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The first Motorcycle Cannonball was a 3,325-mile endurance run from Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, to Santa Monica, California, held from September 10–26, 2010. The inaugural ride was restricted to motorcycles made from 1916 and earlier. The Cannonball remains the most difficult endurance event in the world for these vintage machines. Author, antique motorcycle collector, and American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) Hall of Fame member Cristine “Cris” Sommer Simmons has ridden the Cannonball three times on the 1915 Harley-Davidson 11-F that is displayed here. Sommer Simmons’ motorcycle is nicknamed “Effie” in honor of Effie and Avis Hotchkiss, who, in 1915, became the first women to ride across the United States on a motorcycle. To safely complete the 2010 Cannonball in the required sixteen days, Sommer Simmons modified her 1915 Harley-Davidson with a larger fuel tank, 1930s VL-style seat, LED lighting, and modern wheels with a front brake. After finishing in 20th place in 2010, Sommer Simmons rode Effie from Atlantic City, New Jersey, to Carlsbad, California, in the 2016 event, and again in 2018 from Portland, Maine, to Portland, Oregon. “Early American Motorcycles” is on view pre-security in the International Terminal Main Hall and online: https://bit.ly/EarlyMotorcycles
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