Report from Latvia.

This is my first report from Latvia – a Baltic State which regained independence in 1991 and joined the EEC in 2004.

Between the 2 wars (WWI and WWII), Latvia achieved economic independence and was the richest of the 3 Baltic States (Estonia and Lithuania being the 2 others). This meant that one could buy almost any make or model of car or motorcycle through the established local dealers of the time. Most popular motorcycles were BSA, BMW, Ariel, Harley – Davidson and Indian.

A considerable number of these machines have been preserved in private collections and some of these are exhibited at the Riga Motor Museum which is worth a visit whenever you happen to be in this part of the world. The museum website is WWW.MOTORMUZEJS.LV

The annual traditional event for historic motorcycles in Latvia is the Round Kurland Rally and in 2007 it will celebrate its 5th birthday. This event has grown and matured over the years and has graduated as the best motorcycle event in the Baltics in this category of event. It is designed around geographical, ethnic, cultural, gastronomical and musical aspects and sporting activities and is traditionally based in beautiful historic surroundings – the courtyard of the Slokenbek estate near Tukums.

Kurland – the Western-most region of Latvia has a lot to offer due to its rich history. Last year the Rally Road Run was to Kuldiga -- an ancient Hanseatic League Town with the widest waterfall in Europe, providing the background to participant’s machines from 7 countries.

In 2007 the anniversary rally will be held on 13th – 15th July. Traditionally the participants will assemble in the afternoon at the Riga Motor Museum, S. Eisenstein Str. 6, Riga, and there will be a Social Run to Slokenbek, Tukums to the rally base. There will be a Regularity Hill Climb in the evening. On the 14th July the day will start with a challenging coastal Road Run to the Port of Dreams – Roja -- an ancient port town, first mentioned in 1387.
Between 1862 and 1913, 115 sailing ships were built on the seacoast of Roja, creating Roja as a real heaven – the centre of coastal sailing and trading. The rally participants will be able to experience the Maritime festival at Roja. After lunch and an excursion in town the Run will be heading north, to the unique Cape of Kolka. At the Cape two seas merge and there is a mark on a huge granite stone identifying this place as a cross point of Europe. It is planned to visit some places of interest at the Slitere national Park.

At the time of Soviet occupation the whole coastal region was closely guarded and closed even to travellers from Latvia because nuclear rockets were deployed in Kurland.

Today this region still retains a flavour of serenity, quiet roads, tiny fishermen’s villages, unpopulated beaches and unique to this region flora and fauna.

The Entry Deadline for the 2007 rally will be 15th May. Rally Entry Fees  traditionally can be paid by VISA or EUROCARD/MASTERCARD.

Rally Entry Forms and more details will be downloadable from the Rally website WWW.KURLANDROUND.LV released in January.

The rally group photo with Christmas greetings recently appeared in Ed Youngblood’s website WWW.MOTOHISTORY.NET so it has been noticed for its good spirit and message conveyed – men and women and machines from 7 countries united by a common interest – the Vintage motorcycle, regardless of their religious or cultural beliefs – taken on the background of beautiful “Switzerland of Kurland” landscape.

Pilgrims on Vintage American motorcycles that have visited the Kurland Rally include Inga and Bruce Linsday – the Harley experts, with their 1937 UL on American number plates, Mr. Indian from Germany – Juergen Hecker with his 1929 Indian 101 Scout who made a round trip to the rally and clocked 6700 kilometres on the Corbin speedo for the whole trip, Mr. Indian from Australia – Jim and Donald Parkers on a loaned 1938 Chief sidecar combination, Juergen and Jim both received the Long Distance Awards. Other American machines at the rally usually include several WLA 42 Harleys, the local Indian 101 Scout of 1929, and a 1937 Knucklehead 61E Harley of yours truly. There are of course over a dozen of other makes of machines from the Baltic States and the rest of Europe, with some regulars coming back each and every year…

Talking of unearthed American machines – my biggest find in 2006 was the surprise reunion of my 1926 Indian Chief rolling chassis with its original 1926 engine & transmission complete with carburettor, generator and magneto. The complete unit had been taken out of the frame 15 or so years ago and sold to exile in Sweden, then it had found its way to Norway where it had been lying on a bookshelf virtually untouched with the original Russian sparkplugs still betraying its past…Luckily I had a period photograph of the original engine in its frame and could see through a magnifying glass the original engine No. Candidly I did not reveal at once the fact that I owned the original frame to the vendor of this engine! So my eldest son Reinis and I took a car and travelled through Germany, Denmark and Sweden to Norway to bring the engine off the bookshelf. We returned through Sweden and took a ferry from Karlshamn to Ventspils which is now a hub port in the Western part of Latvia.

In my 35 years of collecting and rebuilding Vintage motorcycles this was my 6th most interesting and costly case of reuniting an original engine to its original frame! I had to trade my spare 1938 Knucklehead frame and forks to achieve this reunion.

We are currently involved in rebuilding 2 other American machines that should appear at the Kurland rally sometime in future – a 1926 Indian Prince and a 1929 Indian 402 – 4. The latter – a complete rolling chassis less engine and transmission was saved from behind a church wall and obtained for a bottle of cognac 25 years ago… The engine and transmission of 1929 was bought in the USA recently. The cases have to undergo extensive welding and reboring and I am lucky that I can have it done at my well equipped workshop, which is also an established cylinder head reconditioning business.

Our current 1st priority project is a 1913 REX/JAP with sprung wheel wickerwork Millford chair – the mount which should make it to the 2007 Pioneer Run, all things being well. I am typing these lines with my fingers crossed… See you there in March!

Juris Ramba
Latvia