Have a thing for vintage motorcycles? Then you definitely won't want to miss this! Be in Muskegon for an extremely rare opportunity to see 70 vintage bikes as the Cannonball Tour rides down to the Lake Express terminal.

As part of their 16-day tour, the 2012 Motorcycle Cannonball tour will venture from New York all the way to San Francisco. The motorcyclists will be riding pre-1930s going over 300 miles before arriving in Michigan as part of their endurance test of the bikes.

Be there on time, the group will be departing on the Lake Express at 4:45pm. To try and plan a viewing station the motorcyclists will most likely be traveling down M-46 going westbound, which when it hits Muskegon turns into Apple Avenue. The group has mapped out their route to stay on two-lane roads rather than interstate highways, (Vintage motorcycles on the Cannonball tour to make way through Muskegon for Sunday ferry trip, Dave Alexander, Mlive.com, http://www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/index.ssf/2012/09/vintage_motorcycles_on_the_can.html).

The organizer of the event Lonnie Isam Jr., who got his love of vintage bikes from his family in Sturgis, started the ride back in 2010 with 35 motorcyclists on pre-1916 bikes. Even though the excitement is high, this is not just a pleasure ride, as Isam explains “the preparation that these riders have to do over the past year to get their bikes able to do 300 miles a day for 16 days is incredible. Even modern motorcycles would have problems making such a trip,” (Vintage motorcycles on the Cannonball tour to make way through Muskegon for Sunday ferry trip, Dave Alexander, Mlive.com). Beyond the bike preparation the preparing for various expenses that come along with this kind of trip is crucial. The cost of such a long ride can range from $8,000 to $10,000.

Seeing such vintage bikes in person is rare, let alone getting to see 70 of them ride down the road so be there early to reserve a good viewing location. Who knows, it could even inspire you to start saving now and signup for the 2013 ride.