Classic & custom cycles rumble into park

By Doug Carder, dcarder@miconews.com

It took Jimmy Rogers about four months to build this custom-made trike. He had it on display with three of his custom motorcycles at the Louisburg American Legion Riders Post No. 250’s show Sunday in Legion Park. Rogers owns Elite Cycles in La Cygne. (Photo by Doug Carder)

Jim Tucker made a confession Sunday. He didn’t have an interest in riding motorcycles — until he took his father-in-law’s Harley-Davidson for a test drive down New Lancaster Road. He’s been on Harleys ever since.

“I took off down a country road, and I loved it,” Tucker said. “It gets kind of addictive.”

Tucker’s Harley was one of 52 entries in the Louisburg American Legion Riders Post No. 250’s first motorcycle show Sunday at Legion Park.

His children, Abby, 9, and Jimmy, 7, were on hand with their miniature Indian cycle, while his wife, Amy, walked around the park filling out entry placards for each bike. And when Tucker’s father-in-law, Joe Peterson, rode his 1957 Harley into the cordoned area at Legion Park, three generations of cyclists were lined up side-by-side.

“I told Jim that if he was going to ride a cycle, he better buy a Harley or he would be disowned from the family,” Amy (Peterson) Tucker said, laughing. “I’ve been riding as long as I can remember. We’ve always had Harleys.”

Joe Peterson was glad his son-in-law took his daughter’s advice.

“I wouldn’t sell this Harley for anything,” said Peterson, who slouched on his ’57 Harley and surveyed the Legion grounds.

“This is a pretty good turnout for our first show,” said Peterson, the show’s organizer.

On Monday, Peterson said he was pleased with the overall turnout. “We were expecting around 20 to 25 bikes, and we doubled that. I was shocked, but real pleased. We want to make this an annual event. I think it will do nothing but grow in the future.”

Judging from the reactions of entrants and enthusiasts, many of whom rode their own bikes to the show, the Legion Riders will have to rope off a larger section of the park next year.

“There are a lot of nice bikes here,” said Bill Wittenbrink of rural Osawatomie.

Wittenbrink rode his red Triumph motorcycle to the show with his granddaughter, Marian Curtis of Louisburg, nestled in the sidecar.

“She liked the custom one with the orange flames; that ’68 Triumph is more my type,” Wittenbrink said as he pointed the custom trike and classic Triumph out among the classics and custom cycles on display. His granddaughter grinned in agreement.

It took Jimmy Rogers about four months to build the 2007 custom-made trike that little Marian liked so well. The orange-flamed work of art stood out against the park’s green foliage backdrop.

“I build four or five trikes a year,” said Rogers, who builds his creations at his Elite Cycles shop in La Cygne.

While Rogers has been handcrafting custom bikes and trikes for the past nine years, motorcycles have always been in his blood.

“I started riding dirt bikes when I was 6,” Rogers said. “I got my first street bike when I was 16.”

Ronnie Doty of Bonner Springs shares Rogers’ passion for cycles. He recounted the history of the Indian cycles while he cleaned the fender on a 1948 blue and copper model.

“It took about 10 years to collect the parts and about one and a half years to put together once I had everything I needed,” Doty said. He stepped back to survey his handiwork. “It’s been finished for six weeks. This is its first show.”

Peterson admires Doty’s Indian bikes — even if they aren’t Harleys. His grandchildren got their miniature 1969 Indian bike from Doty’s collection.

Peterson’s daughter Amy said her children have been riding the bike for about two years.

“They had to be able to start it before they could ride. My dad’s rule has always been, ‘If you can’t start it, you can’t ride it.’”

Sunday’s show raised about $1,000, which will go toward the Legion Riders’ charitable projects. The Louisburg group plans to make a donation to Project Uplink, which is gathering phone cards for U.S. troops deployed overseas. The group also is collecting used cell phones to send to the troops, and they have adopted a local military family.

“He’s deployed, and they have two small kids who go through diapers like crazy,” Peterson said. “One hundred percent of the funds we collect go to the troops and their families. They deserve it.”

Peterson said the Louisburg American Legion Riders couldn’t have asked for a better day to kick start their annual motorcycle show.

“I’ve been worried about the weather for the past three weeks, but this turned out perfect in every respect,” Peterson said. “I couldn’t have asked for a better day.”