Dec 13, 2010

The 2011 season of the AMCA Judging Program, which begins with the Omaha Chapter National Meet February 25-26, will feature a couple of significant changes to the judging system that has been an integral part of the Club for decades.

The big news is the addition of a new judging class, the Honor Competition Class, designed for a very special breed of antique motorcycles―competition modified antique machines with documented racing pedigree.

Like the AMCA’s existing classes for original-condition and restored motorcycles, the new Honor Competition Class is reserved for bikes that are at least 35 years old. But to be eligible for the new class, a motorcycle must have been operated in a documented contest of speed, acceleration or handling in its period of manufacture. The class will not be open to modern replicas or antique motorcycles with only a modern race history. As with motorcycles entered in all AMCA judging classes, competition machines must be proven operational by starting and running in an official demonstration area.

All motorcycles entered in the class must be certified as eligible for judging through a formal application process before the machine can be judged at an AMCA National Meet. Eligible competition categories include dirt track, speedway, road racing, hillclimb, TT/motocross, drag racing and observed trials.

AMCA members can get an application to enter a motorcycle in the Honor Competition Class by going to the Judging Pre-registration page. For all of the details on the new class, go to the Judging Info page, where you can download a complete description of rules and eligibility.

Another change to the Judging Program will affect all AMCA members who enter motorcycles at any 2011 National Meet. Beginning this year, there will be a $10 pre-registration fee for entries more than two weeks in advance of the meet, and a $20 fee for those who want to register their bikes for judging in person at the meet.

Members can complete the pre-registration process online and pay by credit card through the Judging Pre-Registration page. Pre-Registration can also be completed by sending in the form found in each issue of The Antique Motorcycle.

Finally, a new rule requires owners who are bringing a motorcycle back to the judging field after it has already been judged at least once to accompany it with all of the paperwork from previous events. This will ensure that the judges at the next event will know the complete judging history of the machine. The penalty for missing paperwork is 1 point off the motorcycle’s score in this round of judging.

For those who are successful on the judging field, the AMCA will introduce a new Judging History Plaque for 2011. This plaque, which will be awarded when a motorcycle reaches the Junior First award level, incorporates spaces for Senior and Winners Circle Preservation awards, and meet identification plates. A Junior Second result will now earn the owner an award certificate signed by the AMCA President and Chief Judge.

For more details on the AMCA Judging Program, go to the Judging Info page, where you can download a copy of the entire AMCA Handbook of Judging.

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