After days of off-and-on thunderstorms, gusty winds, and chilly temperatures, the weather finally broke just in time for the spring running of the Slimey Crud Café Racer Run on Sunday, May 4. Motorcyclists of all types on a range of brands didn’t let the day go to waste, resulting in a huge turnout.
The Crud Run is an organic event with no big corporate sponsors, no official route, no road captains, and no set schedule. It is a do-it-yourself good time held on the first Sunday in May and October, founded near the dawn of time by the members of the Slimey Crud Motorcycle Gang. The start point is in Pine Bluff, Wisconsin, a tiny berg in Dane County. The final destination is Leland, up in Sauk County. How you get there is your call.
How and when the riders get from Pine Bluff to Leland is entirely up to them. There are well-paved roads spread out across southern Wisconsin, ranging from narrow, twisty, blacktopped town roads to county and state highways. The only rule is unspoken, but well-understood—ride safe, have fun.
When it comes to what kind of bikes, trikes, and whatever, there’s no telling what you might see at the Crud Run. The Spring 2025 Slimey Crud Café Racer Run was no exception. For example, Panther, a classic British brand in production from 1904 to 1966, made an appearance. I had never seen a Panther at the Crud Run.
The example on hand appeared to be a 1960s Panther Model 120. That was the era when Panther models had the 645cc “sloper” single-cylinder overhead-valve four-stroke engine. The engine’s “sloper” nickname came about because of the forward slope of the cylinder, which enabled it to easily replace the front frame downtube. The frame used the motor as a stressed member, which was unusual at the time. The Model 120 also featured dual shocks, a four-speed transmission, and twin exhausts for the thumper.
While the Panther was a solo star, the sidecar rigs stole the show for sheer creativity.
Judging by the number of onlookers, the best in show among them was a vintage Harley-Davidson hauling a sidehack faithfully done up to resemble a Hamm’s beer can! The sidecar displayed the iconic advertising slogans, “From the land of sky blue waters!” and “The beer—refreshing!” You could almost hear the jingle as it rolled by. Yes, Hamm’s is still around, and now brewed by Molson Coors in Milwaukee.
Another great sidecar rig showed up in high-vis Yamaha bumble-bee yellow and black. It was an uncommon setup with a sleek sidecar attached to a Yamaha Super Ténéré 1200.
Last, a modern-retro Triumph Bonneville brought a military vibe with an olive drab paint scheme and vintage-style sidecar.
If you missed the spring run, mark your calendar for October 5, when the Slimey Crud Café Racer Run returns. It’s a day you won’t forget.
