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They had traveled about 400 miles from their rural Springfield, Ill., farm to celebrate 50 years of S&S Cycle, the company that makes high-performance motorcycle engines and parts at its facilities in La Crosse and Viola, Wis.
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Bob and Carol Searl of Waterford, WI, pull out of Rudy’s Drive-Inn on their S&S powered American Ironhorse. Bikers in town for S&S Cycle’s 50th annivsary celebration stopped in to Rudy’s for American Graffiti Night.
Erik Daily |
“We’ve done business with them for a long time,” said Bill.
Bill said he began buying S&S parts about 40 years ago, when he was racing Harleys with a friend.
“We broke the world drag racing record about 40 years ago with the help of Harley and S&S,” he said.
Although the S&S anniversary celebration officially starts today, Rudy’s kicked off the weekend Thursday with American Graffiti Night, referring to the 1970s movie “American Graffiti.”
The event, like the movie, featured classic cars, but motorcyclists participating in the weekend’s S&S gathering were welcome to show off their machines, too. The event also honored the 75th anniversary of Rudy’s, said owner Gary Rudy.
Sue Tuma, of Cashton, Wis., was standing in Rudy’s parking lot amid a sea of cycles. Just the sound of motorcycles rumbling was enough for her.
“I like the loud pipes, just the sound of the power,” she said. “You can feel it in your chest.”
Steve Thesing, of Stoddard, Wis., was looking forward to the weekend’s events.
“We want to take it all in,” he said, referring to his wife and father-in-law accompanying him. “I want to see the bikes, the vendors, the artwork, everything.”
Howard Kelly, a spokesperson for S&S Cycle, said the most amazing part of the event is the motorcycle builders who have come from around the world with machines they built using S&S’s 50th anniversary engines.
Kelly gave crowds of people tours of the S&S Cycle facility Thursday but said he has no idea how many motorcyclists might come to La Crosse for the event.
That may depend on the weather.
Intermittent showers and thunderstorms are likely throughout today until evening, said Brad Adams, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in La Crosse.
The rest of the weekend is expected to be drier, with a 50 percent chance of rain Saturday and a 40 percent chance Sunday, said Adams.
KJ Lang can be reached at (608) 791-8226 or klang@lacrossetribune.com.
Today’s events for S&S Cycle’s 50th anniversary:
- All day: La Crosse Area Historical Rides, Riverside Park
- All day: Julia Belle Swain/La Crosse Queen boat excursions on the Mississippi River, Riverside Park
- 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Taste of La Crosse, Oktoberfest grounds
- 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Mobile Broken Spoke Events, Oktoberfest grounds
- 10 a.m. to midnight: S&S 50th Anniversary gathering, Oktoberfest grounds
- 10 a.m., 1 and 3 p.m.: Tours of S&S’s La Crosse facility
- 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Avey Brothers Band, Oktoberfest grounds
- 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.: City Brewery Tours, 925 Third St. S.
- 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.: S&S/Teresi Dyno Drags, La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway, West Salem, Wis.
- Noon, 2:30 p.m.: Tours of S&S’s facility in Viola, Wis.
- Noon to 1 p.m.: Builder Grand Entry, Oktoberfest Grounds
- Noon to 7 p.m.: Motorcycle Gallery show, Pump House Regional Arts Center, 119 King St.
- 1 to 4 p.m.: Dave Rogers Band, Oktoberfest grounds
- 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.: OCC The Band, Oktoberfest grounds
- 4:30 to 8 p.m.: The Freezers, Oktoberfest grounds
- 4 to 9 p.m.: Pearl Street Brewery tours and tasting, 1401 St. Andrews St.
- 5 to 8:30 p.m.: The Head Bolts Band, Oktoberfest grounds
- 6 to 10 p.m.: S&S Street Drags, La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway
- 7 to 11 p.m.: Independence Rocks! — The Executives, City Brewery Hospitality Center
- 8:30 p.m. to midnight: The Remainders, Oktoberfest grounds
- 9 p.m. to midnight: Eric Tessmer Band, Oktoberfest grounds
- 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.: The Freezers, La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway, West Salem
