This week we’re talking about an odd couple that ended up being a team on the TransAmerican Motorcycle Endurance Run: Danger Dan and George Banks, riding together as Team Competition Distributing.
These two rode through almost everything side by side. They were the kind of team that didn’t just focus on the miles. If there was something interesting to see, they stopped. If there was ice cream, they stopped. Good food? They definitely stopped. A cool roadside spot? You guessed it, they stopped.
And that’s exactly the kind of spirit we love seeing out on the TransAm!
Danger Dan
Danger Dan came to us with only a few days of JD riding experience.
In fact, the very first time he came out to the shop to ride the JD to get ready for the TransAm… the handlebars came completely off and he ended up in a ditch….. LOL Don’t worry, he was totally fine, but it was definitely a memorable start.
Dan comes from the chopper and adventure motorcycle world, so riding a 100-year-old machine was something completely new to him. That said, we had a feeling he would be just fine. Anyone who has ridden choppers all over the country knows how to be resourceful, and that skill set goes a long way when you’re riding antique motorcycles across the United States.
Dan has ridden the Pan-American Highway through Central and South America, so he’s no stranger to long miles and figuring things out along the way. This time he made it all the way across the country on a 1921 Harley JD, making every mile of the race.
Like everyone, he had his challenges along the way. On day one, just a few miles into the race, he lost his shifter bolts almost right out of the gate. After getting that sorted out, he rode strong for quite a while before the next issue.
The biggest problem came when his motor mounts broke. Luckily, he was able to limp the bike in, get it fixed, and keep going without missing any miles.
Another moment that’s a little funnier happened rolling into Dodge City, Kansas. Dan was convinced he was having vapor lock issues. After parking the bike for a few hours it wouldn’t start at all. After some head scratching he realized… he had simply run out of gas.
Dan was an absolute joy to have on the race. He showed up ready to learn, stayed positive through every challenge, and always had a great attitude. He brought a lot of good energy to the group and was just fun to be around.
If you want to hear Dan’s full take on the adventure, you can listen to him talk about the experience on his podcast:
Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/497-motorcycle-trans-american-endurance-run/id1153737630?i=1000728246363
Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/4DuRfO2aBxFZd6qAKLhQNH?si=e96677c5a0ed42d1
George Banks
George Banks rode a 1920 JD and went hard every single day. George is a mechanic and Tom’s brother, so he knows these machines well, but even the most experienced riders run into challenges on the TransAm.
George spent a good portion of the race fighting generator issues on the bike. After dealing with it for a while, he made the call to swap things around and ended up converting the bike to run a magneto instead, which meant changing the entire cam chest setup along the way too. Not exactly a small job during a cross-country endurance run.
He also dealt with broken motor mounts early on, which were able to be repaired on the second day of the race so he could keep moving forward. Anyone who knows George knows he’s not the type to back down from a challenge. He kept pushing, fixing things as needed, and doing everything he could to stay in the run.
Even though he missed a few miles along the way due to the mechanical issues, George still rode into the finish line at Heceta Head and was there to celebrate with the rest of the riders. Seeing him roll into the finish after everything he had fought through was a pretty great moment.
A Great Team
Danger Dan and George Banks ended up being one of those teams that really captured the spirit of the TransAm.
They rode together, fixed problems together, took in the country together, and made sure to enjoy the ride along the way. Sometimes that meant chasing down miles. Sometimes it meant stopping for ice cream. Either way, they were always smiling.
And that’s really what this event is about. Not just making it across the country, but experiencing everything that happens along the way.
Photos by: Olivier Touron, Ed Harriger, Eddie Phillips, Kazuo Matsumoto
Want to sign up for our email list? Do it here!
Sponsored by: Legends Motorcycles, Sinless Cycles, Competition Distributing, Veritas Vintage, Antique Motorcycle Club of America
