The Antique Motorcycle Club of America was founded in 1954 by a group of antique-bike fans in the New England area (pictured from left are T.A. Hodgdon, Emmett Moore, Henry Wing Sr., and Henry Wing Jr.).

In the decades since, the AMCA has grown to become one of the largest organizations of antique-motorcycle enthusiasts in the world, with 11,000 members in the United States and more than a dozen other countries.

From the beginning, the purpose of the club has been the “preservation, restoration and operation of old-time motorcycles.” Members of the AMCA own, restore, preserve, study or just admire motorcycles that fall into the antique category, meaning they are at least 35 years old. Although the Club is based in the United States, fans of motorcycles from all countries are welcome, and ownership of an antique motorcycle is not required to become a member.

Through its network of 73 affiliated Chapters in the U.S. and abroad, the AMCA provides a way for antique-bike fans to share their interest with others in their local area. Chapters typically host regular meetings, plus activities like bike shows, swap meets and antique-bike road runs.

At the national and international level, the AMCA maintains a calendar of National Meets and Road Runs that include some of the premier antique-motorcycle gatherings in the world. National Meets typically include a large vendor area, where members can sell everything from antique-bike parts to entire motorcycles that are at least 35 years old. In addition, National Meets offer a full schedule of other activities, ranging from seminars and bike shows to motorcycle field games and antique-bike racing.

All National Meets also feature the AMCA’s National Judging Program, in which members’  motorcycles can win awards in three categories: Restored, Original Condition or Period Modified. Instead of competing against each other, bikes entered in the AMCA Judging Program are evaluated on a 100-point scale against the standard of the same motorcycle as it would have appeared when it originally left the factory.

National Road Runs provide an opportunity to use these classic machines for their intended purpose—riding on back roads in some of the most scenic parts of the country.

In addition to those events, AMCA members also get access to a number of benefits, including a high-quality magazine six times per year, online forums where they can seek advice from experts, and the AMCA Virtual Motorcycle Library, featuring downloadable copies of hundreds of old and rare sales brochures, parts lists and repair manuals. Plus, AMCA members receive discounts on admission to some of the country’s premier motorcycle museums.

Mostly, though, people join the AMCA to meet up with others who share their interest in machines from the classic era of motorcycling. For some, that means the satisfaction that comes from investing thousands of hours in bringing a rusted hulk back to it original perfection. To others, it means preserving artifacts of the past so that they can be appreciated by future generations, or the simple pleasure of enjoying a two-lane road at an unhurried pace—just like motorcyclists generations ago.

Does that sound like you? Why not join with thousands of other like-minded antique-bike fans by becoming a member of the AMCA?