Author: Diana M. Cuyler

Michigan’s longest yard sale kicks off Friday. Since 2003, the annual US-12 garage sale has spanned more than 200 miles of freeway across southern Michigan.

Every second weekend in August, thousands of people come to visit garage sales in communities from New Buffalo to Detroit.

From Friday to Sunday, you can visit a variety of businesses and communities along the historic trail.

For the past 19 years, the sale has helped people get out into the community, not only to buy goods, buy from local art vendors, farmers, and see shows and other attractions.

US-12 Heritage Trail project coordinator Kris Martin says the event draws people from all over the region in southwestern Michigan.

“We have a lot of people traveling in the state,” Martin said. “We also have people from Ohio, Indiana and Illinois reaching out to me and asking for advice. People are selling everything from cars to RVs to motorcycles to various antiques, clothing art, clothing, children’s items.There is a long list on our website.You can actually sort by product on your sale or by city or community.

The three-day sale brings business to local vendors, communities, nonprofits and historical groups. Martin says the sale has grown over his nineteen years and is helping communities along the way.

“A lot of communities and nonprofits or historical groups will also be renting space,” Martin said. “So that also helps a lot of businesses along the way. Not only does it attract people for it, but we also love supporting the local economy, supporting local restaurants, or staying in bed and breakfasts or hotels. Some people even camp and stay in an RV.

If you’re planning on going out, keep in mind that most vendors take cash.

Martin wants to remind visitors to be safe. If you feel sick, we encourage you to send a friend to do the shopping for you.

While driving, be careful along the highway and be sure to park safely when stopping at each location.

Pre-plan your trip here.

With the UK government’s refusal to sell non-zero emission motorcycles by 2035 (and Triumph’s TE-1, Ducati’s V21L, Harley-Davidson’s LiveWire and Can Am’s recent fodder in the electric industry) comes the opinion of MV Agusta on the matter; and while the iconic Italian brand believes in the use of electric motorcycles – evidenced by its range of e-bikes and e-scooters – it doesn’t believe the technology is ready for higher-performance models.

Not yet anyway.

That’s the opinion of Agusta’s director of research and development, Brian Gillen, who for a while sat with Multi-channel network to talk about it.

Agusta’s director of research and development, Brian Gillen. Media sourced from MCN.

“The government’s proposed plan to phase out gas-powered bicycles by 2035 is an aggressive stance that sends a clear message,” Gillen admits.

“There are many technical hurdles that must be overcome to enable the motorcycle industry to achieve current levels of performance and range with the same or less weight and cost than current internal combustion engines. ”

View of a zero emission scooter from the MV Agusta ranges. Media sourced from MCN.

With strong industry demands for versatile, small-capacity city scoots, MV Agusta’s current zero-emission ranges are reaping the benefits of the economy – but will Agusta ever commit to transferring its successes into fossil-fuel machines towards greater electric motorcycle construction?

A larger motorcycle built courtesy of MV Agusta. Media sourced from MCN.

“We strongly believe that due to the limited space available on a bike, the best solution will be fully electric rather than hybrid for performance and touring bikes,” Gillan agrees.

“Currently, the technology exists for low-performance intra-urban mobility motorcycles with limited range…but battery technology for performance-oriented full-size motorcycles is not available on an industrial scale.”

The MV Agusta plant. Media sourced from MCN.

With EICMA months away, we’re looking forward to the season’s reveals – and who knows, maybe MV Agusta is up to something and Gillan just has a stellar poker face.

Stay tuned, subscribe to our newsletter for all things motorcycling and, as always, stay safe on the corners.

*Media from Multi-channel network*

This Husqvarna 400 Cross was purchased by Steve McQueen on August 26, 1971. It would remain one of his favorite bikes for off-road riding, and he would keep it in his collection for the rest of his life.

Although best known as a movie star, McQueen was a successful motorcycle and automobile racer. He competed on the official United States team in the 1964 International Six Days Trial (ISDT), one of the toughest off-road motorcycle races in the world, and he often competed in California under the Harvey Mushman’s name.

Quick Facts – McQueen’s Husqvarna 400 Cross

• The Husqvarna 400 Cross was released in 1969 as a replacement for the Husqvarna 360. It featured a number of improvements over its predecessor, including an all-welded frame and a more powerful 400cc two-stroke engine.
• This new model was an immediate success, Bengt Aberg rode his 400 Cross to win the 1969 and 1970 500cc World Championships. brutal races in the Southern California desert.
• For many, the Husqvarna represents the shift that occurred in the late 1960s between the heavier four-strokes and the lighter two-strokes that would come to dominate off-road racing.
• The Husqvarna 400 Cross you see here was bought by Steve McQueen in 1971, he kept it for the rest of his life and apparently it was his favorite. It was one of the vehicles sold at its auction in 1984 and has been preserved in its original condition ever since.

The Husqvarna 400 Cross

The Husqvarna 400 Cross was unveiled in 1969 as an all-new replacement for the outgoing Husqvarna 360 model. There was a lot of pressure on the 400 Cross as it was set to reclaim Husqvarna’s position as the world’s leading motocross manufacturer.

This is the original transfer of ownership form which shows the bike was purchased by Solar Productions – Steve McQueen’s film production company.

There’s no denying that the Scandinavians have some weird magic when it comes to vehicle design, and luckily for Husqvarna that magic came to fruition with the 400 Cross.

From 1969 she won two consecutive 500cc World Championships with Swedish rider Bengt Aberg in the saddle. Malcolm Smith and Gunnar Nilsson took turns riding their modified 400 Cross and winning the 1971 Baja 1000, and later this year Mark Blackwell rode one to become the first U.S. National Open-Class Motocross Champion.

The 400 Cross is powered by an air-cooled 396cc single-cylinder two-stroke engine producing 40bhp in standard tuning. Power is sent to a large rear sprocket through a heavy-duty four-speed transmission.

The engine is cradled in a tubular steel frame that is fitted with hydraulic forks up front and twin shocks in the rear. There’s an amply padded seat to help soak up the bumps and perhaps most importantly, the bike has that signature Husqvarna red, white and chrome fuel tank.

It’s the engine that has propelled riders to multiple world championship titles and a host of race victories. It is a 396 cc single-cylinder two-stroke, air-cooled and developing 40 hp.

The overall design of the bike was relatively standard for its time, although the whole is greater than the sum of the parts, as evidenced by the long list of victories in premier competitions.

Surviving examples of the Husqvarna 400 Cross are now highly collectable, and there are specialists who can restore them to exact factory specifications. They remain popular today as vintage off-road vehicles.

Steve McQueen’s Husqvarna 400 Cross shown here

Of all the Husqvarna 400 Cross examples that still exist, the two most popular (and most valuable) types seem to be those that won vintage motocross and enduro competitions, and those that belonged to Steve McQueen.

McQueen glued a spare spark plug to the frame in case it was needed, it remains there to this day.

It is believed that McQueen owned at least two examples of this model, possibly three. One of these is now arguably the most famous Husqvarna of the era, the bike he rode in the 1971 documentary film On Any Sunday and which appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated riding.

The Husky you see here is his other bike, and according to some it was a favorite “regular rider”. McQueen purchased the bike in 1971 through his film production company Solar Productions. A number of its vehicles have been purchased through the company over the years.

This bike would eventually be sold in 1984 at the Steve McQueen Estate Auction, it has gone through a very limited number of hands since then, and thankfully it has been kept in the same condition as when McQueen last rode it .

It is now due to go to auction with Bonhams on August 19 in California with a guide price of US$130,000 to US$180,000. If you want to know more or register to bid you can visit the list here.

Images courtesy of Bonhams

Ben has had his work featured on CNN, Popular Mechanics, Smithsonian Magazine, Road & Track Magazine, the Official Pinterest Blog, the Official eBay Motors Blog, BuzzFeed and many more.

Silodrome was founded by Ben in 2010, in the years since the site has become a global leader in the alternative and vintage automotive sector, with millions of readers around the world and several hundred thousand followers on social networks.

A GROUP of medals won by war hero Sir Thomas “Archie” Lamb are included in the Charterhouse’s September auction of medals, militaria, coins and stamps.

Richard Bromell, of Charterhouse, said: “This is a fantastic group of medals retracing the deeds and journeys of Sir Archie from the Second World War to the late 1970s when he was knighted in of the Queen’s birthday in 1979.

“With the market for medals, militaria, coins and stamps remaining strong, we have already generated a lot of pre-sale interest for this group.”

Archie was born in 1921 and joined the Foreign Office in 1938 and on the outbreak of the Second World War he volunteered for the RAF.

Mobilized in 1941, he completed his pilot training in Rhodesia. However, when he returned to Britain on the SS Oronsay, the ship was torpedoed and he spent nine days adrift in a lifeboat before being rescued.

He flew combat missions in typhoons and hurricanes and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.

After the war, he returned to the Foreign Office, serving as Ambassador to Kuwait and later to Norway.

The medals, along with his sword, RAF woolen sash, silver ashtray and old diplomatic pouch are estimated at £2,500-4,500 at Charterhouse’s two-day auction on September 1-2 .

Richard Bromell and the Charterhouse team can be contacted for appraisals at The Long Street Salerooms, Sherborne 01935 812277 [email protected] where they are taking further entries for their September specialist coin auctions, medals, stamps, clocks and collectors followed by automobilia on September 29 and then classic cars and classic motorcycles in October.