2026 AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course

Hey everyone - it's that time again! The American Motorcyclist Association is having their Vintage Motorcycle Days event at the Mid-Ohio race complex in Lexington, OH. 

Setup will be on Thursday, 23 July, and the event itself will run from 24-26 July (Friday - Sunday). More info is available at the following links:

midohio.com/tickets/ama/vintage-motorcycle-days-ama-schedule
vintagemotorcycledays.com/

I'll be coordinating the Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Club (VJMC) infield location again this year (near the AMA tent), so if you're around please stop by and say hello! 

 

Yes, it's a Yamaha but I plan to bring a KZ this time 


 

I'll be there all 3 days. Will look you up.

Here's what I will be riding around, taking offers, and hopefully not taking her back home. 

   Thanks for opening the convo about Mid-OH, Scott.  Looking forward to seeing you again.  That 4-2 exhaust system has been calling your name...

   slmjim and The Lovely Z1BEBE will set up Thur. AM for the duration in swap #188.  Z1BEBE is the one-woman beautification of our digs @ #188.   slmjim be the odd guy in the goofy hat, mumbling to himself about arcane Z1 widgets, while Z1BEBE tries to pretend she doesn't know him.

   The Lovely Z1BEBE is also volunteering at the VJMC booth in the swap meet area on Fri. noon to 2:00 PM.  Look for the American and Japanese flags high on flag poles toward the SW corner of the swap area.

   After Roy, aka Roy-be-Boy-be, our dear friend and Mid-OH partner of ~17 yrs. +/- passed away suddenly early last year, we've partnered with Louisville Retro Wrench / Vintage Motor Works in our neighboring swap spot #178.  Fine group of guys who fit right in to the controlled chaos that is the Mid-OH VMD swap meet.  They offer mostly smaller pit bikes, parts &  vintage bike-themed T-shirts.

Good Ridin'
slmjim & Z1BEBE

ckahleer wrote:

I'll be there all 3 days. Will look you up.

Here's what I will be riding around, taking offers, and hopefully not taking her back home. 

She reminded me of a TS185 but didn't quite look right - was going to ask you and then saw "TC185" in your sig block 

Sure, stop by! I'll be the big dope in the long-sleeved fishing shirt.

Are you working a corner of the track for the AMA again this year? I think that's your normal role. 

slmjim+Z1BEBE wrote:

   Thanks for opening the convo about Mid-OH, Scott.  Looking forward to seeing you again.  That 4-2 exhaust system has been calling your name...
...
   The Lovely Z1BEBE is also volunteering at the VJMC booth in the swap meet area on Fri. noon to 2:00 PM.  Look for the American and Japanese flags high on flag poles toward the SW corner of the swap area.
 

Looking forward to seeing the two of you as well! I was wondering if you still had that exhaust   We'll figure something out, no worries 

I'm looking forward to meeting your swap meet neighbors, too. They had me at "smaller bikes, parts &  vintage bike-themed T-shirts" - can't go wrong with any of that! I'm taking vacation all of next week so I can finish the transformation of the 440LTD (picked it up last fall) before heading to Mid-Ohio. Spoiler: it no longer looks like a cruiser. 

To add a little bit to what you said, the VJMC swap meet location is in row Q: it's two rows in from the divided paved road that goes up/down the hill.

Fun fact for those who haven't been there: the AMA claims that the swap meet itself covers 80 ACRES !! I haven't measured it but it is absolutely massive: wear comfortable walking shoes, or ideally have something to ride (even a bicycle). You may need a couple days to walk the whole thing and a wagon to carry all the stuff you find. 

Bummed that I’m not going to make it there this year..

The past two days have been great: really busy, with lots of foot traffic and amazing weather 
I haven't made it over to see slmjim and his better half but hope to do that tomorrow  

Also ckahleer stopped by to say hello 

 

How many Trump flags and signs this year?

 

Dunno - I was in the infield tent almost the entire time

I did stop briefly at the other VJMC location and visited slmjim + Z1BEBE in the swap meet area, but didn't see any around there. 

   There were American flags visible from nearly every direction one could face within the swap meet & elsewhere in the Mid-OH facility.  Many were visible from atop the Turn 2 viewing hill in the campgrounds too.  Many brand-specific and advertising flags scattered around everywhere.

   The bustle of activity comes to a near-standstill every day at noon when the National Anthem is broadcast over the PA speakers, then clapping, whoops & shouts as activity resumes.

   The vile cesspool of politics is left outside the gates.

Good Ridin'
slmjim & Z1BEBE