Wisconsin Leland Slimy Crud run fall run 2024

Just thought I would share the good times we had at the fall run. Stared out at 07:30 with a few friends, all bundled up for the nice fall winter temps we are getting here in mid-West Wisconsin.

Leland is more or lest East of Tomah WI, so we really didn't notice how windy it was until we got close Leland. On the ridge tops, we were being hit with some good side winds that had us riding at more or less 30 degrees off normal center line riding. In our little group, we had three sport/sport touring bikes, to dresser HD's and a KLR 650.

Rolling into Leland around 10:30 after having a great breakfast at the American Legion hall in Wonewoc WI, I was a little surprised that only about 20 bikes were there. It was a cool morning and that wind would make anyone think twice before jumping on a bike for a Sunday ride.

In a very short time, the riders starting pouring into town. Such a great show of bikes and people. Walking around the parking lots, street and grass areas is so much fun. Seeing the different rides, meeting the riders and soaking in all the common motorcycle enthusiasm energy going around, just wonderful.

The oldest bike I think I saw was an HD pan head 1947, or so said the owner rider. There might have been a 1942 HD there too, but we could not be for sure. It was showing the age for sure, but it was ridden to the event.
Many XJ's in good to great condition, I didn't see a XJ900 there, but I think everything else in the XJ family was there. A few from the XS family there as well. Just great to see them air heads alongside the other air heads, BMW, Moto Guzzy and so many more.

One of the best parts of the event is the law enforcement folks. They are there to keep things in check and they do a great job. They are not looking for infractions at all, just make sure the no hooligan stuff is going on. Keeps everyone mellow and in the right mind set.

Our little group started to head back around 3:00 pm. All got home safe and sound, great times, great friends and an event I plan on going to as long as I can.

 

Do you have any photos @Timbox

 

No this time around I kept my camera in my pocket. Last time it seems it was all I was doing, taking pics. To get the feel for one of the crud runs you really have to go to one. I think they are all over the country now.

 

Video on YouTube looks good.

 

A lot of the riders have a goal, find a project bike that is cool and interesting and get it roadworthy for the run. Only say a few three-wheel bikes there, but the variety of all the other bikes is really something else. For people who just love bikes, I would make the time to go to one of these events. I am sure they have them in different states as well.

 

It looks great. I like the old bikes too brilliant.

 

Here are the only two pics I took of the day. You could take pics all day long out there. Thousands of bikes come though for hours.
1 by Tim Brown, on Flickr
2 by Tim Brown, on Flickr
The 3 1/2 or the 350 I had never seen before. I did some searching and it has a good story. The company is out of business now from Italy, but they had a good run and a patent on a special way the head and valves worked. They were bought out by the DOD for their weapons division.

 

I like those bikes. Morini also sold the 500 twin.

 

Velocette is cool too. Allen Millyard got his father's Vellocette and converted it to a V twin.

 

I had my '80 Maxim at both of the Crud Runs this year (May and October). The fall one was on the last day of a three-day weekend, 750 mile trip from my home near Chicago to Iowa and Wisconsin. A couple pictures of my bike at Pine Bluff in October:



Parked in front of the Red Mouse in a line of Japanese bikes. I went up there with the intent of seeing if I could sell the bike, as my rational brain says I really don't need or have room in my garage for a 44-year-old UJM former cruiserbike.



While this guy was chatty, he had no particular interest in buying a bike. Nor did anyone else. Perhaps this is a sign, because I came back really uncertain about whether I actually want to sell it. My rational brain's arguments are as valid as ever, but my irrational brain says this bike is a lot of fun, brings back memories of when I was in my twenties, and who cares if I won't be riding it as much as I do my newer bikes?

 

Great story, thanks for sharing it.

So many bikes on these rides, great people and what a great event. Next spring I will take a lot more pics of some of the exotic, older and weird bikes that show up and post them.

 

Panhead didn't come out till '48. The oldest Harley I saw was this Knuckle, I think, though I didn't ask its age:



I actually snapped this picture in May, but the bike was there in October as well. The Flathead WLA behind it should also date from the early-mid 40s.

Interesting, as I didn't see any XJs but my own so-so Maxim. But that's a thing about the Crud Run: people come and go over a period of a few hours. This year I arrived around 9:30 and hit the road for Leland a bit before 11, so I missed some of the late arrivals.

I've been going to the Crud Run for maybe 20 years, and it's interesting how some bikes are there every year, some are there for a few years and never seen again. I recall a year when there were not one but two baloney-slicer Moto Guzzi singles in attendance. And of course there's this...



This "Mad Max" style Yamaha V-4 (I think the guy said it started life as a banged-up early Venture) showed up for years, then suddenly went missing, returned this May with a different rider. Seems the guy who built it passed on, but his friends took the bike, restored it a bit, and now bring it to the Crud Run as a sort of tribute. It is indeed an interesting thing. If I were to dig back maybe seven or eight years, I'd find a picture of the sissy bar and its sign reading "MUD ABOVE LINE NOT RECOMMENDED."

Things like this are what makes the Crud Run so much fun. I look at this bike and say, "I am so glad somebody built this bike... and I am so glad that somebody wasn't me!"

Speaking of which...



Look at the tank. "Speed Queen"?

There were also some immaculately restored old Japanese bikes, including some models I've owned when they were still new. Always a few really nice Z-1/KZ900s (my second bike), Suzuki Titan 500s (my third bike), and Water Buffalos (my fourth bike). I've never seen my first bike, a Kawasaki S-2 350 triple (a bike that would outrun a Honda 750 Four up to about 60 mph, fogging for skeeters the entire way), but it's "widowmaker" big brother is a regular attendee:



One of the reasons I got my XJ, and a reason I will probably end up keeping it, is the Crud Run. You show up at the run on a 40-year-old Japanese bike or a one-of-a-kind project bike, you are a participant; show up on a shiny new Harley and you're more a spectator.

 

The old Chevy station wagon (1958-59?) in the background of the last photo is pretty interesting too. I fellow I know won a 1959 sedan in a contest. Within a year it was too rusted to drive. And he said that about 90 mph the horizontal wings got the rear end VERY light.
Pretty cool bike gathering. Your description of participant vs spectator is spot on accurate. Thanks for the photos.

 

Great share and the pics are wonderful. We didn't see the six engine truck that had all V-twin HD motors in it, that was cool one yr. I left shortly after a big bagger HD (red) with a killer sound system chose to entertain everyone. The three ladies that were dancing next to the bike were nice eye candy, but that is not what the gathering is all about. Like stated above, a participant trying to get attention for their brand new very expensive bike, and that is not the play at the Crud Run.

I took my Bandit 1250S with all the bags on it. I didn't see another one there, could have been, but so many bikes roll through it is very hard to keep track. Thanks for keeping me honest with the year and names of the HD bikes. I have no clue as to what yr, make all the revisions are, Pan, shovel, iron, evo, twin, M8 and then all the letters that go behind that make the model. My HD friends can name them with great accuracy most of the time, but so many different versions over the yrs they lose track. I am not dishing on HD, people can ride what they want to ride, as long as they ride!