1946

Gypsy Tours Top the Sports Program for Motorcycling Enthusiasts (from Indian Motorcycle News, May-June, 1946 issue)

The fun and excitement … awaits motorcycle riders at Gypsy Tours all over the country….for motorcycle fans this Gypsy Tour proposition is no mere rumor…it’s the real thing. Take that event up at Laconia, New Hampshire, being planned by the New England Dealers’ Association on June 22 and 23. It’s another of those big two-day motorcycle programs dropped right in the middle of one of Nature’s real beauty spots.

Laconia could be typical of one phase of outdoor America, with an endless variety of scenic views, picturesque lowlands, ragged mountains, and inviting lakes. It’s ideal motorcycle travel country. Well-kept main roads help one cover the miles, and there are plenty of those winding, interesting roads so enjoyable on a motorcycle, where you can “bend” into a turn and come sweeping out of it to see a new panorama unfolded before you. Paugus Bay, part of Lake Winnipesaukee, sweeps up to the back door of Laconia, and from innumerable cottages around the lake there is swimming, boating, fishing, and the other tourist pleasures, such as the boardwalks at the Weirs, to lure the visitor.

Right in the middle of this setting we find a big banner, “A.M.A. Registration Booth”, being set up. The purr of an occasional motor builds up to the sound of hundreds as motorcyclists begin to arrive.

After registration, the tour calls for a field day at the Belknap Recreation Area. Field events on motorcycles and on foot, shoe scrambles, potato-grabbing contests for guys and gals, plank riding events, and stake races for the participating sportsmen, and all to the amusement of the crowd.

Saturday night, the big dance at the new Recreation Building, and awarding of trophies for the best dressed gal and the best dressed boy motorcyclist, to the girl and the boy riding a motorcycle the longest distance to attend the Tour, and to the best dressed club.

The competition riders have their meeting where final arrangements for the Championship Race are gone over, rules explained, and the all-important starting positions drawn. And at all times the echo of husky motorcycle engines bringing new riders into town, riders going here, going there, coming back, meeting old friends, and looking up the rest of the gang. It hardly ever quiets down.

Then Sunday! Some of the early birds out at the Belknap Area race course setting up their pits, taking a few laps just to get the “feel”, and checking the gear ratio and those vital brakes.

This year promises to be the biggest and best Gypsy Tour season of all, with all the gang just itching for action. More competition and bigger prizes to shoot for seems to be the keynote, and the New England event is right in line with a lusty purse of $2,5000 for the racing motorcyclist. There’s a 100-mile National Championship Road Race for Expert Riders, and for the new rider who feels he can whip his bike through the turns, up the straightaway and around the sweeping bend, and down the Belknap Hill just a little better than his buddy, there is a 25-mile Novice event in which he can win his spurs.

…And now to give that booklet about New Hampshire a good looking over. If you don’t mind a suggestion, drop a post card to the New Hampshire State Planning and Development commission, and ask them to send you a copy of the booklet and a map. You’ll be letting yourself in for the time of your life!

1947

The article below, from the May/June 1947 issue of Indian Motorcycle News, is titled “Red Letter Days for Cyclists in ’47”. As the article notes, “Each year the motorcycling calendar has seen more and more important events being scheduled, and the old standbys increasing in scope and appeal…’Where to Go’ is no longer the cyclists’ question – it’s ‘Which one will we go to’!…The increasing popularity of motorcycle events can be attributed to the interesting and varied tours planned by clubs and dealer groups, and to the exciting professional motorcycle race shows which have attracted ever increasing crowds of spectators…The New England Tour, on June 21 and 22, more familiarly known as ‘Laconia’…is famed for its vacation attractions, such as mountains, lakes and rivers, with their respective sport possibilities, and you can always find something to do. Just riding your cycle around the excellent roads in the Laconia country is a treat that will give you a wonderful store of memories.”

1948

The May, 1959 issue of New England Cycle Sport described the aerial photo on its cover as “The World Famous One Mile Road Course at the Belknap Recreation Area, Laconia, NH, scene of the 1959 Gypsy Tour.” The Band Stand is in the lower left of the photo, at one of the two “hairpin” corners of the race course. Photo by Norm Brady. The 1948 official program shows the course in the opposite orientation of the photo.

A pin and a ribbon

1949

Below is an article from the May, 1949 issue of American Motorcycling, describing the Gypsy Tour. It is interesting to note how the Tour evolved in the 30 years from the 1919 concept (see above), while still retaining many of its original characteristics. The article also included a page of photos with captions as follows: “Summertime gypsy tours usually begin with an organized road run from the city to the country — that is, from the point where the riders first gather to the spot chosen for the day’s activities. The usual road run is 75 miles long, and may cover scenic territory…Rules of formation are observed on the run.” After arriving at the spot, “Club parades feature flying banners and flags as clubs and solo riders enter the rally area. Then everyone lines up for the uniformed club contest. Also popular are neatest appearing rider contests and awards for cleanest motors. Then games include the plank ride, slow race, backwards push, stop or lose race. Refreshments, picnic style, top the day.”

1950

A July, 1950 article in Motorcycling Digest described the 1950 N.E. Gypsy Tour as the greatest in the United States. It was the “biggest such event held anywhere in the United States…Registrations at the AMA booth at the Belknap Recreation Area prove this…this NEMDA-sponsored big undertaking attracted a larger number of motorcyclists than any other tour in the United States or Canada.”

1951

A press pass ribbon. It reads: 31st Annual N.E. Gypsy Tour and 100-Mile National Championship Motorcycle Road Race, Laconia-Gilford N.H. June 15-16-17, 1951

1952

Not the official guidebook but a great cover nonetheless. The article on Laconia was titled “Cycle Vacationland Calls Throttle Twisters”.

A Harley-Davidson pennant

A list of Gypsy Tours in 1952, from the May 1952 issue of American Motorcycling, see cover above. The Black Hills Classic in Sturgis, which eventually became the largest Motorcycle rally in the USA, overtaking the Laconia rally in the 1970’s-1980’s, started in 1938 as a Gypsy Tour, 22 years after Laconia’s first Gypsy Tour. The second largest USA rally, in Daytona, which began in 1937, was always associated with racing, not a Gypsy Tour. Laconia is now the third largest rally in the USA.

Article – New England Riders Flock to Laconia

1953

Note: There is some disagreement between the cover of the official program and the Mayor’s proclamation on page 1 of the program whether the 1953 event lasted for just the three days of June 19-21, or for the whole week of June 15-21. The 1953 guidebook listed only 3 days of official events, but clearly, the city of Laconia sought to entice Motorcycle visitors to stay over for the whole week.

A 3rd place ribbon

1954

A decal

A pennant

1955

In the foreword of the 1955 program, Fritzie Baer boasted, “There is no doubt in the minds of any motorcycle rider in the United States that Laconia today is synomonous with the greatest Gypsy Tour and motorcycle race to be held anyplace in the country.” Unlike today’s racing, limited only to professionals, Fritzie pointed out that “…This is a beautiful set up whereby the racing fraternity from the novice rider through the amateur and into the expert class all have an opportunity of racing on this world famous mountain track.”

Note: Once again, there was some disagreement between the cover of the official program and the Mayor’s proclamation on page 1 of the program whether the 1955 event lasted for just the three days of June 17-19, or for the whole week of June 13-19. We will go with the Mayor’s proclamation! Actually, the official guidebook tended to list only the days when actual racing was going on, even though the festivities stretched over a whole week. (In 1959, and then again in 1960, the Mayor’s official proclamation and the cover finally agreed.)

Gypsy Tour Time, 1955

1956

In 1956, at a cost of $16,000, the five-sided race course at Belknap was newly paved, thus providing the nationally known motorcycle racers and the AMA “a track that has no equal in the United States” -Fritzie Baer

A poster

1957

The 1957 program featured on its front cover a poster child for the March of Dimes charity. The charity’s purpose was to raise money for polio research and to care for those suffering from the disease. The organizers of the 1957 rally hoped to raise a “Mile of Dimes”, equal to $7,392, for the charity. Even today, many charities raise funds during Motorcycle Week.

An interesting photo from this 1957 program shows a five foot chain link fence seperating spectators from racers. This, the only safety barrier between the crowds and the high speed motorcycle racing, was expanded prior to the 1957 race to extend around the entire race course, leading Fritzie Baer to exclaim, “Laconia again leads the United States in its safety precaution.”

A clasp

A Harley Davidson ashtray

Vol. 22, No. 2, April 1957 issue of the Motorcycling Digest. “Gypsy Tour at Laconia Runs Solid Week in June…the greatest motorcycle show on earth…with the greatest gathering of uniform clubs ever congregated at one time…where over 100 marvelous trophies will be presented…”. Events included drags, hill climbs, and scrambles, and even non-motorcycle-related events like canoe tilting and amateur theatrical contests.

1958

A clasp

Pennants

1959

The 1959 pennant came in three colors, perhaps more

1960

Note: an “auxiliary” is a term that has fallen out of favor in contemporary times. An auxiliary was an all-woman’s sub-group that was associated with an all-men’s main group.

A pennant

Promo cards

1960 First-place ribbon.

1961

A pennant

1962

With the term Gypsy Tour falling out of official favor in the early 1960’s, this pennant, probably dating from around 1962, renames the rally as the New England Motorcycle Tour. Article below from a 1962 issue of American Motorcycling.

1963

Despite this being the 43rd annual rally, rally organizers called this year the Silver Anniversary, as it had been 25 years since the first National Championship road race had been held at Belknap, in 1938. However, since no racing had occurred for the four years of World War II (from 1942-1945), this was actually the 22nd edition of the race.

1964 – 1966

Apparently, in 1964, there was no motorcycle rally, at least from an official point of view. There was definitely no motorcycle race. The 1963 guide, above, was for the 43rd annual tour, while the 1965 guide, below, was for the 44th annual tour. Perhaps the reason was the lack of a race course.

Racing had begun in 1938 at the Belknap Recreation Area with a 200-mile course. From 1939-1963, a 100-mile National Championship road race was held every year at Belknap (except during the war years from 1942-1945, when racing was suspended.) In 1965, the first motorcycle race at the Bryar Motorsports Park in Loudon, NH took place. Racing has continued at this location until the present day. In 1990, when the old Bryar racetrack was replaced by the New Hampshire International Speedway, the first professional race held at the newly opened facility was the 67th Annual Loudon Classic, held on June 17 of that year. On November 2, 2007 the track was purchased by Speedway Motorsports Inc. and renamed the New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The Loudon Classic now occurs on the first Sunday of Motorcycle Week.

Little did the rally organizers know what was in store for them during 1965, the year of the infamous Weirs Beach riot. Or perhaps they did. Anticipating trouble that year, a week before the rally, two state laws were enacted. One allowed police to arrest riders loitering in groups of 3 or more, while another provided for fines up to $1000 and imprisonment up to 3 years for persons who led a disturbance or caused property damage during a riot. Also, a contingent of 200 National Guardsmen were stationed nearby the downtown Weirs Beach area. This set the stage for such a tinderbox atmosphere that perhaps the 1965 riot was inevitable.

The year following the riot, in 1966, the webmaster remembers there were so many National Guardsmen and so much military equipment concentrated in Weirs Beach that the area seemed like a closed military zone. In addition, on June 6, 1966, the Laconia city council passed an ordinance prohibiting drinking in public. The ordinance stated that “No person shall drink any alcoholic beverage….on any public street, or public highway, public sidewalk, municipal parking lot, or municipal park within the limits of the City of Laconia.” To get the idea across, the City made up a poster, and posted them all over downtown Weirs Beach.

Predictably, this killed the celebratory atmosphere that year, and the rally began a long, slow decline. (One immediate change was that the rally was cut back in duration, from an event that lasted a week, to a weekend event, hence the term “Motorcycle Weekend”.) In 1975, a law banned camping along Route 106, the highway which led to the Loudon race track, and racing was cancelled that year. In 1981, a “mini-riot” occurred, led entirely by local youths, which was handled easily by the local police.

Bumper sticker (year unknown) for a “Laconia 100 Mile National” race at Bryar Motorsport Park.

Postcard titled “Air View Bryar Motor Sport Park” (year and event unknown)