Blue Ridge Motorcycling Magazine

maggie valley

The wheels roll on: WNC motorcycle museum celebrates 20 years, looks ahead

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With a quick roll start to crank over the engine of the 1916 Traub motorcycle, Matt Walksler hops off the bike and knocks down the kickstand. The 106-year-old machine rumbles, the smell of oil and gasoline soon permeating the air. He turns to the crowd of a couple dozen folks making a semi-circle around him. “If you Google the ‘world’s rarest motorcycle,’ this bike will … [Read more...] about The wheels roll on: WNC motorcycle museum celebrates 20 years, looks ahead

Hidden Japanese Treasure: There’s more than one incredible collection of motorcycles in Maggie Valley

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One of the things that keeps people coming back to North Carolina’s motorcycle mecca Maggie Valley is the sense of mystery that seems to underlie much of the Smokies – what’s around that next bend, or over that next hill. But sometimes, it’s those nondescript buildings on the sides of the road that hold the true mountain magic. In one such structure, barely noticeable from … [Read more...] about Hidden Japanese Treasure: There’s more than one incredible collection of motorcycles in Maggie Valley

Myrtle and the bike that never was: Riding vintage Harleys from Wheels Through Time Museum

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Spinning down through shafts of golden light filtering through the multi-colored leaves, I needed to gather speed for the next uphill rise. Ignition retarded slightly, throttle twisted fully closed, with my left heel depressing the clutch lever, I removed my left hand gingerly from the bars and felt for the tank mounted gear lever. Freewheeling in neutral, there was no time to … [Read more...] about Myrtle and the bike that never was: Riding vintage Harleys from Wheels Through Time Museum

All Roads Lead to Maggie Valley

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Sometime before sunset, after the tourists have headed back to their hotels, it’s possible to be alone on the Blue Ridge Parkway. You can pull over at a scenic overlook, slip your bike on the stand, lean back, and get lost in the magical vista. As multiple layers of soft color melt away into the distance behind the fading mountains, the spirits of the ancient ones whisper … [Read more...] about All Roads Lead to Maggie Valley

Dale Walksler: A life in motorcycles

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Dale Walksler bends over the 1909 Harley-Davidson and presses his mouth to the gas tank opening, then exhales forcefully to push gas from the tank into the carburetor. It’s the kiss of life, the resuscitation of a machine that hasn’t been started in decades. But knowing even a little about Walksler's love of these old machines, it’s unclear who is giving life to whom. On … [Read more...] about Dale Walksler: A life in motorcycles