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" Jack Pine " Motorcycle 520 Mile Endurance Race Lansing to West Branch Michigan Xd14285 (1964)

1964 · Short film · 26 min

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Synopsis

This color film from 1964 celebrates The Jack Pine Motorcycle Race, aka Jake Pine Enduro, probably the best known motorcycle endurance run of all time. It takes place in Michigan's back country. Riders face numerous obstacles and varied terrain, guiding their motorcycles through rivers, miles of deep sand, up and down hills, through mud, tangled underbrush, etc. The ultimate winner receives a cowbell. Opening: Motorcycles cross a river. One is stuck in the mud. Title: JACK PINE! 530 Americans drove 524 miles (:06-:52). Cars drive down a highway. Man on a motorcycle. Labor Day weekend, the Jack Pine Race. Lansing, MI, the base for the race. Trophies on a table. The cowbell is the ultimate prize. Contestants clean and tune up their motorcycles (:53-2:49). The Chairman looks over paperwork. Motorcycles are numbered and inspected. On the eve of the race, a banquet is held for speakers and people eat. 5:30 a.m., Men mount their bikes. Crowd watches. The men wear helmets and are ready (2:50-4:53). Longines stopwatch. Referee blows a whistle and the race begins. West Branch, MI is the finish line. Good weather as the motorcycles go down unpaved roads (4:54-6:21). Motorcycles drive down a paved road, only 10% of the course is paved. Motorcycles cross the Grand River. Most bikes make it, some do not. A man smokes a cigarette and sits mid-stream, his bike has conked out (6:22-8:04). A rider pulls his fallen bike out of the water. Out of the water and up the muddy bank (8:05-9:51). The…

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Details

Running time
26 minutes
Collection
Ephemeral Films

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