in 2022
• 2.       Mark your calendar for the last full weekend in June (BUT USE PENCIL for the moment).  As soon as the room cost/availability situation is worked out we’ll get the news out so you can a) make travel plans and b) make those room reservations.
• 3.       If you can, bring a lawn chair you can move around easily – most activities are going to be outside.
• 4.       Git yer bikes ready!  (Don’t wait till mid-June to start on that.)  J
• 5.        . . . and keep the rubber side down

Questions… send an email to info@hodakadays.org