Linkert Attacks, "THE ATTACK"

Linkert Attack 2012, what an adventure, I`m speechless.

Fred, Olivier, their friends and helpers in the Linkert organisation, the staff serving food, AND not to forget Freds mother for making this fantastic jam for breakfast, MERCI MERCI.
Freds frend letting me have his generator to be able to return safely back to ol Norway, MERCI!!!

We arrived Thursday afternoon, one day to early, still there was already quite a crowd on the beautiful campsite in Jars.
When we all went for a meal  in an nearby village was unforgettable, seated inside, outside, in the backyard, in the street and in the barn, getting them fantastic pancakes, Sancerre white wine and beers whilst the darkness slowly closed upon us, unforgettable.

How do I describe being a part of an event as the Attack, its meeting new and old friends from all over Europe, people truly interested and dedicated to their hobby and passion, old American made iron rolling on two wheels. Their dedication and the effort in keeping old bikes alive allow them to travel for days to meet like minded, OK we are niche, morons in modern society where electronics and fuel injection is the state of the art in engine technology.
Thank god, I`m not alone, there are more people out there with an believe in old technology and its culture. Who where there; Swedes, Danes, Germans, Italians, Dutch, Belgians, French (of course), English (gentlemen all of them), Finnish Injun riders, Japanese, Americans (uhm, at least one of them living oversea), Swiss, and there might still have been more, if so I appologize your not mentioned.

Names, I`m good with faces, struggling with remembering names, I`m so glad Øyunn takes all them pics where you are all present, named or not;
Andreas riding his 38 Knuck from Kassel god to learn to know you, Rowan good to meet you finally, Paulie where not as scary as I would have thought,
The Swedish Sinners Anders, Per and more, The A-bombers fellas,The Harleysons where we now know more great members than Fritz and Paul; Tchisi, Chris, Harry Hacker master mechanic and Norbert, do not forget my offer for you to move to Norway will stay, you are needed here too.
Swiss Harry & Dani, Michael the Dutch - will I get discount on parts from now on?
The Black widows; Simon (never tell anyone our secret!), Gareth, Simon (go looking for the Thor drill) and more names I have unfortunately forgotten, no offense. Actor Huggy (the not so shy guy)(I`ve now learned Huggy is nicked Mother too, Huggy, any nick would serve you right with your generous personality) and his semi Spanish friend riding Huggy`s hill climb knuckle, we love you both for the Friday trip to Sancerre where we had our spitzenklasse lunch together. Freaky Rico, your Pan is awesome and I will never be able to understand how to drive with such bars, never.
Our Danish Killer bobber brothers and not to forget the shy semi Dane James (yeah the one from Jamesville) your good bye kiss will make me not wash my cheek for months.
Erik and Weijun coming down from Paris to share time with us Saturday, I truly appreciated your company (as ever).
This list could go on and on, keep in mind; you are all great guys and girls and we were pleased to share your company.


OK, back to the Linkert Attack report, Friday the day of arrivals - long after darkness had covered the camp site bikes still arrived.

For us Norwegians, never had we seen such food at a motorcycle meet before. Dinner at Friday night was great as was the cheese, hams and salads topped by a fruit salad at the end.
Live music, beer, wine and social gatherings, when did we go to bed?, not did I check the clock, I just found that the temperature did not allow sleeping inside the bag.

Saturday, breakfast was hardly finished when realising there was a Linkert Attack ride soon taking off from the site. An epic ride was now ahead of us, numerous bikes riding through rural Sancerre, villages and narrow roads, like an endless snake of bikes where those in front since long had passed a village when the tail went by.

At times short stops collected all bikes and riders to enjoy the views or to taste a wine from an local winery, most ending up in Sancerre for more eating and drinking.

Back in Jars bikes were lined up for judging whilst people ate even more of the splendid Linker Attack meals. The rest of the day is easily summed up as social gatherings, lots of motorcycle talk, making new friends and enjoying live entertainement, music and more. Another late night to bed.

Thanks a lot to Øyunn for pic`s!

Linkert Attacks, the travel III

OK, my WL have so far been humming along as a bee filled with pollen going for the cube, will it last?

As known since ancient times, no three will grow into the skies.
The WL all off a sudden becomes a single cylindered growler. OK its time to unfold the tool pouch and spare parts needs to be found in the saddle bag. As the sudden stop taken place next to a Renault garage I`m soon surrounded by mechanics, all having hints and tips in all directions, from spark plug to piston failure. Tinkering finally allow us to conclude there where a repairable coil problem, we are back on track, for now!!!

Next time an incident occurs, just having reached La Rochepot, HOG is DEAD.
No offence, La Rochepot is not the epic centre of the world, neither not France. With my very limited French language I manage to lend an old ladies garage where we find there is not enough power on the battery to allow the coil to create a spark. damned, a dead generator. Yuppi me tough, I brought my electronic charger and we have now plenty of time to get to know village La Rochepot.
It turns out being a pleasure, we discover a huge castle is hidden on a nearby hilltop all covered by a forest, looks as if Dracula might have had a relative on French soil? Whoever once built this castle surely wanted his privacy secured.

Anyway;
My tip of the day, always bring an electronic charger!

Linkert Attacks, the travel II

As stated before, we, both me and Øyunn were totally astonished by the beauty of the landscapes and villages where we traveled on our way towards the Linkert Attack.

Following the Highway to Beune we followed a slower pace, going small country roads to Autun, enjoying the fantastic scenery of the Morvan national park, staying in Chateu Chinon - a story in itself, another great stay in La Charite sur Loire where we in a short time had become friends with locals.
After crossing the river Loir we now continued on even smaller roads towards Sancerre, a city which beauty is hard to describe. When seen from a distance you will see this old village throning on a narrow hill top, its ancient tower and a castle struggling to reach the vault of heaven above.
From Sancerre to Jars could be a straight forward ride, in despite of this we managed to get lost on local roads in the woods. We where finally saved by a young french car driver that lead us all the way to the Attack, Merci - Merci.

In all organisations members play different roles where their efforts as a total bring success. AMcN works like this too, I`m action - action and pushing, AMcN`s other half would calmly read the book describing the area and hence know what to see and where.
Thanks to this book we found ourselves at the Chateu de Savigny where we learned to know its proprietor Michel whom invited us into his property (an invitation including my Harley). Michael, an older gentleman still young in mind explained to us "I`m a little crazy you know", my reply to this is not any worse than me nor than many other I know, just you have had assets to bring the motorcycle madness to a higher level, the pictures to follow will share a fraction of what Michael had stored in his barns and inside his castle.

Having counted more than 300 motorcycles I lost track, from the oldest late 1800`s Laurin & Clements to 1980`s race bikes.

Oh I almost forgot to mention the odd 50 fighter jets tucked away behind the wineyard, puuuuhh!

Linkert Attacks, now in Borgougne

Nous sommes maintenant en France; profiter de la cuisine Française, les escargots, vin de Bourgogne et l'architecture splendide à Beaune.
Un court curriculum vitae; Kristiansand à Oslo non-stop, ferry d'Oslo-Kiel sans vagues, Kiel à Hambourg; totale chaos de la circulation avant la thunnel rivière, le WL aussi chaud comme un poêle de fonte pendant l'hiver.
Ok, nous trichons et voyagons en train à Lorrach. Hébergement de classe 1'st et des miles aller en tant que nous dormons. J'aime la vie de motard. De Lorrach à Beune est si belle, coteaux de haut en bas.

Attaque Linkert se rapproches.

Likert Attack`s 2012. France, nous voilà!!

Last preparations for France,

Trekkferje festival

Weather have been so crappy this last week, arghh!

Well, time to find if the old Hen can take some real rain, going to a local vintage meet I had some serious rain, we are talking WET.

The Henderson did take the rain with a purr, just some moisture inside the Corbin speedo, hmm. Whilst I was there Villy came too, riding his Injun Chief. Eventually the ride home from the event turned out being driven in "almost" sunshine, I said almost.

American Motorcycles Norway

Another great photo from the Fr. Dieseth album.

To the left in this picture, Josef Haug on a Henderson, in the middle his brother Enok riding his ACE and to the right is Fr. Dieseth and girlfriend (later his wife) on an Ariel.

Josef Haug worked at the Gresvig company in Oslo (Kristiania) as a mechanic on their ACE`s for a couple of years, this according to his son whom I have spoken to several times. Gresvig were the Norwegian ACE distributor during the short life span of the ACE motorcycles.

How he got this job with Mr. Gresvig is a good story in itself, and this is as I got the story told from Josef`s son;
Josef where out riding his motorcycle when he became aware of an luxury car with its bonnet wide open at the roadside.
This was a higly frustrated Mr. Gresvig and wife, car was dead. In a short time young Joesf had tracked down the fault, a voltage jump from the highvoltage coil.
Josef asked missus if she by any chanse had brought any varnish for her fingernails, which she of course had. The high voltage jump was fixed as soon as the varnish had dried and the engine of the car would start again.

Josefs skills as a repair man impressed Mr. Gresvig such that he insisted Josef to apply as a mechanic with his bussines the day after.

Both of the Haug brothers were active in motorcycle endurance runs like the Kristiania-Trondhjem-Kristiania events. Another highlight in their motorcycle career were their participation in the Norwegian team during the Scandinavian ISDT held in 1923.

Fr. Dieseth would in the later part of the twenties and well into the early thirties become one of our race aces when racing went from road to horse race tracks, and speed was the main desire rather than endurance. He would race Harleys, as did his friend Bjarne Fosskaug, Steinar Sjetnan (more to come on those two gentlemen), Ernst Vaumund and Macke Nicolaysen.