R G Canning had a very nice motorcycle division at their SoCal shows. The shows were in nice venues and were in Anaheim, Ventura, L.A, Victorville, and many other cities. There were trophies for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and sweepstakes. Additionally, there were plaques for "Best motorcycle engineering." Always a nice crowd and had something for everyone.
Hello, Yes, the Sports Arenas in Los Angeles and Long Beach were the main ones for us. Once when we were surfing/camping in Santa Barbara, we went to a show back down the coastline at the Ventura Fairgrounds right on the surf shoreline. There was a great place to surf just down the beach at Surfers Point Break. Nice place and waves, but, crowded most of the time, due to easy public access. So, for us, it was a two for one road trip. An on the way home stopover for lunch and a nice custom car/motorcycle show. Jnaki The early shows R.G. Canning put on, were also held at the Long Beach Municipal Auditorium up to 1962, when we were the last high school class to graduate from inside of the building. The New SPORTS ARENA was physically there, attached to the Municipal Auditorium, but not functioning for any events until much later in that year. The Municipal Auditorium had two levels. The main floor initially, until the crowds for motorcycles also made the custom cars/hot rods have smaller spaces, so they were moved to the upper level walkway that surrounded the whole auditorium. That gave some separation and larger spaces for all displayed motorcycles on that level. Because the main floor of the new Sports Arena was so much larger that everyone got larger spaces. But, for several years, the whole under the balcony main floor area was designated motorcycles in some of the shows. The walkway all around the main floor area had the seats taken out and the walkway provided some great photo opportunities. The Long Beach Sports Arena Show … Motorcycle area… A good friend’s Harley Sportster early set up day activities. This is how I wanted our Harley Sportster to look at one time. One of the earliest and only custom Airheart Disc Brake applications hand made in his shop.
Hello, Yes, I did get to see the AEE Corvair Trike up close and personal. At the factory warehouse and at various shows in Northern Cal and locally in So Cal. It was not my personal cup of tea and the styling was too far away from what I liked in custom motorcycles. The seats were like flag poles in a U.S. Marine Corp “coming home parade” and stuck up too high. But, the style from AEE was different to say the least. They had their own versions of what they thought looked good and everyone should have one for their builds. They were on the so-called ground floor of the industry starting to spread the word on custom motorcycles, staying away from the images of the outlaw biker image. So, they created their own products and styling. Not all was ok for daily street styling or comfort/handling. But, at the early images took off across cities in the USA. Mail order and suppliers sprung up all over the place. There was an influx of orders to “look like AEE…” as if that was the custom motorcycle look for everyone. Great marketing, but not for all custom bike builders, everywhere. Or, even the young impressionable guys/girls that liked custom motorcycles, but had no idea which way to go at the time. I wanted a low slung street motorcycle. Low, smooth design and racy looking. So, the mods began and this is what we ended up with after some coercing from of my custom motorcycle shop folks. The front fender came off and now it looked like a dirt track racer. but like a dirt track racer, it threw up tons of road grime and little rocks that was felt all over the body, head, and face. So, the front fender went back on for some sanity and comfort. My wife kept sliding backward as we toured all over So Cal with the comfortable seat. A back rest was the next thing I made and had chromed. Using the stock rear fender bolts, I added a 3rd, different screw in to keep the fast thieves at bay when we could not see the bike while inside a restaurant or store. Our 1971 Harley Sportster with 6 inch fork risers, split pipes and homemade sissy bar. I made the rear seat back rest for my wife AND to tie on my camera gear in a old Army Green backpack. The shop guys convinced me to get a mod for the front forks and they installed it in exchange for some photos. Jnaki The AEE business grew and caught on with a lot of impressionable young folks. It was a mail order spectacle. Locally, the custom shops did their own designs and made inroads into the real custom bike creations of all kinds, not just choppers, or what most though choppers should look like at the time. The images of the outlaw riders just could not be erased. The custom images in the newspapers and partial mail orders items were as close as most would get to those outlaw riders. Most custom motorcycles had the “chopper” look and AEE created what was a multi-million dollar industry. But, we all saw the writing on the wall and die hards are still wondering what or where all of those custom motorcycles are to this day. Barn or garage finds will have a nice show and tell, one day. YRMV
Oakland Roadster Show Hello, My wife and I have been going up the coastal highway together since 1966. Our usual destination was Santa Barbara, Big Sur or San Francisco. In each place, there was history for us. So, the following years, we created different history as we frequented the ocean front highway from So Cal to the S.F. Bay Area. Some days, it was a week in San Francisco or three days exploring the rugged cliffs, coves and inland campgrounds along the rugged Big Sur coast line. One of those coastal trips ended up in san Francisco and as we were planning out the rest of the week’s activity, we happened to go across the bay to Oakland. The Oakland Roadster Show was full of northern California’s top builders of hot rods, custom cars and of course, custom motorcycles. The whole show in the different arenas and exhibition halls had the atmosphere of color, custom modifications and a ton of knowledge in all fields of custom builds for cars and motorcycles. On set up day, usually Thursdays, the arenas are open to free entry with special circumstances. As a card carrying member of the photographic press and photojournalist ranks, as low as it was… we got access to the set up day of displays and it was a show in itself. The owners were anxious to set up their displays, but also to be glad someone from the photography side had an interest in their custom car, hot rod, truck or custom motorcycle. My wife and I were loaded down with photographic bags and cameras. So, we were allowed to walk around without getting booted for not being a hot rod display person or custom motorcycle owner. It helped that my wife looked as if she were a pro photographer and both of us were well versed in the cars/motorcycles we saw and wanted to photograph in the show and possibly after the show. Jnaki This custom motorcycle was on display and we were able to talk to the owner and his wife. Having a wife or girlfriend around eases the tension of the show and talking to photography folks. So, we were able to set up appointment after the show for a photo shoot in their home town somewhere in the bay area. Our week long vacation/photo journey was timed so after the show, we were still around the Bay Area relaxing and enjoying the rock music, the friendly folks in San Francisco’s neighborhoods and community parks. Summer of Love and gatherings for some hard driving rock music publicly in the parks or concerts was a lot of fun. Not knowing when the custom motorcycle owner would be available, we just had fun enjoying the sites and music. Then one day after the show, I called the owner and he was ready for a photo shoot. As our dinky motel room was home court and central to the whole bay area, he told us that he and his wife live in Santa Cruz. So we made arrangements to meet in the next days for a morning to noon photo session. I knew about the surf spots along the cliff top areas of Santa Cruz from my earlier college days in nearby city of San Jose. Custom filters were used for a different look… We met and set up the photo shoot to our likings. The best thing was the surf was running, but the cliff top was empty for the shoot. As more people drove by to park, they allowed us full use of the cliff top for the photos. It was pretty nice. Nothing in the background except for the big blue ocean. So, the pearl paint with colorful swirling highlights + chrome accessories stood out for a great color shot. Again, we had hoped the color and the build was enough to get a centerfold or cover shot of the custom motorcycle. But, those finicky editors had the last word on selections. Custom motorcycles are not like hot rods with plenty of surface areas for color and custom build parameters. This Panhead Harley had all of the early custom motorcycle add on accessories to make it current. Santa Cruz, coastal Northern California
The Jalopy Journal
