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Mike MacEachern is seen here competing on his 1984 WR400 Husqvarna in an American Historic Motorcycle Racing Association competition. MacEachern, who has been racing for 40 years and re-entered the racing circuit about two years ago, was recently named the AHRMA National Champion in the 2009 Vintage Cross Country Series in the Post Vintage Open Intermediate class. SUBMITTED PHOTO
Area contractor earns racing honors
By KANDACE MCCOY
kandace.mccoy@register-news.com
MT. VERNON — A local contractor has taken his love of motorcycle racing to a vintage level — and is winning.
Mike MacEachern was recently named a national champion in the American Historic Motorcycle Racing Association in the 2009 Vintage Cross Country Series in the Post Vintage Open Intermediate class.
“I used to race modern motorcycles when these were new,” he joked about his racing. “I have been racing for 40 years. I got out of it and then my friends started racing vintage motorcross. They bugged me about getting one to run vintage races with them and I finally broke down and bought one.”
MacEachern re-entered the racing circuit about two-and-a-half years ago, he said. Though he owns 16 different motorcycles now, the one he competes on is a 1984 WR400 Husqvarna.
MacEachern explained that vintage motorcycles are considered those up to 1974 and post vintage is from 1975 to 1985.
“They’re older motorcycles with older technology for engines, suspension and braking,” he added. “The races we race in are designed for those motorcycles.”
This is the second year in a row MacEachern has been named champion, winning in 2008. He explained a national series is normally 18 to 20 races with the championship winner named based on points. MacEachern participated in 11 races in 2009 with nine firsts, one second and one third. He has raced in South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee and Texas, and normally participates in at least one race in Illinois.
He said the courses are “easier” to race in than with modern motorcycles, but sometimes finding parts for his motorcycle is difficult.
“Some companies reproduce parts and a lot of time I have to spend the time looking to see who has the parts. Some companies have NOS (new old stock) parts, so that helps,” he said.
And though he said the sport is an amateur event “across the board,” there is one reward that keeps him going at it.
“I do it strictly for the fun of it,” he said. “I get personal satisfaction to know that I can still do it. I’m 50 years old now. I hope to continue for a while. I know a guy in Chicago that rides in several races and he’s 83. I intend to keep going if I don’t get hurt too bad. I’ve been banged up a little at some races. I’ve been a contractor here in town for 22 years — I just like to ride motorcycles in the woods.”
The AHRMA is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to restoring and competing on classic motorcycles, information states.
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